10 Ways Economic Hardship Can Benefit a Family
Prosperity equals advantage.
Do you believe that?
I am fascinated with the irony of this mentality most Americans hold dear. Maybe even more so since I hear often, as a mother of 8, about “affording all those children“.
All of us believe, somewhere deep within, that to prosper financially puts us at an advantage. And in many ways that can be true (nor am I an advocate of “poor on purpose”). Hey, we’re an entrepreneur family…I think of ways to make money in my sleep.
But history reveals hundreds of men and women whose very hardship catapulted them to distinction through the chiseling of character, (snatching our bosom-clutched, false assumptions right out of our hands), yet we still refuse to nod at scarcity or give it its due reward for human improvement.
Hard times can have immensely positive effects on people, families and society.
Scarcity doesn’t feel nice; maybe that’s the bottom line. But a panoramic view gives us slightly more confidence to praise the attributes of living on less. We might be better–the whole society, it seems, was better in a less prosperous era.
From a USA News article, Americans are finding “things they can live without”. Interestingly, when one thing is lost, another, often better thing takes its place. Can you see from this list how prosperity so quickly robs families of important things, while a dearth can restore them?
Clutter. As Americans downsize, do more of their own cleaning, and look for stuff they can sell online, they’re discovering tons of things around the house they can get rid of…. “We keep being amazed at how having less stuff, with no deprivation, actually gives us better quality of life,” says Deborah Merchant. “We’ve gained emotional and spiritual maturity.”
Cable TV. Many people are cutting back on pay-TV services or canceling them altogether, which saves $50 to $100 a month…. Others are giving up television completely. “There’s no money for cable TV, so my Internet does me for all my news and other entertainment,” says Mariluna Martin of Los Angeles. “That’s money saved, plus no TV means no blaring of bad news, fear-mongering, ad pressures, and other unpleasantness.” Martin spends more time reading books and sipping tea at a neighborhood café. She finds that rewarding: “The changes I’ve had to make have made my life better. Things are simpler and healthier now.”
Privacy. To save on rent or mortgage payments….grown kids are moving back in with their parents….. “We have learned to enjoy a simple, cost-effective, and minimalist approach to life by developing an appreciation for nature and family,” he says. “Big, expensive toys and trips were fun before, but we really don’t need them anymore.”
Prepared foods. More people are cooking at home, and they’re doing it with fewer pre-made sauces, marinades, dressings, and other ingredients. “Moms are back to basic cooking,” says Chance Parker, a market researcher at J.D. Power & Associates. “They want to use fresh herbs and spices. It saves money, and it’s more healthy.”
Extra calories. Some Americans say they’re eating less to save money and drinking more water or doing other things to suppress their appetite.
New gifts. Regifting is a time-tested practice—but there’s always room to refine your strategy. Linda Amicucci of Tenafly, N.J., holds a “treasure party” with a group of friends after Thanksgiving every year to swap recyclable gifts.
New cars. It’s no secret that new-car sales plunged to levels 40 percent lower than the peak in 2006. But many buyers who have traded down to a used model are surprised at the quality of the merchandise.
Comfort. Thermostats all across America are going lower in winter, higher in summer.
A daily commute. Telecommuting increased during the recession as well, and more people say they’re riding bikes or walking more to save on gas costs—or a gym membership.
Debt. Who needs it? “I have learned that it takes little time to run dangerously high credit card balances,” says Tom Poirer of Lowell, Mass., “but an inordinately long time to pay it back. I have learned to deprogram myself from the consumerist mayhem.”…We may ultimately end up with less stuff. But at least we’ll be able to afford what we have.
Can you hear it? A country that has been (and still is) so consumer minded, so money-driven and stuff-hungry, that even these changes would sound crazy to a truly impoverished individual?
Still, I’m thankful for many lessons our family has learned and is learning by “force”, simply because affordability is not an option. No, I don’t think we should aim to be poor; but we would do well to respect its natural improvements on our lives and not be so afraid of it.
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Tags: frugal living
frugal living/saving money | Word Warrior | 
April 21, 2010 10:36 pm
Kelly… I am wondering if you might have mistyped when you wrote “whose very hardship catapulted them to infamy through the chiseling of character,” I think infamy means “extreme dishonor,” which I think is the opposite of what you meant to say. Of course I might have misread or misunderstood the meaning of that paragraph! I’m only on my first cup of coffee after all, lol.
And, please feel free to delete this comment!
Kelly… I couldn’t possibly agree more with this article! In my own family, we went from being upper middle class to living with an income which is below the poverty line. And it all happened in an instant. I fret about the children having to do without this or that, and having to stress frugality all the time. I worried that it would make my children unhappy or that they would feel deprived or doubt God’s provision, but I have found just the opposite to be true. My son is just as thrilled with a bike from the thrift store as he was from a top-of-the-line model from the bike shop… maybe even moreso because he had to do without for quite some time. And he is acutely aware of God’s hand in providing the bike, because he prayed and God provided! My teenage daughter thinks it’s “fun” to work at saving money. This Friday, instead of going to the mall like many of her age mates, she and I will be browsing the grocery store aisles so that she can work on her “price book” (I actually posted on this very thing today on my blog!)
Instead of handicapping my children as I feared that it would, being “poor” is equipping them for a responsible and productive adulthood. God knows best. He always does♥
Diane,
LOL! Obviously I should have had some coffee! Thank you for pointing out my mistake. I have no idea why I thought that word meant what I thought it meant
This is right on! I wish my husband agreed, though . . .
Wonderful post! We are very blessed financially, but strive to live frugally, where spending is concerned. At 5, I started showing my daughter to read the price per ounce/pound ect. In the past she sometimes bemoaned our 13 year old Jeep and my husband’s 15 yr old one. I told her the last time that she could call all the missionaries, the radio station, the Women’s Resource Center and others and tell them we cannot support them anymore because we WANT a new car. She never complained again.
We are blessed to be a blessing to others, to fill our lives with God, not with stuff! We still take vacations and buy fun stuff. They just are done wisely, as a good steward….mostly
I heartily agree. With prosperity comes many excesses which aren’t necessarily good or healthy. Having less lends to a greater awareness of our dependence on God and a deeper appreciation for what we do have, encourages creativity, and closer families–love it. Interestingly enough, I have noticed that even though so many in our community have less, generosity is at an all time high… supports the observation we have so often seen in ministry circles, “Those who have less, give more.”
I have found this to be so true in my own life! you wo
oops…LOL, didn’t mean to type extra there.
Kelly, I couldn’t agree with this more! I’ve mentioned in comments before that my husband was unemployed for over 18 months (with NO unemployment check). God taught us SO much during that time, we wouldn’t take anything in the world for it!! All the things, stuff, gidgets, and gadgets in the world cannot buy contentment or relationships. I hear so many moms say that they work, rather than stay home with their children, so they can give them a better life. But the “better life” they speak of is brand name clothes, tvs in the kids rooms, stuff, stuff, and more unneeded stuff. I’m not saying that it’s wrong to have those things, I’m saying that all the stuff in the world won’t replace a relationship with our children. They need love and nurturing much more than things. Guess my bottom line is that we have found that without the distraction of “things” the relationships are stronger in our homes. We want to raise our children to be selfless, and content, and to value people and relationships more than “stuff”.
Kelly,
This attitude about limiting the “things” in our lives is not only a good idea, but helps us to concentrate our efforts on other important areas of our lives (e.g., family and the Lord).
This is an area within our lives (my husband’s and mine) that we are working towards each day (e.g., wanting LESS things not more). My husband has finally decided to “ditch” the cable t.v. (among other things) that aren’t a necessity in our lives. As a result, it produces LESS stress, and actually gives you a sense of relief and freedom from unnecessary burdens.
We live on one income (my husband’s), and God blesses us just fine!
I’m learning that having more is not always the better option.
~Mrs. Lady Sofia~
My blog has been hijacked again, so if you get any weird comments supposedly from me, please delete them.
First time commenter here
I love this post, and it rings true with the life I’ve had, mostly living below the poverty line.
My Poppa always said: ‘The more you have, the more you have to worry about.’
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