Goodbye 2009

By KATT KONGO

Staff writer

As I write this, 2009 is looming to an end, and I feel grateful for its demise. This previous year was a tough one for me, in almost every way. This year was a tough one financially for most of the people with whom I'm acquainted.

So many people lost their jobs, and so many more feared that they would suffer the same fate. Thousands lost their homes, and some had to move in with other family members. People who previously had benefits like health insurance suddenly found themselves without.

If there were any positives to such events (and I do like to look on the bright side), perhaps it's that society can learn from the recession. While before we have strove to "Keep up with the Jones,'" this year we learned it's best to just keep up.

When you find yourself with less moola, you learn quickly what is necessary and what isn't. For me, the first to go was cable. It wasn't too much of a sacrifice. I rarely watch television, and when I really do want to watch a show, I can usually find it online (sidereel.com is wonderful).

The next thing to go was trash pickup, a much greater sacrifice. I never realized how much trash my household produces until I was forced to actually deal with it. Instead of pushing a can to the curb, I suddenly had trash that seemed to multiple.

So I changed the way I shopped. Instead of buying my son a lot of junk food (which produces a high rate of garbage), I bought stuff for sandwiches and fresh fruit (better for him AND the environment). Whatever wasn't biodegradable was burned in a trash barrel outside.

To save money, I got a rapid education in sales circulars and coupon clipping. I stopped shopping where it was convenient and started shopping where it was cheaper. I did without things I previously thought I HAD to have.

But in spite of the lessons I learned, I would love a little bit less struggle. I would enjoy not pacing the floor, worrying over how I will pay my electric bill. And that's why I'm glad 2009 is over.

I think 2010 will be better. The stock market isn't seeing any more great losses. Unemployment is steadily creeping back down. More businesses seem to be expanding.

I suppose the economy is a tricky thing. The recession will lift when people start to spend more money, but people are afraid to spend money. I'm one of them, and I don't really know what the answers are for this problem.

But everyone, including me, seems to be stepping into 2010 full of optimism. I think that's a step in the right direction.