Dear Mr. President

"Worried about the economy, I have prepared both my personal and business finances for a sour economy. I have no debt, and my wife and I are conservative with our spending - even with four kids. As a result, my green consulting and engineering business is steady, and I'm living comfortably.

Sure, I'd love to trade in my eight-year-old car for a new one, but I know that right now that's not a wise decision. The incoming Obama administration should take a lesson from those who have managed to keep business and personal finances in check and apply them to the U.S. on a macro level.

Unfortunately, he will push the economic stimulus. That means more debt that we simply cannot afford. We were already in debt before this mess started. Debt is a four-letter word, and I'm really not sure how we'll be able to pay it back.

Instead of throwing money at the problem, the administration should do what I've been doing in my personal and business life for years: Cut the fat. I have sold my house, downsized my business, and I am still functioning very well. The solution lies in trimming the expenses.

Obama is already making steps to do this by pushing for greener buildings, which could save a lot of money. I hope he applies this mentality to other endeavors so that we can come out of this with less debt." - as told to Emily Maltby

NEXT: Reform Social Security and Medicare