Positive effects of the Recession & Budget 08

I don't like to dwell on the negative, so here's some positives you may experience as a result of the economic recession and yesterday's Budget.

1. Packed lunches are in fashion - you're no longer the "tight" one in the office, you're just belt-tightening in 2 ways: saving some cash while eating healthier, call it "saving pounds and euros"
   
2. Cycle to work - yep, some tax savings or something to that effect if you cycle to work
3. Ditch the Land Rover/Quashquai/Rav4 - hopefully the increase in motor tax & petrol prices coupled with the squeeze on credit and cash will reduce the ridiculous number of off-road monster trucks on the roads of Ireland & help make cycling safer and less smelly
   
4. Join your local Credit Union - say fuck you the banks who got us into this mess and start a new savings habit in the local CU
5. Kick the fags - if you won't do it for your health, do it for your pocket. If you're comfortable with setting fire to one €10 note for every pack of smokes you go through, then keep smoking - makes you doubly thick.
6. Cut down on the vino - or else, like me, drink more vino. Let the publicans who were untouched by the budget out in the cold by buying crates of decent wine and get drunk at home. After all, taxi fares & restaurant eating will be going up too so going out is going out of fashion.