Is The Economy Still Affecting You (and Your Family)?

[Birch Run Farm]

For me yes, there will be many cuts to come yet from my employer. My 2009 property taxes were raised 36% and though I have some overtime hours available each week, Vermont only pays straight time. I average $10 per hour take home pay for my 16 hours OT per pay period (biweekly) after taxes.

Today I heard on NPR (I don't have TV - $$$$$) that a barrel of crude is eighty some bucks a barrel now. Hey, winter is coming and a lot of people are broke and won't be able to paay their fuel bills. I donate extra on my electric bill for those in need.

Gasoline is $2.63 / gallon here.

I see no improvement yet on the local economy. Are any of you in other states seeing improvement? How are you preparing for winter and another tough year?

 

[cubalaya]

all this stimulus and no jobs to show for it. if illegals are here working, then they are taking jobs from americans; close the border. the government spends our money bombing the moon to see if there are ice crystals , spends our money on wars that they have no intention of winning , spends our money drilling for oil in brazil. [why not off of our coast?] spends our money on border fences for southern mexico [not the mexican american border that all the illegals are flooding into our country from]. while americans cant get healthcare and one bad sickness would break most of us.

 

[gumpsgirl]

I personally think the economy will affect everyone from here on out. Everything has continued to raise and lets face it, if things (jobs) ever improve I honestly don't see taxes, power, food, etc... ever going back down again. Think about that one. Why would they? Governments and companies are going to get to comfortable with that nice little bit of extra income.

 

[Dar]

I know Canada was not hit as hard as the USA was with the recession, but.. we are starting to see a bit of improvement.. not much but a little

DH is in the auto industry and its slowly starting to rebound hours at the plants are picking up with OT starting to become available however we will never get back the cuts in the benefit packages and pension ect...

 

[EweSheep]

In our town, it is still flat and unemployment is steady. Some new businesses are opening but not expected to last.

 

[Camelot Farms]

Well, I'm in a panic over how I am going to feed everyone this winter....us included.

I left my job in July due to illness in July, cutting our income by a net of 2000.00/month. I am still unable to work and dont qualify for unemployment and disability is not an option at this point.

Fuel here jumped from 2.17 to 2.45 in a week.

We have canned/frozen everything in the garden and everything that everyone gave us from their gardens.

DH has taken 2 deer so far and I have canned every bit of it.

I use the dog as a thermometer...until she shivers from the cold, everyone else can just grab a sweater and put on some socks.

Kids have learned that chips come in brands other than Lays and that generic peanut butter is not all that bad.

I scan store ads from 3 local markets and buy only on sale items. No more loading the cart with whatever looks good at the moment.

Fast food...whats that?

Water is free...lemonade and soda cost money so the dental bill next at next cleaning will be much lower.

The only candy DD gets is the free lollipops that the bank and the PO hand out.

I see that the Federal Court House here in town has gotten what looks like a 750,000 face lift. Other than that, I am not seeing a whole lot of stimulus money at work.

I sure hope that in other areas folks are having brighter days.

 

[cubalaya]

Quote:
thats what this cap and trade tax is all about; $3000 a year extra fuel and energy cost for the average family. for what? because some loser claims that the earths temperature is warming. prove it first. the earths temperature has gone down every year since 1998.

 

[Whispering Winds]

Quote:
YOU SAID IT!!! I agree 110%!

 

[mrbstephens]

Overtime is a thing of the past for my hubby. He's a cabinetmaker and people just aren't exactly wanting to remodel their kitchens these days. Real Estate is just terrible. Houses for sale everywhere and have been for several years already. No one's buying, no one's spending money. Gas and food are through the roof and so is everything else. After several years of not having a credit card because we didn't want or need one, we now have one, because we NEED one. Kids are getting used clothes from the consignment shop and we're buying lots of firewood to lessen the amount of oil needed to heat the house. Christmas will probably be a little light this year.

 

[Felicia]

I live in Michigan...enough said

I have been blessed with a job, but so many families are hurting so badly.