Spending this year

[Charley]

We have just done some much needed improvements to out home. It started as repair but turned into a little more. We felt that this will help us to sell our home when we put it up for sale in a year or so.

Last year, we would not have spent the money. The fear factor of the economy was just too much. For the past four years, we have simplified, saved money, paid off debt, and watched every dime. It started as preparing for retirement. Now we are looking at a worsening ecomomy (inflation, govt spending and the Gulf oil spill, etc.) but I've noticed that we are once again spending a little more on things like planning a weekend getaway. My kids are planning vacations. Yet I have a few survivalist friends who are stocking up on canning and necessities for worse times and keeping cash in the house.

Do you see yourself spending more? Are you simplifying expenses? Are you investing in your home? Are you stocking up for worst times?

Just wondering what others are doing....I know we are not alone in being aware of changing times.

 

[Jill]

We haven't really changed our spending. Still buy what we need to buy and also things we really want to buy. My job is really going well now (a little ironic, but that's how it goes), while H's hours get cut way back some weeks. But it all balances out. Personally, I think it will get quite a bit worse before it gets better. I also think people in my area may have a diluted impression of how it is in many other parts of the country. In our area, Gov't is a big employer and we all know that Gov't is currently expanding. I feel even more confident than I ever have in my investment strategies for our clients. I really like that good or bad days to come, most of their money is protected. It would weigh on me a lot if I was strictly a stock broker and had my clients all in equities or bonds right now. I say things have to pass the sleep test for the clients (as in they're not up at night worrying) but same goes for me -- I don't want to be up at night worrying about them either