The Economy Stinks, But You Still Need Support

Let's face it: right now, we're all taking a look at what we can do without. We're putting off buying goods and services we don't really need. We're reorganizing our budgets in a way to squeeze a little bit more blood from the turnip.

Here are a few things I'm willing to do without for a while:

1) New bedroom furniture. I've wanted to replace the hand-me-down college furniture we have (with the exception of our phenomenal walnut and mahogany sleigh bed my dear husband built with his own two hands) for about four years now. Yeah. Well, I guess I can wait a while longer.

2) A really swank pair of black boots and a nice winter coat to go with it. As much as I want them, I don't need them and can get by with what I have just fine.

3) Travelling some place warm after the thrill of the upcoming holidays wears off and I'm really, really sick of snow and the cold, gray days. I'll have to make peace with the weather outside and appreciate how much my three little kiddos love it.

4) Much needed home decor and an interior designer to tell me where to put it. A year after moving into our lovely new home, I haven't hung a single thing on the walls. Would love to brighten them up since I'll be spending a lot of time in here given #3.

I could go on and on.

I am not resentful about giving these things up. It's simply a choice I'm making. By saying no to these things, I'm saying yes to several others. I feel very powerful about the choices I'm saying yes to.

But there are a few things I will not choose to live without. These are the things I need to support me beyond the obvious food, clothing and shelter expenses I pay each month. I need to see my friends and family back in the States. I allow the expense to drive there on occasion. (Yippee--gas prices are down, finally!) I pay for an international calling plan that allows me to connect and relate to my faraway friends and family. I will continue to pay for the exercise and yoga classes that help me stay strong and healthy. And I pay for my business coach, who helps me keep my focus, my resolve and allows me to work out the fears I have that could cause my life and my business to take a downturn along with the economy.

Any of the expenses I'm choosing to keep spending could be seen as luxury items by some that could be cut to save money. But I know that, for me, cutting those would cut too close to the bone. Such cuts would weaken me, and I'd have less of a chance to stay strong, healthy, and focused when times are tough (like now).

What are you cutting or choosing to do without?

There are lots of places in most of our budgets that could be made leaner.

However, cutting out the things in your life that support you in being strong, healthy and focused could have a detrimental effect.

To your success!