10 reasons why I have less money than yesterday;

1. Federal taxes have increased

 2. State taxes have increased

 3.Local taxes have increased

 4.Auto insurance premiums have increased

 5.Health insurance premiums have increased

 6. Electricity rates have increased

 7.Telephone rates have increased

 8.The cost of all necessities has increased

 9.My customers are all in the same boat,so they are spending less

 10. I am spending yesterdays money today to survive till tomorrow.

Our current government doesn't seem to have a clue what to do to help, other than spend more money,with the promise of hope and change..which hasn't worked.

Someone needs to cut up their credit cards.

Once again, MSN Money states the obvious.  Most of these things, depending upon where you live, you can live without, with the following exceptions:

1.  A car.  Believe it or not, much of the country does not have public transportation.  In these areas, a car is essential for going to work, or going anywhere else out of walking distance.

2.  Credit cards.  Credit cards are not necessarily bad things.  The trick is to not carry a balance, and to pay your balance in full every month.  Some purchase can't be made with anything but a credit card.  If you have bad credit, at least get a debit card, but be sure to account for purchases in you check book.

3.  Television.  Again, believe it or not, much of the country has few cultural events, no theatre, no opera, no orchestra, no sports events beyond the high school level etc.  In a lot of the country, TV is the only available entertainment that doesn't require driving hundreds, if not thousands, of miles.

4.  A house.  If you are paying rent, you are just making money for someone else.  Even if you buy a fixer-upper, owning is nearly always better than renting in most cases.  Just don't buy something you can't afford.

Liz.. You forget the #1 thing that makes us poorer.....KIDS.....​only I didn"t buy mine !