The World Learns to Live Frugal in 2009

Every year, society takes the shape and attitude of a certain idea that captivates our entire world. Many times it is technology like when the computer and the Internet were introduced years ago. Some years it is maybe the entertainment world like reality TV in recent years or movies and music (If I could buy stock in Lil Wayne I’d be rich). 2008 could be the year of change and hope and much of that has to do with Barack Obama and how he changed an election with his ideas not only in the United States, but worldwide (Google this: Obama Speech Germany). Then again, this past year was also the year in which our economy can be summarized by words like recession, bailout, foreclosure, and Madoff.

It is that downturn of the economy where I believe that the year of 2009 will adapt some of the main philosophies of personal finance bloggers like myself. If you do a search on the word “FRUGAL” you will get definitions of what the word means and many online periodicals that concentrate on it. My advice to you is to read as much as you can about this idea of being frugal and LIVING BELOW YOUR MEANS. This will be the new fad in America in 2009 for one main reason: WE HAVE TO! People are beginning to realize that the life we lead the last few years will not be the norm because we just can not afford it. Everyone will be out looking to cut corners and make a few extra dollars and there is nothing wrong with that.

Alan Murray of the Wall Street Journal wrote that it is actually okay to purchase the blue jeans that do not carry the triple digit price tag. This bothers me a little that our society has reached a point that we are judged by the cost of our attire, but we have the entertainment industry and the magazine ads to thank for those issues. Hell, I won’t lie, I was once one of those kids waiting to purchase the $125 Jordan shoes, but not in the last 8 years! Check out this guy who does not pay more than $3 for his pair of jeans! (Thanks for tweeting this one Ramit).

We all have to learn how to live more frugal in order to survive. Yes, that may seem like an extreme statement but let it settle for a second. People are losing jobs every day, foreclosing on homes, and coming up empty on job searches. What makes this more alarming is these numbers are increasing every month. Even M.I.T. graduates can not find work!

What can you do? Educate yourself on how you can take control of your personal finances and eliminate the unwanted fat in your life. Research the appropriate diet for yourself and your budget that will put you in the best position to achieve your goals for 2009.

Share your secrets with your friends, coworkers, and family members. Share your thoughts with a total stranger on the street. Share all of your knowledge with as many people as you possibly can so we can make 2009 the year the world learned to rebound from crisis and not the year that when it all became even worse.