For millions of people the debate about whether the US economy is in a recession or a depression really doesn’t matter.

What does matter to people is how they are going to survive the current economic crisis.

The economy hasn’t taken this much of a hit in decades and people need to find ways to simplify their lives in order to make it through these hard times.

In the past when recessions hit, people were able to fall back on survival strategies in order to make it through but the modern lifestyle has evolved in such a way that some of those strategies aren’t available to modern citizens.

Also in decades past people were not so dependent on gadgets and technology and did a lot more for themselves instead of relying on consumption to meet their basic needs.

The US lifestyle is one of luxury that people in many countries only dream of.

When people need to suddenly live without luxuries like 300 cable channels or pricey organic meat and vegetables for dinner they don’t know how to adjust.

For many of today’s consumers the economic hard times that citizens face now mean living a lifestyle they are totally unfamiliar and unprepared for.

A huge percentage of families eat dinner out or eat take out food four nights a week or more.

Those families could save a lot of money by cooking and eating at home but sometimes the parents don’t know how to cook basic meals at home because they have been raised on eating out.

Kids who have always had access to cable or satellite TV don’t have the imagination to go outside and play or amuse themselves without video games.

And people whose identities are wrapped up in their fancy jobs, high end cars, or designer clothes might not be able to adjust to a more frugal lifestyle that these economic hard times demand.

SURVIVING THE ECONOMIC CRISIS

NO HELP TO BE HAD

For many charities and non profits that are set up to help people get through economic hard times the economic crisis is leaving them unable to help people who need it.

People are saving their money instead of giving it to charities, and they are re-using clothes and household goods instead of donating them.

Food is being carefully hoarded and not given to food pantries.

So even though more people than ever are going to food pantries and shopping at charity stores for secondhand clothing the supplies that these charities need are not coming in fast enough to meet the demand.

For the very poor that have nowhere else to turn, no family to depend on, or friends who can help the situation, it is becoming very dire.

Because the formerly middle class workers who are now unemployed need help from charities the truly destitute are once again out of luck.

LEARNING TO LIVE IN SURVIVAL MODE

People that have already lost their jobs or are in a serious personal financial crisis are struggling to find ways to survive in these economic hard times.

Many are unprepared for the transition of going from an employed worker with a good job to an unemployed person facing food insecurity and possible homelessness.

For many workers who were always one or two paychecks from financial disaster this economic crisis has put them in survival mode.

In order to get by people are reexamining their lifestyles and making drastic cuts.

Meals are cooked at home using whole grains instead of precooked, vegetables are frozen instead of fresh, and protein is scarce.

Thermostats are lowered and people use candles or lanterns to keep the electric bill down.

Families with two or more cars take all but one car off the road or sell the others.

Extra bedrooms get rented.

Last season’s fashions are kept instead of being donated to a secondhand store.

People are once again discovering that they can live with less.

AN END TO CONSUMERISM?

The one possible bright spot in these economic hard times could be that people are finally not giving in to the constant pressure to consume.

In their efforts to survive people are for the first time in many years not using their credit cards to buy luxury items like the latest fashions or new video games.

They are examining their financial resources and figuring out how to live on what they have instead of living on borrowed money and credit.

Finally US consumers are seeing the value of living a less lavish but more financially stable lifestyle.