How is the recession affecting you? (Discussion Topic)

[A10CalGal]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lambert13 I am really sick and tired of gas prices, food prices and everything else prices going through the roof. I was pumping my $3.50/gal gas the other day remembering how just a few years ago it was around $1.50/gal. Nobody's salary is increasing at that kind of pace. As prices go up our salaries are not catching up. We are effectively losing money because of rampant inflation right now.

AMEN! That is what worries me most these days too.

The gas thing is really hard to take. My little Mustang used to fill up for $25 max. Today if I fill er up all the way, it's $60. I don't even want to talk about my husband's Expedition...

[LCBride2007]

Quote:

Originally Posted by lambert13 Honestly, if nobody told me we were in a recession, I would never know it. I work for a civil engineering company and for whatever reason we are still as busy as ever with new construction projects. I have as much overtime available as I want and my pay level is pretty good. The housing market scares me a little seeing that Karen and I want to buy a home at some point. Hopefully we can do it when things are a little better. I am really sick and tired of gas prices, food prices and everything else prices going through the roof. I was pumping my $3.50/gal gas the other day remembering how just a few years ago it was around $1.50/gal. Nobody's salary is increasing at that kind of pace. As prices go up our salaries are not catching up. We are effectively losing money because of rampant inflation right now. I can't complain though. We are still on the 'at least two vacations a year' plan and life is good.

Now is the time to buy ... that's how I look at it! I'd hate to have to deal with selling right now, but I'd totally be in the market to buy if we hadn't just bought in April.

And didn't they point out recently that if you look at the cost of gas now vs. 10-20 years ago (or something) that it acually hadn't gone up as fast as the cost of living. Meaning, it's right in line or cheaper than what we were paying years ago if you take inflation into account - it's just that it went up so fast that it's a shock to everyone. I could be wrong on that, but I recall reading something like that a while ago.

[Nrvsbride]

A lot of law offices are laying off people. Two people got fired from my firm and now only myself and another lawyer remain. The bad part is that we are doing the work of four people and our raises haven't gone up.

 

I can't complain too much b/c James and I still have our jobs and we are able to afford what we need, but the cost of gas and food is absurd. I think someone paid $3 for a slice of pizza the other day, that is just insane!

 

So many of my friends have lost their job to the big JP Morgan/Bear Stearn merger. NYC thrives on wall street, so when they are doing bad, the entire whole feels it.

[Chiquita]

So far, the prices of gas is what is effecting me the most. It's retarded!

[Martha]

I am a teacher so my income has not been affected. Jay works for a seismic company where they test the land for natural resources....he hasn't been affected either.

 

But, he is quitting this job in July right before the wedding, so who knows if he will be able to find a job.

 

The only thing affecting us is gas.....it's nuts!

[*JillD*]

God I hate this damn recession!!

 

Lets see:

 

I work part time as a realtor and the market sucks!

 

I bought a house 3 years ago at the high point of the market, DH and I want to sell it and theres no way we can sell it for what we would need to.

 

Gas prices, ugh! We have two gas hog SUV's, that pretty much says it all.

 

Oil for heating, another crazy expense! over $3/gallon, c'mon!!

 

We have no extra money left over after paying bills and spending an arm and a leg for food.

 

This whole situation sucks!

[angitalia23]

Im in Michigan, so it's very hard. To give you an example, im at an under paid teaching job due to the fact there are no public school positions, I was told for every one teacher position their are 1200-1500 applicants.

 

Additionally, FI purchased our house 3 years ago for $200,000(which was a steal, they were asking 240)...we didnt have to do much but we did do painting, new windows, landscaping. Regardless, we just had our house appraised and were told it can sell for 170,00 because thats just how bad it is.

[Hartyt509]

I work in law and business is really slow, petrol prices have gone right up and gas and electricity has rocketed. My bills have gone up easily £150 per quarter in the last 2 years, which my flaming wages had!

[ACDCDCAC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Christa It's just a bit scary seeing the cost of daily expenses like gas and food going thru the roof. I am consciously limiting my non-work driving and making different decisions about entertainment and food expenses.

so true. scary

[starchild]

I'm kind of with Jason, we don't really feel it in our lives like people in some areas - so far. DH and I work for companies that have progressively been doing better than ever financially over the past few years so we are lucky when there are so many industries going down. We live really simply and have no major expenses (no kids, no mortgages, no car payments, etc.) so perhaps that's why we aren't feeling so crunched right now. (and like Jason we are still able to travel and that's what we care about).

 

As for gas, this may sound silly, but I really don't look at the prices because I need gas whether I like the price or not and if I'm paying $5 more to fill up tomorrow so be it. I can't pump my own crude out of my backyard so what am I gonna do? LOL

 

I feel really bad for people in places like Michigan, Ohio, etc. where they are being hit extra hard. I have friends from there whose families are having one hell of a tough time these days.