Money and Stimulus

I had one of those moments this week that showed me how much I have strayed from the American 'norm'. A well meaning guest on a morning news show was giving advise on how to save money. Fairly helpful and informative, right? She was showing us plebeians how to save on cell phones, groceries, etc. Then came clothing. There is a new trend nowadays (not really new, but I'll let that be) that's called swapping. You bring an armload of clothing to either a set location or a friends house, and you all trade clothing so that you can add some 'fresh new look' to your wardrobe. She estimated that you could save a boat load of $$$. Wanna know why? According to a national survey, the average American spends over $1700 in clothes per person a year. That stopped me dead in my tracks on my way to get cereal. Seventeen HUNDRED dollars??? Holy cow, I don't even spend that much TOTAL on my family of five. AND I have two teenagers. Granted, I'm definitely not a fashion plate. Give me sturdy, well made comfortable clothes, two pair of shoes, and a warm jacket, and I'm happy and don't give it a second thought. Clothes are such a disposable item, why would you want to pay good money for something you're going to throw out or give away anyway?
So that got me thinking about the American financial situation in regards to your average Joe, and how I differ. I realized that all those years living under a very strict financial thumb, first at home, then with the Navy, taught me needs vs. wants. I need a house. So I never never rented or bought something I couldn't afford. It put me in some less than perfect neighborhoods, but I had a place to rest my head. And gave me some really interesting neighbors. I need food. So I learned how to cook, old school. Take your less than choice cuts of meat, do what you can to spruce them up, tender them up, and get more than one serving out of a package. Do what you could with what you can afford. And really TRY. Put your best effort into it.Made my own bread for years, not because I liked to, but because it was cheaper to buy flour and yeast. Made the children's baby food from scratch. Turned out it was actually better for them, and cost almost nothing. You see, I spent so much time yanking on the ends to make them meet, I forgot to care about what everyone thought of me. So now all the accouterments that many people think are 'needs', are so far down on the list of 'wants' for me I forget about them. I can afford so much now, but I still don't buy. Because I dont really want them anymore. I've found the beauty of simplicity on the outside, complexity within.
So here are my thoughts on stimulus. Instead of trying to throw money at a problem, hoping it will go away, how about we start learning how to be still with ourselves. I'm not spouting a New Age mantera, but more of a sit down and shut up idea. Why do so many Americans think that shopping is an integral part of being happy? Why has it become a pastime? Shopping is for the aquisition of goods, not for the soothing of the soul.
How about every family, every day, come home from work/school, and STAY THERE. Eat at home. Talk to each other about how your day was. Share silly things. I tell my kids that friends are mutable, family is forever. If you can't get along with the people you share a house with, then maybe you ought to rethink your living arrangements.
And here's a novel idea. Use what you have. We have so much stuff that there is an entire industry centered around the storage of the stuff we cant' find a place for in our homes. Ridiculous. Absolutely mind blowing.
Stimulus. To me, it would be better if we as a country were given a reason to live and love beyond buying things. There are more things in heaven and on earth than we know. Go find some of them. And guess what--you cant buy the most precious things out there. Diamonds might make you happy, but they don't hold you when you cry.
Oh, and before I lose the thought completely, how about the prices on the necessities come down a bit? That's somewhat out of a regular persons realm, but maybe if we're loud enough for long enough, they stop telling us to EAT CAKE.