How has the economy affected you?

[Deeko]

Has not affected me negatively.

 

[Modelworks]

Grocery prices have increased for me. Spending much more than normal to eat the same way.
I cut out extras like tv programming, slower internet , cut off home phone using just cell.

 

[Wudemaya]

I purchased a condo ($450K) and now dropped ($300K). I'm taking the train into work since it saves me gas and mileage on my car. Moved back to my parents place momentary to pay off CC debt. Working 2 jobs to pay for bills and put money back in the bank. I'm single 31yrs and I feel like a loser .

 

[mb]

Not too much really. Work went from a steady stream of work to a mix of incredibly slow days and incredibly busy days.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: BassBomb
repost

:laugh:


as for me, my GF still can't get a job. She's in the dreaded over-qualified category in a notoriously dry area for available jobs. The only thing available is plumber, electrician, etc. Not an option.

 

[chin311]

actually hasn't much at all, if any.

 

[dguy6789]

Been looking for a job for quite a while now.

 

[Dear Summer]

I am forced to be stuck at my current job that I hate

 

[crownjules]

Got laid off from my well paying job. Was unemployed for 4 months. Found a new job doing the same as the old job but with expanded responsibilities and more work expected (more hours of work) for 20% less pay.

Ate lots of mac n'cheese, soup, and cereal to conserve money while unemployed.

 

[MechJinx]

No pay raises this year and tuition reimbursement stopped for now. But, still employed and relatively happy.

 

[yllus]

Pay only went up by the annual amount of inflation. And my backup credit card that I never use lowered my limit to $1000 out of the blue. I retaliated to that slight by canceling completely.

 

[clamum]

I don't think it has really affected me much.

 

[yoda291]

I have gotten a bump in contract work as full time staff get laid off but projects still need doing.
referring out a lot of work to peers and colleagues who are losing employment.

making some decent $$ moving people into and consequently out of the cloud as clueless suits desperately flail for ways of cutting costs.

So...economic collapse ftw in my case.

 

[Kadarin]

It really hasn't affected me that much. I have several friends who were laid off and are struggling, though.

 

[L1FE]

For those of you who have replied, where do you live? I'm just curious to see how different areas of the US have been affected. In the DC/NOVA area, we've been pretty lucky. None of my friends in the area have been laid off, although some have been set back in terms of bonuses/raises/promotions. My girlfriend works in retail and saw her position eliminated. Her store manager loves her and found her new positions pretty quickly.

Housing prices, while lower, are still pretty high. I was house hunting for 6+ months and inventory has been pretty limited in at least the Tyson's Corner area. I'm closing on a townhouse next Friday, though, so I'm happy the tanking economy opened up some opportunities.

That being said, my first contract was for a short sale and I feel really bad for that family. They listed a house for 530k, ratified a contract with me for 515k, and the bank came back with a 550k counter offer 3 months later. It's still on the market for 545k and I'm sure the owners are hurting worse now than ever. Oh, and their listing agents/banks are pricks, not even telling me that the contract fell through and they were re-listing.

Otherwise the job market is picking up quite a bit in the area with a lot of the consulting firms being very active on the recruitment front. Watch out, though, since they're really aggressive at the moment and are low-balling like crazy. Had to tell a recruiter who was being too aggressive that I wasn't the one who contacted them, needed a new job, etc so they shouldn't be pressure selling me to accept their offer. If anyone is looking for jobs in the area, I know a couple companies/recruiters that are aggressively searching for candidates...(subject to review of your resume, of course).

 

[Sumguy]

The scholarship that used to pay 100% of my tuition now just covers a certain amount per hour, and if a class is dropped you have to pay them back for that class (adds that extra bit of sting if you end up having to drop). Another scholarship is supposedly going to be canceled next year. Not sure if tuition went up, but I know they had to accept less students this year, despite the massive influx of applicants due to attention garnered from our football team.

Price for housing on campus increased, I'm pretty much paying more to live on campus now than off (which just makes me want to cancel the contract for $100 next semester...).

 

[radioouman]

10% pay cut, I am paying more benefits now instead of my employer, retirement match cut.
I cut cable TV, eating out a lot less, saving up a lot more money. Took advantage of people looking for used stuff and sold lots of things at a nice price or a profit. Also found people who were losing their homes and bought some nice furniture from them on Craigslist.

 

[Leros]

I'm a student so not much at all. The university has taken some cutbacks however. Labs are no longer open late, our printing quotas were reduced, etc.

 

[rudder]

I have been lucky as well. Once the economy tanked I actually had a ton more spending money because my wife starting a job as a teacher. This after supporting 5 people on one salary for many many years.

I feel fortunate to be able to take advantage of all these specials these resturants are running. I can take my family out for a steak dinner for a little more than it cost for me to take them to go to McDonalds.

 

[Kaido]

Nothing. When you're at the bottom of the totem pole working hourly, there's always a niche for you!

Poor college student ftw

Edit: Not to say I don't feel lucky, fortunate, or appreciative

 

[IGBT]

making a ton of money off all the eco-KOOKS buying solar panels.

 

[coloumb]

Until the company returns back to showing a profit:

-No Profit Sharing [use to get about 10% every 3 months]
-No bonuses or raises [typically about 4% on average each year]
-Employee stock purchase plan reduced from 15% discount to 5% discount - look back amount reduced from 2 years to 6 months [ie: take the lowest price in the last 2 years and discounted it by 15% - awesome when the price is low and the value of the stock is high].
-7 days forced time off per quarter - luckily I've been with the company for a long time - I have a TON of vacation days saved up.
-Stock Options became worthless [nothing like seeing 950 shares being devalued to zero]
-No 401k matching

Due to the above + economy taking a nosedive:

-Credit Card companies raised interest rates even though my payment history has been on time and stellar - this forced me to borrow from my 401k so I can pay off the debt at a lower interest rate [5.25% vs 16% - and yes, my credit score is stellar].
- Food / Travel cut back - generic foods, coupons, etc.

So far, I've managed to avoid the dreaded "reduction in force" that the company uses whenever we have a downturn...

 

[jonks]

aside from living in a state of perpetual fear, not much.

 

[BlahBlahYouToo]

Originally posted by: OILFIELDTRASH
OP is a douche.

i rather like the OP.
:thumbsup:

you sir, are a douche.
:thumbsdown:

 

[rh71]

Less wanting to sell the house since we know it's a huge buyer's market, so to speak. Even if we get traffic in here against everyone else, the chances of them following all the way through with a successful loan is near nil. Will be tons of wasted time and effort (cleaning up, sending the kids out for every showing) and we can't even look at houses to buy because of it. Either of our jobs are at risk at any time too, so even if that won't stop us... just not a good time.