Oh No, Times must be tight

[daywane]

I have been with my wife 19 years
when she asks for a big board and pulls out a monster size puzzle
22" x 28"  1000 pcs
I know we are broke.

when we first got together we hit hard times. I mean HARD TIMES.
weekly rental crap.

we were bored , so I went a got a cheap puzzle and got a large audio book from the library. Stephen King (Secret Garden)

we did it in 2 or 3 days.

every time she gets upset over bill this has become the first sign 

[daywane]

Well, I had a brilliant response to this that got demolished....

Basically, learn how to download all your TV stuff, get an MP3-CD player, mod an original x-box, and buy your arcade tokens off e-bay. 

\
sad thing is ....
I have 

[SavannahLion]

Yeah, it's a struggle. Things are getting a little hairy financially so I'm looking at every possibility to save on $$. Switching to cheaper soaps, no-name foods, bulk shopping, discounted gas, etc. Unfortunately, what I can cut out on doesn't balance out the bills I absolutely can't cut out on and luxury bills that aren't within my control. In general the adopted family has absolutely no notion of cutting out the entertainment venues. A luxury that's a major siphon on our finances. So I've been encouraging the family to go to alternate entertainments. A 2 for 1 deal at the drive in instead of the walk in theater. Bring our own popcorn, soda, candy and $5 Ceaser pizza. About twenty percent of my house network is offline because I've delayed hardware repairs to keep my finances liquid for emergencies. All of my video game purchases have been scaled back (with a couple of exceptions) to keep as much cash I can in reserve.

But it's tough. This weekend, my step daughters retarded idiot father bought her a cell phone and a ---smurfing--- DS... she's eight years old. There is zero compelling reason for any eight year old to have a cell phone. There's never a situation where she's isn't with an adult without a phone... ever. The DS is just as stupid since she lost her Advance a year after we bought it for her. Just ---smurfing--- stupid and a massive waste of money. Then she comes home to us and demands to know why we won't buy her toy X or Y. ---smurfing--- moron.


I'm employed by California so there is a strong possibility I'll succumb to the California Budget and the accompanying pay cuts and furlough. If the pay cuts degrade my wages too much I won't even be able to pay the mortgage... even if I cut all the bills. My only shield is my possible "special funding" status. I don't dare do a lateral transfer unless it's into another special fund agency. I've been trying to push my way into a posh job for the past two years but well... it's not easy. 
A few years ago, I held down two jobs. I don't know if my body can take that kind of physical grinding all over again. There were times I was so ---smurfing--- tired, I actually fell asleep driving (lucky no one died). Other times where I fell asleep while standing (lucky I wasn't injured) and another time where I fell asleep when I pulled into a rest stop. I woke up the next morning and had no idea where I was or what happened. I only figured out where once I got on the road and re-oriented myself. I ended up going to my other job in the same clothes I wore the day before. I finally quit when my taxes practically murdered me. Taxes drained so much more money from a single tired ---fudgesicle--- holding two rotten jobs than it would have if that same ---fudgesicle--- held down one job but earned twice as much.

Evidence is showing the economic ---Cleveland steamer--- is going downhill fast. Just a few blocks from our house, a 7-11 closed their doors today. I have never seen any 7-11 close their doors due to the economy... ever. Those damn stores take all sorts of economic hits and they've never shut own. Liquor stores, bars and strip clubs on the other hand are booming. Makes sense. People struggling with their finances will do what it takes to try and forget their problems.

All of this would immensely easier if I was still a bachelor. I've weathered a financial meltdown for almost nine months before many years ago. I lost my job due to the so-called "dot com burst' and couldn't find work. My GF at the time left for greener pastures. I had the gas shut off to my cottage and whittled all my bills down to three. Asked for and received a rent freeze then packed everything I owned into the cottage (no storage fees) huddled down and lived as simply as I could. I sold what I could on eBay (mostly from remnants of my ex's online business). Even started gardening by erm... borrowing seeds from other plants around the neighborhood. All of my entertainment and contact with the outside world came over the tubes. I was locked away in my cottage for so long that by the time I peeked out the door, I had all new neighbors and no one had any idea who I was. 

But now that I have a family, it's proving almost impossible to meet on our financial situation. It's like ---smurfing--- pulling teeth most of the time. She's one of these people that just look for excuses to "save" on money through shopping. Got a phone call yesterday. "Guess how much I spent on the baby clothes?" "Ermm... $50?" "No silly, I paid $15! The pants were $3 a piece." So I guess we needed pants. 

Today, my mother hired me to purchase and install $250 worth of hardware upgrades. Even though I wasn't technically paying for the upgrades I was still found myself sick to my stomach spending that kind of money when $5 worth of capacitors from Digikey would fix the busted motherboard.

Enough ranting. I wish you luck daywane and let us know how it goes on.

[AtomSmasher]

Ya, things have been pretty bad for me for a while now, so I've been slowly looking for a new job, but it looks like I need to expedite my job search because the government recently decided to pass legislation that will put me (and millions of others) out of business on May 1.  The short version is the lobbyists convinced the government that it's better to have real estate appraisals done fast and cheap by people new to the business instead of done with quality by experienced professionals.  Probably 90% of all independent appraisers will be out of business May 1.

[protokatie]

Ya, things have been pretty bad for me for a while now, so I've been slowly looking for a new job, but it looks like I need to expedite my job search because the government recently decided to pass legislation that will put me (and millions of others) out of business on May 1.  The short version is the lobbyists convinced the government that it's better to have real estate appraisals done fast and cheap by people new to the business instead of done with quality by experienced professionals.  Probably 90% of all independent appraisers will be out of business May 1.

Is it just me, or does it sound like the government there wants an easy way to manipulate property value? IE either to buy it below current value, or to pressure appraisers to over value taxable land...? The way you put it; it almost seems like clear-cut corruption to me.

[AtomSmasher]

Ya, things have been pretty bad for me for a while now, so I've been slowly looking for a new job, but it looks like I need to expedite my job search because the government recently decided to pass legislation that will put me (and millions of others) out of business on May 1.  The short version is the lobbyists convinced the government that it's better to have real estate appraisals done fast and cheap by people new to the business instead of done with quality by experienced professionals.  Probably 90% of all independent appraisers will be out of business May 1.

Is it just me, or does it sound like the government there wants an easy way to manipulate property value? IE either to buy it below current value, or to pressure appraisers to over value taxable land...? The way you put it; it almost seems like clear-cut corruption to me.

Thats American politics for ya 

Actually part of the new law is good in the way that they can't easily pressure appraisers to bring in a certain value because the mortgage brokers can no longer talk to the appraisers, they can only talk to the big appraisal management companies who will now get 100% of appraisal work instead of independent appraisers.  The AMC's then take over half the money they're given for the appraisal and give the order to the appraiser who gave the lowest bid and fastest guaranteed turn-around time.  Which means those of us who spent years building up a client list can now throw that list out the window and are forced to work twice as hard for half the money, and that is if you can get on the AMC's lists, which most of them only use the larger appraisal companies which generally consist of new hires willing to work for peanuts (who are called Skippy's in the industry), so small independent companies like mine gets put out of business.

Sad thing is, this whole law came about because of a lawsuit against an AMC pressuring an appraiser for a value, so of course the logical thing to do is give all appraisals to the AMC's from now on   

[AtomSmasher]

Not trying to be rude here, but what exactly did/do you 'do'?

Real Estate Appraiser

*edit* I just realized the quotes around do implying that I may have done something wrong, but thats not the case.  Every independent appraiser is either being shut down or forced to work for the large management companies for less then half the money we used to make per appraisal (if you can get any work from them at all).

[AtomSmasher]

Ah, most of my work is for the purpose of loans on residential properties, in other words for refinances and purchases of houses.  I also do a fair share of estate, divorce, and REO appraisals, which won't be effected by the legislation, but I don't get enough of this type of work to keep me in business.

I've been watching the assessors office closely in the hopes that I can get a job with them, but they haven't been hiring in a long time.  At least I have a degree in computer science, so now I'm trying to switch industries back into computer programming.

Oddly enough with the recent rates cuts, right now work is busier then its been in months and we're starting to see a lot more investors buying properties.  I thought things were starting to look up, but then the government decided to stomp out the little guy.  I hate when they fold to lobbyists.

[mccoy178]

I refinanced the house as soon as I understood what a credit default swap was about 6 weeks ago.  I think our economy is in a major bad way and will be for awhile.  I don't consider any of this hard times.  We made our own beds and now we are lying in it.  If I lose my teaching job due to economic issues, I'll figure something out.  My grandmother to this day still talks about the depression and what they had to do to survive.  In light of that, I'm not bitchin' about anything.  It could be much worse.  We all still have cable, cars, and a roof over our heads.

[ChadTower]

I totally agree with that.  We shouldn't even mention the Great Depression until we hit the 20s in unemployment.

[ark_ader]

I knew the bubble would burst sooner or later, and I think most of the people who got stuck or is stuck, is by their own stupid fault.  To be fair, I'm really happy this economic tragedy is happening.  There is not a better lesson to learn about saving money when your entire life is hanging by a thread.

I always like to live by the edge, and when the axe strikes I always side step it.

Learn to adapt and get rid of anything you can do without.  Sell your cabs, collections and any junk in the garage.

You cannot side step anything when you are dogged by debt.

Get out of debt and learn to live life on the edge by being liquid. 

Its infinitely more fun

[daywane]

unemployment is hard to read now
most factories are doing a new tactic
my factory has been doing this for months now
I will work this full week
Monday and Tuesday of next week and then plant shuts down till Feb 2ND
we will work 2 weeks and then shut down the rest of the month in March.
I was ticked off in November when my plant started this but now I see on the news it is happening all over the U.S.A.
Kentucky's Unemployment offices are getting slammed. The computer systems are constantly going down.
The system can not handle the amount of fillings each day
I have been lucky.
I am one of the few that has been going in and painting the machines, painting yellow walk way lines. and use vacation days . I only have 3 days left of vacation time till July 27Th ( I get 3 weeks ) & 7 more years to go before I get 4 weeks
My boss said he still needs work done during shut down.
Production manager said in the meeting today no one will work this time 

[DaOld Man]

Lucky for me, I work in an aluminum rolling mill and our business is doing pretty good right now. Even though our overtime has been cut back, there has been no talk of a layoff with over a thousand people working there.
This company is not affiliated with Alcoa, which just had a big layoff. And that is scary for us, because we could get hit too, if the economy doesnt pick up soon.
We make aluminum can sheet, which is eventually turned into beer and soft drink cans.
We do very little for the automotive industry, so the bad times they are going through hasnt hurt us much.
I do remember some very bad times in 1985-1987.
I got divorced in 86, then laid off from another aluminum plant in Indiana.
back then Indiana only paid 90 dollars a week un-employment and they would go a month sometimes without sending a check. And the child support I had to pay was 40 dollars a week.
So there was some very grim times for me back then. But the economy pulled through then, and I am sure it will this time.

[SavannahLion]

Watch your meeting counts. When I worked in the private sector, we had full blown two hour meetings once a month and "quick meetings" once a week. In the last four jobs I held that was shut down through "down sizing" the meeting count would suddenly ramp up. At first it was two meetings a month and quick meetings every week. Then quick meetings were dropped and full meetings were occurring once a week. In the last job, it ended up being a four hour meeting every week. I learned after the first layoff to start looking elsewhere when the meeting count went up. Meant they had zero work, but didn't want to send people home for a variety of reasons.

[daywane]

That's just what is going on now 
all the old timers are saying We just bought a bunch of new machines.....
All will be well soon. 

I have not the hart to tell them that Florida Tile did the same thing 8 years ago and as soon as my line started with new presses it got shut down.
line 4 that is.
took over 3 years for me to bounce back from that body blow of being permanently laid off.

A company in Cal. shut down.
we bought the machines ( f@#&ing Junk) I mean 100 amp fuses ducktaped to the main wires!!!!) This is getting fixed now. Maintenance and I are just shocked at the looks of these machines
its going to be a pain in the butt.
service orders.
meaning 20 to 300 piece orders each.
3 or 4 hours change overs just to run a stinking 30 piece order on a machine that runs 500 pieces  a hour

[Singapura]

I've worked in financial restructuring and recovery for a few years and the thing I noticed is that financial problems almost always put a huge strain on personal relationships. I haven't kept score but I would say in the majority of cases where the bank had to foreclose, the marriage ended before the case was closed. I have nothing to complain about income wise (just got a new job with a 30% raise) but my wife is worried just as much. I know it would me a lot easier to be single again but where's the fun in that? 

[danny_galaga]

cant get much more 'recession proof' than being a mailman    there will be less overtime, but thats the extent of it. would have to be very grim days indeed when they start laying off posties. australia isnt technically in a recession yet, but once the next quarters figures come through we will be. we supply a very large part of the worlds iron and coal.

actually, i was just put on a run today i hadnt done for a few months. lots of businesses. or were, i couldnt believe how many had shut up shop since last i was there. good for me- less mail to carry. but its pretty sad seeing so many vacant shops 

[HaRuMaN]

good for me- less mail to carry

or not so good for you...

less mail can be handled by fewer employees...

[Level42]

I barely dare to write this but my boss announced that 2009 will be an even better year than 2008 already for us. We are "booked full" until august 2009.

I work in fire alarms. When the installers are ready, I go to a project, check if everything is installed properly and according to the Dutch regulations, program the system and test everything. Then write reports for certification etc.
Projects that we're doing now have been decided on mostly 2/3 years ago. So, if there will be an impact (and I'm sure there will) it will take a while. However apart from that I also do maintenance and service (fault finding). We as a company could run alone on the  maintenance. We gained so many new customers over the last 3 years that we can survive on just that if needed.

Apart from that, there might even be a positive side to this recession for us: We are a small company in this business here (about 35 people). We can deliver at lower cost than the "big guys". In good times, when money it not so tight, it's harder to compete with the big guys, but now it could well be that we win more projects because of being cheaper.

Anyway, I personally have not yet had an impact on my income. My wife works at the government so that's little to worry about either.

I've been layed off twice before (one time company bust, second time .com bubble burst) and I've always quickly had a new job. All in all I'm not too worried, but you never know what happens in life. I'm not getting younger either.....we'll see how it rolls.

[shardian]

I barely dare to write this but my boss announced that 2009 will be an even better year than 2008 already for us. We are "booked full" until august 2009.

Kind of the same situation at my business. We are expected to take a slight hit, but we've been operating over maximum capacity since I've been here. A cut-back still leaves us running full tilt with unlimited overtime if I want it.

The downside to me is that I wanted to be looking at getting a new job this year. I don't make near as much as I want/should be making as an ME. With the way the manufacturing field is doing now, I am thinking I'm better off weathering the storm here for another year.

[ChadTower]

So far my employer hasn't been hit that hard.  We're going from exceeding projections every quarter to solid projected growth.  We're in one of the few sectors that is still strong in the US (Pharmacy).  We're all keeping our fingers crossed that it stays at small growth as that's still a hell of a lot in this market.

[Dartful Dodger]

I work for a small company and we're doing really well, but I'm not confident or sure how long this is going to last.  A huge production house just closed in Chicago and through my company I went to its auction. I could see why the bigger companies are failing.  They had 7 Avid rooms each room had a giant plasma TV for the clients to watch and the cost of the furniture for each room was more than the cost of the furniture in my whole house.  They had different styles and they all looked like they were designed for MTV.

A guy I kow that worked for that company said that whenever they'd hire a new editor they'd give him a huge budget so he could redesign his office.

We picked up some good equipment cheap, but we also bought some luxury items for the office, which I feel is making the same mistakes they did.

Clients no longer have the money for the presentation, they just want to pay for the end product.

I'm glad I have a job, I know people that have been looking for almost a year.  Every company I see that goes under is another batch of people looking for my next job.

[Ummon]

I've worked in financial restructuring and recovery for a few years and the thing I noticed is that financial problems almost always put a huge strain on personal relationships. I haven't kept score but I would say in the majority of cases where the bank had to foreclose, the marriage ended before the case was closed. I have nothing to complain about income wise (just got a new job with a 30% raise) but my wife is worried just as much. I know it would me a lot easier to be single again but where's the fun in that? 

Depends on whether you want to suffer. I've come to find I HAVE to live alone. If no friends, I do things with myself, and love it. If friends, then that's a bonus. I currently have friends, who also have pets or/and kids, no less who like me. In fact, I don't even have to try to make time with them: yesterday, I was in another part of town, and one of my friends (an ex, actually) happened to drive alongside with her daughter, so I followed them to where they were going close by, and stopped for minute for hi and hugs. Serendipity.

Ultimately, if the 'open source' ideology is taken to a logical conclusion, and with the continued development and ubiquity of micro-technologies, further automation, and a certain measure of birth control, there will be the possibility for a new kind of society - one where there are no schools, no work to be done, and where there are no 'parents', but a collective of people all supporting each other mentally and emotionally. And these problems won't exist. It all depends on whether you want to suffer.

[ChadTower]

In Soviet Russia, people not have suffering.  Suffering has people.

[RayB]

The problem with utopian ideals is: There are always going to be jack-asses.

[daywane]

what kills me.
Talk radio. all I hear is Americans make to much money!!!!
I do well for my self but I would never say I make to much money.
on a good year, lots of overtime, I make forty thousand a year
most time thirty five thousand.
wife is a house wife.
(her health keeps her that way, PLUS I do like my wife a house wife. Less I have to do at home) ( she baby sits 1 baby and we only charge $40.00 a week) ( thats my grand baby  )
house paid off. Not a fancy house. Was a store at one time.
turned into 2 apartments.
I bought the set and made a house out of them
Paid forty six grand.
not in cash.
10 thousand down. 15 year pay off @ $350 a month.
paid it off in 10 years
now with the cost of living.
I could never have done this. I heat with wood
all cars are paid for.
never more than 2 insured at a time now.
( at one time I had 6 cars insured and a boat)
just plain old utility, food, etc takes it all.
I do not know how I would make it if I owed a bank or credit card

[danny_galaga]

good for me- less mail to carry

or not so good for you...

less mail can be handled by fewer employees...

sorry, you must have missed the fact that i am a postal employee. australia post will be about the last place to lay people off. and they probably havent since, well maybe never! obviously first they will freeze new recruitments. and then if things got really bad they would just not replace people who get injured (one of the more dangerous jobs to have apparently, we keep getting run over!)

i wont mention people quitting because i bet in really tough times, people suddenly dont seem to mind their job after all 

[divemaster127]

I'm in the military so no slow down here.  But my part time arcade business has really slowed down.  I am buying less from happ.  I spoke to the happ rep this week Erica, she told me their sales are way down right now.

[CheffoJeffo]

Ultimately, if the 'open source' ideology is taken to a logical conclusion, and with the continued development and ubiquity of micro-technologies, further automation, and a certain measure of birth control, there will be the possibility for a new kind of society - one where there are no schools, no work to be done, and where there are no 'parents', but a collective of people all supporting each other mentally and emotionally. And these problems won't exist. It all depends on whether you want to suffer.

And here I was thinking that this latest incarnation of our old friend hadn't come up with anything really off-the-wall.

[SavannahLion]

Ultimately, if the 'open source' ideology is taken to a logical conclusion, and with the continued development and ubiquity of micro-technologies, further automation, and a certain measure of birth control, there will be the possibility for a new kind of society - one where there are no schools, no work to be done, and where there are no 'parents', but a collective of people all supporting each other mentally and emotionally. And these problems won't exist. It all depends on whether you want to suffer.

And here I was thinking that this latest incarnation of our old friend hadn't come up with anything really off-the-wall.

"WTF," says the open source advocate.

[Ummon]

Someone has to throw some comic relief in for you working stiffs.

[RayB]

Someone has to throw some comic relief in for you working stiffs.

I'm stiffly working.

[pinballwizard79]

Politics is business & our economy is a reflection of that.

The government wanted in on many things but if they forced their way in we wouldn't be a free country would we? Its common knowledge "Wall Street" is easily influenced by rumors, possibilities & future meetings which determine stock values today based on tomorrows speculation.

Example, the banking "liquidity crisis".

Realtors, brokers, construction workers, appraisers, wall street & even the investors made money on these securities in one way or another. Restaurants, clubs, retailers & etc made money by those previously mentioned spending that money. Some made it, some borrowed it but no matter what there was work & money to be lent & spent with employment there to pay it off & start again.

I believe the word for that is "economy".

Banks do not lend their own money, they lend the investors money (aka a Koren school teacher's mutual fund or a 401k in the Ukraine for example is packed with these "bonds" so to say). Well the investors tell the wall street links to the "secondary market" aka the banks who then tell their underwriters what is approvable (based on what the investors will buy) & their average margins determine pricing which is usually hedged for protection.

Long story short yes people who didn't deserve money were getting it.....but not many...now people who deserve it cant get it & soon there will be no more jobs.

But wait, how did this happen?

A public announcement by our government stating "we may look into federally regulating certain areas of banking, such as stated loans & subprime notes".

They never even had to, all they needed to do was simply say something about it to drive down the bond value to nothing on those types of notes because investors were scared to touch something the government speaks of.

Wow, nice, there goes todays bond value....banks cant sell at a negative revenue.....better wait to sell that paper till tomorrow.....wait, now the investors wont even buy it......oh no we are only bonded for about a week of fundings (hey, thats a lot of cash actually)......a week passed, we lost our liquidity.......so yeah um we close.

Maybe the acceleration in these deals going sour is from ARM's that are expiring/adjusting & now loans do not exist for people who need to refi thus increasing foreclosures & market cool downs & job losses.

Wow, so liquidity is realitive to our economy?

Bummer, we better drop the fed rate....oh it cant go lower, well we better give bailout money to banks so they can approve the people we told them to decline.

Wait, bailout money.....wtf, when the bonds existed we didnt need bailout money..


Nevermind, forget it 

[mccoy178]

I think you need to do more research.

[Kevin Mullins]

I found a penny today ... 

[pinballwizard79]

mccoy178 that was a condensed version despite its length.

I was formerly one of the top Sr AE's for one of the largest banks in the US, tomorrow night I will have a few retired options/futures traders over so just let me know what to research.

But you are correct, there is more to the story however I think all information points back to greed, government & palm greasing.

Still though, its better here than Sudan.

[Ummon]

mccoy178 that was a condensed version despite its length.

I was formerly one of the top Sr AE's for one of the largest banks in the US, tomorrow night I will have a few retired options/futures traders over so just let me know what to research.

I get the feeling he was being sarcastic.

[pinballwizard79]

I drink a lot of blue moons, then I eat the orange slices....then I post in this forum 

[daywane]

I found a penny today ... 

[RayB]

The bottom line is, people will always push boundaries, especially if it's easy to be absolved of accountability and "everybody else is doing it". Without regulation, the fraudsters go nuts, the neutral cross the line, and the honest suffer. Regulation and accountability is absolutely necessary.