Everything you need to know about today's financial news.

Everything you need to know about today's financial news.

Everything you need to know about today's financial news.

This is part of a series of reader responses answering the question: what have you sacrificed during this recession?

What have I given up during the financial downturn? Smelling good.

I breed and show Japanese Bobtail cats. Or, at least I used to. I really cannot afford to show anymore.

You next question should be "What won't you give up?" For me, I won't give up my drive, passion to succeed, confidence, my house and my clear nail polish.

Due to this recession, I've had to give up my weekly bottle(s) of wine and eating whatever I had a hankering for at the time, i.e, Chipotle, Wendy's, Chinese, pizza, sushi. Now I appreciate them even more.

What did I give up that mattered most during the recession? I gave up the illusion of security.

I've given up on small things during the recession that I used to take for granted: eating out, buying records, going to the coffee shop. The good news? I've turned my front yard into a victory garden.