I try not to which is why I don't watch the news or try to skim past what I don't want to read in newspapers or magazines.

My husband is a huge worrier. We always have to stock up on gallons of water just in case and have an emergency kit in case something happens. We can't change what is going to happen, it is what it is.

I do not believe that we are short on oil. I believe I read an article that said media makes everyone scared that oil is in shortage, because bad news sells. Would you buy a magazine/newspaper that said we have a ton of oil to last us a billion years or one that said we are running out of oil? I think it is obvious. I doubt that we are running out of oil.

I also read that the US is not short on rice at all. In fact, US actually exports all of our rice and then we import all of the rice that we eat. Why is that? I have no clue. There is a drought in Australia, I believe, but it isn't so severe that we will be out of rice shortly.

I do think we need to go back in time and live a simpler life as most of you said. I have even told people I might just buy a horse and buggy and get around town that way, of course they just laugh, but maybe eventually?

I've been worried lately. When I went to Costco today, there was a man with a machine next to the bags of rice. He had to check everyone's Costco membership to see if they could get rice. I read about that in the paper recently but seeing that freaked me out.

Worrying about the economy will do nothing but stress YOU out. I think the only thing we can each do right this minute is worry about what we do. We can pay off bills, not incure any new debt, watch our gas usage, work to lower our food bills, and many other things that we can do NOW to help us if this gets worse.

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Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.

Robert Collier

One of my dreams: Walking along a beach with BLUE water.

I am extremely worried about the future. I am going to be a first time mom is just under 2 months and with the price of gas and food rising I am really starting to worry. But that is why I joined Mommysavers. So I could help my family out in every way while learning from the wise experience of others on how to do with what you have. Think of all the wasted money over the years that I never cared or bothered to use coupons. I use to grocery shop and spend well over $100 a week and now its down to $50-60 and we are not giving up some of the luxuries. My goal through this all is to save money and get out of the $30,000 in cc debt and move. Move to a small town and get out of metro st. louis area. I don't care about the luxuries any more I just want to be able to watch my kids grow up. If we pay off all the bills and live cheaper I too can someday be a SHAM. I think it is never to late.

If you really want to be a SAHM...it is NEVER too late. I feel it has been just as, if not more, important to be home now while my kids are teens then when they were little...so, if it's what you want to do, don't worry about your kids ages or how long it takes you. Try not to worry yourself too much and congrats on the coming baby...you sound like you've got a good plan and you'll keep finding tons of great ideas and information here.

I am not worried - I am concerned. I have been taking more measures to belt tighten. My husband is scheduled to retire in 2010. I am currently putting back three months salary and then attempt at paying down some mortgages. I hope in 2009 to put more of our salaries in the savings account to plan for a long term "unemployment". He plans on starting a second career after his retirement.