Money, Money, Money

Everybody needs it. That is why most of us roll out of bed in the morning, to try and gain more, or just enough. Unfortunately, lately it has been a struggle to do that for a lot of people especially with the rising cost of living.

I don’t love money, but I love what it allows me to do; eat, drink and basically live. I would like to have a lot of it, but, so far, that hasn’t happened. It is sad that we are completely and utterly dependent on it, especially when things beyond our personal control can influence it’s value.

Personally, I have been hit by several things along with the economy. We had a baby (as some of you are aware) and even with insurance, the cost is enormous. Plus, my wife had to take off from work for several weeks before and just after the birth, that hit harder than we thought it would.

Why am I telling you my problems? Well, everyone has their own sad story to tell and the last thing I want you to do is feel sorry for me. I have a wonderful life, a wonderful wife, a wonderful son and a wonderful family. I would be just as happy living in a cardboard box under a bridge as long as I still had those things.

What I’m trying to tell you is that right now, many people are in the same boat. We are learning to change some of the things we do and stop some of the things we did in order to adjust. We all have to work harder and smarter to stay competitive and keep our head above water.

In some ways, the poor economy could be a good thing for local business. Maybe more people will start to realize that there are things to be done and found local, just as good as anyplace else. I have talked to several local businesses that admit that traffic is on the rise. If you realize that it costs between $8 and $15 just to drive to Rivergate or Hendersonville and back, you might want to figure that in your budget and decide to stay local.

Just remember, we are all in this together and with a community like White House, it is like having one big family.