ful pursuits, like small trips with my
family and yoga classes with the kids.”
Looking for a way to build up your
bank account? Stash away $10 a
day—you’ll save loads in a year,
says Jean Chatzky, author of Pay It
Down: From Debt to Wealth on $10 a
Day (Penguin).
✹ Creativity is rewarded. “In a recession self-employment typically rises
among both genders,” says Scott Shane,
author of The Illusions of Entrepreneurship (Yale University Press) and professor of entrepreneurial studies at Case
Western Reserve University in Cleveland. But for women it’s more than
money—they’re also motivated by the
independence, flexibility and personal
fulfillment of owning a business. That’s
true for Kim Murphy, 42, of Menomonee
Falls, Wisconsin. When her husband lost
his job in April 2008, it was a frightening
time, says the mom of two boys, 16 and
18. “But it gave me the impetus I needed
to write a business plan for an idea I’d
been kicking around for years,” she says.
She soon launched Home Helpers, a
firm that provides in-home care and
companionship for seniors. “Starting a
company wasn’t easy, but it’s emotionally
rewarding to help seniors stay in their
own homes.”
PERSONAL PRODUCTIVITY
✹ In a tough economic climate
people take better care of their
health. “As hard as it is to lose a job,
accept a pay cut or work fewer hours, it
can leave more time for beneficial activ-
ities like home cooking and regular ex-
ercise,” says Jeffrey Brown, Psy.D., a
psychiatry instructor at Harvard Medi-
cal School. More than half of people say
they eat out less often now that money
is tight, which is as good for waistlines
as it is for wallets. “When you’re the
chef, you control the fat, sugar, sodium
and calorie content of your food,” says
Laura Kaiser, R.D., of Montefiore Com-
munity Pediatric Program in New York
City. Add that to stress-busting physical
activity and even your mental health
may improve. “My anxiety soared last
year when my marketing business was
slow,” says Susan Somers, a 45-year-old
from Las Vegas. To cope, she started
working out. “I’ve lost 32 pounds and
feel in control, even though the industry
has yet to pick up.”
✹ Saving is a priority again. There
was an uptick in personal savings in
2009, according to the Bureau of Eco-
nomic Analysis, and that’s positive
news, since our credit-happy ways are
one reason for the country’s financial
meltdown. And changing your money
habits can pay unexpected dividends.
“I used to splurge on home furnishings,
clothes, jewelry and fancy vacations,”
says Kathy Caprino, 49, a mom of a 12-
and15-year-old in Wilton, Connecticut.
“Now I save money for more meaning-
RETURN TO
TRADITIONAL VALUES
✹ Bonding opportunities abound.
With parents working less, they have
more time to hang at home with the
kids. Low cash flow may also limit
nonessential extracurricular activities
that sometimes send siblings in different
directions. Experts say the increase in
together time can strengthen relation-
ships. “Close connections, the shared
history of relatives and family humor
all provide a powerful buffer against
stress,” says Simon Rego, Psy.D., as-
sociate director of psychology at
Montefiore Medical Center. Make the
most of these moments by finding fun,
inexpensive activities to take your
family’s mind off the recession. Learn
to play chess, go to museums or start
