There’s talk all over the internet about the fact that 180,000 homes were foreclosed on last month- a giant jump from last year’s foreclosure rate. Some people are of the opinion that it’s the homeowner’s fault because they should have been smart enough to get a good loan at a good rate, other people have a lot of sympathy for these people who are now homeless.

Naturally, I’m in the sympathy camp, seeing as I’m a big, pansy liberal and also have been quite poor my entire adult life. Strollerderby’s Jessica Ashley is considering buying a home and is a bit nervous:

The what-if game is just that, game. But the reality of paying a
mortgage while dealing with the stress and changes that your family
goes through over the course of your life together is very serious
business. Perhaps my husband and I are dreaming and planning at the
right time, when foreclosures and mortgage messes are at the top of the
news many nights a week. We’re thoroughly scared and trying very hard
to save enough and find the right place at the right time, all with an
understanding that everything can change in an instant.

The fact that "everything can change in an instant" is the scariest part, to be sure. And even if nothing changes, it may still be a struggle. Newscoma sums up my feelings perfectly:

If a person was making, lets say 25,000 a year (that’s roughly $350 a
week after taxes) five years ago, even with a six percent pay increase
in today’s income, necessary goods are more expensive.  The last gallon
of milk that I picked up was $4.29 (this worries the hell out of me
because of an employee at the paper who goes through gallons a week
with a 15 month old child.) Gas, although less than it was a year ago,
is  still much higher. Food is going to skyrocket this year (heard this
at several restaurants and a a grocery store this week.) Basic things
just cost more. Insurance is more expensive. Medical expenses are more
expensive. [...] I’m saying that 179,000+ American families lost their homes last year
for whatever reason. And we should feel some compassion while creating
a dialogue of why this happened without judgement. I’m not saying that
some folks didn’t lose their homes for other reasons, but that’s a big
number. I’m saying its not so cut and dry.

The cost of everything has gone up and people are now struggling to make a paycheck that once comfortably paid all their bills and had some left over, just stretch to pay their bills. Never mind extras. If you haven’t been following my series on the drought in the Southeast over at Shakyard, you might want to head on over there and take a looksie. The long and the short of it is that food prices are going up, especially corn, wheat and beef.

What can we do about all this? Not much as private citizens, but we should act like the ants instead of the grasshopper and start putting away as much as we can- food, money, etc. Money hoarding is not good in times of economic downturn such as these, however, we need to take care of ourselves and our families and make sure the rainy day fund is there. You never know when you might need it.