I promise I'll read the rest of the posts later...

We've been in money preserving mode since we uprooted ourselves 2 years ago. We're almost making the same income we were then, and our mortgage payment is a lot higher.

That said, while I think we all need to be careful with our resources in whichever way works best for us, I think the economic doomsayers really are a whole lot of hype. Everything from the price of gas to the price of food is where it is because of speculation. Really, it makes me kind of sick thinking about it, that greedy people are affecting so many people in a real way. My way of fighting back: Within reason, keep spending. Somebody has to keep the economy going.

As an aside - we purposely bought a house in a neighbourhood close enough for me to walk to work. DH ended up with a job a bit further away, but he rides his bike a few days a week. We do that mostly because we want to, not so much because of the "economy".

Of course, we are in Canada, where the economy is being affected by the US economy, but isn't in the same state.

Hugs and butterflies,
~T~