Sometimes in a recession you have to dust of the Tom hanks movie and watch it!

Have you ever wandered off in a day dream and thought about all the crap you have bought or spent money on that is either lost in the bottom of a closet or in the garage sale pile? It is staggering to think about the amount of money most people have just thrown away by the time they reach middle age. That, along with the recent Clark Howard radio show, made me start to think about how people could weather the storm of the bad economy while wearing a Tommy Bahama swim suit and sipping a margarita. Think Castaway and Tom Hanks when it comes to shaving a few green backs off the outgoing money express. How many things that you spent money on last week could you have eliminated and still be as happy as you are this month?

I started thinking about things like cokes, newspapers and magazines, that mid week meal at the Sizzler. What about the routine weekend dinner that sets you back $35-$40. People don't die with only the basic cable package. What about those text messages and fancy cell phone packages? What ever happened to brown bagging it?

At 40 years of age people are still unable to make out that famous list of wants versus needs. As we get older the line becomes even more blurry than it was when we "needed" that Nintendo 64. So if you are feeling the weight of the sinking economy, don't be scared to venture out onto that island that is known as sensibility.....its the one right next to responsibility.

What are some things that you could easily trim off your monthly must have list?

Until next time....."I made fire"