Sustaining our personal economy.

Bailouts!
Banks, Insurance companies, The Big Three... Institutions who have fondled billions of dollars and made risky and/or stupid decisions when they of all people should have known better. The government, like the parents of spoiled children hand over money likes it's penny candy!
Where's MY bailout!? I keep to a budget and pay my bills but emergencies happen and next thing you know. You're in debt up to your eyeballs. My tax dollars along with my son's and future generation's tax dollars are going to pay for this bailout. Eventually, yes but for now, I'd like to know one thing.... Where in God's green acre is all this money coming from??? I thought the United States was broke and in hock to China?
Watch the news and see that the rest of the world is going broke as well.
What happened to fiscal responsibility?
Think no one cares about you? Try missing a few payments.

Alright then. As usual, no one cares about the peasants. Except that we're well enough to work and pay taxes. Looks like we have to look after ourselves.
What would happen if this insane, consumer based economy suddenly shifted to something.. Oh, I don't know.. A sustainable, barter based economy. Necessity is the mother of invention and change. More and more people are shopping at second hand stores. Using coupons, buying less and sharing more.
Next time you buy anything I dare you to look where it was made. I remember a time where made in the USA meant quality and job security. Now, all we can afford are things made in China and when we make a service call we get someone in India.

I'd like to issue a challenge. Lets be the change we want in the world. Stop giving global, earth defiling, soulless companies our money. If that's not possible. I say put them on a strict allowance. Stop feeding the monster or put it on a diet.
Lets start with debt consolidation. If you go to a bank be prepared to be bent over a barrel. I've found a better way.

http://www.prosper.com/

Then, there is the task of every day living. We need to eat, pay bills, buy clothes, gifts and other things that make life interesting. Why not do it on the cheap?

http://tightwad.com/index.htm

http://www.allthingsfrugal.com/

http://frugalzeitgeist.com/

Make it fun. Treat it like a sport and compete with friends. Share tips and tricks.
We're sure not going to get a bailout. I'm tired of trying to achieve the "American dream" It's like running on a wheel and I'm not getting anywhere.
Time to stop the madness and get back to basics.