by Tina Martin

Created on: May 10, 2009   Last Updated: May 11, 2009

To survive the emotional stress of a recession, one needs to focus on the positives that can occur during this time. You may wonder, "what positives could there be?".

I personally had struggles coming up with things that seemed positive when faced with this economic downturn but as time has gone on, it has become easier to see. A few things that I have found beneficial for me, my family and others in our city is that frivolous spending has gone down, jobs have become appreciated and values have been put into perspective.

Personally, my shopping list has become refined to say the least. Before, I had no problem wandering through the aisles of a store looking for a good deal even if I did not really need the item. I now make a list prior to going. That which is on the list is all I buy. Occasionally I see a deal on something that is so great it would be a shame not to make the purchase. Instead of making an immediate decision, I leave it until I am finished all my other "necessary" shopping. If the thought of going back to get that item is not appealing, I realize it is not something I need to purchase.

Another method that prevents overspending for myself is to plan tentative menus for the week ahead. I then create my shopping list to cater to that. This eliminates a shopping trip where I only to have to go back to the store mid-week to purchase more ingredients. Our grocery bill has gone from $400 to $250 per month, and we are not starving. These are habits that I should have adopted long ago, and the recession has made it more necessary to do so.

The other area I see the recession being an advantage is in the work force. Even a year ago, often one could find that customer service had declined to the point that, in some places, calling it that would be a loose statement. The attitude was often "we have more customers than we need so your business does not affect us much - like it or lump it".

Employees were not often distracted by the thought of being let go from their employer because there was another job down the road. It seemed that employers were desperate for workers so they put up with much that they normally would not have, and the employees seemed to know it was to their advantage.

Now, I see people who seem to appreciate their jobs much more since the fear of losing the job has become more prevalent. I see respect coming back into the service industry, towards the customer and towards each other. People want to keep the job they have and

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