I'm know I am not alone in feeling kind of blah about the economy. After all, I can't make up for the backwards progress in my savings in the past year by working longer or harder. I blew that off two years ago when I retired, and yes, I could go look for a job, but I really really really don't want to be a banker again, especially not now. So count me among those fixed income folks crying the blues.

I began to act more frugally. But every time I drove out of my way to save 10 cents on gas, I lost another 5% of my net worth in the market. Life was just not fair.

One day when I was feeling my most pitiful, I decided that I should go spend my $30 rebate card from Linens and Things, one of the retailers closing down for good because of the economy. When I got to the store and checked my balance, the clerk said the card had no value. Then I realized the card had expired three days earlier.
I had a spontaneous pity party for myself. The DOW was headed down to 7000, and my gift card was no good either.

I bought the item I had come to get anyway, and when I was checking out, it hit me. Those people that I was crying the blues to about my silly rebate card had no jobs. I asked what their plans were. They were looking for jobs. And smiling and helping me in the meantime.

Wow.

So, no, don't count me among those fixed income folks crying the blues. Count me among the lucky people who can still, with some adjustments in my budget, choose whether or not to go back to work. And please don't let me catch me feeling sorry for myself again.