How has the recession effected you?

[Westie]

Well, I'm making the same amount but, it definately isn't going as far. Gas is bad so I commute on the motorcycle a lot. Thats $30/mo. instead of $300/mo. for the truck in gas. Somebody mentioned dining out costs. Our favorite hole in the wall just raised its prices and now want $6 a beer and $12 for a burger!?!? I do apartments and I know all my vendor costs are rising as well. The other day a tenant asked for a rent reduction and was miffed when I said no way. I had to explain in simple terms that in your 8 unit building the 1st apartment pays the property tax, #2 pays the garbage. #3 pays the water. #4 electricity. #5 pays the gardner. #6&7 pay the office staff and unit 8 pays for my kids braces. It makes it a little easier when I explain it in laymens terms. But, on a scary note, here in CA, I see 2-4 house for sale on every block. Thats a lot of people losing their homes. On a sidebar, no vacation this year.

 

[armac]

Theres a recession? Where?

I see stupid people with housing problems.

I see stupid people with credit card problems.

I see LOTS of people with big home, expensive cars, new toys, all of which they can't afford.

Yet I don't see too much of a recession, aside from the news peoples predictions. FOX had a guest on saying how the only recession was in the news.

Two successive periods with no growth in the economy constitutes a recession, if Fox news told you the sunrise this morning "was only in the news" would you believe them?

Try to think outside your little box and look around.

 

[johnptc]

its not recession we are suffering from...........right now its inflation

the dollars is worth less than it used to be and everything thing in the US costs more in US dollars.......... in euros things are pretty cheap here.


the inflation is bought about by the government increasing 'liquidity'....... that is they print more dollars and use them to pay the debt down..........this in turn makes the dollar worth less .....oh well..........





.

 

[smallguy]

i see it as living smarter, i car pull to save money and i dont have to deal with all the stupid traffic. now if everyone car pulled then there would less the half the cars on the road meaning better mpg and lower gas prices. i alsao plan in investing in the smart windows so my house has left of a draft making it more comforting and cheaper utilty bills

 

[ewurm]

I got a new job. And there are more homeless people to laugh at.

 

[mlucas1911]

I really feel like the rise in gas prices is the biggest reason people are feeling the pinch. But, try explaining to someone from another country why your life sucks and wait for them to laugh at you. People in this country have way too many excesses. The average couple doesnt need a 3,500 sq. ft. home on a cul-de-sac with custom $100,000 kitchen cabinets, that stuff makes me sick. Then there are the Ford Excursion/Expedition, Chevy Suburban and Hummer owners that are complaining about gas prices when the soccer mom needs to drive little Timmy to LaCrosse practice.

If you are living above your means in a house you shouldnt be able to afford or if you finance all your toys, you deserve to be slapped in the face with a little reality.

 

[53special]

I will probably be moving closer to work, The 100 mile a day drive is killing me.

 

[gonnelro]

The only thing that is sure about the recession is that it is amorphous. there a different indicators of a recession, and different ways to measure it (the most popular was mentioned below), but in the end its a made up word to measure a downturn in the economy. Its obvious that lots of people are suffering and there are lots of causes - foreign debt, inflation, overzealous lending, the "bursting" of a the housing bubble a couple years ago, etc. The one thing is: none of us know. There are too many factors involved, too many things to consider, and no one, not the most genius financial minds, can put it all together and make sense out of it. And inflation is caused by more than just increased liquidity and the printing of currency. that being said, I dont understand all the reasons why, just that although thats the main factor, it is not exclusive. Hope everyone pulls through our current financial situation, and maybe even picks up some property cheap! Good luck all, and keep bying fish if you can!

 

[dmopar74]

I really feel like the rise in gas prices is the biggest reason people are feeling the pinch. But, try explaining to someone from another country why your life sucks and wait for them to laugh at you. People in this country have way too many excesses. The average couple doesnt need a 3,500 sq. ft. home on a cul-de-sac with custom $100,000 kitchen cabinets, that stuff makes me sick. Then there are the Ford Excursion/Expedition, Chevy Suburban and Hummer owners that are complaining about gas prices when the soccer mom needs to drive little Timmy to LaCrosse practice.

If you are living above your means in a house you shouldnt be able to afford or if you finance all your toys, you deserve to be slapped in the face with a little reality.

and how bout those of us having $600 rent, drive a company rig to and from work for free, have one personal car(a mini van for the family, sold the truck to provide accomodations for the family) raising a family on a single income, working in the construction trade, and dont even own a credit card? im in trouuble just because of my career, yeah i know it will pick up again, but right now its tight. just because it doesnt affect some, it really affects some of us.

 

[saltydog_1]

this downturn obviously affects some of us more than others (i work construction as well), it seems the lower you are on societies ladder the more it hurts. 3 dollars plus for a gallon of gas for someone making 8-12 dollars an hour hurts more than someone making 100k+. it's easy for someone to say carpool, buy a car that gets better mileage, move closer to work, etc. but that sometimes is easier said than done. there are alot more people hurting here than people that spend too much on their houses or credit cards trust me.