# Current Economy: How Ya Doin'? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 20, 2010, 10:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758 "2010-02-20T10:32:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/21 "2010-02-21T01:37:18Z")
Amazingly, the company I work for just announced that they had one of their best years ever in 2009, so all of us employees will be getting raises and bonuses soon. ---
**Author:** ![dangermom](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e274bd/32.png) [@dangermom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dangermom)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/22 "2010-02-21T02:07:18Z")
The poll doesn’t have our answer: spent most of last year totally without income, now employed at a good job and digging out way out of a mountain of debt accumulated during the hard times. We just barely squeaked through without losing the house. ---
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 2:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/23 "2010-02-21T02:59:47Z")
The construction business is not good here right now in the third most miserable city in the country. We are in bad shape financially but we’ve never been in GREAT shape. It’s just harder to find jobs and no companies are hiring. Jobs we find are really really low paying. I’d have probably chosen the last option but we don’t have a house to foreclose on (renting) and bankruptcy wouldn’t pay the light bill. Luckily I don’t really desire much along the lines of material goods and it’s not bad enough that we aren’t eating healthy food. There are plenty in much worse shape. ---
**Author:** ![Arien](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arien](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arien)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/24 "2010-02-21T03:23:40Z")
I don’t make tons but I got a raise at the beginning of the year and I can afford all my bills plus I’m able to save, so I voted “doing great” since I’m doing better than last year. Psychologically, though, I don’t really feel like I’m making more money than last year. ---
**Author:** ![Rand\_Rover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/db5fbb/32.png) [@Rand\_Rover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rand_Rover)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 3:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/25 "2010-02-21T03:32:47Z")
I’m making more than I ever have and probably the least I ever will. Things are great. ---
**Author:** ![Jophiel](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jophiel/32/66_2.png) [@Jophiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jophiel)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/26 "2010-02-21T04:06:15Z")
Getting along. My wife and I are both still working although both our workplaces haven’t done raises or bonuses for the last two years now. So it’s starting to feel tight on that front. On the plus side, we’re still paying the bills and have 4-5 months worth of mortgage payments in savings so if one of us did lose our job, we have something to help keep us afloat besides unemployment for a little while at least. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 4:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/27 "2010-02-21T04:07:46Z")
Bad. Unemployed and worried the gap on my resume is going to start being used as an excuse to pass me over. ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 5:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/28 "2010-02-21T05:24:18Z")
Barely squeaking by. Work is coming in by dribbles and clients are late in paying (when they pay at all). Hubby has had two hospitalizations in the last six months. He and I are supporting five of our young adult kids. Times are tough here; I’m about to have to dip into my IRA for help. Sorry to hear about your troubles **Nametag**. ---
**Author:** ![Kevbo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e47774/32.png) [@Kevbo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kevbo)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/29 "2010-02-21T18:09:54Z")
My company had a big layoff about a year ago. They also cut pay/hours by 20-25% for those remaining…including top management. That, I think was well done, in that other layoffs I’ve seen created a lot of hard feelings when management came through unscathed. I was pretty worried, because I was the FNG at the time. Turns out they really needed my skill set. It did create a bit of animosity that the new guy stayed and some old timers got layed off. Of late the other person with similar skills has had health problems so I am back to full time. Again this is causing a bit of animosity, and I REALLY liked the 4 day workweeks. So in some respects, I wish I was doing a bit “worse”. The company is not considering further layoffs, and is in fact looking to bring some people/hours back soon. Of all the places I have worked, this management seems the most competent. Really glad to have ended up in this particular port for this storm. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/30 "2010-02-21T23:22:57Z")
We had some tight months when my husband wasn’t working, but now we are back to pre-crash paychecks. Still need to pay off credit card debt incurred while out of work, but other than that we seem to be doing okay. ---
**Author:** ![Nobody](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/94ad74/32.png) [@Nobody](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nobody)\ **Post date:** [February 21, 2010, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/31 "2010-02-21T23:30:01Z")
Unemployed coming up 3 years on March 2. Thank goodness for unemployment extensions, both from the state (Oregon) and the federal government. A week and a half ago I took a test to be a census taker. I was told that I would get a call back with the results in a week, but so far I haven’t heard back yet. ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/32 "2010-02-22T00:09:08Z")
My income is has been pretty constant for years now. I would say I’m unaffected by the ecomony, really. I have between 3-5 part-time jobs at any given time so there are lots of opportunities to make extra money. But in 2009: my roomate moved out, so I am paying double the rent I was in 2008; I bought health and dental insurance (objectively a great deal, but takes up a lot of my disposable income); I got another dog; and I’m paying for a second cell phone line. So I have about $1000 less to do with what I please each month. Budgeting is a priority now. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 1:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/33 "2010-02-22T01:48:00Z")
I’m making more than ever and should get a very large raise in August. Unfortunately, I don’t like what I’m doing. If I get accepted to grad school in the fall, I plan to do that full time and quit my job. If not, I’ll get an MBA and stay at that job for another year or two and pay off everything so I can float for awhile if I decide to relocate. ---
**Author:** ![Saintly\_Loser](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saintly_loser/32/4045_2.png) [@Saintly\_Loser](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saintly_Loser)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/34 "2010-02-22T01:59:48Z")
Things are rough. I’m working, but my wife lost her job about a year ago. She worked in a field that was decimated by the current crisis. She made more money than I did, so that was a big hit. My company had layoffs, and fortunately I was not among those laid off, but I had to take a substantial pay cut. And I had to add my wife to my company’s health insurance plan. My company picks up the cost of my health insurance, but, while it allows employees to add family members to the plan, it does not cover the cost. So her insurance costs me more than $6,000 per year. There is little chance of my wife finding another job in her field, at anything near her previous salary, despite her spectacular educational and professional qualifications. Her career is effectively over, and she is at a loss as to what to do next. I’m working hard. I work my regular jobs, and take temp jobs on weekends and at night whenever I can get them. It seems like I hardly ever get to sleep. We’re barely keeping up with the mortgage. We can’t sell our house, because the market around here has collapsed, and we couldn’t get in a sale what we owe on the mortgage. It’s affecting us personally, too. It’s rough. We’re depressed, my wife, especially. Life is not so great right now. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/35 "2010-02-22T02:16:22Z")
Doing ok. There is going to be a massive RIF in the district over the summer, but the brunt of it is falling on elementary school teachers. I’m the second-most senior member of my department, so they are waving early retirement at me, but I’m not biting. I’m planning on at least 9 more years before I retire. Hopefully, the state will be solvent when that happens. Our health coverage is going to go up next year, of course, and we may see cuts in coverage in some areas (vision, etc.) Better get the spare set of glasses this month, before we go to a weaker plan. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 2:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/36 "2010-02-22T02:39:16Z")
Having just done my taxes, we dropped 30% in income. That said, the wife’s happy with working 20 hours a week, and our life is a ton less stressful than it was. Things really eased up when one car payment went away and the kids got out of daycare. I’d say we’re _healther_ financially, even at the lower income rate. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 3:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/37 "2010-02-22T03:49:51Z")
I’m here. I’m not getting ahead, but I can pay my bills. ---
**Author:** ![Maeglin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8baadc/32.png) [@Maeglin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maeglin)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 4:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/38 "2010-02-22T04:19:39Z")
It’s been a great past 12 months. Absolutely no complaints. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 8:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/39 "2010-02-22T08:57:29Z")
My pay and hours haven’t changed, but I’m doing better because I’m no longer supporting my ex, who contributed nothing to our household. With him gone, I’m now paying half as much for groceries, utilities, and day-to-day needs. I also took up my landlord’s offer to give up my parking spot for $50 off my rent per month. This has helped my savings go from slowly but steadily shrinking to slowly but steadily growing. At work, we’re not as busy as we’d like to be, but overall we’re in better shape. My company had a round of layoffs in 2009 and hasn’t made any pay increases since 2008, but we were told the pay freeze will be lifting in 2010. I’ve worked hard the last two years, and can make an excellent case for a big raise, if not outright promotion, but I’m not going to emotionally invest myself in that just yet. Gonna wait and see. ---
**Author:** ![Markxxx](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5daacb/32.png) [@Markxxx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Markxxx)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2010, 11:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758/40 "2010-02-22T11:55:01Z")
This totally caught me off guard. Unfotunately I will never be able to recover back to where I was say even 3 years ago. I just lost too much, not to mention my lack of insurance for health issues, means that will never be the same either. Oh well what can you do right? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/current-economy-how-ya-doin/529758.md?page=3)