How are YOU doing ?

How are YOU doing ? (Full Version)

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cjan -> How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 2:39:45 PM)
I saw this piece in thr Op Ed page og today's NYT. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/14/opinion/14herbert.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin It resonates with me. I'm experiencing harder times, financially, than ever before. I have lots of marketable skills and experience, but the state of the economy seems to negate that, not just in my case, but in the lives of the majority of people I know. A community very near mine has the highest foreclosure rate in the nation. People are selling off their vehicles, tools of their trade and valuables for pennies on the dollar. I would rather this thread not become another political circle jerk that means nothing and goes nowhere.If that is what someone intends to post, I would appreciate if they took it elsewhere, no matter if they are on the left or right or anywhere else in between. I'm simply wondering how bad things are for average folks out there in the U.S. I also realize that this is a world wide international forum and welcome everybody's input on this matter. Just let's leave politics and rhetoric out of it please.

FullCircle -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 2:44:02 PM)
Fuck look at that hooter, looks like he walked into a lamp post I’m doing well thanks.

Irishknight -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 2:47:33 PM)
My parents are moving down in two weeks. Our plan is to begin to pool our assets to make it easier on all of us. My father wants to set up a wood shop and we are fortunate enough that my father-in-law is donating his old woodworking equipment. My wife and mother will soon be opening a craft shop in town to sell all of the things that you can no longer buy without an hour's drive or more. I just started working as a cook 2 days a week to supplement my horse training business as it gets started. To be honest, we have less money coming in but less going out as well. We have, as a family, stepped back to regroup and it seems to be working.

PanthersMom -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 2:59:15 PM)
we're definitely not doing well. he was disabled before i was, finally progressed to the point where he can't work. getting sick and losing my jobs put us in a bind. but, like everything in life, it comes and goes, once i'm able to get working again it'll be better. that's why i've gotten involved with vocational rehab. in the mean time, we've cut back as much as we can. as i'm taking classes online, my internet has be come a necessity whereas five yrs ago it didn't matter. sure saves on parking fees, car maintenance and gas when it comes to going to school. PM

Griswold -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 3:02:03 PM)
It's a great question. There's an old saying; "It's a recession when your neighbor loses his job, it's a depression when you lose yours". In my job I do a lot of traveling, and as well, I have people who buy some of my products nationwide. When they buy, what they buy...and how timely they pay, allows me to have a finger on the pulse of the nation fairly accurately. I live in the Seattle area, and for some wonderful reason, the Gods have smiled on us, and we're doing well here, but the rest of the country isn't faring nearly as well. I have a few friends in a variety of places around the country, some who've been looking for jobs for months, all well skilled, but there's simply no work. And it's getting worse, for them and others. With the exception of very isloated pockets, almost everyone in the country is feeling some or a lot of financial pain. It'd be easy for some to say we've earned this price we're paying due to our lavish spending habits (and no doubt someone will shortly provide just exactly that argument, I'm sure), and on a national scale I'm confident it has some truth to it...but the bigger picture has to include a lot of people who try to put food on the table every day, occasionally made a big leap to get a piece of the pie by buying a home or maybe starting a small business, and just got whipsawed by unexpected events. One of the things I see when I travel is exactly that. Good people who maybe don't have the vision of someone like Warren Buffet, whose crystal ball is incredibly accurate, and just can't seem to get out of the spiral that surrounds them. Right now I suspect there are a lot of very frightened people around the country, and I just hope, for their sake, they can hold things together long enough for us all to come up with some better ideas on energy, job growth, and so on.

Level -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 3:09:21 PM)
*"How are YOU doing?"....... the first thing that came to mind was Joey, from Friends.....[:D]* We're doing well enough, here, CJ. The economy is moving along, and the area is experiencing growth, partially due to recovery from Hurricane Rita (still).

KatyLied -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 3:15:37 PM)
I'm doing fine so far. I work two jobs and that gives me some extra cash for necessities and pleasure items. I've never been one to wildly spend money or take extravagant vacations, so at this point the pinch I feel is at the gas pump. I'm packing my lunch 4 out of 5 days and also only spending money on take-out lattes 4 out of 5 days. I added up how much a month I was spending on these conveniences and realized I'd rather have it to spend on gas so other things won't suffer.

Real_Trouble -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 4:30:22 PM)
I am doing just fine. I'm relatively young and have absolutely no debt in any form (nothing from school, both of my cars were bought with cash, I refuse to put anything on a credit card I don't intend to pay off that month). Very deliberately, I've kept a large cushion of cash savings in a bank account; at this point I could live for more than a year without any change in lifestyle if I lost my job. Beyond that, I have quite a bit invested in the stock market. Likewise, the company I work for is doing decently - they continue to try to bribe me to stay, despite the fact that I'm leaving for graduate school in the fall. To be fair, I do two things that tend to keep me in good shape: 1 - I am compulsive about saving money and investing; that happens as my first expenditure every month. 2 - I am compulsive about not accumulating debt whenever possible; I don't use my credit cards, I live relatively cheaply, and I make sure I have a budget in my head at all times. I don't buy things like cars or houses unless I can pay cash for them. In all situations, I think, if you deliberately live "below" your means in order to save significant amounts of money, you tend to be in good shape unless truly major disasters occur.

pahunkboy -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 4:53:11 PM)
broken junk. insame bank fees. yesderday while installing a window on my place my fist went thrui it, 3 statiches and it is all fuffy and blowing up like a balloon. family cancelled yet another visit - so after a while it seems like there is nothing to live for. i recruittred a new guy for crime watch and man that was a mistake. he wants to fire 20 who dont patrol enough hourse. he wants us to have a private number to the police and pagers. im discusted over that. volunteers do not get paid. you cant go demanding that those on crime watch jump thru a bunch of hoops when i was issued the gear, i was told i must attend the meetings, ok, i can do that. well now the mayor cut polkice OT hours to none so meetings are cancalled. until further notice. i said why not a member pull material from library and do a meeting? this same guy carries a gun, which im not sure is the polcicy. at minumin we are NOT to be confrontational!!!

pinksugarsub -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 5:12:09 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: cjan I saw this piece in thr Op Ed page og today's NYT. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/14/opinion/14herbert.html?_r=1&hp&oref=slogin It resonates with me. I'm experiencing harder times, financially, than ever before. I have lots of marketable skills and experience, but the state of the economy seems to negate that, not just in my case, but in the lives of the majority of people I know. A community very near mine has the highest foreclosure rate in the nation. People are selling off their vehicles, tools of their trade and valuables for pennies on the dollar. I would rather this thread not become another political circle jerk that means nothing and goes nowhere.If that is what someone intends to post, I would appreciate if they took it elsewhere, no matter if they are on the left or right or anywhere else in between. I'm simply wondering how bad things are for average folks out there in the U.S. I also realize that this is a world wide international forum and welcome everybody's input on this matter. Just let's leave politics and rhetoric out of it please. While my income is stable and secure, my costs keep going up. Gas, food, drugs, etc. all seem to be rising at a rapid rate. The economy here was already in a recession due to the loss of heavy industry, especially steel. We just recently 'dodged a bullet' on the closing of one of the auto manufacturing plants here. Every time we've lost another major employer, it's driven us further and further towards a depression. i have several F/friends in the area W/who are unemployed, underemployed, or insecure. In fact, i honestly can't think of A/anyone here i know who doesn't have at least insecurity about T/their employment. My UM, who lives in the same state, has taken a second job to earn enough $$ to pay for gas to get her to her 1st job. My nephew was in the electrical business for a company that rehab'd houses and 'flipped' them. He recently lost his job when the company went out of business. Now he's trying to get into the real estate business as an agent. i worry he won't be able to make money at that here either, but i have no alternative to suggest to him. i think this state is among the worst off, and the city where i live the most depressed area of the state. P/pl here were forced to cope with a recession that began no later than 2004. So, many P/pl have already made whatever 'belt-tightening' adjustments T/they could. Now, E/everyone here is hard hit by the rising gas prices and food costs, etc. The ripple effect has been staggering. The city and county are near bankruptcy. The surrounding suburbs, separately incorporated as towns on their own, have see drastic tax revenue losses. Public schools in the city itself have been a lost cause for decades here. Now, public schools in the suburbs are beginning to deteriorate too. Other state and local government services have been severely curtailed or increasingly higher fees imposed. This includes the police and fire depts, garbage collection, and water. pinksugarsub

popeye1250 -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 5:39:22 PM)
Personally I'm doing very well. Nice pension, car paid for, small mortgage on the condo, plenty of savings and investments, travel planned in the next year etc. And, this area is doing well too, lots of people moving to Myrtle Beach from other parts of the country, nice weather, very reasonable living costs here compared to other areas of the country. A lot of retired people with money here. But, it looks like we're the exception. Many areas of the country are suffering from a lack of good paying jobs. And cos are still "outsourcing" jobs but expect access to our markets. Boy, this "global economy" just keeps getting better and better doesn't it?

UtopianRanger -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 5:43:28 PM)
quote: RE: How are YOU doing ? With the exception of my brother----who's bubble-inflated, California real-estate mortgage broker income seeing a substantial drop--- everyone is doing utterly fantastic. My friends....our family friends - Some are doing great, while others were/are greedy and way over-leveraged. Understandably, they’re hurting.... I live in a rural part of Oregon that is actually the cheapest /most inexpensive part of the west coast, west of the I-5 corridor. So consequently, any baby boomer who ''cashes out'' yet wants to remain close to their immediate and/or extended family, can move here and live reasonably well while remaining relatively debt free. Yes....the boomers have created a false-bubble, and stabilized an otherwise depressed/deteriorating real-estate market. And I'm happy for that. The petroleum-industry price fraud is no doubt scaling back individual liberty/personal freedom…..and when it becomes too painful, the populace will act in a collective fashion, with great intention….. { I have great confidence in them [;)]} - R

KatyLied -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 5:51:11 PM)
quote: also only spending money on take-out lattes 4 out of 5 days Should read: 1 out of 5 days I hate when I find a screw up after the edit window of opportunity closes

windchymes -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 5:57:21 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: KatyLied quote: also only spending money on take-out lattes 4 out of 5 days Should read: 1 out of 5 days I hate when I find a screw up after the edit window of opportunity closes These days, the price of a latte almost equals a gallon of gas. [&o]

popeye1250 -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 6:01:40 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: KatyLied quote: also only spending money on take-out lattes 4 out of 5 days Should read: 1 out of 5 days I hate when I find a screw up after the edit window of opportunity closes Katy, that happens to me all the time! I'll remember more details of a story after I post it and go in and can't edit.[:D]

orfunboi -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 7:12:51 PM)
It's a depression then, thanks for clearing that up [sm=alien.gif]

TheHeretic -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 7:26:12 PM)
Growth has certainly slowed down around here, but there are still construction projects, and growing industries. Long commutes are the norm though, and the gas prices are certainly tightening everybody's budget. Priorities get adjusted, compromises are reached. We've decided to carpool 3 days a week, and keep buying good beer.

pixidustpet -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 7:32:08 PM)
i'm moving up. TheEngineer is considerably more well-off than wolf is...he believes in a budget, keeping to it, and always having a good chunk of money in savings, and a plan b in case things things get bad. wolf....went to work last week and found out that his job was being eliminated. he's getting a severance package and his vacation pay, but its not all coming in one chunk. and he's relocating to another state....this was planned but he'd not planned on having to move so immediately. plus he'll be breaking the lease to this place (by one month.) he has job opportunity in the other state but its just a bad situation all around. the imp, who wants to stay with his father, is going to have to come with me and TheEngineer for a while till his father is settled. its rough on him "you're deliberately ruining my life!!!!!!!!" which is teenager for "i wanna have my own way!!!!" eyeroll so there is good and bad. right now, i'm thankful that i do have a way to keep my son safe and taken care of till things are better for him. kitten

LadyHibiscus -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 7:38:18 PM)
I am in SE Michigan. <waves to orfunboi> It is a sucking pit of dreadfulness, pretty much. Property values plummeted, foreclosures everywhere, corporate greed sucking up the big bucks. I need a better job, but I am glad that I have a job at all, really. Maybe I should marry Gris, he seems loaded! How about it, sweetie? I promise to not even TALK about shopping!

Griswold -> RE: How are YOU doing ? (6/14/2008 9:41:39 PM)
quote: ORIGINAL: LadyHibiscus I am in SE Michigan. <waves to orfunboi> It is a sucking pit of dreadfulness, pretty much. Property values plummeted, foreclosures everywhere, corporate greed sucking up the big bucks. I need a better job, but I am glad that I have a job at all, really. Maybe I should marry Gris, he seems loaded! How about it, sweetie? I promise to not even TALK about shopping! Well, I am quite proud of the fact that my Pinto SW is finally paid for, I'm now down to only 4 roommates (last week I finally got a room to myself...yeeeehaaaaah!!!!), and of course, I always keep 6 large boxes of instant "One Minute" oatmeal (in the easy pour pouches....although it actually takes a little over 1.75 minutes....don't believe everything you read on labels)....just in case, and ever since I took the luggage rack off the top of the wagon, I now get 21 mpg instead of the previous 18.375....so, yeah...I'm feeling pretty flush these days :)

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