17 Ways Consumers Are Changing

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Have you read the book The Fourth Turning? You can get info and excepts here: http://www.fourthturning.com/html/fourth_turning.html. It says the current recession is only the end of the "third turning" which is unraveling. The fourth turning "crisis" is still yet to come. I think it will come in about another 10-15 years when both Medicare and Social Security go bankrupt. At that point we will realize that social programs cannot be supported and we will return to self-reliance.

mlgvt48 of VT 4:37PM March 25, 2010

They say History repeats itself every 100 years. I guess we're 20 years away from the worst depression ever!
Better start saving now!

gerry of FL 2:08PM March 25, 2010

With America no longer being the land of opportunity immigration may slow to a crawl or even reverse. We are descended from survivors who made this country strong. The US is the point of impact for the proverbial pebble in the economic downturn pool. The ripples will span out over the rest of the planet where again we will be on top.

Kevin Baird of VA 1:40PM March 25, 2010

Hoosier daddy; now that ALL of America has seen that their tax dollars end up in the pockets of bank CEOs we will be more careful where we spend and which bank we will invest our money. I urge all Americans to invest and safe their money in banks that did not take any Government Bailout money, which is essentially our tax dollars. The government did not let them fail but we still can. I have a 3 step plan on how to fix the economy:
1. Switch to a bank that did not take government bailout money.
2. Switch to a bank that did not take government bailout money.
3. Switch to a bank that did not take government bailout money.
I lost my business not to the economy but because of a motorcycle accident. When customers told me I was too expensive I would tell them; "don't let the door hit you in the ass". Now I'm on the other side of the fence and it's not so green. Karma? I don't know. But I do know my heart is in the right place now.
When I had all the money I wanted, I was blind. Now I a have little but I can see clear.
Michael Jackson summed it all in one song. "Man in the mirror".
That's the only way we will change.

gerry of FL 1:39PM March 25, 2010

The 3 trillion dollar American "health care system" treats "diseases" 80% of which are preventable by lifestyle changes....After heart disease and cancer the health care system is the third leading cause of death in America due to: adverse prescription drug reactions, hospital acquired infection and doctor/hospital errors...When I look at the "teaparty people" one thing is FOR SURE!! I do not want to participate in paying for a free medical plan for them .... they appear to be an ocean expensive of "pre-existing conditions"

john of WA 12:50PM March 25, 2010

joe s, I learned my lesson too. Robotron, you hit the nail on the head. the middle class needs to learn the rule of supply and demand which is; the more you run to the store to buy the latest crap you don't need the more expensive it will get. It's usually young working people who still live at home with mommy and daddy and don't have to worry about paying rent, or any cost-of-living for that matter, the ones who drive up the cost of new technologies and new cars. And now they get to stay on daddy's health care plan until the age of 26. When will they ever learn to be financially responsible. Ironically, they are making it worse for themselves and they don't realize it. They'll never be a pill for that.
We babyboomers fought hard for civil rights, what will this generation fight for other than "the right to party".

gerry of miami of FL 12:45PM March 25, 2010

You make a valid point. The problem many of us have is you guys are the same as Chuck Baldwin. Your a bunch of religious wack jobs. I believe in economic freedom, but leave the christian coalition hoo ha at home. I am not religious, and don't want to be.If I burn in hell, that's my problem.The cons would get more support if they quit supporting Zionist Israel, religious views, anti-abortion, censorship, "family values(that go against human nature)", anti gay, and all that. I hate taxes, Obama, and bigger government, but I can't support religious views of any kind. Separation of church and state I do believe in. I hate islam(wackos in arabia, and black power wackos in the ghetto), zionism(not the same as jews, zionists are terrorists), christian wackos.

dick in colorado of CO 12:10PM March 25, 2010

We as a people made our bed by buying too much and now we lay in it. Most of you bought homes, cars you couldn't afford. If you lost your house, maybe you should have never purchased it anyway. I know low income people that have not been affected at all by the economy. They never bought anything expensive, never lost their low wage job, because they never tried. Makes you think why bother.
I used to make alot of money, but that went away. The only debt I have is a car payment, which was a mistake I made when I was banking. I don't think this economy is coming back for many years. Bush and friends wrecked it, now Obama and Company are taxing everyone that has anything left. I fell out of the high wage category,so now I'm low income. I was reluctant to file for unemployment, and ask for help. But a few weeks after I was dead broke that changed. Forget credit, lattes, and all that other waste.
People in the old days survived on very little, but life was uncomfortable. Americans are weak, and we need a wake up call.

dick in colorado of CO 12:02PM March 25, 2010

the tea party movement was started as the first act of patriotism of our time. "a true patriot questions his government". BTW... tea party people own alot of guns! We are the last hope when our government fails and the dollar is worth nothing, which will be soon. The tea party movement is about freedom: Right to petition your government, individual liberty, freedom to assemble, right to bear arms, things that have been lost in the past decade. Our constitution is supreme law of the land. Alot of Americans have forgot that. "We the People" are the only ones that can change this country's course. No repulican/democrat president, politician, etc. will ever help out America. The only way to change is to vote out congress and vote 3rd party. We are in for a long haul on this recession. Buy food storage, or you may go hungry.

woody of NV 11:44AM March 25, 2010

i stopped paying all my credit cards. i gave my car back to the bank. i filled for bankruptcy. true this move might of not helped the economy much but oh well. greedy cockroaches do it for billions why cant i do it for 30k? i bought a good used car for a grand and i've noticed that maintenace and repairs is waayyyyyy cheaper than car payments(rent to own) and expensive insurance. my new car was costing me about 600 a month with payments, insurance, gas. my cheap car that I OWN costs me around 160 a month for gas, insurance. my quality of life has gotten better because without all the debt on my shoulders, it has caused me to look further into the horizon. i still buy clothes and food and toys without credit cards. its amazing all the BS that is in front of us is not neccessary for a happy life. instead of being happy with image try to be happy with a piece of mind.

joe s of CA 11:36AM March 25, 2010