Sometimes we change because we want to lose weight, go vegan, find God, get sober. But sometimes we change because we have no choice, and since this violates our manifest destiny to do as we please, it may take a while before we notice that those are often the changes we need to make most.

In the April 27, 2009 issue of Time magazine, there was a great article describing our new “Thrift Nation.” Time’s writers talked with people around the country to get their own experiences in their own words about the state of the economy and how it’s changed their lives and is causing them to recalibrate their expectations. They did a great job of conducting various polls about the new economy and how Americans feel. For instance, 56% of people believe that America’s best days are ahead. Which also means that 44% believe we are messed up. If we get back to basics and spend within our means, there’s no reason to believe that those 56% are wrong.

Read the article and think about these last few sentences.

We ran a good long road test of the premise that more is better: we built houses that could hold all our stuff but were too big to heat; we bought cars that could ferry a soccer team but were too big to park; we thought we were embracing the simple life by squeezing in a yoga class between working and shopping and took an extra job to pay for it all.

And here we are. Let’s get back to basics and flaunt some of that frugal.

Leave us a comment and tell us how this new economy has affected your life?