Casualities of the economy

[roosmom]

My son in law took my daughter away so he could do this .
When I called her back the other day and told her she didnt call me she said "MOM, didnt you raise me to not have to depend on you?". Yes I guess I did.
Anyway, he makes good money. Gets insurance and retirement. They are on the second jobsite in Iowa. I sometimes wish we could do that.
But I have to stay here. Need the insurance and retirement you know. I do not think hubby will leave me, we have talked about it.

That is a good idea tho, thankyou for putting it out there.

 

[Their Other Mother]

My Uncles owned a buisness in Princeton, N.J. They closed the buisness to avoid the tax rate increase proposed by the incumbant. There was a huge housing development going in our area, they started to install all the roads but have abandonded the project.. all the big machines are just sitting on the side of the torn up roads now. Lot of people out of work because of this.

 

[Homesteadmom]

Can you imagine standing in one spot for 12 hours (with breaks, of course) and not being able to read or anything because you have to actually be looking for fires. My aunt has done fire watching and talked about how boring it is. One of my cousins was doing it and got suspended for sleeping! I commented one time that the only time it was interesting was if something bad happened (like a fire!)

Anyway, just trying to help.

Cassandra

We kind of do this for a seasonal job thru the holidays at a local cotton gin. But we are allowed to read & watch tv while we are there. It is very boring once the sun goes down. I pulled a 11pm-3am once & that was very boring & hard. I was working at the preschool then & took some of my things i needed to get ready for activities that week to work on & it helped pass the time. But sitting in your vehicle all that time gets old real fast. Last yr I took the kids & ds took his bike. This yr I will be pulling more hrs there as ds#1 is working fulltime at his job now & the kids will have to go with again. So schoolwork will go with us along with movies & both bikes as long as the weather is conducive. I already told my dad he will be getting the evening shifts & I will take the days. then dh will take the graveyard shifts. We normally start at Thanksgiving & do Christmas & New Yrs also. If we get an enormous amount of rain or they have a break down & have to wait for parts they call us in too. And a few times there have been banner crops of cotton & they gin a long time so they call us for a weekend off in Feb or March. Ocassionally they will call for an extra weekend off in Dec too.
Even though it is boring the money is great & not taxed either!! We pay others $1 less than we get per hr for billing(I deserve something for working on the schedule & billing). Although this yr we will hire someone to help out on Thanksgiving & Christmas Eve & they will get $2/hr less(newbie rate). So yes I can imagine it.

 

[DrakeMaiden]

I'm sorry to hear about all of you who are currently struggling with employment issues. This is bad and by no means over. :/ Stay positive and keep open minds.

I hear that unemployment may actually be as high as 11%. I think it will continue. I know that I may need to find new employment by spring . . . if there is any. Not sure if my husband's job will persist much longer past spring.

I know that a large engineering firm has recently disbanded and only kept some employees -- these newly unemployed are highly educated and well-paid engineers. The firm's only work right now is from the DOD, all commercial work has come to a halt.

When I hear people say that we need more educated workers and scientists, I can't help but scoff. When I was in college I knew of plenty of over-educated scientists that couldn't find employment in their fields. I imagine things are worse now.

 

[Cassandra]

When I hear people say that we need more educated workers and scientists, I can't help but scoff. When I was in college I knew of plenty of over-educated scientists that couldn't find employment in their fields. I imagine things are worse now.

I have noticed the same thing. It is tradespeople who are working now. Plus the educated people I know are doing jobs not in their field because they have no choice.

When teachers and nurses can't find jobs, you know things are getting bad.

Cassandra

 

[DrakeMaiden]

Yes, Cassandra. From what I have heard there are even cutbacks in medical-related fields and that is somewhat astonishing to me. I think there has been an attitude that medical work will always be constant, if not increase with baby boomers growing older. :/

 

[Wildsky]

My company has made a few lay-off's and there are those nasty rumors there will be more.

Needless to say I'm nervous.

 

[poppycat]

My husband was in a construction related business that went under last December. He has done some temporary work since, but we have been without steady income for a while now. It's been tough, I've gone back to work and my older kids are watching their younger brother some.

But the sun rises and sets everyday no matter how much (or little) money I have. All in all I feel very lucky that I have a great family, good friends and a roof over my head. We will be ok

 

[FarmerChick]

But the sun rises and sets everyday no matter how much (or little) money I have. All in all I feel very lucky that I have a great family, good friends and a roof over my head. We will be ok

****that is key Poppycat
good attitude and know what the basics must be! Everything else can go, cable, tvs, cut power dramatically, etc. etc. but what you need is a home and people inside with big smiles!

 

[Woodland Woman]

We have traveled for work many times. My husband is an electrician. We have a travel trailer and I homeschool the kids. My oldest daughter used to stay and take care of things at home but she got married a year ago and it would be difficult for her to come take care of the chickens for an extended period. I have taken the dog and chicks with me in the trailer! My kids are bigger now and the trailer is small and we can't use it in the winter. I have done that so much in the past 6 years I am tired of it. It isn't always cost effective. A couple times we moved the trailer a great distance and the job didn't last as long as they said and we were in the hole. I can't have a garden either. Come spring if we need to we will though.