Another day, another thought.

Recently, I keep getting hit by headlines on the ST saying we're in recession, people are saving money on food, non essential items are 1st to go.... so on and so forth. What do people consider luxury items? What then, becomes a need and what then, becomes a want?
So what should I be doing to help cut costs? Buy less scrap stuff, that would be the obvious one. Hahaha! We're not stinking, filthy rich (though hubby says he can be stinking and filthy!) but neither are we in the pits. We're not above average, but then again, we're not below average. People like us in the "neither here nor there" situation can find it hard to cope at times. We have a car, so does that put us in the rich catergory? No. We have to pay for rising petrol costs, but yet cant sell the car because we have young kids to ferry to and fro schools and classes and we go to work. We live in a 5 room flat, so does that put us in the above average catergory? Again, no. We are working out b**ts off so that HDB can deduct $**** from our account every month. We eat out fairly often, so does that make us yuppies? No. Most times, I'm too tired from work and looking after the baby to cook.
Then how? I ask myself? How to make our dollars stretch in these lean times? We really have to save for the kids, rainy day, ageing parents. I, too, wish to have a maid, stay at home, scrap all day. But I really cant. I want to spend time with my baby and my school going boy. But I cant. My heart breaks as I think of all these. But even as the crack of my heart is loud, so is the sound of the "kaching" as the prices of everything rockets.
My kids are being shuttled around like nomads so that both parents can go to work. Our income is too high to qualify for any kind of governmental aid. But just barely enough to cover the ever rising costs of today's living. So how?
Do I take away the extra classes for my boy? Do I buy less toys for my baby? Do I sell away my scrap stuff?
How do people like us survive?
Then again, do we have a choice? Survive we must. Carry on with life we must.
Therefore, even though this rambling seems kinda down, I'm actually feeling ok. Cos regardless of whether I'm miserable or happy, I still have to get through the day. So, I might as well get through each day happy right?! This is what one of my ever cheerful friend once told me.
So I leave you with another happy day, another cheerful thought......
Have a good week ahead and remember to get through your day with a good mood, light heart and happy face!