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Times were hard the recession had made many companies use some drastic headline grabbing tactics.

'Cheapest life insurance, insure your family now, cheapest life insurance, show them you care, cheapest life insurance free bottle with every sign up'. He was shouting to the passers by.

It was like something out of a nineteen thirties American film. Yet this was 2009 England. A young man was walking up and down the street outside the general insurance office with a sandwich board strapped to him advertising cheapest life insurance. CHEAPER THAN online it was quoting.

How strange with all the technology companies are returning to old methods to boost their sales. Its the same wherever you go at the moment. Businesses are all struggling. Our village shop is closing . The usual shops in the towns and cities are all closing and in their placeare mushrooming pound shops ,and home bargains and similar stores.

The programmes on the TV are adapting to our present climate .The cookery programmes show us how to make the most from cheaper cuts. Gardening programmes show us how to grow our own . Even more repeats from the good old days are shown.

Is this what it was like during the depression and the war years. It is not a patch what my parents and millions of others had to suffer was far worse. They didn't have the luxury of cosy hoes with central heating ,where a coal fire had become the new luxury. Even the the constant stream of electronic information available to us .The many channels and choices on TV .Computers either at home or in the library. The possibility of communicating with loved ones across the world.

As I walk down the Street in London ,I am hypnotised by all the activity during this period of economic gloom. I am glad I live in a village outside London.Nevertheless the range of things available for free amazes me. My parents and millions of others were unable to access free galleries and museums. They were truly poor. Old people get free bus passes .If they are well they can travel to these free venues even in a recession .

Today, times may be hard and businesses may have to work harder to drum up customers but we are all so lucky. Even the homeless guy in the park is luckier than the child starving to death abandoned and alone in the bush.

Some charity can offer the homeless food and shelter or extra blankets .Its not a solution to a serious problem but it is still better than being that starving abandoned child with no choices but lay down and die alone, a child that no charity has found yet. Sadly it happens every day. So although we are in a recession we are in the UK very lucky and much better off than our forefathers.