In recent news, there have been conversations that the United States is heading into a recession, and the likelihood has apparently increased in the past few weeks. News outlets like BBC have reported studies that affirm this — one report by JP Morgan “put the chance of recession at 40%, up from 30% at the start of the year.”
The future is beginning to become less clear, and people are understandably worried about their quality of life. While the onset of a recession is unpredictable, and we have no real way of changing the sequence of events, there are things we can do to try and better prepare ourselves.
The most obvious recommendation is to have enough savings to last you the next three to six months. However, since most of us at UMass Boston are college students, this is an unlikely possibility, so it becomes more important to understand the other habits that can change our financial futures.
First, try learning some gardening skills. My family has started growing small vegetables at home to counter the inflation of organic produce at supermarkets. We live in a small 3-bedroom apartment and don’t have much counter space. However, just by using small pots made from old food containers, we’ve been able to grow things like mint, cilantro and even small tomatoes.
Healthy foods in supermarkets have become increasingly less accessible. In an article by The Packer, they mention that according to the USDA, the price of food is expected to increase by 1.9% in 2025, making better food options more unavailable to people already struggling to afford groceries. The ability to grow our own food is vital for our self-sufficiency, especially with the uncertainty of our economy.
Working together as a community — at a community garden, for example — can help us share these resources, which also allows us to understand each other’s strengths and weaknesses.
For those who don’t have a green thumb, crafting and working on sustainable fashion may prove easier. That could look like learning how to repair clothes to make them last longer, especially when you can’t afford to buy more. Learning how to crochet or knit to make more clothing like sweaters and pants is also rewarding.
Learning a certain craft, regardless of what it is, is important. In past times of trouble, everyone had a certain skill that helped them receive longevity in periods of economic turmoil and recessions. People have learned how to make bread, can food to make it last months, and pickle vegetables — all skills that have been lost in our time of easy and fast service.
We’ve lost the skills that have helped previous generations during hard times, when spending money simply wasn’t an option. During the COVID-19 pandemic, there was a rise in people learning such crafts like making clothes and baking, and I hope this type of societal interest continues.
While we can’t avoid the future, we still have the time to not let it catch us blindsided. We have the opportunity to grow our skills in the anticipation of economic struggle, and it’ll prove to be far more helpful than we may ever know. I hope we all are able to approach these unprecedented times with strength and courage, and while I never want our nation to go into a recession, I truly believe it’s much better for us to be safe than sorry.
