I know I am lucky. I have very good benefits through my husband's work that we only pay $180.00 a month for. I was able to quit my well paying job to go back to school, without really changing my lifestyle. I did get a loan for the 18K tuition, but I will pay those back as soon as I graduate. This is the first time in my life that I don't have to work. Yes, I am depending on my husband's salary, but when I was younger and had the opportunity to switch careers, it would have meant a major sacrifice for the whole family. I couldn't do it.
I have never been in a Walmart. There is just something about that place that is creepy. Target, well, I used to go there in AZ, 20 years ago, and haven't been in one since.
Our 401ks have tanked, but they will recover. We are using the downturn to put our money into stocks that are really low but have potential. My husband plans to work for at least 10 more years, maybe longer and I plan to continue my new career at least on a part time basis until I am pretty old. Well, at least until I am 65, maybe longer. I think I would go crazy without working.
One thing to consider is that we are all at different stages of life. I worked for 30 years and for about 10 of those years I also worked a second job in a health club. I also taught religious school. I guess what I am trying to say is that I will keep spending my money, because I feel like I have paid my dues. I don't have any debt except my mortgage and a second mortgage. I am not going to change what I do based on the fact that others are having issues. I just wish that the media would stop talking about how bad it is, because whenever some "announcement" comes out, you can almost feel the panic. It feels planned to me...