Help!

THIS ECONOMY IS KILLING ME!

Mr. P and I own a small business.  It is a Photography Studio/Production House.  We do Photography and Graphic Design.  Anything you want - brochures, catalogs, websites - soup to nuts.  Photography, Graphic Design, Typesetting, Printing . . . you name it.

To toot Mr. P's horn, he is very good at what he does.  He is reasonably priced and has one of the best eye's for design and a great reputation to boot.  Most of our business is Word of Mouth.  That says something for Mr. P.  His clients love him - actually, everybody loves him - he is one of those guys that you never hear anybody badmouth.  And I'm not saying that because he is my Dear Hubby.  Our friends and I have a joke . . . Whenever anybody is talking about Mr. P, I think they say, "Mr. P, what a great guy, but that X@$% of a wife!"  I digress.

This economy is killing me.  You see, usually, in a downturn of the economy, people want to advertise more and we make a killing.  I used to always laugh because when the economy is good, Mr. P and I are struggling to make ends meet, but when there is a downturn and everyone else is "tightening up the belt straps", we are doing very well.  Not this time.  I have discovered that in this "recession"/economy such as it is, the first thing that has gone for many companies is not necessarily advertising and packaging, but "NEW" advertising and packaging.  

You see, Mr. P is one of the few photographers that gives up rights to his work.  If we do work for you, you own it.  Most photographers "own" their images and charge a royalty EVERY time it is used.  Not Mr. P.  He only asks that he be allowed to use his images as well.  Strictly as samples of his work.  None of our clients have a problem with this.  This is such a big thing, because it saves our clients a tremendous amount of money.  When they are doing new brochures/catalogs, they can still use old images without the added cost.  If they are still carrying a particular product or really like a particular image, they can use it in the new catalog along with the new work and not have to pay extra for it - it is theirs for life to use whenever, however they wish.  This is VERY unusual in the advertising industry.  (At least in our neck of the woods)  The problem with this for Mr. P and me is that although it is a great selling point for us, we are now officially losing money.  Because of the economy, our clients are just reprinting older catalogs or using what they have for advertising and packaging.  Hence, no new work for Mr. P.  

I knew that this would happen with our Mom and Pop Shop clients and even a few of our bigger accounts.  But the realization of the dire state of our economy came to me recently when I realized that even our largest of clients are doing the same thing.  We have some pretty big names on our client list and as we went through it and did the emailing, letters and phone calls, most everyone gave us the same answer.  "Not right now, but hopefully soon".  Yes, hopefully soon.  Because if it is not soon, it might just throw me over the edge!  Don't get me wrong, Mr. P has steady work.  Small brochures and catalogs and a few photos of new items here and there.  But our 200+ page catalogs have come to all but a screeching halt.  What I would like to know is Where Is Our Bailout?!  Is this going to end anytime soon?

Mr. P, ever the optimist, with his mantra of "This Too Shall Pass" has become a bit more frugal and is in the midst of reeling in clients with discounts and deals.  He is a budgeting maniac and can make $5.00 go an awfully long way.  I, on the other hand, am having quite a hard time with the budgeting, non-spending, coupon-cutting, discount-searching ways.  I am not frugal.  I am not a saver.  I am not meant to discount shop.  I buy what I like and have never given thought to whether it was $1.00 or $1000.00, or whether I REALLY need this or that item.  I simply don't know how to do this.  I am trying, but it does not seem to be working out to well.  My $5.00 no sooner hits my pocket then it's gone.  On what?  I couldn't possibly tell you.  Coffee?  Candy? Dog Treats for Miss B?  I do not know, I think there might just be a hole in all my pockets.

This economy is killing me.

My belt strap is already too tight.  Where is my bailout?