Both my husband and I are very down about our unemployment. While money is a concern, our mental and emotional selves are exhausted and down and out. Neither of us has been unemployed this long during our careers. It is very demeaning.
While the big guys are getting assistance, individuals and small businesses are being given crumbs to fend for ourselves. I spoke with a small business owner yesterday whose work is down 50% over last year. He told me about a children’s dentist friend of his who has closed his office two days a week for lack of patients. A general practitioner friend of his is seeing less patients each day than usual. The average person cannot afford to go to a doctor or dentist.
My husband is very upset with Obama and the GM rescue plan. While we have received some scraps from the stimulus bill passed earlier this year, it does not give us what we really need – a security about the future.
I have found myself unable to take care of the simple things, like a checkbook. For the past few years, I never worried about balancing my checkbook because there was always enough money to take care of my needs. Although there is only a few hundred dollars now in the checkbook, I cannot balance it or remember to pay the bills.
I’m out every day looking for clients. I have an appointment this afternoon with a potential client. So far, I have made about $65 a week this year in contract work. It just is not there, but I keep looking.
Let’s hope persistence pays.
When I found a blue piece of children’s street chalk today at lunch, I couldn’t help expressing myself about the bail-outs. I posted this on a deadend street. Later, I wished that I had written it in a more prominent location.
Why are companies asking for bail-outs?
I’m furious. I’ve always done the right thing. I got an education and have worked for the past 35 years. I’ve been laid off from jobs three times. Currently I’m unemployed, and I’m doing the same thing I did in the previous two instances. I work at least eight hours a day contacting my network of professionals, who I’ve worked for and with in the past to find new employment.
I’m close to retirement, and those mutual funds, 401Ks and IRAs that I was counting on for a decent retirement later are down 40% or more. Probably more, after the market dropped again today.
I’ve had three mortgages in my life, and all were within my income. My current goal is to pay off the mortgage as soon as possible. Do I want to bail out someone who bought a McMansion with a ballooning mortgage? No!
GM is in trouble because they continued to manufacture cars that were fuel hogs that no one wanted. I quit driving American cars almost 20 years. My 1991 Toyota Camry was made in the United States, and it was a great car. I’ve had two used BMW 318s since that were great. Last year, I bought a pre-loved Mini Cooper, which is getting lots of love from me for its 41 mpg. I got through the recent Nashville gas crisis by driving it and riding the bus until gas became plentiful again.
It’s crazy. My super conservative Republican sister and I, the somewhat liberal Democrat, agree on this issue. No bail outs! President-elect Obama we need real jobs to bail ourselves out.
