The Silver Lining

My husband forwarded me this feel-good article about finding ten good things from this sucky economy. The list included things such as "you'll find the true meaning of happiness," and "you'll learn to appreciate yourself for things beyond your earning capacity." Well, I dunno about you, but this stuff doesn't make me feel any better. We all know someone who is struggling right now. We all have friends and family who've been laid off. Perhpaps some of them have had to declare bankruptcy or foreclose on their house. I doubt to them these "fluff" reasons cited in the article are much of a consolation.

So, I came up with my own list of 10 REAL good things that have come from the crappy economy:

1. People won't look down on you ask much as before for foreclosing on your house or declaring bankruptcy. Its in vogue. In a few years, people will simply see it as a causualty of the the recession.

2. Creditors are too swamped to really pursue you. Or at least as fast as they used to.

3. Companies are writing off debt left and right and are willing to settle balances much lower than what you owe because they know if you file bankruptcy, they are SOL. And even if they sue you and get a judgment, chances are you have nothing to pay them with.

4. It gives you a chance to hone your entreprenurial skills.

5. There will be a baby boom because sex is the best free entertainment - which will help later on down the road to fill the void the 1950s baby boomers leave, and fuel the economy for the next generation. (Hey, someone needs to keep paying into social security, right?)

6. Its ok that your credit score took a hit - the credit markets are so tight right now that no one with less than an 800 will get a loan.

7. All the useless gawdy gold jewelry you've hung on to over the years is now worth a lot! (Because gold increases in value when the dollar is weak).

8. Shopping at thrift stores, garage sales, Craigs List, e-bay and bartering is good for the environment - reuse and recycle baby!

9. There will soon be a lot fewer ugly, crappy American-made cars littering our roadways.

10. There is only one direction to go from here - UP!

Disclaimer: The above is intended for entertainment and satire only. Please do not construe this as financial and/or legal advice, nor a predictor of any future outcome. Its only intended purpose is to get a laugh, or at least a smile.