The Not-So-Great Recession: Will its effects be permanent?

ROY — There was a time when Susan Harms casually tossed name-brand items into her grocery cart without thinking about them.

She and her family never lived like Donald Trump, but they did enjoy restaurant meals, sent a child to private school and bought the clothes they liked without peering too closely at the price tag.

That came to a halt when the Great Recession hit in 2007.

Harms, who formerly worked as a civilian IT specialist at Hill Air Force Base, took an "early out" from her job of 23 years to spend more time with a son, 12, who has special needs and requires a great deal of attention. Leaving the work force also meant more time with her daughter, 15, and husband, who works at the base as a computer technician.

"Our income has been cut almost in half," Harms said. "I did not know the recession was coming. If I did, I probably would not have quit my job."

The changes have been dramatic in their household.

"I never buy brand-name groceries if I can. I always coupon-shop. I'm always looking for deals," she said. "We're counting every penny."

Savings are gone. A retirement IRA has been hit hard by the nation's economic nosedive. Any purchase is carefully considered and has to be on sale. Replacing older cars is out of the question.

"We're going to drive our cars into the ground," she said. "We worry about everything right now."

She is not looking for sympathy and is grateful for what she does have: a husband who is employed, health insurance, and an existing, although somewhat bruised, retirement plan.

Still, she cannot help but see how tough things are for many other people.

Bankruptcies are up. The U.S. unemployment rate is 9.5 percent. Many Americans have no health insurance. More than 1 million people are expected to lose their homes this year.

"We're not as bad off as some," Harms said. "I have a friend whose husband lost his job, and he's been out of work for about three years now. He has taken minimum wage jobs. They've almost lost their home a few times, and they don't have money for medical care. He has a master's degree, but they don't have enough money to pay their bills."

Reasons for concern

During the Great Depression, the lives and attitudes of a generation changed forever.