Being Resourceful in Hard Times

I know with these rough economic times people are stressed. Lost your job, less money, foreclosure of a home, and many versions of the story. People are so lost in what to do so they have starting freaking out. I wanted to share a bit about what I think could help.

Now I must say that my life has been much different from the average persons, so perhaps my way of dealing with it goes with that. But I did grow up in Bisbee, AZ in a mining shack. Where my favorite thing was when we went venturing out to a cabin where I caught fish with my bare hands and went riding horseback. My parents were hippies and we lived a much more simple existence. Our idea of a vacation was heading to the redwoods or to Northwest to camp on the Oregon Coast. Their was no fancy restaurants, Disney trips, name brands clothes, and worries about what new gadget we just had to have. For me it was where I saw that Leopard Frog, whether we would hike up to the spring to get water, or go for a night walk. Simple joys which didn't cost much if any money.

People today are lost when they don't have a Macy's to use there credit card at or a McDonald's to eat at. I am not putting people down. It is what is normal. For a long time I was teased for not owning a microwave or baking bread and not in a bread machine. Those same people who gave me guff for being old fashioned now struggle because they don't have even basic life skills like canning, sewing, and cooking.

It's time to get back to basics! Take your skills and use them. Instead paying someone to do something. Do it yourself. If you can't afford to buy diapers use cloth ones. Don't eat out. Buy a basic cook book and learn to love making food from scratch. Grow your food. Even a small container can produce some food. If you don't have money for something you need. Ask for it. You know sometimes people really care and will help you. Keep positive. I know it's hard. But feeling sorry for yourself won't help. Just keep saying everything happens for a reason. It will work out.

In the last year my husband was laid off for the third time. Which just happened to occur within a month of finding out we were expecting our third child. That was an oh shit moment for sure. Now our lives had changed. We got accustom to having more money. We had built a house with a big house payment. And many other things that suddenly we couldn't afford. Well that changed my focus. I listed everything on ebay that I didn't need. I started making everything from scratch even more than I had. I planted every seed I had and canned as much as I could. I accepted help. I am not good at that, so that was a big step. I started a shop on etsy www.Blueskyedesign.etsy.com . I shut off cable or anything we didn't need. Now times are still tough. Thankfully my husband is back at work and were going to be fine because I won't give up or back down. If I don't know how to do something I will learn how. I think the biggest lesson of these times are not to get too comfortable because things will change that is for certain. Keep trucking your life is art make it beautiful!