5 Ways to Survive the Recession
from Steve & Annette Economides
Authors of America’s Cheapest Family Gets You Right On The Money

1)   Be a Manager

a.     System: Save in advance of expenses by using a budget described in our book, America's Cheapest Family Gets You Right On The Money. Or try Mvelopes.com (1 month free), it’s the only computer budget system that works like our system.

b.     Using a Budget – was the most effective tool that helped us pay off house in 9 years, pay cash for all of our cars and keep our overhead low.

2)   Be a Researcher

a.      Quote your insurance — we saved $66 per month on auto insurance by using InsWeb.com and $200 per month using EHealthInsurance.com

b.     Ask for discounts on: cars, houses, insurance, clothes, food

c.      Be patient – Never pay retail, find deals on CraigsList eBay Freecycle

3)   Be Resourceful

a.     Plant fruit trees (bare root) so you can eat home grown fruit. We have over 30 fruit trees on our property 

and it’s great to pick fresh fruit each year.

b.     Plant a garden, –start now indoors, container gardening
Read Square Foot Gardening

c.      Cook from scratch!

d.     Free firewood — from neighbors cutting down trees/ throwing away lumber.

e.     Caulk, insulate, make heavy window coverings, plant wind breaks with trees and shrubs, lower your thermostat.

4)   Be Innovative

a.     Are you Laid off?  We survived 3 layoffs: Use a budget, lower overhead, involve family — don’t give up.

b.     No one is coming to bail you out: Be creative: Read Books!. Library is great!

c.      Get a job job, even if it’s low paying — good things happen when you work.

d.     Invent something: Annette’s Dad invented The OriginalDripCatcher.com

e.     Sell stuff on eBay, CraigsList, garage sales, consignment stores.

f.      Rent out a room to a college student / share your house with extended family

g.     American’s are the most creative and innovative people in the world, we’ve just become lazy 

thinking someone is going to bail us out.

5)   Be Generous

a.     Give money  If you have it. Give to food banks, homeless shelters, churches

b.     Give Time – volunteer at food banks, churches.

c.      Give encouragement/ Know & Help your neighbors — Share some of extra food you get with coupons 

with unemployed neighbors. We always get more when we give back.

There is nothing wrong in America that can’t be fixed with what’s right in America! We, all the people ARE America – not just the people we’ve sent to Washington.