When is the stinking economy going to improve already???

Thruxtonian

Thruxtonian

Street Tracker
Another round of layoffs here. Funny thing is I just mentioned a week or so ago that despite all the bad news going around, I was relatively unaffected. I really gotta learn to keep my big mouth shut, huh???

Got the call from the spouse yesterday morning, she got sacked without notice. She's been running the business for the past few months as the owner was battling some type of throat cancer. Now that he's mostly recovered, he decided to come back to work and now no longer feels he needs her services. :finger: How's that for gratitude?

Anyway, she just became a stay-at-home mom since daycare costs are now out of the question. But it looks like if we sell off a few things we don't need and cut back a bit, we'll get thru without any bikes being harmed.

Then I get home and get a call from a mate in Virginia, turns out he's been sacked for the 2nd time this year! Granted, he's got really good severance packages both times, and might be the only person I know who's actually made money being layed off, but still he's unemployed as of Jan 1.

Then to top it off, I hear that real estate values here are supposed to continue to drop another 25%, on top of the 50% they've fallen so far. It's a good thing I like my house, cause it looks like I'll be buried in it!!!:T

Well, at least with the wife unemployed, maybe I can now convince her of the merits of opening that motorcycle resort. Anyway, my point in starting this was not to whine, but to suggest that if all is going well for you, heed the advice to put away 6 month salary in savings. WIsh I had.
 
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sweatmachine

sweatmachine

moped
jeez. I've been laid off 3 times in the last 1.5 years. I got a little (very little) severance money 2 of the 3 times (totalling less than $1500). Getting laid off sucks. I had a total of about 10 months of unemployment, split up 3 times. It's no fun having all the time in the world to think about your problems.
 
T-boy

T-boy

Rocker
Really sucks, fellows. Seems as though almost everyone is in some way affected by this less than rosy economy. I just took a pay cut and no overtime (which is where I made my money). A company where 5 good friends worked celebrated it's 100th anniversary by closing and moving to Mexico. I worked for an outfit for 32 years (only full time job I ever had) that let me go because of a merger that "makes us bigger, stronger". There is no morality in big business. Thruxtonian, your wife's situation really sucks. sweat....Keep plugging away, maybethings will pick up in the near future.
 
Sal Paradise

Sal Paradise

Hooligan
In 1987 the market crashed, i was working in the building trades and going to college and i saw thing fall apart in 88, 89, 90. By 1990 I graduated with an architecture degree and worked loading trucks on the graveyard shift.Finally got a decent professional job in 1992 and slogged along working two and three jobs until things got better finaly in 1996- 1997.Thats about how long it took for house prices to recover. AND - we weren't in a war.

Based on that, we may be fucked until 2016...and then things start turning around. . Sorry if that sounds like doomsday but you don't need the whole economy - just one job.I never forgot the bad times and I took a pay cut and left the private sector for goverment work in 2000 just for the security.

Get into civil service -Thrux already knows this - the pay sucks but you don't get laid off and you can survive.
 
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Kirkus51

Kirkus51

Hooligan
I was affected by that 89-91 dip. I was able to buy a house in California. Then I got fired and spent a year trying to find a job. unfortunately I got into debt trying to start my own business which never saw a nickel of profit. I finally had to sell the house and get into Truck driving. I was able to pay off my debts over the years and when I got free of them I vowed to live my life on a cash basis and SAVE, SAVE, SAVE. I've been able to that even when I became disabled.

The thing that sucks about it is I really have to think about the things I do down to the food I eat. No spur of the moment resort trips. No buying things on a whim. Used cars only and wait on goodies for the Bonnie.

BUT!! I know it's hard to do what I do and it's far easier for me since I'm single and I have no family obligations per se.

A word of advice for ANYONE who wants to go into business for themselves. Check with people who are knowledgeable about things like that. There used to be an organization called SCORE, Service Corps of Retired Executives who mentored people who wanted to start their own business. I met with them after the fact and sure did wish I had checked with them before I got into my business mess.

And.... there used to be "conventions" that you could go to and see what "Business" opportunities were out there. I think (I hope) they've disappeared, but they might be lurking on the internet now. Use extreme caution guys, cuz they sound good, but are usually just a good way to take your hard earned bucks.

Enough ranting. This is supposed to be about the economy, but I got into my mess when the economy was bad and I fear it's really bad right now.

Just did a google and found this.....http://www.score.org/index.html
 
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geolpilot

geolpilot

Street Tracker
Don't go into civil service. Government workers produce nothing and are a drag on the economy. What we need is a tax system like the fair tax and get rid of all corporate taxes. If we do that, businesses will be coming to the US instead of fleeing. Corporations don't pay taxes, they just pass them on to the consumer (that is us). We now have the second highest corporate tax in the world. No wonder companies are leaving. Way too much government in everything. It is high time people learn to take care of themselves and their families as they did in the past.

Don't spend all you make, save and invest and as you get older, you will be well off. You will also be able to go long periods without working, if necessary.
 
jphickory

jphickory

Banned
+1 Geopilot

We need smaller government and less regulation. Unfortunately that ain't gonna happen anytime soon.
 
slowgator

slowgator

750cc
geolpilot said:
Don't go into civil service. Government workers produce nothing and are a drag on the economy.
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With all due respect, civil service has worked out well for me; I will retire at the end of this year at age 60 after 35 years with the state, including purchased military service. There are benefits to working for the government.
 
cafecruzin

cafecruzin

Two Stroke
sorry to hear of your troubles in the US.
perhaps you should all come to the gods country club ,western Australia
i work for a airline and from personal observation the economy here is just fine
passenger numbers are up and more importantly international,domestic and particularly regional cargo loads are growing at a incredible rate.
if the cargo is moving people all over the state are working.
here in Au we almost have 2 different economies a couple of states are struggling and the rest quietly booming. housing prices are steadily growing
surprising considering we have a social medical system, tight banking regulations(main reason here was much less hurt by global downturn), corporate tax and a left leaning government:)
 
Hamr Mark

Hamr Mark

TT Racer
With all this doom and gloom money talk...you are now making me think 2x about picking up a winter project bike.

Things are slow up here as well. I was working 5 days, but have been cut back to 3 probably until spring...

Yup...there goes my 'new' bike dreams flying out the window. But, it is better to be safe than sorry and all that crap.
 
grumpy_1944

grumpy_1944

750cc
Economy's effect on Kalifornia civil service

Here in the socialist republik of Kalifornia, civil service is being effected, MLW is a civil service state worker and has lost about 1/3 of her salary. Some state workers have been let go after many years service and are now unemployed. The economy is in the toilet and The Governator just signed legislation approving a $750 million sports stadium for Los(t) Angeles.

I've come to the conclusion, to be a politician, you got to loose all common sense and empathy for the common people.
 
Sal Paradise

Sal Paradise

Hooligan
guys, I wasn't talking in the political sense. I get enough of that elsewhere. I was just trying to give advice to a couple of guys who have seen layoffs. From the perspective of a worker who has been laid off too many times. I also think my 2016 estimate for when things turn around is realistic and I would hate to go through layoffs for the next 5 years.
 
Thruxtonian

Thruxtonian

Street Tracker
Sal, I understand where you're coming from. Obviously, I sure hope you're wrong about the 2016 thing, but it sounds plausable!
This sounds like a contradiction being that I'm a gov't employee, but I too am in favor of fair tax and less gov't interference. Don't get me wrong, I work there, but I don't run the place. I'm sure a lot of us work somewhere but don't agree with the overall direction of the company. It's no different for us.
 
Sal Paradise

Sal Paradise

Hooligan
well,who wouldn't be in favor of fair tax and less interference?

I guess I just see no point in giving my political opinions or in reading political opinions on a motorycle forum.Been there done that.
 
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slowgator

slowgator

750cc
Rat Politics

Sal Paradise said:
well,who wouldn't be in favor of fair tax and less interference? I guess I just see no point in giving my political opinions or in reading political opinions on a motorycle forum.Been there done that.
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You want politics on a biker forum go over to that other site but be prepared to put up with the right wing noise machine, supported and endorsed by the mods over there. I like the "non-political" vibe over here!
 
Gretsch

Gretsch

Rocker
slowgator said:
You want politics on a biker forum go over to that other site but be prepared to put up with the right wing noise machine, supported and endorsed by the mods over there. I like the "non-political" vibe over here!
Click to expand...

I like you enjoy the non-political feel on this form. Saying stuff like "right wing noise machine" sounds kinda' like a political opinion mang. This isn't an attack so please don't take it that way. I'm just saying, let's all try and keep it cool here.
 
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