How do you feel about your personal financial and job situation?

[Jhhnn]

I figure we're in exceptionally good shape, mostly because I've been conservative with money, exceptionally lucky, and that my wife's handling of our finances has been superb. The house (very much in the City), 2 late model low mileage autos and an old beater truck are paid for. Credit cards are paid in full every month, saving/ investing is ongoing. She works for an attorney who'll never retire- he wouldn't know what to do with himself, and I'm the senior guy in a (union) public transportation vehicle maintenance shop with 23 years on the pension plan- yeh, a real pension. Yeh, I'm probably one of the oldest people on this board.

Too bad more people aren't in similar circumstances. I don't envy young people coming up, setting out on their own the way the world has changed over the last 30 years. Not at all.

 

[mxyzptlk]

I work for a software company that serves car dealerships, so I figure a drying up of credit would lead to car dealerships closing down which would erode our customer base which makes our business not.. good (brain fart)

anyway, I saw that coming when the shit first hit the fan and sure enough, a month or so later the first round of layoffs came. Thankfully they skipped over me for whatever reason, and the boss claims that there wont be anymore, but.. what does he know.

Still, I don't stay up at night thinking about it.

 

[BarneyFife]

I'm in a recession proof job.

I got tons of overtime and made it into the elusive 28% bracket.

Expect to make more money next year.

Very fortunate I choose my career field.

God bless the US Department of Transportation.

 

[Lanyap]

25% of my IT operations co-workers were layed off 12/1. That included the two people left doing the physical data center work. So now instead of me doing my computer analyst job at my desk keeping the companies mainframes running, I now get to run the printers, separate prints and package them up. At least I still get the same pay and my finances are ok for now.

 

[Moonbeam]

Originally posted by: Skoorb

Originally posted by: Moonbeam
People don't know what they feel.

What makes you feel that way?

What is true for me is true for others. What you discover when you let go is totally unexpected. I had no idea.

 

[StageLeft]

Too bad more people aren't in similar circumstances. I don't envy young people coming up, setting out on their own the way the world has changed over the last 30 years. Not at all.

Yep, it's definitely a bit strange. The only way to ward it off is to stay ahead of a curve, keep ambitious, put effort in, get credentials/education, follow advice of successful people, etc. because the proles at the bottom will always get hit the hardest.

 

[Svnla]

Well, next year, none of us (from big wigs down to the bottom) will get any raises next year, nada, nothing.

Health insurance will go up.

At least jobs will be stable (government related) **crossing fingers**

 

[DaveJ]

I work in IT in higher ed, and my job is secure through at least June 2010. There's a possibility we might see layoffs at that point but if we do they would be the first in my employer's history (founded in 1873 ) so I'm not too concerned. Our staff is small enough as it is, so layoffs wouldn't be too likely to affect me much.

Financially nothing has changed for me, I'm still aggressively paying down debt (car and student loans) and banking extra cash. My 10 year plan to be 100% debt-free (including paying off the house) is still on track. Only 9 more years to go!

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: dmcowen674

Originally posted by: ProfJohn
With all the bad news I am just wondering how people on here feel personally about the economy and how many of them have been negatively effected by it.

I work in a nearly recession proof industry so the only way I lose my job is via my own inability to do the job or if the economy got MUCH worse.

Also, since I am salaried my economic situation has not changed one bit since the downturn started. In fact I am in better shape today than a year ago due to changing factors in my personal life.

How about the rest of you P&N nut jobs?

Well lucky for you you anti-American elitist. <Where is the finger emoticon ^ >

It's been clear for quite some time that friends, family and fellow ATers have been losing their jobs and no sign of it letting up.

I hope these "nutjobs" rise up against people like you.

Actually, from this poll and other polls/posts in OT, ATers are doing pretty good:

Posted 12/9/08 - YAJT a bit of a job dilemma

Posted 12/9/08 - is there any good way to estimate what my taxes/net income will be

Posted 12/5/08 - what would you do w/ a job counteroffer?

Posted 12/4/08 - Job Advice

Posted 12/1/08 - Just moved to Virginia from Alaska! Tell me about the area (DC Metro)

Posted 12/1/08 - I have an interview on Friday

Posted 11/30/08 - UPDATED - Got a job offer, but not sure if I should wait for a better one

Posted 11/21/08 - Today's my last day at this company

Posted 11/13/08 - New Grad: Should I Take the Job?

 

[necine]

No, I work in IT for a public utility. I'm fine. Although I'm still crawling out of the debt I put myself in.

 

[Fear No Evil]

Whats odd is it seems that exactly 0% of Anandtech's users have experienced such financial hardship that they have had to cancel their internet connections.

 

[nageov3t]

Originally posted by: Fear No Evil
Whats odd is it seems that exactly 0% of Anandtech's users have experienced such financial hardship that they have had to cancel their internet connections.

I think internet's relatively cheap for the amount of entertainment/time wasting you can get out of it... I'd probably cancel cable, stop going out to movies, etc before cutting my net connection.

 

[ProfJohn]

Originally posted by: Fear No Evil
Whats odd is it seems that exactly 0% of Anandtech's users have experienced such financial hardship that they have had to cancel their internet connections.

Where would we get our porn?? :Q

 

[JJChicken]

My future grad job is slightly at risk though, but otherwise this financial crisis has proven to be quite good for me.

 

[StageLeft]

Originally posted by: loki8481

Originally posted by: Fear No Evil
Whats odd is it seems that exactly 0% of Anandtech's users have experienced such financial hardship that they have had to cancel their internet connections.

I think internet's relatively cheap for the amount of entertainment/time wasting you can get out of it... I'd probably cancel cable, stop going out to movies, etc before cutting my net connection.

Also, most of AT consists of either kids at home or college students (generally neither are hard impacted by a recession, although a kid at home's parents could cut the internets I suppose) or people with above average degrees/earning power; AT is not a fair approximation of the population at large.

 

[blackangst1]

Im also in a recession proof industry, in a Fortune 50 company who has had profitable quarters for the last 9 years...so Im not worried personally. Since I decided to pay off all my credit in 2002 and live on a cash basis I have been in a better place financially every year than the year before. I make more this year than any other previous year.

And none of this has anything to do with the government. Its all personal choices.

 

[StageLeft]

Answer differently today; a friend just got booted from his QA position in manufacturing.

 

[CycloWizard]

I have the most secure job in the world - I work for the federal government.

 

[Fern]

Reading though this thread, things don't seem dire for the AT crowd.

I own a small accounting firm, so far this is what I see in my area:

1. Construction companies are getting slammed bad. While our area doesn't seem to be impacted much (real estate in NC in general is in good shape), most new homes came from people moving here. If they can't sell their house in FL (or where ever), they can't buy a new one here.

2. R/E brokers. Basically same as above.

3. Restaurants seem to be down only about 15% or so.

4. Car dealers? IDK, don't have any as clients.

Our area, while it does have significant manufacturing, has a lot of retirees on fixed income. They cut back spending a little when they see their brokerage statements go down, but they still get their pensions & SS. They have money to spend so our local economy is still pretty much normal with the exception of R/E-type businesses.

So, I think my area/county is doing better than the average.

Up until this hit, I felt we were growing too fast anyway. I'm in a mountain resort-type area and was getting tired of seeing all the trees cleared for new homes etc.

I don't expect my business to be affected much. We'll see, I won't know until after New Year.

Fern

 

[russki]

I work in the engineering field. I am 28.

I took a job 4 months ago and tripled my salary.

I have more cash and toys than I've ever had before.

I am a contractor and might lose my job, but I would be well off for at least 6 or more months before I ran out of money.

I would surely find another high paying job in that timeframe.

 

[PricklyPete]

Originally posted by: OrganizedChaos
Not sure how i should feel, my job is dependent on the gambling and airline industries so I'm worried about a layoff, this job is all i have. But on the other hand even with the economy the way it is I'm still ashamed of what I do for a living.

What the hell do you do? Turn tricks on Airplanes and at Casinos?

 

[dmcowen674]

Originally posted by: CycloWizard
I have the most secure job in the world - I work for the federal government.

I am not surprised

 

[Squisher]

I'm retired from a GM supplier and living in SE Michigan.

I imagine my life is going to change quite a bit. I doubt I'll be able to find a job working at a car wash.

 

[PricklyPete]

My company has a larger presence in Europe than in the US. If our clients start thinning in the US, I'd likely be flying a lot more back and forth to Europe. Either way, I should have a pretty good warning that I'm going to lose my job before it actually happens.

Still, I'm trying to be better about our spending habits to have as much liquid padding as possible in the short term to ensure we don't run into a problem. I make a nearly triple what my wife does, so me losing my job would definitely hurt us.

 

[Zebo]

It's good to hear many of you are doing so well. I am surviving but just breaking even paying bills. I have two new houses I can't sell... soon to be three. Basically my construction company is frozen. Will lay off my admin assist this winter, after Christmas, and pay her off something since she has a house and a kid. With no business I have a hard time justifying her role but I still will help her best I can. My life savings annuities are shit. Oil is down cutting my income by 70%. So 'my job' has taken a turn for worse for those who are highly leveraged with little cash flow like me. I still pay off all CC's every month and pay all bills on time but who knows if I can maintain it and for how long. I'm still not at the point I need to go back to work but it's doubtful I could find work in this market certainly not as a engineer, my former vacation before retiring years ago - maybe cleaning toilets. But I'll do it.