Honestly, what we are dealing with right now is not the responsibility of one administration. It's leftovers from others and the choices of this administration. Nothing will really change at this point, and I don't see how anyone can think that re-electing the incumbent means we suddenly have to start self sufficient living or buying guns. It's not as if the zombie apocalypse is coming (as if we are that lucky). Government is good at one thing and one thing only, not actually getting anything done. I'm not too worried.

It sounds like the panic of Y2K again!

No, I'm not really changing anything. Just hoping for change. Which, ironically, is the platform he won on for the last term. Go figure. Now it's "forward." I don't get that...I don't want to go FORWARD... the current state SUCKS. I want better. Maybe "UPWARD" would have been a better campaign slogan.

Not changing anything, except to save more. I don't think I will close as many deals. The bigger issues is the tax increases in January that are coming. Middle class get a 3500 tax increase. Capital Gains increases to 60%. And try and sell a property over $240K and pay that flat tax on that to fund obamacare. Sorry, but we will be saving to make sure that in case, I have to do a different profession....

Mergers and Acquistions is going to die in the next year, worse than the last three years due to Capital Gains and the Regulations on the Financial Industry...

Not changing anything, except to save more. I don't think I will close as many deals. The bigger issues is the tax increases in January that are coming. Middle class get a 3500 tax increase. Capital Gains increases to 60%. And try and sell a property over $240K and pay that flat tax on that to fund obamacare. Sorry, but we will be saving to make sure that in case, I have to do a different profession....

Mergers and Acquistions is going to die in the next year, worse than the last three years due to Capital Gains and the Regulations on the Financial Industry...

I am so disenchanted by everything anymore. I decided today that I am going to try very hard to go to church every Sunday so that I can hopefully be better equipped in my heart and soul to deal with BM B.S., government B.S., skid B.S. etc. I don't like the pure hatred that I have for others right now, and I feel like I need to change it stat.

I used to be a very happy go lucky, glass half-full person but it seems when you continuously get knocked down and see people who aren't working their asses off like you are reaping the same benefits (or better) than you do simply because they know how to manipulate and your government caters to them, it gets discouraging and it gets old.

Yes, DH & I bought our retirement house in another state. Fk California. We bought it before interest rates start climbing and while the market was still low.

Right, SA? We cancelled our Thanksgiving trip, but damn, if my sister didn't go completely broke to make sure her 4 kids got to spend 2 days at Legoland, after a 10 hr drive in a car that needed a tune up. It broke down 5 miles after she left but do you think she cancelled her trip? NO way! Her kids "deserve" a vacation. So she guilted my dad into paying for a rental car.

I've also started changing! But this was prior to the whole election thing--it's just because everything IS kind of going to hell right now.

We're investing in a wood burning stove (and with Sandy recently barreling through my state, we got plenty of wood to burn), I'm no longer shopping at places like Stop&Shop and instead going to Aldi supermarkets which are really cheap. I usually buy a week's worth of groceries (fresh fruits, meats, and veggies) for two people for less than $20.

I fail at growing my own garden because I'm not there to tend to it all the time, even though I'd like to be. But I did buy a food dehydrator for about 50 bucks and have been dehydrating things and storing them for later use.

If I end up being a SAHM, I think a garden and chickens is something I am definitely going to invest in.

My change came well before this election.

I am raising my children to be responsible adults. They need to understand hardwork, going without wants, and financial choices.

I am giving back to my community thru food drives, Uited way and volunteering.

I am teaching the family tv, cells and internet are a lifestyle choice.

I am teaching consequences to actions.

I have a plan when support is done to dumb that money into retirement.

I am teaching the next generation, and trying to make a difference in the minds of the next politicians, CEOs etc.

We are not doing any Doomsday Prepper stuff but we are setting up plans for our future that include buying a house on some land to raise our own chickens and such. This is more because of the chemicals and genetically modified crap that passes as food now a days in the grocery stores and fast food places, than because of any candidate who did or did not win anything.

We own a house, free and clear, that we are going to be selling (in a different town than the one we live in now) and are about a year and a half from paying off the mobile home we currently reside in. We have two vehicles that are paid off.

I am getting a second job..have my second interview at one this week. We are fast tracking our debt payoff (ala Dave Ramsey).

In essence, we are keeping on, keeping on...just a little faster.

Prior to the election, within the last year:

We put every extra dollar into paying off my DH's 1997 Explorer and bought mine through a private seller for $2500, so both vehicles are paid off (we just have to worry about breakdowns/stuff going wrong - knock on wood!).

We moved from the 2 bedroom apt to a 1 bedroom to save $200 a month in rent.

We consolidated cell phone plans and downgraded our cable/internet plan.

We consolidated car insurance.

We clip coupons and shop at Wal Mart.

We limit our dinners out to once a week and usually it's no where extravagant (Applebee's or Outback Steakhouse).

We put a spending limit on entertainment/clothing expenses (movies, races, bars, Victoria's Secret, etc).

Do we still live paycheck to paycheck after all that? Hell yeah. Some weeks we barely make it in gasoline till the next payday.

DH and I aren't changing anything. We rent (the real estate market was bottoming out when we married, so we chose not to buy), our vehicles are paid for, we have very little debt and only use credit cards for traveling.

We eat organic (I have health issues and preservatives wreck my system), so farmer's markets and buy locally. I cook meals on the weekends and freeze them for the coming week.

We go out to eat a few times a week, but a local, less expensive places. I usually check out 5-6 books from the library every few weeks. We don't shop for clothes every week or month, only when we need them. We do second hand or goodwill.

DH has to have TV, I lived quite happily without it before he came along and would happily give it up again.

We're saving for retirement. I don't worry about my 401K and IRA, as the market is going to have it's ups and downs like they have in the past.

i would reconsider, deals are great and you get the tax write off. i'm not a future teller, but i don't imagine values are going to fall more so than they already have, probably increase over the next few years, not much, and at the very least a wash.

well, we just got the election results, so who knows what will become of our once great and feared nation. chinese for breakfast, lunch & dinner anyone? don't get me wrong i like chinese, but i love my cats.

ooooh I love this topic - my turn...

So, I 'changed' my lifestyle approximately 7 years ago, when I divorced my XH - not because of the president at that time - it was common sense no matter who is in charge of the country - I am in charge of my life. I changed and divorced him somewhat for the same reason. He spends non stop, he lives well above his (our) means and it was making me crazy.

It took me approximately 3.5 years to get to a point in my life where I felt I had overcome all the debt and issues my XH had gotten me into. During that 3.5 years, I went with more than without - I went without ANY extra anything for 3.5 years - it took major willpower. I shopped at goodwill for my girls anytime I could over buying new, I had no cable tv, no alarm system, bottom line cell phone, didn't eat out, put every extra penny I could find towards the bills. I bought nothing new that didn't absolutely need replacing - hell, after the divorce, I never had a kitchen table or living room furniture for over a year - we sat on cushions we had on the floor in the living room and ate at the breakfast bar not a table - we didn't suffer to any real degree.

But now that is behind me, I live on cash only. I even changed my job - took a paycut actually to work less hours over all in a more work to live type situation. I choose daily what to spend or not spend on - my children do not want for anything - they have everything they need. We take trips, we eat out once and awhile, they do activities like after school classes - but we do it all within our budget and sometimes there are choices to be made - not always easy but life is so much simpler without being a prisoner of material items that aren't paid for. DH and I do not buy large ticket items unless we have funds to cover it - that is the rule, we never charge anything we can't pay off on the spot - if we can't pay it off on the spot - the question is, do we really need it? Answer is always NO. Not talking about the roof needs repair - those things can't be helped, talking about the new big screen TV which would be awesome - but if we can't really afford it - why bother with it?

I have a garden, I grow food we actually eat!! Its very fun for one, gets me out of the house and away from the skids too - I highly recommend it - but on top, I get to feed my family organically which is a great contribution.

Its a comfort to know that your debt is manageable - we may not have as fancy of a car or take as long of a trip as do our neighbors - but we don't worry about paying them off either - not saying you live with nothing - you don't have to - you just live within your means and everything else sorts itself out.

I take value in teaching our children how little you really need to live. Its important to me that they realize you need very basic things to live - does anyone want to live with just basics - of course not. A studio apartment, food on the table and a job - its not ideal - but its something to build on - don't be afraid to work, you need to do what it takes and sacrifice to get ahead. I tell my girls that often, sacrifice to get ahead, something their father would never do - he was always in for the quick hit and deal with it later.

Today my XH has maxed out all his credit cards. His truck broke down because he didn't do the maintenance and instead bought fancy rims for the truck - how pretty sitting in his driveway, anything at all goes wrong for him and he doesn't have a penny to spare - yet he has a massive TV, the newest iPhone for both him and gf, the baby has every toy known to man, he went to Disney land, he takes time off work with any excuse he can make not to go in, and continues to pay the minimum on any and all debt. I pray he doesn't lose his house because that will effect my girls so badly. He tells them constantly how lucky I am and how his luck is so bad - dude, luck has nothing to do with it.

btw - this is approx 8 years now with no Cable TV - found out I never missed it and that is $75 a month in my pocket for other things like taking the family out for dinner or saving it for a larger item.

Ok - off my soapbox for now... sometimes you have to live on the the basics and no more - the rewards in the long run are well worth it. Sometimes you just gotta squash that ego, just let it go and take the time to reset.