Life: My own recession

I searched wikipedia for the meaning of recession and it tells me that recession is the general slowdown in economic activity over period of time.

Yeah, pretty much of what i'm in now. I want to put it into my own definition here.

The general slow down: Less time spending at mall, less time queuing at the cashier counter, less time dragging Zara to the mall, less time trying clothes and shoes and the most important thing is less time swiping credit card and counting my cash!

Economic activity: I can say as my shopping and money spending activity for luxury stuff.

Over period of time: Hmmm, this has been awhile since I got married and hopefully it will end another 2 or 3 years.

Yup, it has been years since I spend my own penny without feeling guilty.

There are so much psychological affects of recession in my life.

1) I'm getting more stingy and calculative. For example, if I ever go to Walmart, I willl try to find cheap and discounted stuff. If we love to eat dessert for the weekend, we would normally go for the "Manager's special". Which means you buy it today, you have to finish it up by the tomorrow. Hahahaha...but, it's cheap though. Almost 50% discount.

2) I become very comparative. Let say if I badly wanted to buy a cup of Starbuck Frappucino for a USD4. I start to compare with what I can get with same amount of money. I could get 1 big bottle of Arizona Green Tea or I can get 2 bottles of juices. Sometimes getting a cup of tapioca milk tea can be distressing coz I'm so accustom to comparing stuff. Even the price is as low as USD4. Dont ask about higher price. It will takes me 1 week to think of whether to buy it or not.

3) I start to shop at second hand shop like Goodwill. Dont be surpised, sometimes I could get nice shirt like really new one for USD2.

4) And finally, I know how to appreciate every single penny that I have. :P.

Even though living under poverty line in US (yup, we receive the food stamp), I'm grateful that I still have my loves one around me. And I'm thankful to Allah for giving me this lesson of life.