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

[vfem]

I don't see much improvement around here. Some say we weren't hit as badly, but I'm pretty sure 10.7% unemployment in NC is BAD!

My husband was laid off last October, with his dad losing his job the same month, then my dad loses his job on Halloween last year. They cut my sister's hours at work so she finally decided to go back to College and get into the medical field.

Luckily, my husband was the only one to gain employment before Christmas last year. His dad was so stressed with them threatening to take his home, and his rental properties he couldn't sell that he died of a heart attack in February on my husband and my 4 year wedding anniversary. That was actually the start of the worst year we've had as a family... with only worse things to come.

My dad is trying his own business now since he's out of work and there is no more unemployment to be had, but then my mother lost her job 2 weeks ago. Now we're helping them with some bills, when we were barely making ends meet. I run my own business from home trying to get a couple extra $100 a month so we can buy extras like snacks, and things for my garden. However, my oven died and now I can no longer bake my biscotti for that business to continue.

Just like has been mentioned, they reassessed our property taxes this year (We bought this house at the beginning of 2008 as a short sale that needed a lot of work) and our property tax has gone up 24%! The taxes on the house are a LOT more then we paid for it now.

Its crossed my mind once or twice to sell my birds... but I won't... they are the cheapest form of entertainment the whole family has! My nephews come over and spend hours chasing them with my daughter, and they love feeding them... and in that moment, I don't worry one bit of all the things this year that has made us sad... and I look forward to next year!

 

[australorpchick]

So far so good. I took a 5% paycut right before Christmas last year, but DH and I are both employed full-time and neither of us are threatened with layoffs. The cost of food has gone up. We get the same things we used to buy, but now it's generic and we spend $25 - 30 more a week. Gas has gone up about 30 cents in the past 2 weeks. Luckily, last year we bought a really nice used Malibu as my commuter car. It averages 31 - 32 mpg, about double what my Suburban does. The Malibu's payment and gas can be cheaper than filling up my Suburban's tank, depending on the cost of fuel. We were able to purchase 5 acres for $34,500 in May. It made our budget stretch a little more, but it was an opportunity that we couldn't pass up. DH and I bring our lunch a lot more. All in all, we been very blessed this year and pray for those who haven't been as fortunate.

 

[TerriLaChicks]

Effective November 1st, my work hours will be cut from 40 to 20 hours a week, so there goes 1/2 my pay.
The headlnies in today's paper: they are closing the International Paper mill here. This will affect close to 2,000 people, not just the mill workers but also the loggers who supplied them.
The company my husband works for is "shaky" to say the least.
We do not consider it a "recession" here---we know it is a DEPRESSION!
but we will get through this & we will survive.

 

[Wifezilla]

Hubby and I are hanging on. We own a small copy and print shop. We spend a good part of each day faxing resumes for customers. Also requests for loan deferments, hardship letters, mortgage adjustments, replies to collection letters and aid forms. It is pretty depressing.

 

[TexasVet]

Things were bleak at my house, but are looking up. My contract work (I'm a writer) had dropped by 75%, and then my husband's job went away. We have insurance, but it costs $1300 a month and doesn't cover a lot. We had some high dental bills, DH needs to have a hernia repaired, and one daughter started college this fall. We have an emergency cushion, but it was so hard to save up that it kills us to have to use it. And we're in our mid-50s now, so we don't have a lot of time to rebuild our savings.

Then a few weeks ago a large contract writing job rolled in. And now I've been offered a job with a large company... highest salary I've ever had, $1-to-$1 matching in the 401k (with instant vesting), good insurance, and profit sharing. The hours stink, because I'll have to leave at 6:30 a.m. and get home until 6:30 p.m., plus some overtime, but I'll adjust. Biggest problem will be turning DH into Mr. Mom, and having to feed and water the chickens after dark.

Kathy
www.ChickenTrackin.com

 

[chickabator]

It is such a sad situation here I can't even talk about it cause I have to watch about keeping bp down. Dr. tells me to cut out the stress, I would like to know how I am suppose to do that. He says if I dont I'll have another heart attack and this time I might not make it trough it. could someone tell me how to do that when all you do is worry how am I gonna pay this or pay that and how am I gonna buy groceries on 59.00 a month. heck with christmas and thanksgiving we are struggling to buy food from day to day. I tried to grow a little garden and put away 10 quarts of green beans and 42 quarts of tomatoes, we have our chickens but I dont know for how long cause our feed bill has gone up so much, the internet would have already been cut off but dd has online classes also and cant let it be cut off . to be honest about it I am worth more dead than I am alive but Im still here and still kicking so just have to press through this. Only God knows how long all this will last, I just wish it would get better for everyone. but I dont see it.

 

[australorpchick]

KHayward:

Congrats on your employment!

 

[Royd]

Where to start? Is it a conundrum or an oxy-moron? The truth is, due to our insipid attitude, about never offending anyone, and giving everyone a break, i.e. egalitarianism, i.e. liberalism, we have brought the roof down, upon our own heads.
Not to say that right wing philosophy is free of blame.
The dot com bubble, which burst, was mostly internal, and due to much fraud, and people throwing money at something, which doesn't even exist.

The current mess, due to the housing bubble, is real, and has blame, on both sides of the aisle.
One side, wanted cheap labor, and wanted to grab as much money, as fast as possible, so they looked the other way, at the Mexican invasion.

The other side, saw the possibility of a permanent, underclass voting base, if only they could give them a break, and a few govt. handouts.

The banking industry saw opportunity, to make lots of money, quickly, and when things started to go south, started manipulating the books, to avoid the inevitable truth; that they had abandonned their foundational principles.

This housing boom, should have been able to sustain the legitimate building trades, of this country, for thirty years.

Let's be honest, and I have witnessed this, in Jacksonville, Fl. What was once and inland area of sand dunes, and a playground for all kinds of activities, suddenly, within a three month period, became a housing development. All I can say is,"What the he....

I know that many people, myself included, are hurting, or scrapping and scraping, for our daily bread.
In the end, I think this is a good thing, for us....It's time to learn to live with what we are carrying, in our pockets, not on what we might, potentially make, twenty years down the road.
Buy the used car, and learn to fix it, plant a garden, raise chickens, and yes, of your own volition, not by the government's strong arm, reach out to your neighbors and friends, in need.
If you are the one, receiving the help, do more than a simple thank you. Offer up your services, in repayment.
I see a huge "Black Market" of bartering, coming soon, in order to keep the government out of our personal business.
We will simply trade a dozen eggs, or a few minutes of labor, for a loaf of bread, simply bypassing the intrusive hand of govt.

 

[AHappychick]

I went to cosco as now I need to turn on my heat and any extra money will be going to that bill. So cosco for all the things I cant do without like dish ashing soap and Toilet paper. Still it cost a fortune. Then I canned and freezed everything. I have stopped buying any baked items and now my grocery list consists of just dairy and beef and pork, yeast, flour, and sugar. needless to say we eat eggs, and chicken and quail a lot in thi home! I cut out the salon a year ago and wax my own mustache (yes I know tmi) and eyebrows (although I rip my skin often which looks even worse than being hairy lol) I am trying to quilt smoking, and always by sesonal items after the huge 75% off sales so I have them for next year. Did that last year and spent $50 and got $200 worth of decorations and lights for Christmas this year, did the same thing with summer stuff getting my kickboards and goggles and slip and slides after they were marked down to 90% off

Gonna try to get someone to kill a deer for me for the freezer again, not an easy feet around here

I also am using the barter system for as many gifts and items as I can this year to try to avoid spending money directly.

 

[TexasVet]

Quote:
Thank you so much! I really, really hate to give up working from home, but at this point in time, in this economy, you gotta do what you gotta do. Getting this job was a blessing!

Kathy
www.ChickenTrackin.com