I work hard for my money.  So hard for it, honey.  And lately I’ve had to take a very realistic and somewhat disheartening look at my finances.  Seems I’m spending a heckuva lot of money on stupid, mindless things.  My mom calls it “throwing money down a rat hole.”  I’ll begrudgingly admit … she’s right.

I sat down with pen and paper and made some rational decisions about my irrational spending habits.  In the past week, I’ve cancelled my newspaper subscription.  (I was lucky if I read the morning paper two days a week.)  I got rid of my $70 a month home warranty.  (Which instantly means the house will fall apart.)  And I gave up going to Starbucks.  (That one hurt.  That one cut to the bone.) 

During economic chaos, career college leads will typically be on the uptick.  Odd to think recessions can cause windfalls for these schools.  But I suppose it makes sense.  You lose your job along with 5,000 other people, you’re going to need an education to put you (and keep you) ahead of the competition.

If I’ve heard it once, I’ve heard it a thousand times – “I can’t afford to go back to school.”  That’s why Admission Representatives are pre-programmed to say, “You can’t afford NOT to go back to school.”  And it’s oh-so true.  Potential students need to be constantly reminded they’re not going to get ahead or go anywhere without skills, knowledge and/or training.  That fact needs to be reinforced.

I was gainfully unemployed for most of 2003.  Sucked.  Big time.  I vowed once I started making a good salary again, I’d save my pennies for a rainy day.  Should this recession get worse, I’m ready.  I won’t be happy about it … but I’ll be ready.   Typically, incoming students live hand to mouth or paycheck to paycheck.  It’s tough.  It’s a struggle.  Boy, do I get that.  Good thing once they’ve got the training they need, they can have long-term employment in recession-proof careers. 

Layoffs rarely happen in the IT or trade industries.  And the medical field is growing by such leaps and bounds; it’s obvious why it’s the fastest-growing industry in the United States.

A year from now, who knows where the economy will be.  But if a student has a year of education under their belt, they’re already that much further ahead  –  regardless of what state our economy is in.

2008-11-10