To Spend or Not To Spend, That is the Question

It's been playing in my mind for the past week. To help the economy or not to help the economy. Of course, one woman's spending doesn't affect the economy at all. But if all women in the country decide not to spend, then the economy shrinks and the big G may announce a recession. See, I'm scared of the word 'recession'.

For the past few nights, my decisions have been back and forth on eating out.

Right brain: Let's go eat out, yeay!!! KFC? McD? Kedai nenek?
Left brain: Cook laaaa... why waste money?
Right brain: No mood to cook la.... chicken not thawed yet laa... (giving all sorts of excuses).
Left brain: Aiya, spent on lunch already... cook laaa... save some money...
Me: Hmmmmmm... (looking all lost and unsure, staring blankly into space)

For the past couple of nights, the left brain won. We stayed in, I cooked dinner. The girls were elated. But it got me thinking.

Petrol price gone down, food prices still the same. People eat out less, people eat in more. Better health for people, yes. But better health for economy? No. Despite the reduction in petrol price, I think KL-ians are prudent these days. Despite no recession announcement by the government, I am very sure that some of us are starting to feel the heat that's melting the world's economy. Reading the newspaper is a mood-turner for sure. It's just depressing to read about people losing jobs - I for one lost my job in the 1998 recession, and I know how it feels to suddenly lose the ability to provide for one's family. Although I am still sticking to my belief that more people are on the road now that they can buy more petrol with less money, I do believe that they don't simply spend on materials they don't need.

Or maybe I have been the only one staying indoors and keeping my money to myself?

If I spend whatever that I have now, what would I hang on to if I become the victim of the global meltdown? But if I don't spend now, I'm helping the country's economy to shrink and eventually I become the victim of the global meltdown!

So it's like the Malay saying - diluah mati mak, ditelan mati bapak. And I certainly wouldn't want to lose my parents over this!!

:P