“Families cutting back” stories have become a little too perennial in this recession, but I liked this one about the Smith family of Schenectady.
Why? Because so many of these stories seem to focus on families that
might have to – shudder — send their children to the YMCA day camp
instead of Camp Horseysnob or cut down to two Starbucks runs a day. Not
something you can work up a big wad of sympathy over, you know?
The
Smith family didn’t have a ton off cash and indulgences to begin with –
both work hourly retail jobs, and dad works part time. The indulgences
they cut were planned amusement park trips this summer and their Friday
night dinners out, which were replaced with secondhand bikes, a
swingset, and family cooking lessons taught by mom.
As a freelance writer married to a social worker in one of the hardest hit areas for this recession, I’ve been
Read More...
