Everywhere you turn, the media has some new story on the R-word and the tough economic times.  I was just reading an article in the Washington Post about how middle class consumers are finding themselves clipping, scrimping, and saving in these high-gasoline and high food prices.  The byline of the article is  “[e]gg prices are up 35 percent, with bread and milk not far behind.  Consumers are scrambling to find ways to cope.”

But as I read the article, I noticed something funny.  The word “scrimp” in the title of the article conjures up images of penny pinching until Lincoln screams.  But these people, who are solidly middle-class (e.g., government civil servant, trainer at a public utility) aren’t cutting up a chicken 10 different ways to stretch their dollar or eating one scrambled egg instead of two for breakfast.  Rather, they are making such ”sacrifices” such as not buying sushi at Whole Foods or foregoing brand name items except when shopping at Costco.  One 29 year old mother programmed messages into her Blackberry to remind herself to pick up the cheap milk on sale days at Kroger.  Am I missing something here?  The article heading suggests some severe economizing.  When did a lack of sushi and organic groceries warrent “coping” as the title of the article says?  Has the consumer culture gone so out of whack that shopping at Whole Foods is a necessity rather than a luxury?

I’m not trying to make light of the truly difficult times that some are going through.  However, I think that some media reports of economic plight are greatly exaggerated.  Here’s my two cents on the issue.

• Shopping at Whole Foods is a luxury, not an entitlement.  By the way, you can get cheaper organic groceries at Trader Joe’s.  Some of same non organic fruit carried by Whole Foods, such as Mandarin oranges, can be bought at an Asian grocery store for a fraction of the cost.
• If you are strapped for cash and you find yourself economizing on groceries, ditch the expensive accessories like the Blackberry:  There is something really perverse about someone who runs out to buy cheap milk to save 50 cents, but is carrying around a costly Blackberry that is saddled with high monthly charges.  (assuming that your office did not give you the Blackberry for work purposes).
• Finally, be appreciative that you have enough food to eat:  I know this sounds a bit corny and preachy, but it definitely puts things in perspective.  In many parts of the developing world, as the Post article did point out, people don’t have enough calories to consume.  They are not worried about whether their foodstuffs is organic or not.  They are concerned whether they will starve to death.