Tough Times are Here, What Lies Ahead?

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Weekly Question #5

Let’s try to be a little practical and wise and philosophical this week and answer this question:

What lies ahead for me (and my family) during these tough times? Do we know where we are heading?

I have just written a post about Tough Times Ahead as well as answered a meme about Money Saving Tips For My Family.

Yes, we are facing tough times, very tough times. I won’t elaborate anymore because you all probably know what these problems are. How one thing affects everything else and that everything else takes a downward spiral.

If the developed and so-called first world nations are protesting about the latest and almost weekly oil price hike, how can we, especially to those of us living here in the Philippines, not feel and have to live through these difficult times?

So what lies ahead for me and my family? To this I can honestly answer, I AM NOT SURE. For now we are surviving by:

  • cutting down on expenses,
  • going nowhere on Sundays except to go to church though it doesn’t mean we have less fun,
  • trying to do more in terms of cooking home-cooked food to bring to work and to school (for my eldest daughter)
  • trying to get a lid on spending on unimportant things, not that we buy these often
  • working doubly hard

As I have written the other day, we try to tighten the belt, until when? Until there is no more room to breathe? Would we take the road that leads us out of this country in search for greener pastures or would we still choose to stay here and be ready to face the challenges.

There are days when I ask myself, would we be able to survive financially once my eldest daughter goes to college?

How would we be able to save for that part of the future if we don’t have extra on our hands? Money these days is much like holding water, exactly, because we can’t hold water itself.

Sad to say, the question I asked remained unanswered by me: Tough times are here and what lies ahead is not in sight yet. But I am hopeful. We are hopeful.

WQ Round-up:

18 Responses to Tough Times are Here, What Lies Ahead?

  1. Pingback: teacherjulie.com » Sweetness of Gratitude Photo Competition

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  5. Ciao Teacher Julie! I’m late but I don’t like to miss – so, here’s the pahabol(as always)
    http://myracounteurattempt.blogspot.com/2008/07/weekly-question-5.html

  6. Pingback: teacherjulie.com » Water and Fruits

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  8. Its so hard budgeting the little money left after the bills are paid. The money I earned from blogging which I thought would go to a summer getaway? None of it went there, puro sa other expenses din, particularly school expenses.

    Thanks Liza. Let us all keep that hope alive.

  9. Hi Teacher Julie,
    Have you considered looking into scholarships for your daughter?

    Better late than never:
    http://mygoodfinds.org/2008/06/27/weekly-question-5-economy-and-life/

  10. hi, T. Julie!
    i agree, what we should do is to have hope … and faith … that we’ll all come out of this victorious. :)
    just posted my answer … happy friday! :)
    till the next question!

  11. hi sis, i am not in MM. am at home in Iligan and i made this post from home earlier today. we had a sunny day na today it was only yesterday that we experienced a bit of the storm. I think some of the news is very exaggerating but even then, let’s continue to pray those who are very much affected. I guess mas lalo na silang nagkaproblema ngayon kasi di lang pagkain problem nila, pati na rin mga bahay at kagamitan nila. ohhh nature’s wrath, it’s so unfair at times! but that’s life.

  12. Alam mo, t.julie, ang hirap mag-cut down ng expenses. Sa bahay na lang, di naman kami maluhong pamilya. Basic lang talaga. Pero nung nakaraang mag-grocery kami, na-shock ako sa tinaas ng presyo ng mga household items talaga. Yung dating budget ko, I had to increase it pa. Kung iisipin mo talaga, nakakatakot ang nangyayari sa panahon ngaun. We can only do so much and pray hard that everything will be alright.

  13. Inflation is very alarming and it’s best to find ways to cut down on our expenses.

    Here’s my answer for this week’s Q:
    http://mysoulfulthoughts.com/2008/06/22/weekly-question-5/

  14. Hi T.Julie! Mine’s up na po.

    http://creyes.info/2008/06/weekly-question-5/

    Erratic ang connection tonight because of the typhoon. I hope everyone’s safe including your family :)

  15. Pingback: Under One Roof » Weekly Question 5

  16. Hi Julie! This is my first question!
    Check out my answer here

    Deranged Insanity
    Traipsey Turvey

  17. i am hopeful too teacher julie. we’ve cut down on expenses and i am so glad i’m earning extra income through blogging, kung hindi, naku kulang talaga.

    my answer is up… http://liz.mommyslittlecorner.com/2008/06/weekly-question-5.html

    see yah. happy sunday!

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