Are you feeling the economic crunch?

[Helysoune]

We did something similar in that we have almost completely stopped using the debit card and instead use cash and checks. It's more real, more tangible when you actually hold greenbacks than a piece of plastic and even more cautionary when you take the time to write out a check. We had really run into problems in that we weren't keeping up with entering debit receipts in the checkbook and thereby thinking there was more money in the bank than there really was. Then one goof lead to an overdraft fee, which lead to another, which eventually lead to entire paychecks disappearing into the land of fees paid. Of course, the bank wasn't the least bit sympathetic and would not help out. Ended up costing us about $2,500 in "stupid tax".

 

[Foofoogal]

Of course, the bank wasn't the least bit sympathetic and would not help out. Ended up costing us about $2,500 in "stupid tax".

that is horrid and the bank is horrid. I cannot imagine a bank not working with a customer. Find an independent one fast.
Then try to get overdraft protection. Pitiful. :rage:

 

[kamikat]

We've been hurt pretty bad. The Friday before the big Monday crash last fall, my husband got laid off. He's a very skilled programmer and project manager and had always had his pick of jobs. Not last fall. We were down to the last week of his severance package when he got an offer. We had to live for 1 month completely on savings because this company pays monthly instead of bi-weekly. We weren't as bad off as others, because we bought our house just before the boom (1999) and paid off and closed all credit cards around the same time. He had to take the first job offer that he got because we were running out of money and it ended up being a 20% pay cut even though the position is the same level. We used to get a lot of extra spending cash by me taking hair styling clients at home but that gone way down. Clients that used to come in once a month for a haircut are stretching to every 6-8wks. Some clients have cut out expensive services like highlights or perms. This month, I wasn't even able to make enough "extra cash" to buy the kids back-to-school supplies. All travel has been eliminated. Summer camp for the kids was eliminated. All after school activities were eliminated. My plans for going back to college were eliminated. My vintage pattern collecting has changed. Instead of just buying whatever cute patterns I find on eBay, I try to sell off a few before each purchase. I have eliminated collecting vintage shoes and jewelry, though.

 

[Mr Zablosky]

I quit an agency gig last year, where I had been for 13 years, to work for myself. The needle dropped on the income gauge immediately but thankfully I was somewhat prepared. People use insurance to see me. A man offered me golf balls and clubs for his co-pay. I passed and use this time to build up karma points. I do more pro bono that I thought I would be doing.

I really think this will work out for me in the end. I was a little short in the karma department.

 

[Foofoogal]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090907/ap_on_bi_ge/us_meltdown_new_frugality

interesting story. For the fact to me mainly that my parents were depression era and passed in the 1980s. The experience stayed with them till day they died.

I passed and use this time to build up karma points.

I call it sowing and reaping but I am glad for you. I totally believe this to be true. I shudder when I see mean people. lol

 

[Paisley]

same situation as im in...It annoys me when most of the jobs ive applied for dont even acknowledge your application, never mind tell you if youve been sucessful!!:eusa_doh:

It's nice for a company to send at least a postcard. On the other hand, we get so many resumes that we can't answer them all. (Of course, we send a letter to anyone we interview.)

When we advertise for an admin position, 99% of the resumes we get are from people who don't have any of the qualifications we ask for. In the past, we'd get over 100 resumes; I imagine we'd get hundreds if we advertised now.

 

[Miss 1929]

It's nice for a company to send at least a postcard. On the other hand, we get so many resumes that we can't answer them all. (Of course, we send a letter to anyone we interview.)

When we advertise for an admin position, 99% of the resumes we get are from people who don't have any of the qualifications we ask for. In the past, we'd get over 100 resumes; I imagine we'd get hundreds if we advertised now.

I just parted ways with the most boring job in the world, it was a mutual agreement. And in doing so, I did the job postings and culling of resumes for them to find and interview my replacement.. We got about 300 resumes in one week, almost half of them were from people who were former management and totally over-qualified, the other half about even between good candidates and those with absolutely no relevant experience. Impossible in a four day week to get back to all of them!

This was for a part-time job, so imagine if it was for a full time, how many we would have gotten.

 

[Miss 1929]

The perfect song for the age...

[YOUTUBE]<object width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/v3x-K8XQMW0&hl=en&fs=1&"></param><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"></param><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"></param><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/v3x-K8XQMW0&hl=en&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object>[/YOUTUBE]

 

[Miss 1929]

Sorry, no lyrics on that clip? Here you go...

Sure, business is bunk,
And Wall Street is sunk,
We're all of us broke, and ready to croak.
We've nothing to dunk,
Can't even get drunk,
And all the while, they tell us to smile:

Cheer up, gentle citizens, though you have no shirts,
Happy days are here again. Cheer up, smile, nertz!
All aboard prosperity, giggle 'till it hurts!
No more bread-line charity. Cheer up, smile, nertz!

Cheer up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer,
Up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer, better times are here.
Sunny smilers we must be, the optimist asserts,
Let's hang the fat-head to a tree! Cheer up, smile, nertz!

The world's in the red,
We're better off dead,
Depression, they say's in session to stay.
Our judges are queer,
Our banks disappear,
And all the while, they tell us to smile:

Cheer up, gentle citizens, though you have no shirts,
Happy days are here again. Cheer up, smile, nertz!
All aboard prosperity, giggle 'till it hurts,
No more bread-line charity. Cheer up, smile, nertz!

Cheer up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer,
Up, cheer up, cheer up, cheer, better times are here.
Sunny smilers we must be, the optimist asserts,
Let's hang the fat-head to a tree! Cheer up, smile, nertz!

Nertz!

 

[Diamondback]

For some reason, of late I find myself having to work really hard to not invoke the words of one of my heroes, one Howard Beale...

 

[Miss 1929]

Nothing wrong with being mad as hell and not taking it anymore, unless you translate it into violence. Use your words!

 

[Diamondback]

Believe me, as both an ex-journalist and a weapons professional I'm acutely aware of how to tell the difference between time to pick up the pen and time to start linking up the ammo-belts... and if I ever believe my clarity to be lost on that issue, I will turn in my credentials that very day. Besides, I was referring more to the rest of the monologue than that single famous line...

[voice=Arnold as T-800]"Trust me."[/voice]

And like I said, I have it far easier than many.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

I have been following this thread, with a sense compassion and respect for everyone's heart felt sharing.

While I do not currently feel the economic crunch. I have in the past.

I had to adopt the attitude that "this too shall pass". I knew that if I quit before the "miracle" of financial recovery occurred then all would be lost. Those lessons back then serve me well today. In many instances not just economic situations.

When I approach a situation I ask myself, "what lengths am I willing to go" to attain my goal. Only to realize that nothing in my life ever happens by mistake.

At times when I felt like giving up the most, when it appeared that nothing would change, was when I found a new strength and new awareness. Only to realize that I have never been denied any of my "needs".

I realized that I had friends, talents, people who loved and cared for me. Once I put things into perspective I realized that the economic situation was only a part of my life, albeit important, nonetheless only one aspect of my being. In time the economic situation did change.

What a true gift I was bestowed during my times of adversity. For me it was through these times that I realized I was indeed a very rich man; with a great life and an opportunity to share that life with others.

Now I apply those skills to other situations that are placed in my path.

 

[tempestbella42]

I just parted ways with the most boring job in the world, it was a mutual agreement. And in doing so, I did the job postings and culling of resumes for them to find and interview my replacement.. We got about 300 resumes in one week, almost half of them were from people who were former management and totally over-qualified, the other half about even between good candidates and those with absolutely no relevant experience. Impossible in a four day week to get back to all of them!

This was for a part-time job, so imagine if it was for a full time, how many we would have gotten.

i understand there must be a lot but most i sent were actually emailed, and never for anything i havent done before..i actually have found my "expierience and qualifications can work against me in that they would rather pay a trainee basic wage than me (im a chef, done,ar, waitressing etc and just need a part time job while studying from home..)

 

[Trebuchet64_Fal]

It's plain that all over the world people have been hurt to varying degrees by the downturn in global finance , it is also obvious that the cause of the downturn was that alot of people wanted more than they could afford and the financial institutions were only too happy to lend money to any one whether they could afford it or not .
The really disstressing part in the saga is that goverments were complicite by allowing these so called financial genius's to run the economy , when it is all said and done the geniuses knew about as much as the average man in the street about financial matters .
It seems that the best way to live an uncomplicated life is to enjoy all things in moderation , to trust your own instincts and to look after your own finances . lets face it we work to hard to give money away to those who already have more than they need. (sorry for the ranting).

 

[Paisley]

i understand there must be a lot but most i sent were actually emailed, and never for anything i havent done before..i actually have found my "expierience and qualifications can work against me in that they would rather pay a trainee basic wage than me (im a chef, done,ar, waitressing etc and just need a part time job while studying from home..)

My employer sends an automated response to email applicants saying that we regret we cannot respond to every applicant, but we wish them success and will contact them if we're interested. In all fairness, I cannot see why any more response is needed for applicants who have done nothing but send an email. At the other end of the effort spectrum (granted, this was in better times) a young accountant once showed up at one of our offices and asked for a job. He got it.

 

[$ally]

i understand there must be a lot but most i sent were actually emailed, and never for anything i havent done before..i actually have found my expierience and qualifications can work against me in that they would rather pay a trainee basic wage than me (im a chef, done,ar, waitressing etc and just need a part time job while studying from home..

I suppose if you are overqualified, they might be afraid you'd leave as soon as you found something better?

 

[Diamondback]

Which is why God gave us the art of "obfuscation"... rather than say "Senior VP of XYZ", just say "was responsible for setting major corporate policy". Little things like that, although it might be considered "lying by omission" in some circles.

Also, if an organization values its employees enough there are ways to inoculate against the "headhunter" threat...

 

[get_atomized]

It seems that the best way to live an uncomplicated life is to enjoy all things in moderation , to trust your own instincts and to look after your own finances . lets face it we work to hard to give money away to those who already have more than they need. (sorry for the ranting).

Can I get this political in order to respond?

 

[Lady Day]

It seems that the best way to live an uncomplicated life is to enjoy all things in moderation , to trust your own instincts and to look after your own finances.

*using what you are eluding to as a catalyst*
I take issue with people who seem to say "Im doing fine, I live in my means. This wouldnt have happened to you if you lived in your means."

If I 'lived in my means' Id be living in poverty, would have never gone to college, and would still be at home in Kentucky. Wanting to advance your life means going outside your means. But Im sure that family who had 2 jobs, 2 cars and a modest home was 'living in their means' until one lost a job, then the other did, then they went through their savings, then couldnt make their mortgage.

'Living modesty' or within ones means means living within the income you are making. If that drastically changes after a consistent routine, its not as easy as people think to recover. I know so many friends and family who make up that scenario. They werent buying new cars or vacation homes. They were not maxing out credit cards or buying a new flat screen TV, they were living within a 2 income home that was snatched away in less than 3 months when both people lost their jobs.

Thats the crunch that I assume this thread is about. The lifestyle that you worked for gone along with a lot of the opportunities at trying to earn that lifestyle.

LD