Ask not what your country can do for you...

During the second presidential debate the candidates were asked about sacrifice:

“Since World War II, we have never been asked to sacrifice anything to help our country, except the blood of our heroic men and women. As president, what sacrifices will you ask every American to make to help restore the American dream and to get out of the economic morass that we're now in?”

Both Senators’ answers focused on government action, only briefly mentioning individual sacrifice. But individuals can contribute to the nation’s economic recovery, and sacrifices – time, money, or lifestyle – are necessary to do so.

So what exactly can we as citizens do? A list might include:

1. Spend less and save more. Americans spend too much and save too little, causing the nation to take on unsustainable amounts of debt. Citizens who reduce debt and increase savings by deferring purchases, increasing 401(k) allocations, and paying down credit card debt help reduce our economy’s reliance on unsustainable consumption.

2. Take greater responsibility for personal financial security. Americans have been making financial decisions that resulted in responsibilities consumers neither understood nor were capable of fulfilling. Citizens who invest the time to understand financial choices – particularly loans– and make prudent future plans will restore sustainability to the economy.

3. Invest in education. American workers are becoming less competitive as the economy demands an increasingly skilled labor force. Citizens who invest in education – whether by enrolling in higher education or job retraining themselves, volunteering at a local school, or reading to their children – help create and keep high-skilled, high-wage jobs in the U.S.

4. Live healthier lifestyles. America is experiencing a healthcare cost crisis, and lifestyle factors greatly contribute to these costs. Citizens who exercise more, eschew smoking, and take preventative health measures improve their health and thereby reduce the healthcare burden on the economy.

5. Conserve energy. America imports a significant proportion of our energy needs. Citizens who save energy by carpooling, taking public transportation, turning down the heat, and investing in insulation and CFL light bulbs help break the reliance on foreign energy and contain costs.

This list is by no means exhaustive, and the examples are but a few ways to move forward on these five priorities. But for those Americans considering “what you can do for your country,” these sacrifices will aid the changes that need to be made in Washington and on Wall Street.