A recent article in Fortune magazine http://bit.ly/6AXo0R indicated that there are fewer deaths during a recession because people apparently “adopt smarter lifestyles in recessions, especially those people with the worst health habits.”

One reason is that as work hours are cut back or people are laid off, they have more time to spend going to the gym, preparing meals, and getting more sleep.

There’s something else happening too. People are becoming much more conscious about how they spend their money. Consumer sales are decreasing because many are deciding against excess and for frugality. Instead of thinking, “It’s only $20!” and making an unnecessary purchase, often the decision is to not spend the $20 and save it instead. That’s good for a person’s economic health.

As an added benefit, this can lead to a rise in self-esteem. When people get smart about their money, they tend to feel good about themselves and their actions.

At a networking even last week, I asked a number of women entrepreneurs if they were cutting back on personal spending. Every one said that they are. “I really don’t need any more new clothes,” a number of them said.

Apparently, people are examining their values and what they want to spend their hard-earned money on. From my point of view, this is a good thing.

Because the current recession is deeper and longer lasting than those we have seen in the past, it could lead to long-term behavioral changes in our culture. Less waste, more consciousness, and enhanced fiscal responsibility are all positive.

What changes are you making in your life because of current economic conditions? Comment bekiw or on my Facebook profile or Fan page, where you’ll see the headline for this post.

Need some focus so you can straighten out your finances, read (or re-read) Build Your Money Muscles. The advice you’ll find is simple and straightforward and will help you make wiser financial decisions.

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