It is no secret, everyone is broke. Simple things in life, paying rent, a mortgage, grocery shopping, or a Friday night at a pub has to be a big deal in our budget these days.  Everyone thinks it is only them that is having hard times.  Just because you don’t talk to your neighbor, doesn’t mean they aren’t feeling the same punch.

We’re too proud to admit things to the people we smile at every day. There is a real issue going on with EVERYONE.  Yes, we have shelter, and we can eat. But we’re all struggling right now, all of us.  No one likes to be the first one to admit it.

Think about it, you work hard each and every day, and every week to get ahead.  It’s fine to try and just pay the bills, and that seems to be the focus of what everyone around you is doing “let’s just pay the bills and wait for things to get better”.  Well, to be honest, things aren’t getting better – they are getting worse, much worse.

People are getting foreclosed on every single day. Everyone is pinching their pennies. The proud thing to do, is to NOT talk to your neighbor and act like the deep depression (officially called recession) is not affecting you. But it is… It is affecting you, your neighbor, the guy three doors down, and the family two streets over.

Wake up people. Where does pride end, and realism take over?

To give an example. While your finances aren’t going as far these days – while your purchasing power of your earned wage seems to go less – has your bank lowered their service fees? Of course not. Has the government lowered their taxes on what you owe? Of course not.

You, and me both, are getting downgraded financially, and no one is talking about it.

The stuff we buy, whether it be potato chips or coffee, the price increases, and the content volume is decreased. We feel like the dollar is still worth a dollar, but is it?  Pay attention, we’re on a downward spiral to never never land…  Who has money to go on vacation anymore?  Who has money to buy something silly and stupid like we use to? Every single expenditure we do these days has to be a calculated effort.

The world is different now. You won’t hear that from your neighbors, but you will hear it from me. I am not afraid to talk about it.

Grocery shoppers who use to walk away with 4 bags of groceries are walking way with only 3… That is soon to be 2 bags… Don’t think it isn’t happening. It is an incremental amount over time, that you are not suppose to notice.  10 cents here, 25 cents there, its not even noticeable until you walk away from the cashier and realize “gee, my dollars aren’t going as far as they use to”..

So now that I’ve called it out – what is the real solution?

Unfortunately there isn’t one.

What there IS though, is the fact, that everything you’ve noticed is exactly true and happening. While the major news media outlet’s won’t officially call it, I will. WE ARE IN A DEPRESSION. THE FIRST ONE SINCE THE 1930′S. YOU’RE LIVING THROUGH A DEPRESSION RIGHT NOW.

OMG (oh my god), could it be true? The answer is YES. Just because you don’t hear it on the TV, doesn’t mean it isn’t true.

This is a depression. Hard working individuals with decent jobs are struggling to survive.

THAT IS A DEPRESSION.

So, granted, your TV may be on, your internet connection may be working, maybe even you were able to get a McDonald’s meal this week.

YOU”RE STILL LIVING DURING THE 2011-2012 DEPRESSION.

Where is your savings? Where is that bundle of cash you have worked so hard to get?  Money in, money out, it goes quick doesn’t it?

We’ve become a society this day and age, where it isn’t ideal to share what is happening with the person next door. They don’t talk to you either. We’re all isolated. Is that a good thing, or bad thing?

What I will tell you is this…

I’m posting this on my blog for 72 hours. If I don’t get a few decent comments from people out there, ranting about this problem, then I’m going to be that neighbor next door that pretends the world isn’t actually happening. I’ll delete this blog post and act like everyone else is — it’s all in our minds, it’s a conspiracy theory, and anyone that points out the obvious deserves to wear a tin foil hat.

I’m broke, and so are you.  Admit it.

Who’s making money here? Banks with their service fees, car insurance with mandatory charges, think about it. Key organizations are doing well during this depression. You and I? We’re fighting to get rent, mortgage, utilities and groceries paid.  Yeah, life is just rosey isn’t it, but no one talks about it.

If you are upset, SAY SOMETHING.

This is the first step in getting the real issue recognized and maybe people realizing where we are.. the sooner we admit it, the faster we can all get to a solution.