No flaming allowed and random thoughts

Just wanted to preface this post by saying this is in no way, shape, or form derogatory toward anyone. This is based solely on my views from what I see in my neck of the woods and is probably not applicable to everyone else.

In this area recently, there have been numerous layoffs, plant closing, hours being cut, etc. So I was thinking about that today and I got to thinking....who is more prepared for an economic downturn? The poor because they already live poor? The rich because they have reserves? The middle class? The upper middle class? The lower middle class? Where do you think you fall on that ladder?

I think of my family (R, myself and the kids) as lower middle class, although by our current income level we are poor. I think we are more prepared for an economic downturn because we are in a really good position financially. We have been preparing for "the bad" for a long time. Something in my head told me to prepare and I did and I am ever so grateful that I listened to that. Do I consider myself poor? No. We have what we need and we can buy what we want. True, our wants have changed to come more inline with what our needs are. It wasn't always like this. Our wants were extravagant, our needs are basic. Now our wants and our needs are both basic. We still have a few luxuries but I wait to get those luxuries until we can afford them (or I have a good coupon...LOL).
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There was a recent poll on a forum I frequently asking why do you stockpile... I have touched on this in the past so I will not go back over it again here. But it was interesting to see why others stockpile. Many do it for the same reasons I do, others do it because they live so far from a city, others do it differently than I do, some do it the same. I do have to say I get a special kind of feeling when I go to my stockpile and get something out. A feeling of pride, accomplishment, happiness, etc. The same feeling that I used to get from a job well done at my old job. Now I get that feeling from saving money and getting a really good discount on something that I know we will use or someone in my family will use and love.
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It is so wierd to hear some of the women I work with talk about how much they spend on groceries each week. A WEEK?!? wow! I haven't gone shopping for groceries in months...I go all the time but my idea of grocery shopping is different....you have a list, you get your meals for the week that one day, that is my old way of shopping and I think that is how most of the U.S. does their grocery shopping. ME? well you all know how I shop. And it is odd to hear others talk about spending whatever they spent that week. When I think...hmmmm I only spent $20 this week on groceries, but then other weeks I spent a bunch more refilling the holes. IDK...it is just wierd to me. I know not everyone has the luxury I do of stockpiling and I usually don't talk much at work about my shopping habits because many just don't understand it and I don't want to get into it and be known as " that crazy girl at work that buys so much food". I have brought it up to a select few though and they were pretty intrigued by my grocery shopping habits.
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My MIL told me about a new Bent and Dent in her town that I want to check out. I told Mom and Dad too and as soon as I get a Saturday off, we are going to go. I am pretty unimpressed with working 6 days a week right now. I cannot complain because we need the money and it is only 5 hour shifts but it just doesn't feel right to work 6 days a week and not get anything extra out of it, like overtime. What really sucks is that working 6 5-hour shifts only gives me 30 hours of pay a week. That bites! It is nice to only work 5 hours but seriously 6 days a week is not fun. I just get up with the kids in the morning, do a little housework, make lunch and then off to work. I come home, make dinner, give the kids a bath, and then it is bedtime for them. Then I do what I need to on the computer, finish up whatever housework R didn't get done and then bedtime for me. I like having a day off to do my shopping, run to the bent and dent, etc. Of course it is not open on Sunday, my 1 day off. But all in all, I can't complain too much because I do need the money!
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Everytime I make payment to my car, I breath a little sigh of relief...just that much closer to debt free...then what will I blog about? I will come up with something for sure :)