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Catherine Gacad

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Hunkering Down

I actually like that we’re in the midst of a recession.  Going out, eating out, taking fancy vacations, making unwise purchases.  It gets tiring after a while.  I haven’t gotten laid off.  My pay is not decreasing.  I expect my bonus to be even better than last year.  Yet, because of this economic doom, I’m hunkering down.  That’s right.  When I got a mani / pedi for my reunion, it was the first time I’d gone to the nail salon in six weeks.  SIX WEEKS!  I kept thinking, why spend $20+ every other week when I can cut and paint my own nails?  I don’t eat out as much as I used to. And if I do?  I make it brunch.  Cheaper than dinner.  

I’m cutting corners across the board.  At work, instead of asking our admin to order me more supplies, I dug through the crevices of my desk and found post-its, pens, and highlighters that had been hiding themselves.  I’m eating my canned goods.  Previously, I wouldn’t have even looked.  I would’ve gone straight to our admin or made another trip to the supermarket for more food.  I’m thinking I won’t buy anymore wine.  I’ve got 26 wine bottles in my own home.  I don’t need to keep buying more friggin alcohol.

I think the biggest impact for me is the vacation.  I have been dreaming about a vacation for months now.  My spare time is spent scrolling through web sites and perusing travel magazines.  But I cannot justify taking a vacation right now.  It just doesn’t seem right.  I promise myself a trip to Turkey or Greece or Slovenia next year.

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10.29.08

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Welcome to my site, derived from an advice column I wrote while getting my MBA. I live in the San Francisco Bay Area. I give helpful, opinionated advice based on my own experience and from the expertise of my extensive network. For more, click here.

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