Recession - How REAL is It???

I have heard the stories and seen the news clips of how bad the economy is. But, how bad is it? I know in several areas, there have been plant closings and other such events that have taken tolls on the people of those communities. My thoughts and prayers are with you. On the other side...When my wife and I go through nearby towns, we see new shopping centers being built, new apartment complexes, new buildings and businesses popping up. Most of the working people I talk to have received a pay raise in the last year. The only ones that seem to be affected by the NEWS MEDIA telling us how broke we are is the self-employed, small business owner. People have flocked to "discount" stores such as Wal-Mart, Dollar General, Family Dollar, and others. According to people I know who work in these types of places, business is up. That's right, these businesses are GROWING!! The sad thing is that I can go to a local, small town, grocery store and buy milk and other products CHEAPER than the big, GROWING bigger, businesses. How is that possible? The big chains buy in bulk to get better pricing. Their sales are up and their cost is cheaper. Why do they charge more? Why do we as a society tolerate paying more? I think we have become brainwashed over the years by the MEDIA telling us what we "know". We have been told that the housing market has collapsed. It's not a surprise. I used to work in mortgage lending. The guy I worked with said it was coming because of appraisers inflating house values, mortgage companies not requiring correct documentation, and mostly of borrowers wanting adjustable rate loans instead of fixed rates. Yes, the payments are lower now, but in three years when that rate adjusts, the balance hasn't changed much. That means if you couldn't afford a fixed rate loan at that interest rate then, you couldn't afford that new adjusted rate in three years. Unfortunately, most consumers don't realize what takes place when doing a loan. The loan officers and brokers who made the loan knew better. The banks who carried the loan knew better. Unfortunately, none of them cared enough about "John Doe" off the street because making him a loan made them rich. What am I saying? Did GREED cause this to take place? YES, YES, YES!!! Now the banks that held these loans are hurting because the borrower can't afford the higher payments and when they go to forclose on the home, there isn't a buyer for that over-priced piece of property. I'm sorry for the people who lost their homes. I am not sorry for the banks and loan companies who are "suffering". It's hard to feel sorry for somebody who only made $100,000 to $1,000,000 last year. They could have gotten by without the government bailing them out. They didn't have to pay those huge salaries and bonuses to the people who made bad judgement calls. If you would like to save some money and have fun at the same time, I encourage you to visit a flea market or trade days or swap meet in your area. Most of the people there are hard working individuals trying to feed their families. Some places my family and I set up are Bonnie & Clyde Trade Days in Arcadia, LA and First Monday Trade Days in Canton, TX. There are also some near Dallas, TX; Burmingham, AL; Myrtle Beach, SC; and other places across the country. Another way to find bargains is to shop online. I personally recommend http://www.foreverandalwaysonline.com/ for a great selection of Christian t-shirts and other merchandise. I encourage you to truly look at your situation and see if you are hurting financially or if you just think you are because somebody told you you were. If you're needing more money coming in, try looking for a different or additional job. Yes, jobs are also everywhere you turn around. Let go of your pride and take one at the gas station, fast food chain, or what ever is available that doesn't violate your morality. That about concludes my thoughts for the day. Please leave your comments about what you think. Also, please visit your local, small town stores. They need your support. Also remember, you might save $5 by buying that new whatever in the bigger towns, but it'll cost you at least $10 in gas to get there plus the extra miles you added to your vehicle. In closing, I ask that each of you reading this pray about your situation, pray for the ones who are without work and pray for the ones without a home. Remember that God is in control and He won't give you more than you can handle. May God Bless you and keep you safe.