lower on the totem pole

All we hear is scary news about the economy. There is another way to looking at it-- I like the idea of living lower on the totem pole. Too many people are whining. When I drive down the street I see an awful lot of green lawn and very little garden. We have opportunities right at hand. We still have thrift stores, we still have libraries, we still have health. This year my DH is going back to school and we're going back to poverty. I'm good with it. I think the kids are a little freaked out. It'll all work out. I'm looking forward to it. The reason DH can go back to school is because we've always lived pretty conservatively and paid off debts ASAP. We have no house payment, no car payment, no student loan payment. Nothing. Of course we are going to be diving back into student loans (HATE THAT), but we don't have that back load of debts hanging over our heads. DH can hardly wait until 2009, he's so anxious to get back in school.