Warning: The following post contains a rant.
After years of buying gadgets, cars and whole wardrobes on credit, the gravy train has stopped. Not only has it stopped, it’s derailed and is hurtling off of a cliff. Many people have locked up their purses and wallets, cut up their credit cards and stopped spending money. American consumers are spent.
Every day it seems we are bombarded with a slew of figures detailing the low level of consumer confidence and how this holiday season is going to be one of deep discounts and little buying. Already, the list of stores that are closing reads like a who’s who of chain retailers, like Circuit City and Linens-n-Things.
Many people are eating out less, forcing them to cook dinner and actually talk to their families. Some aren’t getting 900 channels on their televisions, so they’re playing games, going for walks or reading. Others are putting money into savings accounts, meaning that when they want to buy a gadget, car or clothes, they will be spending money they have actually earned.
How dare they!
The media would have you believe that this is a terrible thing. Maybe I’m old-fashioned, but I was taught to save, invest and live within my means. This means buying a house with a substantial down payment and not overextending credit. Apparently, I’m in the minority on this one.
Now, I certainly don’t want our economy to go up in flames or grind to a painful halt, but I can’t help but think that this reduction in spending is a good thing, at least in part. For years, many American consumers have made shopping into a hobby, some going to the mall weekly, or even daily, to purchase (mostly unneeded) stuff. I was beginning to worry that bargain hunting would become an Olympic sport.
So it’s only natural that eventually the tide would turn, that American consumers would put the brakes on and stop overspending. It makes sense that after years of living on credit and not saving a dime, many American consumers would stop, take stock of things and realize that such a lifestyle can’t be sustained indefinitely.
But things can go too far in the other direction just as easily. Not spending is not healthy for our economy, it will put people out of work and eventually the wheels of commerce will stop turning. While I might think that a return to a more conservative way of spending is a good thing, I wouldn’t advocate a total end to the modern age of consumerism.
What we need is to find a balance between overspending and not spending. Maybe a whole new wardrobe isn’t necessary every season, but having a few new pieces of clothing probably won’t break the bank. It’s striking that balance that’s going to help lead the U.S. economy out of the rut we’ve gotten it into, and, more important, keep us on a sustainable growth path going forward.
OK, rant over.
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4 responses so far ↓
1 Matteo Nobile // Nov 16, 2008 at 1:03 am
I think the problem does not lie in how much we spend, but in how much we invest. What’s the return we have (and the economy has) buying a new cell phone with GPS, hispeed internet, … or subscribing, as you say, 900 cable channel ? Most of the time is “just” satisfaction. But the real price of this satisfaction is not written and we’re just learning it is a really high price.
So stop your spending and start your investing: invest in your health (sport, sleep, …) or try to learn something new, insulate your home. This will make the economy run and will give you a better return.
2 Soccer mom // Nov 17, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I agree with Matteo Nobile, that there’s plenty of good stuff to spend money on/invest in. It would be a good thing if we just became smarter on what we spend money on, and saved what was left. We’re still spending plenty at our house–esp. college tuition, new roof–we’re just not buying the latest and greatest of everything at warp speed.
3 Canadian Dripper // Nov 23, 2008 at 2:58 pm
The holiday season is comming up, and I find it fascinating to watch the Christmas shoppers.
They behave as if they are high on narcotics. The credit cards get swiped, and they get a glazed look, staggering out to their cars, to load their purchases, then weave down the road on the way to the next hit.
My house is bought and paid for. I don’t own a credit card, even though retailers, and the banking system try to punish me for not having one. My cars were paid for in cash, even though the dealership tried very hard to get me to put them on payments.
My phone rings off the hook. Bankers want me to open a line of credit. Scammers are telling me I have won a free trip. Credit card companies are telling me how they can reduce my credit costs, and improve my credit rating. (Don’t forget I don’t have a credit card, and as I don’t use credit I suppose I don’t have a credit rating. I don’t know, I don’t care.)
I grow my own food. My freezer is full.
I take all my spare cash, and buy solid, growing companies that offer drips.
Maybe I should feel guilt for contributing so little to the economy, but I work with my hands for a living.
I generate over 3 million dollars of finished goods annually. The sales and payroll taxes I generate support a good number of people so I live guilt free.
Living in the past? I don’t know.
Wave of the future? Maybe.
I do know that people of my generation learned in the seventies to spend, and use credit because inflation would make it all affordable in just a few years.
That inflationary spiral came to an end long ago, but people haven’t changed, and the lessons are going to be tough, and hard fought.
I am ready for the collapse of the economy that is the inevitable result of such poor behaviour. I am putting my money into the companies that may be able to lead us through the dark times ahead. Are you?
JDW
Ontario, Canada
4 Jennifer F Usher // Nov 24, 2008 at 3:07 am
Despite what The Pundits have stated, are stating and will state–Our Nation’s Economic “Meltdown” is more than “a Correction” or “a KneeJerk” reaction to “Bad” Federal Reserve” policy Action decision’s…!!!
In January 2007, Stock Market Indicies Were In Positive Positions-relative to Future Occuring Events like: Adjustiable Rate mortage Interest Rates Set To Double, Home Sales Beginning to Flaten, Home Construction Starts Nearly Off by 25%, Petrolium Based Businesses Seeing Their Profit Margins–rapidly evaporating: i.e., Airplanes, Shipping Fleets, Trucking Fleets, Business & Consumer Gasoline Prices Rising Uncontrolably, Consumer Food Costs Skyrocketing, Consumer “Disposable Incomes” Totally Disapearing, World-Wide Businesses Watching Their Profit From Sales Projections Requiring Repeated Downword Adjustments, Federal-State, and Municipal Tax Revenue Streams–Rapidly Decreasing…etc…!!!
As a Result of Individual’s Costs’ Rising Nearly 1000%–Savings Dollars & Investments Dollars, as a Percentage of Residual Income– Totally Disappeared.
Therefore, Payment’s For Credit Cards. Mortages, and Personal Loans began to Decrease if Made At All.
The Ability of Business’s To Obtain Venture Capital Funding for R&D, Equipment, Operations’ Expansion, and Raw Materials: Totally Dried Up.
Though The Finanical Health of The American Citizen was Pivitol To Our Nation’s Economic
Vitality and Stability–Quad-Drippled Gasoline Per-Gallon Costs–Broke The Back of Our Nation’s Economy.
I bet many who read this, will likily say-She Always Relates a Movie Such as in This Case: Live Free or Die Hard: Starring ICON Bruce Willis-to DRIVE HOME The Point—Maybe a “Fire Sale” need Not Be Computer Caused–As Depicted in The Above Mentioned Movie.
Therefore, My Contention is That Is In Fact What Has Taken Place In Our Nation’s Economy.
In Order To Have a “Fire Sale” Several Key Inextricably Linked Operational Components Need To Be Taken Out/Or Shut Down In Steps, i.e., Financial-Transportation-National Power Generating Capacity.
Just taking out just 1 or 2 National Systems–Our Economy Is Likily To RECOVER. But Take Out All Three—The System Crashes Completely…!!!
Therefore, The Current Efforts of Our President, Mr George W. Bush and The Commitment to Continue by His Replacement BHO-To Rapidly Inject into Our Linked Economic Components Massive Amounts of Cash-To The Tuned of Say 1,75 Trillion Dollars– Our Nation’s Economy Will Eventually Cease To Exist…!!!
Regardless of If I’m Right- Wrong, Why Hasn’t NationWide Fuel Costs–Which Have Fallen by Nearly $2,00 dollars-Had MORE of A Positive Impact On Our Nation’s Financial, Transportational, and Overall Economic Health…???
My Belief, is Based on All Readily Avaliable Data and Analysis of Same–That Indicates NOT ENOUGH CASH has Been Injected INTO Our Nation’s Vital Economic Components, To Date…!!!
President Bush & Congress are Arguing Over Whether $700 Billion Dollars Is or Isn’t Enough–And BHO is Suggesting That an Additional $250 Billion Dollars is Necessary…Again My Learned Belief is That Nearly Twice The Present Amount of $950 Billion Dollars-Is NOW Immediately Needed…Enough With The Meaningless Congressional Debating–Just Do It…!!!
Several Other questions I have are , Why is The American Dollar presently Valued at Only .88 cents…Is it Due to Our National Being At War…Or Is it Because The Dollar IS Only Backed By A Promise–and Not Like The Pound Based On The Market Valuation of Sterling Silver…And or Because Britain..Isn’t + or-175 Trillion Dollars/Pounds In Debt…and is Increasing 1 Billion Dollars per minute…?!
So In Reality—The Employed or Self-Employed American Consumer Can’t Singlehandedly Do Anything To Reverse Our Nation’s OnGoing Eonomic “Meltdown”…besides Bussineses & Individuals Kissing GoodBy Nearly Tripple The Amount of Their Past Federal Income Tax Liability…And With The IRS–Closing and Ending ALL Business & Employed Taxpayer Loopholes…So All Will Have To Pay Federal Income Taxes…!!!
Because for FarTo Long, Wealthy American Citizen’s Have Been Able To Avoid Paying Their Share-Because of Shady Certified Public Accountancy Practises–despite Same Living & Prospering In The Greatest Nation On Planet Earth…!!
Plus, I ask Why?…Have So Many Corporation’s Throughout The World, and In America-been able to get away Without Any Substantial Penalty–Their Destruction of Our World’s: Forests, Water Tables, and Human Beings–By and Through Their Corporate Culture of Depraved Indifference toward All Life By using, developing, Discarding Harmful Chemical Toxins & By Products into The World- in order to Manufacture Their Cheap, Unnecessary, and Socially Damaging Merchandise…or Chemicals-Which Are Or Will Ultimately Destroy Our Planet…???
I don’t Consider Myself To Be A Ranting Raving Militant Environmental Conservationalist—But The Time Has Come In Our World for All Industrial Sectors To Undergo and Be Mandated To Submitt To Socially Imposed Widespread Total Transformation Into “GREEN” Industries…!!!
For If We Fail or Falter, In Successfully Transforming Our Worlds’ Human Population Into Environmentally Friendly Inhabitants–Soon We As A World Will Be Rocketing Our Garbage Into Space For Disposal On Supposedly Lifeless Planets–Or Our World Will Be Inudated To The Point of Extinction By Our Own Garbage…!!!
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