I keep reading about “green shoots of recovery,” and “housing bottoming out,” and “banks repaying taxpayer money,” but let’s face it – these statements are so far removed from the truth there is only one word for them – Bullshit. Mr. Alan Greenspan has been calling the bottom of the recession since 2006 and in the UK, Gordon “no more boom and bust,” Brown, the British Prime Minister, is firmly convinced he can borrow his way out of a problem caused by over-borrowing. Any one would think he will not be the one doing the paying back. Oh yes – that’s right.

The powers-that-be have decided that we are all stupid enough that if they bombard us with this stuff, eventually we will start believing it and all will once again be well. I very much doubt all will once again be well, and my personal thinking is that we are in danger of the economic system as we know it collapsing completely. If this should happen, we need to be prepared – and I don’t mean by buying a gun and stocking up on ammunition, although, depending where you live, this may not be a bad idea.

Regardless of what I think of the “news” being fed to us by the various governments, you know whether or not the recession is over or easing, and if you have just been laid off and are staring at a foreclosure notice, I would think the recession is alive and well in your street.  Will it become a depression? I think it already has in some parts of the world and USA. And to lighten up a serious subject, I am reminded of the old joke. “If your neighbor loses his job it is a recession. If you lose your job it is a depression.” Either way, here are a few tips for surviving the recession, which is not happening.

In days gone by, this was not an unusual occurrence and if you are finding it difficult to keep up payments on a mortgage, perhaps one way to relieve the burden would be to do this. Finding financing is becoming increasingly difficult for many people, and the inevitable result is foreclosed homes, which then sit empty - despite the fact that we have people in need of housing. The government is quite happy to socialize the banking and mortgage losses, but do not seem quite so keen on socializing the "assets," held by the banks and government Inc.

The flip side of the coin is, of course, becoming a lodger in some one’s home. If you are finding it difficult to find housing, becoming a lodger in some one’s home may be an affordable alternative to renting your own property. Obviously there are some compromises to be made doing this – sharing a house with a stranger brings issues, but interviewing each other and laying some ground rules as to chores etc should deal with these.

This deals with two issues – the issue of paying the mortgage if you are the homeowner, and the issue of affordable rented accommodation. Despite the fact that the condominium market has all-but collapsed in many areas, the ongoing bailouts by governments, federal or local, are preventing prices from correcting properly at the moment.

I don’t know about food prices where you live, but where I live, they are going through the roof, and a simple alternative to buying all your needs at the grocery store is to grow your own. It really is not that difficult, and very little space is needed. The type of foods you will be able to grow will vary from area to area, and it is important to check what will grow in your climate. I suggest stopping by a local garden center for some advice. You will be able to buy the seeds there also. You would be amazed how many tomatoes you can grow from one packet of seeds. And once you get used to it, you will never go back to buying the force-grown garbage sold in many grocery stores.

Get the kids involved too. Kids love digging and getting dirty and this is a healthy alternative to store bought food which is invariably covered in chemicals, has been over-packaged and forced to grow as fast as possible. Even a small terrace or window box can grow, if not all, at least some of your needs. This also brings me to my next tip, because if you have any amount of space, you are going to find that you probably have more of a particular crop than you can eat yourselves.

When your tomato or whatever  plants are ready, try to find other people in your area that are also growing their own foods and if they have a crop coming ready at a different time to yours, arrange to barter some of the excess.

Bartering does not need to stop at food either. Barter your time or anything else that you have excess of and some one else needs.  This opens up all sorts of possibilities. Realistically, it is easier to barter within a reasonable distance, but there are a number of online firms starting up that allow you to barter anything from used motorcycles to replacement windows. Of course, these online services take a percentage, but there is nothing preventing you from starting up a local bartering system where you live.

It never ceases to amaze me just how many people do not have the basic cooking skills needed to make their own food, and there is one sure fire way to get those skills. Start making your own food. Simple huh? Pizza as an example - Papa Johns pizza charge $10.99 for a large pizza.  What exactly goes into a pizza? Dough, tomatoes, cheese and a few bits and pieces to make up the topping. If you are careful buying and using the ingredients, I would like to bet you could make a pizza for around $1-$5, depending on the toppings.  So every time you order a pizza to be delivered, you are spending money unnecessarily.

Check out some of the links on the right to see a few easy and cheap ways of making your own food. Once again, this is not only a cheaper alternative to ready made foods, it is a healthy alternative because you do not need to pile pounds of cheese on to get a great taste.

I know, this sounds pretty bloody obvious and condescending, but it is true. I assume, if you are reading this, that you have access to a computer, and if you do, then it is possible to use the computer to make money. I am not going to sugarcoat it and tell you how easy it is – because it is not. But with a little effort and research you can make money online. I do, and if you are careful, it is possible to make quite decent money. You need to assess your skills and apply them appropriately. We are not all Ernest Hemingway, so perhaps writing online may not be for you, but it has worked well for me.

Spending less will become increasingly difficult as inflation starts to cause everything to get more expensive, but here are a few suggestions by other writers here at hubpages as to how to make more money and spend less, some of which I have already covered above. Many of these are things I now do regularly, and I am certain that a combination of the tips and advice here will go towards helping you make more money while spending less.