Although the recession has caused a lot of problems for many people, this economic crisis has some advantages, especially for people who are frugal. There is now a perfect excuse to offer spoiled children, freeloading relatives, pushy salespeople, charities, and others who are constantly trying to separate people from their money. All you have to do is mention the recession and people understand. Thanks to the recession, those money grabbers back down when you tell them you have no money, instead of calling you are a miser or a cheapskate.

One of the advantages of a recession is that both children and adults have the opportunity to learn to be grateful for the things they have. Children are more likely to appreciate receiving any gift, rather than complain and ask if that is all they are getting. Children are hearing about the recession and watching people lose jobs and homes. The recession provides the perfect opportunity for children to increase their confidence by earning the things they want. Being spoiled and wasteful is no longer in style.

The recession is a great excuse when dealing with freeloading relatives. These are the people who always need you to save them with your credit card or a loan. They often have fancier clothes and take more expensive vacations than you can afford, but have a way of making you feel like their problems are yours. You may love these master manipulators, who use both guilt and your strong feelings for them, to separate you from your money. You can get them to leave you alone by moaning about this horrible recession and telling them how difficult things are for everyone during this economic downturn. These mooches will go looking elsewhere for a relative who doubles as a bank.

Obnoxious salespeople are everywhere. They could be working in the cubicle next to you with their boxes of candy, calendars, wrapping paper, or other items you do not want to purchase. Sometimes they stand in front of stores. The ones that come to your door or call you on the phone are the worst. The recession has made it much easier to get rid of these pests. The best way to deal with these pushy people is to ignore them by not answering your phone or door. You can pretend like you do not see or hear them. If they are able to catch you off-guard, you can complain about the recession and tell them you have no money.

Charities are the most difficult to say no to. You can get away with giving less to charity and blame the recession. However, during a recession charities tend to suffer. The best way to deal with charities is to investigate who benefits from the money you give and only give what you can afford. An advantage to a recession is that people are more likely to make sure they give only to charities that are spending money on helping those in need, rather than on fat salaries for charity administrators.

The biggest advantage of the recession is that you can take the money you save by blaming the recession for your squeaky wallet and invest in assets that have become a lot more affordable due to the recession. Acquiring assets is the key to financial security and will help you to survive the next recession.

Learn more about this author, Linda Shortell.
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