My Benefits Derived from the Financial Crisis

"Crisis" is a matter of perspective:

• I just started saving for retirment, and I can now buy shares in index funds on the cheap.
• I hope to buy a house early next year, which will have a depressed price.
• The mortgage I finance the house with will have an artificially low interest rate, thanks Ben!
  
• My private student loans have an artificially low interest rate, thanks Ben! (Federal loans also, for that matter.)
  
• I can replace $7,500 in mortgage loans to a private bank with a $7,500 interest free 20 year loan from the government, and I can wait 2 years before I start repaying. I also will get a $7,500 tax credit for playing.
  
• Given the option of splitting my retirement contributions between the public employees account and a account serviced by a private provider (WaMu), I went against my urge to diversify and instead went 100% with the system that would be bailed out, if the worst were to happen. Thanks, Paulson!