CREDIT CRUNCH CRAFTINESS.
‘Credit Crunch' - a global phenomenon! Within days of the first media bombardment of 2008, ‘Credit Crunch' became (overnight) a global term and a global excuse for all manner of subsequent money laundering at the highest level. On a personal level all manner of genius creative ideas have been shared through social networking sites. Information with a sound economic thrust... From taking your time to source out the most cost effective utility provider to articles titled ‘dress like a diva on a thrift store budget. 
All valuable worthwhile tips, but energetically maybe we are missing the point. Our collective reaction has been ‘tighten the belt, baton down the hatches, downsize, cut the fat' and all manner of parsimonious, frugal, cheap and miserly actions and reactions. I always believe any type of ‘challenge' (I dislike the word crisis) offers potential for self growth and understanding. I know people who have sold the television and in playing cards and board games have discovered a whole other level of family unity. Those who have sacrificed a sun and shopping holiday to Dubai to hike and camp the ‘Cotswold Way' and literally called it a life changing vacation. I am sure within your own peer group there are stories of a similar ilk.
The lesson is to act from an intention of change, of rediscovering something about yourself, of creativity, or to quote another ‘we take these risks in life, not to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping us.' That intention wins hands down on a fear based decision that feeds a poverty consciousness. 
Much of the economic growth of the Bush era existed on paper only, built on the rise of a massive bubble in real estate values rather than growth in productive industries. An ephemeral bubble that once vaporised caused consumers to stop buying and businesses to stop seeking loans. One of the reasons that we have been fed anyway.
On a personal level to link with above maybe our relationships with others and with life have recently existed on a paper level and we are returning to the productive industry of creating more tangible relationships, communication and dreams, goals and aspirations.
On a soul level we need to recognise that we are increasingly becoming a fear controlled state; gradually rejecting trust in our own intuition and our ability to take responsibility for what actually feels like ‘truth' to us. We need to recognise that wealth is spiritual and not material. Yes it is time for change - but change from within as opposed to what someone else is feeding us. Blame is the biggest inhibitor to us taking responsibility and what we don't realise is that every time we give power to the fear of the credit crunch, we disempower ourselves - gradually extinguishing our own unique light. 
Jules x