Depression? Is it coming?

[MandyH]

GM is closing down 4 factories. Two here in the U.S. and one in Canada and one in Mexico. They are also selling the Hummer brand off. This will cut 10,000 jobs. I drive a gas guzzler (go ahead and die right now) I stay at home though and do not move it but about once a week at most when I have to go to town and fill it up with groceries and essentials. I have a 2 year old and do not want to die riding around in a small car when some fool hits me. I have already had somebody rear end me in this same vehicle and their car was totalled, mine had to have a new back door and bumper. My MIL and 2 year old were hit from behing just this afternoon in her car. The one that hit her had to be towed, hers had a ding in the bumper. The economy is only going to get worse, sure, has it ever gotten better in the last 10 years? Sitting here on the computer Pi$$ing and moaning about it doesn't help anything. Getting up and doing something to help yourself and your family is what needs doing, cause nobody sure ain't gonna do it for you.

 

[jeaucamom]

Carolina chicken man and mayberry saint are right on the money...

I have NO debt... paid my way through college....am a single mom of three... Own my car, rent a house WAY cheaper than I could own. My kids know I will NEVER own a credit card. We have always lived very modestly and within our means. I only work three days a week to maximize my time with them and when needed pick up some day hours doing home care. We have 80 chickens now which could keep us in meet and eggs if needed and will be planting our first garden. We have no TV and would never ever come close to consider having it or paying for it.

I do have a cell phone for Jess and I. I drive an 11 year old car and work until midnight 20 miles away on country roads. It is a safety issue for she and I. And it is also a job requirement for my home care.

I only feel adequately prepared if a disaster were to happen in the VERY near future. If we can make it through the next year, then we will be in a much better place to totally support ourselves.

I would hope everyone is making plans.

 

[PurpleChicken]

I get depressed when I read posts about depression.

 

[FutureChickenMan]

Quote:

 

[yotetrapper]

<<1. How many cars are in your driveway? 30 years ago, most families had 1 car and children rode the bus to school. This accounts for gas and insurance costs.

2. How much packaged food do you buy at the store? 30 years ago, people cooked from cheaper raw goods.

3. Do you have a cell phone(s) bill? Did your parents?

4. How many things did your parents buy on credit?

5. Did your parents have a cable bill? Did they have an internet bill?

6. What size house did you grow up in? Are you in a larger one now with your current family?

You start adding up all the small luxury (most people say they are necessities) items and you can see where a lot of money goes.>>

1) 2 cars because we both work. My mother stayed home.

2) Maybe 1 package a week of cookies or chips, but that's it.

3) No cell phone (or air conditioning, or a furnace)

4) Nothing on credit, same as me.

5) No cable bill, but yes on internet.

6) current house half the size as one I grew up in and a lot rougher lol.

 

[CrowinKing]

if its destroying the economy then they should it effects billions!!! Thats like saying the police don't have the right to get involved in a murder case!!!

 

[PurpleChicken]

Yeah, and I can't even afford to pay attention any more in this dang economy.


P.S. Last year was a record year for makers of machine shop equipment sold
to American machine shops. Gotta keep things in perspective folks.

 

[OHMYCHICKIES]

I'm in agreement about cutting luxuries but as I'm thinking about this, this is what I came up with. How many people have a job that the employer sells a luxury item or sells a luxury service?

If you start cutting out the luxuries how many people will loose their job?

Cut the cell phones - loose jobs at the company
Stop using SUVs - loose jobs at the plant
Stop eating out - loose jobs at the restaurants/fast food

I've seen alot of gas stations closing also because people are not buying much anymore.

 

[yotetrapper]

<<Shop the perimeters of the grocery? I do, but then can't afford the toilet paper on the "inner"aisles.

Any suggestions? What do you use?>>

Well I aint seen a sears/roebuck catalog for a while, but how bout all that junk mail??

<<This is the way I see that, we don't want to pump our own oil out of the ground, ie the Artic National Wildlife Refuge, and 85% of our off shore reserves, because we want to preserve our pristine wilderness and we don't want anybodys fat a-- sitting on the beach to see an off shore rig. No, we want you to pump more of your oil to decrease its value because that would be better for us.>>

Very valid point there. Everyone wants this and that, but then you got all the environmental nutcases saying "No you Can't do that, what if a wolf wants to walk by that way???" There's enough oil in that refuge to support the oil usage of North America for 20+ years, but we can't use that because we need to kill a tree to do so???

<<Hard times coming??? I say bring it on...that's exactly what this country needs to get back on track. >>

I agree with this!! Too many people living beyond their means, and too many standing there with their hands out!! The single biggest problem with this country is the welfare system.

So now we wont be able to collect our social security that we've paid into for years. Why? Because they gave all of OUR money to illegal aliens and worthless bums, that's why!

Welfare should be given permanently only to those unable to work (disability) and I mean Physically. Cry that your depressed or that you have an addiction, and you're disabled?? Give me a break! For those people who are in hardtimes (God knows it could happen to the best of us) they get 6 months. After that, no more! Go stand in line at the soup kitchen. Three 6 months periods in a lifetime, and you're done. People getting welfare money for crack cocaine, then sell the food stamps (yes, even money on cards gets sold) for more drugs. BS.

Twenty years ago my husband was in the service and was stationed in Germany. He noticed the roadside and city was exceptionally clean. Then he saw people walking along cleaning the city up. He asked someone about it, and was informed that those people were the Germans on welfare. In order to get their checks they needed to work for it. What a novel concept, huh?

Also, anyone recieving welfare for ANY amount of time should be required to 1) take a monthly drug test and 2) be given a monthly birth control shot. If you can't support yourself you can't support more children OR a drug habit.

The thing that scares me most is these liberal minded people that are wanting to impose gun laws. The second amendment is currently in the Supreme Court. If it it ruled that guns are not a citizens right, I will seriously for the first time consider leaving my home country, because it that happens, it wont be long before this country is in ruins.

Even scarier are the sneaky laws trying to be passed, such as giving each individual bullet a serial number. This is one that was introduced by presidental candidate Obama. The cost of doing such would make bullets inaccessible to most Americans.

I have no doubt that my husband and I can survive come what may so long as we have our guns. If a full blown depression or large scale disaster were to happen, guns would be vital for not only hunting, but protection of self and property.

What good would a 10 acre garden and a hundred head of cattle do you if you have no way of keeping thieves out of it?

 

[lewisfarmgurl]

I am scared to death about the future for my family and have good reason for it.

Back in 2004 we lost everything we owned to not one but 2 Hurricanes that hit us within days of eachother. ( Fancise & Ivan) spelling...
My husband is a over-the-road long haul truck driver and I was a CNA untill knee surgury made me stay at home. Why? Because you can't lift people with a bum-knee.
Anyway, to get to the point...We have been struggling to get back on our feet ever since and it has been really hard. For the last 6 months things have gone down hill fast....example: With everything going on with the gas prices the company he drives for has been cutting back on the amount of miles driven per driver each week. Then Stores everywhere stopped having shipments made due to consumers spending less and less each month due to increaseing prices on goods. He sat for 5 days 2 weeks ago with no deliveries to make which means no money for us because drivers get paid by the mile not to sit in the truck waiting for a load!
I'm scared because I have been trying to find a job but no one around here within 25 miles is hiring..( we live in the boondocks so to speak) but I keep trying 40 miles away hoping for something. We were doing fine untill DH pay went down by half, now we are one of the ones who are worried about losing our house and land. We don't spend needlessly but we have a family of 7 now and things that were tight are now cutting us in half. You don't have to be people who spend beyond your means to fall victum to what is happening with the economy.

My prayer is for the people to wake up and call your congress man or woman and let them know there is another election coming up and we wont stand by and keep falling for promises that never come to light. Heck, my neighbor down the road is 65 and runs his farm and lives off his SS check with money left over for playing bingo every weekend. I would vote him in for president...atleast he is honest and actually hard working!!

I just hope we get as good as he is with our mini farm and not struggling like we are now.