Saturday, May 23, 2009

Savings' Double-Edged Sword

Show me the monnnnneeeeeeyyyy!Economists say the only way we can get our finances in better shape is to save more and spend less.
Economists also tell us that the way to get the country's economy stronger is to have people spend more - and therefore save less.
So basically we should all be spending more AND saving more.
Yeah, right…what a wonderful mixed message: the government encourages us to save, though its incentive-loaded KiwiSaver scheme – while at the same time wanting us to fuel the “return to the black” by buying stuff.
Call me a cynical ol' basket (you won't be the first!), but I don't feel it's my responsibility to spend and spend for the sake of the country's economy. I'm being very careful with my dollars, for the sake of my own economy: I do not intend to be a casualty of the recession.
Sadly, if the economy really does rely on people continually buying stuff they don't need, something seems wrong.
Or have I simply missed the point?

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