I was forced into a position of having to declare personal bankruptcy about 19 months ago while I was on disability.
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How has this bad economy effected you?
- Thread starter kittylover4ever
- Start Date
I've been pretty fortunate. My job is working as a graduate assistant at a big national lab. Students are insanely cheap compared to actual lab employees, so there's almost no incentive to eliminate student positions. I think the powers that be also realize the average employee age is somewhere around 50, so it behooves them to keep younger people around. The pay isn't great, but my tuition is covered and it's enough to get by on without having to tighten my belt too much. Actually, I think I may spend a little more now that we're in a bad economy. I know that charities, and companies that make or sell non-essential items (pet supplies, for example) are getting hammered, so I try to do my part to help support them and hopefully help them weather the storm.
We've had to make a lot of cuts. We haven't cut the cable though-- we are home a lot & have our internet that way. The cats are less spoiled, and eating what lots of other cats are probably eating in this economy. I don't feel too bad about the toys-- we still have oodles of them, I try to rotate them now instead of buying new.
Nabu is in poor health, racking up the vet bills. I was able to find a summer job which will help us cover his bills. I am lucky I was able to find something. My DH hasn't had any wage freezes or cuts (yet) but where he works isn't hiring either.
Nabu is in poor health, racking up the vet bills. I was able to find a summer job which will help us cover his bills. I am lucky I was able to find something. My DH hasn't had any wage freezes or cuts (yet) but where he works isn't hiring either.
I'm fortunate that it hasn't affected me. Financially i can manage, and i work part time now really just to keep my brain ticking over.
I hope things pick up soon for people though
I hope things pick up soon for people though
We are doing ok right now but I am trying to pay our debt down asap just in case. I did lose 10k in my 401k from my previous employer. They were bought out and it seems this newer bank is doing worst. ugh
DH has a stable job for a non-profit company which is connected to the city. He is the only one who can do what he does and without him their system wouldn't function.
Mom works for a dentist. He hasn't been giving raises b/c of the economy but thankfully they all have a job.
I have been clipping coupons like crazy and searching all the local ads for sales to help with the grocery bill.
We do order out once a week but we don't eat out.
DH has a stable job for a non-profit company which is connected to the city. He is the only one who can do what he does and without him their system wouldn't function.
Mom works for a dentist. He hasn't been giving raises b/c of the economy but thankfully they all have a job.
I have been clipping coupons like crazy and searching all the local ads for sales to help with the grocery bill.
We do order out once a week but we don't eat out.
The economy really hasn't had to much of an effect on me mainly because I had been planning on semi-retiring last October for a couple of years. Part of those plans included down-sizing to a smaller apartment, paying off all my out-standing debt and basically cutting back on a lot of the non-essentials.
I did take several months off completely which I used my savings during however now I am back to work part-time things are going good. I watch my budget carefully and try to stay within it. Luckily once my basics are paid, rent, utilities, cable, phone and food for the kitties and I I have enough money left over for a few treats for the kitties and even a couple for me.
I have a little extra stashed away in case of emergencies but all in all I have to say I am pretty lucky that I decided to do things the way I did.
I did take several months off completely which I used my savings during however now I am back to work part-time things are going good. I watch my budget carefully and try to stay within it. Luckily once my basics are paid, rent, utilities, cable, phone and food for the kitties and I I have enough money left over for a few treats for the kitties and even a couple for me.
I have a little extra stashed away in case of emergencies but all in all I have to say I am pretty lucky that I decided to do things the way I did.
It hasn't, actually.
Rob and I closed on a house in February. Bought a truck two weeks ago. Go where we want and do what we want. Still buy whatever food we want, go to dinner every Saturday. The only debt we have is the mortgage, which gets paid early every month with $200 added onto it to get rid of it sooner!
We're lucky. I have my job, with unlimited overtime available to me. Rob has his job, plus doing his own thing on the side making extra money, which he's been doing anyway since before the economy got as bad as it is.
I actually dont really notice how bad it is, since we haven't changed much in our lives. I know quite a few people who got laid off though. I helped one of my friends get a job with me (he had warning of when he'd be laid off from his other job), and am trying to get another person a job here.
The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act dumped billions of dollars into environmental cleanup, and I work in the field of testing these environmental samples so we're hiring like crazy and working our butts off. The company I work for laid people off last November or so, one girl in my lab was let go. Two months later they began hiring again. I worried for my job over night when they started the week long layoff process, but positively thought about how I am the only person at the company that does my job (others know HOW to do it, but all have their own positions now too).
Rob and I closed on a house in February. Bought a truck two weeks ago. Go where we want and do what we want. Still buy whatever food we want, go to dinner every Saturday. The only debt we have is the mortgage, which gets paid early every month with $200 added onto it to get rid of it sooner!
We're lucky. I have my job, with unlimited overtime available to me. Rob has his job, plus doing his own thing on the side making extra money, which he's been doing anyway since before the economy got as bad as it is.
I actually dont really notice how bad it is, since we haven't changed much in our lives. I know quite a few people who got laid off though. I helped one of my friends get a job with me (he had warning of when he'd be laid off from his other job), and am trying to get another person a job here.
The American Reinvestment and Recovery Act dumped billions of dollars into environmental cleanup, and I work in the field of testing these environmental samples so we're hiring like crazy and working our butts off. The company I work for laid people off last November or so, one girl in my lab was let go. Two months later they began hiring again. I worried for my job over night when they started the week long layoff process, but positively thought about how I am the only person at the company that does my job (others know HOW to do it, but all have their own positions now too).
Same here. We have not been affected. My company did some cutbacks, but my department was not affected. We don't have a mortgage..and our credit line interest is lower then ever, so it actually is better for that portion.
Nat does it not cost more to rent?.
No because we are in the middle of the lease now...maybe when we move though in September the prices will be higher.
Oh right. It might be an idea to look into a mortgage when you move because then you have something that will be your own eventually?
Yeah we would, but Josh is a student for one more year so we can't afford it on only my salary..but in two years we will be able to afford a house!
