ask: The weak economy - how has it changed YOU?

My husband and I have started talking about our budget--which is funny because this is one of those things that we should be doing all along---but now with the poor economy (and threat of it becoming worse)--we are looking at how we spend money, and what discretionary spending we can cut down on. We already eat out less, which has saved us a lot of money. I used to buy a lot more of the convenience and organic foods that are pricey, and am buying only those that are essential for our family (for instance, I read that organic bananas are not as high of a priority, since the fruit has a thick skin on it, as compared to other fruits & veggies that you do eat the skin).

Oh--and our son needs new shoes, and since he grows out of them so quickly, we decided against the $30-$50 pair (this was unbelievable to us---it's more than I spend on my shoes!), and found some $5-$10 shoes at a really nice consignment store.

This economy has really impacted my life. I never thought that I would say I have been through 3 jobs in the last 5 years. It is really sad when small businesses are forced into bankruptcy. My second job was with a bank and of course my position was lost when they had to downsize. Now, I am with the Federal Government and even so, I don't have a sense of job security.

In the midst of the economy crisis, I have found myself spending less and with the Christmas season approaching fairly quickly, my family has all decided that dinner and no gifts will be the approach we use. I think it is very disheartening to have a gift(less) Christmas but all in all, it is hard times.

I have also began car pooling to work as a crunch for the high gasoline prices. It seems funny though, that even amidst the horrible economy, we all stick together and try to help each other out as much as possible. If anyone knows about the Depression, families all moved in together to try and survive the economic crisis. I would certainly invite the whole family to stay with me in order to make it through the hard times. We have been lucky so far to maintain our job positions but you never know what the future may hold.

I know times are tough all around. But, you can still make a merry homemade holiday.

There was one year when I told the kids to think homemade instead of store bought, and that Christmas was a lot of fun. They still try to put a little homemade into the holidays.

It's amazing how creative you can be when you're trying to make the most of a little. That way, you really don't have to go giftless and the homemade gifts are that much more special.

Gifts from your kitchen, a set of handcrafted notecards and envelopes, bath salts made with epsom salts and essential oils, things crafted from materials you have on hand can all go a long way.

After all, Christmas shouldn't be about spending. It's about sharing and what you can give from the heart.