how is the economy affecting you?

Replies:

• 
• by
  • praisinghim2day
  on Jul. 3, 2009 at 11:35 AM

• It hasn't affected us too badly.  I'm a hairstylist in a busy salon... our prices are great!  We've noticed people are waiting a little longer in between visits, and the tips aren't as good as they were... but we have also noticed more women coming in.  It almost averages out. 

  As far as how it's directly affected my family.... Overtime hours have been significantly cut.  They're not gone all together, but the company isn't as willing to allow them as they used to be.

  I typically use my tip money to do the grocery shopping.  (with the exception of the one dollar bills and the change... I'll get to that in a minute).  I put my tip money back for groceries, and go shopping once a week. I am now purchasing WAY more generic items than I used to.  (With the exception of a few things that I just CAN'T bring myself to  go generic with.  ie: Velveta, Kraft cheese slices, Folgers coffee)

  Family vacations aren't as easy now.  Instead of just packing up and going the past 2 years, now we really save and put back for them.  After I "cash in" my tips after work (say I have $37 in tips, I'll cash in the ones for a $20, $10 and a $5) the ones and change go into the family vacation savings jug (a large folgers coffee tub) and the larger bills go back for groceries.  After that jug is rather full... it goes to the bank for a special savings account.  You'd be surprised at how quickly it adds up!  I NEVER spend ANY ones or change.... it ALL goes into the jug for my family vacations : )

  

• 
• by
  • gordonfannn
  on Jul. 3, 2009 at 11:36 AM

• My husband started a new job in November and was laid off from it in December due to the economy.  It was a plant that made body panels for automobile manufacturers...and since the auto man cut their production the company cut their employees.  It was supposed to be temporary...for a month....turned into 3 1/2 months.  Then he went back mid March and the 3rd week of May was told that he was being laid off for 4 weeks....well, the week before he was supposed to return he got a call from his supervisor advising him that they were going to cut out all contract work and that due to all the layoffs, had to post the job within the company before my husband could even apply for HIS job.  Uggghhhhh...makes me sick!!!  So, due to the economy he has been laid off 5 of the last 8 months!  I am worried sick!!!  And the bad thing is...when he interviewed for this job, it was a direct hire, then it ended up being contract.  Then...they kept saying they were working on bringing him on permanently, then when he went back in March it was contract again!  Then...that 2 months he was working, the same thing...working on permanant position....then laid off again and have to post the job within the company.  I don't even want him to go back if they call!!!  He needs to find another job, but hasn't even had an interview over the past month.  I am so scared that I don't know what to do.  We are working on the last of our savings now to pay house payment, ect.  I work a full time job also, in IT support and make decent money, but it's just not enough to pay all our bills.  I don't want to lose my house!  All this is really taking a toll on our marriage also...it sucks!

• 
• by
  • Elyce225
  on Jul. 3, 2009 at 12:34 PM

• My husband works for the White house so it really hasn't affected us financially. We bought our home (a condo) in 2005 for close to 500,000. It was a new development in progress, now the same exact models in our neighborhood are selling for 170,000. Our mortgage is around 4,500 a month where our next door neighbors is 950.00. We're short selling our house (it's in progress) for a 350,000 loss. But once we buy our new house we're going to be saving about oh 3,500 a month so it works out well. The only thing that really hurt us is the short sale dropped my husband's credit by 75 points (it's not that big of a deal because his credit is still impressive).

• 
• by
  • vlester
  on Jul. 3, 2009 at 4:03 PM

• no job, been laid off for a year with a new house and a car, you can only imagine my stress
  

• 
• by
  • Armywife6
  on Jul. 3, 2009 at 4:20 PM

• It's not really affecting us to much. We are trying to save a little more $$ than before partially because we are going to be traveling across country at Thanksgiving but mostly because we don't want to need it & not have it. The only other way it's affecting us is that my DH has to make sure he maintance a good weight so he doesn't get chaptered out of the Army. That's it though.
  

• 
• by
  • TAG2.0
  on Jul. 3, 2009 at 4:22 PM

• My dd's father lost his job months back and still has not found a new one. I work 3 jobs and am currently on food stamps. Do I hate my life? You bet your ass I do. Hopefully I will able to enlist in the airforce this year, just waiting for my recruiter to do his damn job.

• 
• by
  • atlmom2
  on Jul. 3, 2009 at 5:24 PM

• Its not right now but dh said there is big talk at work to really cut medical benefits and he works for one of the worlds largest companies.  Dh said get everything and then some done before Dec. 31 this year. 

• 
• by
  • YourMyTrouble
  on Jul. 3, 2009 at 8:10 PM

• Just lost my job this week. I am also 5 months pregnant. So it has effected me and I have no idea what I am going to be doing...
  

• 
• by
  • SharoninKy
  on Jul. 3, 2009 at 9:05 PM

• I started a new childcare center and with the umemployment being what it is, I lost everything!  I lost all my savings,investments, and my home.  We now live in the home that I had turned into a daycare.  Very stressful times.

• 
• by
  • jacobnatesmom
  on Jul. 3, 2009 at 9:34 PM

•  well my dh just got laid off on Thursday... so it's really starting to affect us...

Only group members can reply to this post.

Join Group