The economy stinks here...

[sundance]

Stopped by mickey D's for a cup of coffee this morning and was talking to the owner, he said his business was way down due to the rise in gas prices, and if Mickey D goes under what will we do? SIL was laid off after 14 years on the job and GD is complaining that her hours are being cut to 4 days a week.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

These accounts are disturbing, as it hasn't hit here so hard yet.

So, Silkiechicken, what else would your grandfather have said? My grandmother also lived through those times, but she was young so I don't think she knew much. After she died, though, we kept finding money hidden in her belongings.

 

[bjcoop]

The economy is not so good here either...but the rez has never been good, so it's business as usual. Here in NY gas prices are getting ridiculously high!
_________________________
16 spoilt chickens, 1 13yo rescue chicken-hound, dd

dh

 

[silkiechicken]

Same here, my grandpa did stash up some money here and there that we were able to find after cleaning up, but during that time he also bought property from some people he knew back then that had to go back to China due to the depression here. He said it was a long term investment that paid off even though they had to struggle back then because now we have the land 70 years later which is worth a lot more. Funny ironic thing is... after the depression, he started a large chicken farm and supplied the restaurants in the Everett/Seattle area. He didn't talk that much about it but his general outlook was to plow though.

 

[d.k]

* Euerytime time I try to stash a few bucks away, dumb-dumb DH starts frettin' that I'm saving up to leave him!! AFTER 28 YEARS???? Why would I have waited so long!?!?! MEN!!

 

[silkiechicken]

Another thing my dad and grandpa agreed on was that stashing up the money in a closet was a bad idea, because back then, that 15 cents could get you a gallon of gas. The hard work then to earn that 15 cents, can maybe get you a ketchup packet today when that 15 cents was dug out of a back of a closet. He had a lot of government bonds that dobbled in value after 10 years, which they found to be a good choice back in those days as it prevented their dollar from depreciating even more. For the past 20 years, my dad has been buying bonds that have paid off in helping out in expenses that are piling up now. He has filed for working past retirement so he can still make money to support everyone.

 

[Lunachick]

I'm sorry to hear that some of you guys are hurting. Our business is doing well, cause people gotta have their taxes done, but boy are we hearing horror stories from alot of our clients. It is sad. Kind of interesting in a way to see how things go through the summer months. :|

I wish all of you "good luck" with the best intentions. I agree about the plowing thru the hard times. My dad went thru the depression era, and it made him so frugal that at age 93 he's still that way and he only has to worry about himself. Hmm, I wonder what's under his mattress?

 

[banter]

I have to add to this! The scarry thing that happened to us-WHY?????????
We moved from Ma to ME last April as a company relocation. It was a fast move, and we bought this house before we even put our old one on the market. This was all done and secured through the company. We had JUST redone the kitchen and bathroom. Windows, siding, electric, plumbing and hardwood floors had all been done new over the last 3 years. The only reason we took the offer to move was because we could move to Maine and raise CHICKENS! Things went downhill rapidly outside of Boston like everywhere else. We kept reducing the price of our house, which broke our hearts and pocketbook! People were snatching up foreclosures and not even considering our house. At the end of Feb. our Real Estate agent called and asked us what was going on? The locks had been changed on our house! When she finally got inside the place was a mess! I wish I could name names!
This is what happened:

The week we moved our mortgage was sold. The new holders for no reason anyone can figure out, came in and claimed our house as abandoned( the end of Feb.)! It was empty-we had moved. They winterized it, and in the process ruined plumbing, appliances, screwed up our boiler and new floors, smashed the locks etc.......
After we figured out what happened, and both the Real Estate company and the Relocation people got on it, they were back the next day righting things, but they didn't fix all the damage. It's going to take a long time to get reimbursement for all the damage they did, but thankfully the Relocating company will go after them.
We were totally current on all mortgage payments and backed by a large company.
There was a for sale sign outside, but no one contacted the Realtor, us, or the Relocating company. They just came in and raped and pillaged! This is happening all over the U S A!
Thanks for letting me rant
Disgusted in Maine
But I Have CHICKENS now- Yippee!

 

[gamebirdsonly]

still alright here. except gas prices. i'm only struggling because of the wife's out control spending with the credit cards

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Interesting, silkiechicken. It confirms what I have heard that the people who fared the best during the great depression were those with land, who grew their own food and raised their own animals.