Teach a boy to fish......

You can't turn on the t.v., read the newspaper, or talk to someone without hearing about the effect the economy is having on not just our country but on a global scale. That truly shows how crucial it is for the US to be in good standings because we're the Breadbasket of the World. It breaks my heart to see people out of work and businesses that have been around for years shutting their doors. There are many many reasons for this dilemma we're in but it's taught us a very valuable lesson about saving money for times exactly like this. People are actually having to decide whether they should eat or pay their mortgages!

There are so many ways to save your money and the biggest thing is to not live beyond your means! We live in a world of instant gratification and we want for nothing. It's like the old saying, "Give the boy a fish, he'll learn nothing. Teach a boy to fish, he'll never go hungry." I'm not saying go learn how to fish right now, but we need to learn to be more capable of taking care of ourselves and teaching our families how to be too.

As for real estate, my personal opinion is that we will see a definite improvement within the next year. It shouldn't hinder anyone from buying since it's a buyers market, all the way! Rates and prices are low, inventory is plentiful and although there are more strict guidelines for obtaining a home loan its a preventative measure to ensure that things like this don't happen as often. Ask your realtor, bank, or trusted lender how you can qualify or what you need to do to qualify and draw up a budget with a specific timeline for your goals if you aren't looking to buy right this second. Don't wait too long because it won't be this way forever!