Giving Charity in a time of economic hardship is rare. Even when people are willing to give, they find themselves struggling with lack and trying to survive with little to make ends meet. This is how terrible a bad economy can be, affecting everything, even our act of charity. Someone may argue that the economy shouldn't affect one's act of kindness. True, but when lack sets in, humans tend to act logically and rarely by religious principles that see beyond a country's economy. We are humans, and as such, a reaction is expected with every inconvenience. Even when we try to give, it's often in a lower measure of what we might have given if the economy were good.
When I was younger, I lived with my grandmother, whom I would judge to be a giver. She cooked extra portions hoping that strangers might visit even when she was not expecting any—that was how kind she was with giving. However, there were times when there was only a little (not enough to satisfy us), and she'd suggest we keep the food hidden until a visitor was gone. By nature she was not one who would hide food from strangers, but certain circumstances forced her to act otherwise.
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This is the same with the impact of a country's economy. Givers become people who withhold, and charity is done with logic. Even people who are not affected by the economy may choose to save their resources in fear of what's impending. In Christian religion, we've learned that love and giving shouldn't be influenced by external factors, but only a few live to practice that in the true reality of a falling economy. The "what if" becomes our demotivating factor, and we find ourselves responding to the situation either directly or indirectly. No one lays blame at this point because there are obvious reasons why our act of charity ceases.
Surviving the harsh economy
One thing that preoccupies the thoughts of people in a bad economy is surviving. Everyone wants to scale through and still be standing strong. Many people would cut costs of the type of commodities they buy; some will go for alternatives, some may develop a pattern where resources are adequately managed, etc. It all depends on what works for families and individuals. Surviving is beyond scaling through every day; it's about developing strategies that help with managing available resources. One may decide to spend no more than a certain amount daily or cook no more than a certain measure of food daily. Some would choose to manage finances by only buying things they need. With good planning for management, one can survive a harsh economy without beating themselves too hard.
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