---
title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: A recession is when your neighbor loses…"
description: "\"A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours.\" — Ronald Reagan"
image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/ronald-reagan-119_conservative_a-recession-is-when-your-neighbor-loses_1234961.jpg"
---

#  A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A…

![“A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours.” quote by Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/ronald-reagan-119_conservative_a-recession-is-when-your-neighbor-loses_1234961.jpg)   [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/ronald-reagan-119_conservative_a-recession-is-when-your-neighbor-loses_1234961.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e86/ronald-reagan-119_conservative_a-recession-is-when-your-neighbor-loses_1234961.jpg)

> “A recession is when your neighbor loses his job. A depression is when you lose yours.”

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

## About This Quote

This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation.

Economic downturns affect individuals differently; personal loss feels more severe than broader trends.

**In simple terms:** Recessions hurt neighbors, depressions hurt you.

Key Takeaway

Prepare personal finances for broader economic shifts.

Themes

economics personal impact resilience

Mood

cautious pragmatic

Type

political economic

When to use this quote

- job loss
- budgeting
- investment planning
- career change

Key Concepts

macro vs micro financial security

Questions to Reflect On

- What steps can you take to protect yourself?
- How can community support mitigate personal loss?

A Different Perspective

Individual actions cannot stop systemic crises.

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## Related quotes

> [Recession is when a neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/recession-is-when-a-neighbor-loses-his-job-depression-is-when-you/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Its a recession when your neighbor loses his job; its a depression when you lose your own.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/its-a-recession-when-your-neighbor-loses-his-job-its-a-depression/)

[Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/)

> [“It’s a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it’s a depression when you lose your own.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman/it-s-a-recession-when-your-neighbor-loses-his-job-it-s-a-depression/)

[Harry S. Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman/)

> [It's a recession when your neighbor loses his job; it's a depression when you lose yours.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-s-truman-2/it-s-a-recession-when-your-neighbor-loses-his-job-it-s-a-depression-2/)

[Harry S Truman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-s-truman-2/)

> [Recession is when your neighbor loses his job. Depression is when you lose yours. And recovery is when Jimmy Carter loses his.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/recession-is-when-your-neighbor-loses-his-job-depression-is-when-you/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Once a week, I like to slip into a deep existential depression where I lose all my sense of oneness and self-worth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bo-burnham/once-a-week-i-like-to-slip-into-a-deep-existential-depression-where-i/)

[Bo Burnham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bo-burnham/)

> [One of the manifestations of depression for me is that I lose my will. And I thereby lose my ability to focus. I don't…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rachel-maddow/one-of-the-manifestations-of-depression-for-me-is-that-i-lose-my-will/)

[Rachel Maddow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rachel-maddow/)

> [The difference between recession and depression is simple. Recession, goes the saying, is when you lose your job; depression is when I lose mine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amity-shlaes/the-difference-between-recession-and-depression-is-simple-recession/)

[Amity Shlaes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amity-shlaes/)

> [When your father loses his job you're not sure what the future is going to be. I was conscious that people were interested in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hilary-benn/when-your-father-loses-his-job-you-re-not-sure-what-the-future-is/)

[Hilary Benn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hilary-benn/)

> [A white manager loses his job and gets another job, he loses his job, he gets another job. Very few black managers can lose…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-barnes/a-white-manager-loses-his-job-and-gets-another-job-he-loses-his-job/)

[John Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-barnes/)

> [I'm always disappointed when someone loses his job.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-desailly/i-m-always-disappointed-when-someone-loses-his-job/)

[Marcel Desailly](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-desailly/)

> [Health insurance in Germany continues with no change if you lose a job. We do know very well that people who become unemployed are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karl-lauterbach/health-insurance-in-germany-continues-with-no-change-if-you-lose-a/)

[Karl Lauterbach](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karl-lauterbach/)

> ['Larry Crowne' is about as bummed out a human being as one can be when he loses his job. What he is able to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tom-hanks/larry-crowne-is-about-as-bummed-out-a-human-being-as-one-can-be-when/)

[Tom Hanks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tom-hanks/)

> [If Jim Mora loses his job with the Falcons, it most likely will be because of wins and losses. Problem is, when you work…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-schultz/if-jim-mora-loses-his-job-with-the-falcons-it-most-likely-will-be/)

Jeff Schultz

> [“TOP TAX SYSTEM is the only solution to check economic recession, inflation, unemployment, corruption, tax evasion, black money, fake currency and poverty, extortions, ransoms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/top-tax-system-is-the-only-solution-to-check-economic-recession/)

[Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/)

## More by Ronald Reagan

> [Today, the world looks to America for leadership. And America looks to its Corps of Marines.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/today-the-world-looks-to-america-for-leadership-and-america-looks-to/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [I've long believed one of the mainsprings of our own liberty has been the widespread ownership of property among our people and the expectation…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/i-ve-long-believed-one-of-the-mainsprings-of-our-own-liberty-has-been/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [You know, by the time you reach my age, you've made plenty of mistakes if you've lived your life properly. So you learn. You…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/you-know-by-the-time-you-reach-my-age-you-ve-made-plenty-of-mistakes/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Yes, across Europe, this wall will fall. For it cannot withstand faith; it cannot withstand truth. The wall cannot withstand freedom.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/yes-across-europe-this-wall-will-fall-for-it-cannot-withstand-faith/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Simple fairness dictates that government must not raise taxes on families struggling to pay their bills.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/simple-fairness-dictates-that-government-must-not-raise-taxes-on/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The time has come to turn to God and reassert our trust in Him for the healing of America - our country is in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-time-has-come-to-turn-to-god-and-reassert-our-trust-in-him-for/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Professional politicians like to talk about the value of experience in government. Nuts! The only experience you gain in politics is how to be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/professional-politicians-like-to-talk-about-the-value-of-experience/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [The WPA was one of the most productive elements of FDR's alphabet soup of agencies because it put people to work building roads, bridges,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/the-wpa-was-one-of-the-most-productive-elements-of-fdr-s-alphabet/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Where there's liberty, art succeeds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/where-there-s-liberty-art-succeeds/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Since I came to the White House, I got two hearing aids, a colon operation, skin cancer, a prostate operation, and I was shot.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/since-i-came-to-the-white-house-i-got-two-hearing-aids-a-colon/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [A moment I've been dreading. George brought his ne're-do-well son around this morning and asked me to find the kid a job. Not the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/a-moment-i-ve-been-dreading-george-brought-his-ne-re-do-well-son/)

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> [On Father's Day, we pay tribute to all in our society who have taken on the responsibilitie s and joys of fatherhood. Whether our…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/on-father-s-day-we-pay-tribute-to-all-in-our-society-who-have-taken/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [There is no limit to the amount of good you can do if you don't care who gets the credit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/there-is-no-limit-to-the-amount-of-good-you-can-do-if-you-don-t-care/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [It's not that liberals aren't smart, it's just that so much of what they know isn't so](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/it-s-not-that-liberals-aren-t-smart-it-s-just-that-so-much-of-what/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

> [Love your country, not for her power or wealth, but for her selflessness and her idealism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ronald-reagan/love-your-country-not-for-her-power-or-wealth-but-for-her/)

[Ronald Reagan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

[Explore all 1,244 Ronald Reagan quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ronald-reagan/)

## More Conservative quotes

> [The house has to serve comfort. The work of art is revolutionary; the house is conservative.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/adolf-loos/the-house-has-to-serve-comfort-the-work-of-art-is-revolutionary-the/)

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