Standard of living worries common during a recession on clarkhoward.com

New polling data shows that 7 out of 10 people are worried they can't maintain their standard of living -- a much higher figure than just a few months ago.

The results of other ABC News/Washington Post polls found that 8 out of 10 people think the country is off-track. That's the highest level since 1981, when we had our most serious recession since the Great Depression.

Meanwhile, 6 in 10 of those who earn more than $100K/year are worried about falling behind.

The reality is that the average American will see a short-term decline in their standard of living during a recession. A drop in the standard of living can be defined as only going out to dinner once a month instead of 3 times a week, or going from eating steak every week to who can remember the last time we ate that?!

In the long run, our adaptability will help us survive. If the name brand paper towels are too much at the supermarket, buy the store brand. That's called brand substitution. Of course, some people get hit with financial Armageddon and that goes way beyond your personal taste in paper towels.

The bottom-line is this: It will take a while to work through the excess in the housing market, our gas-guzzling vehicles, etc. But we can deal with more than we give ourselves credit for.

What others are saying

Jury Duty Scam
I got this email tonight and I was just wonder if you had seen this:

Jury Duty Scam

This has been verified by the FBI (their link is also included below). Please pass this on to everyone in your email address book. It is spreading fast so be prepared should you get this call. Most of us take those summonses for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of fraud has surfaced.

The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Give out any of this information and bingo; your identity was just stolen.

The fraud has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma , Illinois , and Colorado . This (swindle) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they are with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.
Check it out here: [ http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206.htm ]http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206.htm
And here: [ http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp ]http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp
By Todd Huguenin @ 08/19/08 10:22:35 PMreport abuse
It's pobrEcitos
not pobrAcitoss. Pobrecitos means poor little ones or poor babies.
By Francesca @ 07/11/08 02:08:56 PMreport abuse
The Times
The fact is is that 9 out of 10 people have spoiled thereselves with todays products. You can still live cheap and still make it in todays world. Its all in what you can live with when it comes down to it.
By Paul LeBrun @ 07/10/08 09:16:35 AMreport abuse
Fire them all !
Seems blanket firing them all is most likely not a wise decision. Oklahoma has Senator Coburn who is diligently working to make budgets more transparent and has a voting record of seriously limiting pork and increased spending. I will vote for him again to assure he keeps fighting for America and not his own pocket. Unfortunately most believe their reps are OK. It is the other bozos who are messing things up and will vote their reps in again without some study of their voting records.

Americans seem to be “Sheeple” who listen to the politicians lies and vote for them as if they would keep their political promises. Case in point is the present race for president. Both of the major candidates have promised the American Sheeple during the primaries they will do one thing or another. As time goes by, they morph from one position to another “spinning” their changed positions back and forth like a fast paced basketball game. They stick their fingers in the air to guess which way the wind is blowing. I for one would like to see an Oklahoma sized tornado by the voters hit Washington D.C. and blow the complacent, Potomac Fever suffering ‘many ticks’* out over and over again until we can get the message across that WE THE PEOPLE are America and not the elitist ‘many ticks’ ruining this country.

Of course that would require the American Sheeple to set aside their apathy and actually listen to what is being said and discern the truth, integrity and sincerity of it.

* Poly-many; Ticks-blood sucking parasites = Politicians-many blood sucking parasites.
By Randy L. @ 07/09/08 10:41:05 PMreport abuse
Fire them all
I agree. My plan is to vote out any incumbents this fall. They are doing nothing for the people who voted them into office. Put them out of a job!!
By Donna @ 07/09/08 08:22:51 PMreport abuse
Standar of Living
Poor babies....or as the Mexicans say..
pobracito PoBRACITOS
Oh so sad...those poor over indulged 100K plus per year urban soccar moms and yuppies. You mean they won't be able to afford another flat screen TV, country club dues, karate studios, Golds gym, and daily trips to Starbucks for their overpriced $5 cup of lousy coffee? Where's my pacifier?
Read the new book "Sissy Nation" by NY times journalist J. Strausbaugh!!!
By charles martin @ 07/09/08 06:36:31 PMreport abuse
FIRE EM' ALL
Has it dawned on anyone that our government wants to reduce USA to another 3rd world country; to control we citizens, money, and all else?
By Karen @ 07/09/08 05:48:47 PMreport abuse
FIRE EM ALL IS GREAT IDEA
I have to concur with your other posters. We get the Congress and President we elect. Since we don't have any confidence in either of our branches of government, we must get rid of anyone that is still there. I hate seeing 95% of incumbents winning year after year. That's us putting the do nothings back in their government security blanket job. Wake up and don't vote the same people back in office. Imagine the shock on the faces of those senators and congressmen who thought they were safe again find out they are out of their easy job. So count me in on cleaning house this election year.
By MG @ 07/09/08 04:25:04 PMreport abuse
Fire them All
I have to agree I have never seen such a do nothing group-of senator/congress/and president. All point fingers and say it's the other guys fault...both parties stink!!!Vote them all out....
By Theresa W @ 07/09/08 02:06:45 PMreport abuse
RE: Fire em all
Nancy Pelosi recently stated no to drilling because increasing supply would not bring prices down. Just to- day she criticized Pres. Bush because he would not release more strategic oil reserves so prices would come down. WHAT A LIAR AND MANIPULATOR PELOSI IS!!! I agree, vote NO to every incumbent in both the Senate and Congress. They are lazy and lying to us all. They are not doing their jobs!!
By Mike P @ 07/09/08 01:51:40 PMreport abuse
FIRE EM' ALL
It doesn't matter if there democrate or republican, if they have a I for incumbent beside their name they need to be put in the unemployment line. After all they will all lie to you when the truth will work better!!!
By Grandpa Gene @ 07/09/08 08:46:09 AMreport abuse
Re: PollyannaPepTalk
AMEN JP! Remember, we get our chance to fire all of them on Election Day!
By PJ @ 07/09/08 06:57:37 AMreport abuse
PollyannaPepTalk
Yes we can do with less, but why should we just roll over and do so when the crooks who caused it in the housing industry and the crooks in Congress are letting them get away with it?!? I say it is time the American people stop being sheep and get out in the street and protest like the rest of the world before we truly become a third world country.
By JP @ 07/08/08 08:38:28 PMreport abuse
cost
i feel it is awful that congress set up this buy a house with nothing down and now the bailout is raising oil from $80.00 to $140.00 because people that could not afford houses got houses. I am 63 and I have bought 6 homes because I had to move or change jobs. I have good credit and I always had to put up 10 to 20% to buy these houses. Now why can the young family and poor credit family's get loans without a least 8 to 10% down. No wonder our country is in a mess.
On another subject where can I get information on the hydrogen kit the man talked about on Clark Howard
By paul ) video01@windstream.net @ 07/08/08 08:27:02 PMreport abuse
Optimism
Its good to hear a bit of optimism about our resilience to get through tough times. My business and neighborhood seem strangely insulated from the current downturn, but I see plenty of evidence of financial stress around town and in the media.
By MIchael Durham @ 07/08/08 04:52:01 PMreport abuse

Jury Duty Scam

I got this email tonight and I was just wonder if you had seen this:

Jury Duty Scam

This has been verified by the FBI (their link is also included below). Please pass this on to everyone in your email address book. It is spreading fast so be prepared should you get this call. Most of us take those summonses for jury duty seriously, but enough people skip out on their civic duty, that a new and ominous kind of fraud has surfaced.

The caller claims to be a jury coordinator. If you protest that you never received a summons for jury duty, the scammer asks you for your Social Security number and date of birth so he or she can verify the information and cancel the arrest warrant. Give out any of this information and bingo; your identity was just stolen.

The fraud has been reported so far in 11 states, including Oklahoma , Illinois , and Colorado . This (swindle) is particularly insidious because they use intimidation over the phone to try to bully people into giving information by pretending they are with the court system. The FBI and the federal court system have issued nationwide alerts on their web sites, warning consumers about the fraud.
Check it out here: [ http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206.htm ]http://www.fbi.gov/page2/june06/jury_scams060206.htm
And here: [ http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp ]http://www.snopes.com/crime/fraud/juryduty.asp

By Todd Huguenin @ 08/19/08 10:22:35 PMreport abuse

It's pobrEcitos

not pobrAcitoss. Pobrecitos means poor little ones or poor babies.

By Francesca @ 07/11/08 02:08:56 PMreport abuse

The Times

The fact is is that 9 out of 10 people have spoiled thereselves with todays products. You can still live cheap and still make it in todays world. Its all in what you can live with when it comes down to it.

By Paul LeBrun @ 07/10/08 09:16:35 AMreport abuse

Fire them all !

Seems blanket firing them all is most likely not a wise decision. Oklahoma has Senator Coburn who is diligently working to make budgets more transparent and has a voting record of seriously limiting pork and increased spending. I will vote for him again to assure he keeps fighting for America and not his own pocket. Unfortunately most believe their reps are OK. It is the other bozos who are messing things up and will vote their reps in again without some study of their voting records.

Americans seem to be “Sheeple” who listen to the politicians lies and vote for them as if they would keep their political promises. Case in point is the present race for president. Both of the major candidates have promised the American Sheeple during the primaries they will do one thing or another. As time goes by, they morph from one position to another “spinning” their changed positions back and forth like a fast paced basketball game. They stick their fingers in the air to guess which way the wind is blowing. I for one would like to see an Oklahoma sized tornado by the voters hit Washington D.C. and blow the complacent, Potomac Fever suffering ‘many ticks’* out over and over again until we can get the message across that WE THE PEOPLE are America and not the elitist ‘many ticks’ ruining this country.

Of course that would require the American Sheeple to set aside their apathy and actually listen to what is being said and discern the truth, integrity and sincerity of it.

* Poly-many; Ticks-blood sucking parasites = Politicians-many blood sucking parasites.

By Randy L. @ 07/09/08 10:41:05 PMreport abuse

Fire them all

I agree. My plan is to vote out any incumbents this fall. They are doing nothing for the people who voted them into office. Put them out of a job!!

By Donna @ 07/09/08 08:22:51 PMreport abuse

Standar of Living

Poor babies....or as the Mexicans say..
pobracito PoBRACITOS
Oh so sad...those poor over indulged 100K plus per year urban soccar moms and yuppies. You mean they won't be able to afford another flat screen TV, country club dues, karate studios, Golds gym, and daily trips to Starbucks for their overpriced $5 cup of lousy coffee? Where's my pacifier?
Read the new book "Sissy Nation" by NY times journalist J. Strausbaugh!!!

By charles martin @ 07/09/08 06:36:31 PMreport abuse

FIRE EM' ALL

Has it dawned on anyone that our government wants to reduce USA to another 3rd world country; to control we citizens, money, and all else?

By Karen @ 07/09/08 05:48:47 PMreport abuse

FIRE EM ALL IS GREAT IDEA

I have to concur with your other posters. We get the Congress and President we elect. Since we don't have any confidence in either of our branches of government, we must get rid of anyone that is still there. I hate seeing 95% of incumbents winning year after year. That's us putting the do nothings back in their government security blanket job. Wake up and don't vote the same people back in office. Imagine the shock on the faces of those senators and congressmen who thought they were safe again find out they are out of their easy job. So count me in on cleaning house this election year.

By MG @ 07/09/08 04:25:04 PMreport abuse

Fire them All

I have to agree I have never seen such a do nothing group-of senator/congress/and president. All point fingers and say it's the other guys fault...both parties stink!!!Vote them all out....

By Theresa W @ 07/09/08 02:06:45 PMreport abuse

RE: Fire em all

Nancy Pelosi recently stated no to drilling because increasing supply would not bring prices down. Just to- day she criticized Pres. Bush because he would not release more strategic oil reserves so prices would come down. WHAT A LIAR AND MANIPULATOR PELOSI IS!!! I agree, vote NO to every incumbent in both the Senate and Congress. They are lazy and lying to us all. They are not doing their jobs!!

By Mike P @ 07/09/08 01:51:40 PMreport abuse

It doesn't matter if there democrate or republican, if they have a I for incumbent beside their name they need to be put in the unemployment line. After all they will all lie to you when the truth will work better!!!

By Grandpa Gene @ 07/09/08 08:46:09 AMreport abuse

Re: PollyannaPepTalk

AMEN JP! Remember, we get our chance to fire all of them on Election Day!

By PJ @ 07/09/08 06:57:37 AMreport abuse

PollyannaPepTalk

Yes we can do with less, but why should we just roll over and do so when the crooks who caused it in the housing industry and the crooks in Congress are letting them get away with it?!? I say it is time the American people stop being sheep and get out in the street and protest like the rest of the world before we truly become a third world country.

By JP @ 07/08/08 08:38:28 PMreport abuse

cost

i feel it is awful that congress set up this buy a house with nothing down and now the bailout is raising oil from $80.00 to $140.00 because people that could not afford houses got houses. I am 63 and I have bought 6 homes because I had to move or change jobs. I have good credit and I always had to put up 10 to 20% to buy these houses. Now why can the young family and poor credit family's get loans without a least 8 to 10% down. No wonder our country is in a mess.
On another subject where can I get information on the hydrogen kit the man talked about on Clark Howard

By paul ) video01@windstream.net @ 07/08/08 08:27:02 PMreport abuse

Optimism

Its good to hear a bit of optimism about our resilience to get through tough times. My business and neighborhood seem strangely insulated from the current downturn, but I see plenty of evidence of financial stress around town and in the media.

By MIchael Durham @ 07/08/08 04:52:01 PMreport abuse

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Jul 08, 2008 -- Standard of living worries common during a recession

What others are saying