Icu4dzs
Super Self-Sufficient
- Joined
- May 7, 2010
- Messages
- 1,388
- Reaction score
- 59
- Points
- 208
I believe that if you take the approach of sending each and every creditor ONE dollar each month, they can NEVER say that you do not recognize your obligation. We all know that the country and the economy is about broke, both literally and figuratively. However, as I said, even the creditors will put more energy into hounding the folks who will do NOTHING rather than someone who shows honesty and good faith in living up to honoring their obligations. I would recommend a book to explain this philosophy called "The Richest Man in Babylon". The father of one of my friends taught me about this book when I was much younger and it changed my life. I believe it will help you, too. It is very short and easy to read.
As for all the other advice, there are some really good suggestions but one that I didn't see is getting back to family...either parents or siblings; maybe even aunts/uncles/cousins. They know it is tough but there are a lot of ways to work together and as it says "Blood is thicker than wine". Lots of us forget that our families are the most important people in the world to us. Start with telling them that is what you believe (assuming it is true) and see what happens.
Being willing to go where jobs are is another great suggestion. I know for a fact that in Williston, North Dakota they are hiring at McDonalds for $17/hr because of the oil work going on there. Yes, it is cold and the problem right now is that they don't have housing for all the people they need to do the work, but they have jobs.
Vegetable farms have work. Many AMericans won't do that kind of work. THat is why there are many migrant workers from Mexico and all over the world, working in this country. The issue is what are you willing/capable/trained to do? Child care will consume whatever you make so you are still behind no matter what. If those folks will do those jobs, why shouldn't American citizens get those jobs? I know it is really hard work, but it is honest work for a paycheck. In the town where I live there are jobs and no one to fill them. We are not completely devoid of work in this country.
We have a national mindset that keeps us from doing work that has to be done but think we are "too good" to do that kind of work because we have too much education or other issues relating to ego. There is work there. Talk to the folks who raise tomatoes. They can't get anyone to pick them and so they are planting less. What's up with that? I am aware that the government does interfere with employment practices in many ways but we are seeing our countrymen go hungry.
Another issue in this country is that we are no longer able (in many cases) to distinguish NECESSITY MONEY from DISCRETIONARY money. Is a cell phone necessity or discretionary considering you have 3 children to feed? Bills are bills. They mount up no matter what you do. It costs money to live. If you are unemployed, the government does have "programs" which will allow you to feed you and your children. WIC/Food Stamps, and they have MEDICAID so that you and your children can have medical care WHEN THEY NEED IT. Too many folks abuse that privilege and it costs all of us way too much but the fact of the matter is that it is there! If your health is so compromised that you are physically unable to do any work, there is SSI. It really isn't as bleak as folks seem to think and while I do appreciate your willingness to work I know you can get some help, too! It isn't wrong to ask for some help. It is wrong to abuse it. There is a difference. If you get help, be sure to do things for others that will help them. The old "Pay it forward" idea is a good one.
Most people who get a job don't realize that for each dollar they are paid by the employer, the employer has to pay another dollar to the government for the privilege of employing people. So if you make $10/hr, the employer pays $20/hr to have you work for them. Is this making sense to anyone? Not me. Why do you think all those factory's moved to CHina? Labor laws are different than they are here. We have very high standards and very high expectations. We also have way too much litigation and that only makes the lawyers rich not the people who are in some way "wronged"!
While I know it is difficult to look at all this and make some sense of it, the bottom line is that you have to be open to making a change in order to make a living. It isn't going to get better for the foreseeable future although we all wish it would. AND we can't blame our government. They offer lots of jobs and many of the folks who do government jobs might not be as qualified as you. Take the civil service test and any of the variety of qualification tests you need to take so you can at least put in an application in the government. What can that hurt?. Go to the library and get the books that tell you about those tests and what they entail. Then if you have to, study the material that the tests evaluated and you'll do a lot better. You could even go back to school if you had to to get an advanced degree or a different school like a trade school. Learn to weld, be a machinist, etc. These things are still viable.
Electricians have TOO much work to do and can't get it done. Same with plumbers. All that stuff can be learned from books in the library as well as trade schools and you can study the building codes and take those exams. You went to college. You know how to learn and study. I don't know what your major was but it obviously is NOT getting you in the door of a job designed for it so you may want to change your approach. The housing market is NOT dead. Finish carpenters make good salary. A lot of these things take patience and practice but what do you have to lose? There never seem to be enough nurses. That takes some training, too, but there are lots of programs to help pay for that training and payback work programs to get the debts expunged by working in places that need nurses. A nurse can go anywhere and work.
Of course, you could join the military service but there are issues with that as well. Not sure how old you are and am NOT being nosy, but they have age limits and do require some education...HS Grad is the minimum I think.
Since you are here on SS-F are you willing to do farm work or "domestic" work (house keeper/cook/etc) for a family with the need and the resources? We in this country are disdainful of that type of work but it is honest, honorable work and may have some very good benefits in terms of where you might get to live.
The ultimate point I am trying to make is that, given the current economic condition of the country and the world for that matter, it is going to take "THINKING OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT BOX" to get out of this problem.
I hope this helps you.
Trim Sends
//BT//
As for all the other advice, there are some really good suggestions but one that I didn't see is getting back to family...either parents or siblings; maybe even aunts/uncles/cousins. They know it is tough but there are a lot of ways to work together and as it says "Blood is thicker than wine". Lots of us forget that our families are the most important people in the world to us. Start with telling them that is what you believe (assuming it is true) and see what happens.
Being willing to go where jobs are is another great suggestion. I know for a fact that in Williston, North Dakota they are hiring at McDonalds for $17/hr because of the oil work going on there. Yes, it is cold and the problem right now is that they don't have housing for all the people they need to do the work, but they have jobs.
Vegetable farms have work. Many AMericans won't do that kind of work. THat is why there are many migrant workers from Mexico and all over the world, working in this country. The issue is what are you willing/capable/trained to do? Child care will consume whatever you make so you are still behind no matter what. If those folks will do those jobs, why shouldn't American citizens get those jobs? I know it is really hard work, but it is honest work for a paycheck. In the town where I live there are jobs and no one to fill them. We are not completely devoid of work in this country.
We have a national mindset that keeps us from doing work that has to be done but think we are "too good" to do that kind of work because we have too much education or other issues relating to ego. There is work there. Talk to the folks who raise tomatoes. They can't get anyone to pick them and so they are planting less. What's up with that? I am aware that the government does interfere with employment practices in many ways but we are seeing our countrymen go hungry.
Another issue in this country is that we are no longer able (in many cases) to distinguish NECESSITY MONEY from DISCRETIONARY money. Is a cell phone necessity or discretionary considering you have 3 children to feed? Bills are bills. They mount up no matter what you do. It costs money to live. If you are unemployed, the government does have "programs" which will allow you to feed you and your children. WIC/Food Stamps, and they have MEDICAID so that you and your children can have medical care WHEN THEY NEED IT. Too many folks abuse that privilege and it costs all of us way too much but the fact of the matter is that it is there! If your health is so compromised that you are physically unable to do any work, there is SSI. It really isn't as bleak as folks seem to think and while I do appreciate your willingness to work I know you can get some help, too! It isn't wrong to ask for some help. It is wrong to abuse it. There is a difference. If you get help, be sure to do things for others that will help them. The old "Pay it forward" idea is a good one.
Most people who get a job don't realize that for each dollar they are paid by the employer, the employer has to pay another dollar to the government for the privilege of employing people. So if you make $10/hr, the employer pays $20/hr to have you work for them. Is this making sense to anyone? Not me. Why do you think all those factory's moved to CHina? Labor laws are different than they are here. We have very high standards and very high expectations. We also have way too much litigation and that only makes the lawyers rich not the people who are in some way "wronged"!
While I know it is difficult to look at all this and make some sense of it, the bottom line is that you have to be open to making a change in order to make a living. It isn't going to get better for the foreseeable future although we all wish it would. AND we can't blame our government. They offer lots of jobs and many of the folks who do government jobs might not be as qualified as you. Take the civil service test and any of the variety of qualification tests you need to take so you can at least put in an application in the government. What can that hurt?. Go to the library and get the books that tell you about those tests and what they entail. Then if you have to, study the material that the tests evaluated and you'll do a lot better. You could even go back to school if you had to to get an advanced degree or a different school like a trade school. Learn to weld, be a machinist, etc. These things are still viable.
Electricians have TOO much work to do and can't get it done. Same with plumbers. All that stuff can be learned from books in the library as well as trade schools and you can study the building codes and take those exams. You went to college. You know how to learn and study. I don't know what your major was but it obviously is NOT getting you in the door of a job designed for it so you may want to change your approach. The housing market is NOT dead. Finish carpenters make good salary. A lot of these things take patience and practice but what do you have to lose? There never seem to be enough nurses. That takes some training, too, but there are lots of programs to help pay for that training and payback work programs to get the debts expunged by working in places that need nurses. A nurse can go anywhere and work.
Of course, you could join the military service but there are issues with that as well. Not sure how old you are and am NOT being nosy, but they have age limits and do require some education...HS Grad is the minimum I think.
Since you are here on SS-F are you willing to do farm work or "domestic" work (house keeper/cook/etc) for a family with the need and the resources? We in this country are disdainful of that type of work but it is honest, honorable work and may have some very good benefits in terms of where you might get to live.
The ultimate point I am trying to make is that, given the current economic condition of the country and the world for that matter, it is going to take "THINKING OUTSIDE YOUR COMFORT BOX" to get out of this problem.
I hope this helps you.
Trim Sends
//BT//
Good post, Trim.
