Surviving personal income down times

As an adult my personal income down times were around 1980 to 1984 and then 1989 until 1994. Both these periods lasted about 4 or 5 years where I felt like I was financially struggling to keep my family's head above water. However, also during these times I had already decided not to go into debt. During these times I remember one credit card that we had 500 dollars on. We paid the minimum for one year and didn't add any other charges. We owed more after paying the minimum payments after one year than the original 500 dollars. I swore at that time never to use another credit card after that lesson.

Over the years I matured in my understanding and discipline in regard to money and charging and so even though that was true for almost 15 years it was not true during my divorce or after that.

But what I'm writing about here is that ones personal financial down times may or may not coincide with recessions or depressions but the success of ones businesses, jobs, or even the health of a near and dear relative or ones own health. So the important thing here is to take an attitude I talk of often.

"There are no problems only opportunities." This is the attitude of people who recover from adversity. Those who don't take this attitude often never recover. So, most importantly if you don't believe you can recover then you won't. This is unfortunately true.

It may be very important to get angry enough to say to yourself, "I will not let this get me down. I will find a way out of this mess no matter what it takes!" These attitudes help people bounce back from adversity.

It is very important to keep your family, whenever possible off the streets, even if that means taking your family and going camping in a van in an above freezing climate while still looking for work. One way would be to put your furniture in storage, pack everyone in a van and either go visit a friendly relative or friend or find a place to park your van or motor home for a fee or even for free while other members look for work. These days this can work because of cell phones etc.

If there is no work where you are then put your furniture in storage and take your van or motorhome to where there is work. This obviously is not for everyone. But if you are not willing to do whatever it takes to keep your family from living on the streets and as a result becoming very vulnerable both physically and psychologically and medically vulnerable then they likely will wind up on the streets.

Only by being proactive can your family physically, mentally and emotionally prosper. Even without a home or apartment there are many ways to move forward. Don't freeze up so completely that you don't see the obvious options that might save you in all ways.

In these times survival for you and your family means doing whatever it takes to survive. Otherwise, your family might not survive the next few years.

Americans are known throughout the world for their adaptability and creativity and inventiveness. Now is the time for it!