SOUTH BEND — No matter what kind of stimulus bill lawmakers pass this year, the slow economy is already forcing many people to make lifestyle changes. But one South Bend salon owner is refusing to let a recession slow down her dreams.

Jennifer Budzinksi's Saturday errands no longer involve a credit card.
She says she and her husband quit using them about 11 months ago, as they searched for ways to cut their spending.

"We used credit cards a lot and just changed some things," Budzinski said. "We have dogs, and instead of buying high end dog food, we switched to the lower end dog food. [We're] buying generic stuff, and not going out to eat as much. And when we do, we more or less split a meal or we go out to eat lunch instead of dinner. Those things really helped."

It wasn't easy. and it did take some sacrifice.

But ask Jennifer now what those changes meant to her, and it becomes very clear why she made the choice.

"Honestly, it's a huge, huge weight off my shoulders. I would find I was depressed because I couldn't keep up with everything. And now, we are so much happier and so much freer," she said.

Experts say in 2009, more people may make big changes like Budzinkski; spending less, saving more, and using their credit cards less.

Jennifer says her choices have allowed her to focus on running her business, Emblazon Salon in South Bend.

"We did all the work ourselves. We did all the painting, all of the design, all the decoration," she said.

She's yet another new example of how Americans are surviving the economic downturn by combining smart sense with passion.

Meanwhile, Jennifer says she's staying optimistic about the future. But she does feel more people will make changes about how they use their money.