Chowrangi

Recession can be defined as significant decline in general economic activity extending over a period of time. Recession results in jobs being cut, revenues dropped and governments taking back subsidiaries. We are not exactly in a recession right now, the way inflation is booming and cost-of-living increasing, our economy may get into slumber soon.

Going around the web searching for how-tos on recession, I came across Philip Brewer, previously software engineer and now a full-time writer. Philip has a lot to say on how to beat recession, as follows:

• Reduce and reuse: If you can get by without something, or you can repurpose something you’ve already got, then you don’t need to buy it.

• Localize: If you get something from a giant corporation, then you’re pretty much stuck paying for it with money. The more of your needs you can satisfy locally, the better your chance of satisfying them in other ways. Your neighbors are much more likely to engage in barter. Your neighbors are much more likely to share the bounty of their garden. Your neighbors are much more likely to let you borrow (or have) things they aren’t using.

• Produce: Anything you can make yourself, you don’t need to buy. Garden. Learn a craft. If you can make things that are useful or beautiful, you can give them away or use them for barter.

  It’s worth noting the similarity between these strategies and those for greener living: reduce, reuse, recycle. Producing locally can be either low-impact or not, depending on what you do, but at least it’s up to you and not up to some corporation whose impact on the environment is a dark secret.

• Avoid debt: There are a few things that absolutely trap you in the money economy; things like debt, taxes, and utilities. They make completely opting out impossible, but they can be managed.

  Debt is the killer that forces you into the money economy. You really can’t opt out while you’re in debt, which is just another reason why debt should be avoided.

Other posts by Kashif Aziz

• Is Abdul Subhan Qureshi behind Mumbai Terror Attacks? - December 3rd, 2008
• Joint Statement of PCA and Zombie_KSA - November 30th, 2008
• ISI Chief summoned to India - November 28th, 2008
• Mumbai Terror Attack Goes On - November 27th, 2008
• Mumbai Under Terrorist Attack - November 27th, 2008
• IDEAS 2008: Arms for Peace and Money for the Military - November 25th, 2008
• Urgently Wanted : Federal Ministers - November 19th, 2008
• GEO TV Transmission blocked in Karachi? - November 17th, 2008
• American meat exporters using fradulent halal certificates - November 14th, 2008
• The case of Khanani and Kalia - November 10th, 2008