jobs/economy poll...

[Guest Mugster]

The economy looks bad on the national news, and I've taken a personal wallop in the market, that could have been alot worse, but I'm a conservative investor. But after getting my bike running and riding all over murfreesboro yesturday, lots of people out driving expensive cars and buying stuff. Doesn't look like much of a slowdown to me. So lets see how bad it is on the board.

I checked good job, business as usual, but I am saving more than I usually do figuring that things could get worse. I also figure to invest more in the market this year, figuring stocks down over 50% is the time to buy, but what do i know?

[Mike.357]

I voted good job, business as usual. But we are getting worried about the wifeys job.

No doubt the economy is down. Have stocks tanked yet? Yep but I bet it will get worse before it gets better.

[musicman]

I chose the second option, though my job isn't really on the "chopping block" as I'm self employed. Business was tough at the end of '08 but things have picked up so far in '09. However, I seem to have to work much harder to be able to do the same amount of business as I did in Q1 '08.

I'm re-adjusting how I go about some things, as well as shifting focus on what type of business I'm going after. I'm seeking more solid commercial business now, instead of purely home and auto insurance.

Unfortunately, a number of smaller business I insured have had to close their doors in the last 6 months. It's been very hard to see my friends (most of my clients become good friends of mine) shutter their life's work. I have one friend who took out $600,000 in loans for his business three years ago. Early last year he tried to refinance but couldn't get it done, and now he has had to close down 2 of his 3 business locations, and I don't know how long the third will last. I hurt for him. He's a good guy who was a little too ambitious at a bad time.

I am also seeing a crazy amount of people starting their own business due to being laid off. I can't count how many people have come by soliciting me for their new office cleaning business. I admire these folks for their effort and initiative, but how many cleaners can one area have?

It's not a fun time right now. However, I know that if I can grow my business in these conditions, I should be poised for greater success when things (eventually) turn around.

[Guest pws_smokeyjones]

My Job appears stable but since it is 100% government funded company that status could change in an instant I suppose. I selected the "stable job" option, but really wanted to also select the "tin foil hat, packing a truck" option because I have picked up a second job specifically so that I can put some money aside, store extra food and ammo. Maybe that makes me a nut but I really don't care.

[Guest pjblurton]

I took a 5% pay cut, lost the company match for my 401k and no merit increases for FY09.

But I gots a j.o.b.!

[Guest nraforlife]

Job is good. Wife and I are still stimulating the economy somewhat. Cannot wait for the stimulus to kick in and provide us all with milk and honey.

[Guest tadams]

I was laid off during the last quarter of '08. It was certainly unexpected, as I was still under contract. Basically, my contract was bought out without me knowing about it. I was unable to job hunt up until about a month ago, due to circumstances I had already planned for many months ago and had accrued time away for with my previous employer. (but still didn't receive) I have yet to find anything.

I chose the laid off option, though we're not necessarily hurting. My wife's the main bread winner anyway.

We are at a cross roads on the house, though - we HAVE to put it on the market and hope for the best, as we will be moving closer to one of 4 in-state physical therapy schools, depending on which accepts me, etc...

Putting a house on the market seems more dismal than not finding a replacement job, right now. We're trying to do what we can to place the house at the very best position it can possibly be, so that when the day comes to put it on the market, we'll have a fighting chance.

[Guest EasilyObsessed]

No worries about losing my job....at least until the new administration begins *&*^%$^& with Healthcare.

[Guest Angel 24/7]

My job is stable & our sales are up compaired to last year. People have to have a whopper I guess!

[Guest nj.piney]

im retired and rolled all my 401ks into cds 5 years ago at 4.5% so i dont have a problem . unless inflation eats it up .

Edited March 9, 2009 by nj.piney

[Guest Todd@CIS]

I've got pretty good job security if I can resist beating up 15 year olds in the booking room.

CIS? HCP is always steady. The ammo prices don't help the Defensive Series classes.

[Guest nitrous_mike]

I have a job, my hours have been cut to 36hours since September, our business is depended on other businesses ( I work for a printing company that makes custom folding paper board cartons ), so we have lost a lot of customers due to them moving to mexico/china or just folding up. I guess that is life in the good ole USA though.

[Guest bkelm18]

My job isn't really in danger but it pays pretty poorly and I would love a second job but can't seem to find one.

[Guest HVAC Worker]

Work for myself,laid off my 2 installers.Work needs to pick up or I am going to drop all my licenses and city permits.Can you say flying under the radar?:cry:

[Cajun]

The poll options are not the best, I have a job and it looks ok we were hiring 3 weeks ago and friday we layed 4 off?

[Guest grimel]

My main job is stable and firing on all cylinders. My second job is steady. My third efffort is starting a small business and it's rolling right along picking up steam. I'm on the verge of committing a cardinal sin for a start up - turning down good paying work. I expec to quite my second job my late April and just work one job and my business.

[TripleDigitRide]

With the exception of being a little slower than years past, I have a pretty good job. Well, for a truck driver, anyway.

The company did "can" about 50 people (company wide), but our busier time of year is right around the corner. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed.

The big problem for us, is the fact that we depend a whole lot on the building industry. As everyone knows, that's been in the dumper as of late, so only time will tell.

All in all, I refuse to stress over it. What happens, happens. Worse comes to worst, I can always see what it's like to collect a welfare check and food stamps.

Edited March 10, 2009 by TripleDigitRide

[Rightwinger]

No bonus (which was tied into salary package), company stopped matching 401K, job tied directly to automotive. Skeeered

[56FordGuy]

The company I work for seems to be doing alright, though we're seeing the economic downturn firsthand. Thus far this year, we've had probably 15-20 customers go out of business, or consolidate multiple locations out of the area. Word is that just about all of our competitors have either laid people off or cut their hours, we appear to be holding steady and quite possibly gaining ground.

[Guest Dean_JC78]

My job is in Electronic Health Records... so I might have the most secure job in the nation right now. In fact we just had a meeting last week about the Spedulis and how it is going to pay for my job for the next 5 years. I would have kept the job without that Spedulis though.

I see that bill much the same way I see a mugger that beats the tar out of you, steals your money, and then says "Hey, no hard feelings... how about I buy you lunch?".

[Guest SUNTZU]

Port engines out. Stahbud engine's out. Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. We're going down. Our feet are wet. Our feet are wet. Started out with paycuts, stopped matching 401K, then laid off. "Don't look so sad. I know its over. But life goes on. And this world keeps on changing."

I'm opening up a lemonade stand in my driveway tomorrow.

[Westwindmike]

My job was eliminated last June when gas prices went to $4 a gallon. That meant that Jet fuel went to $8 a gallon. With no one eating out due to the gas price, my companys stock fell in price. When it hit bottom, they stopped flying the jet, laid off the entire flight dept.

And now Congress and the President have made corporate aircraft, "evil". So, no one is buying or flying corporate jets for fear of being labeled.

So, I've been out of work since June 10. No hope of another flying job. Trying to find something else that I may be good at.

[Guest bkelm18]

Port engines out. Stahbud engine's out. Mayday. Mayday. Mayday. We're going down. Our feet are wet. Our feet are wet. Started out with paycuts, stopped matching 401K, then laid off. "Don't look so sad. I know its over. But life goes on. And this world keeps on changing."

I'm opening up a lemonade stand in my driveway tomorrow.

If you need a security guard for your lemonade stand, let me know and I'll work it for min. wage. Times are tough, people be robbin lemonade stands all the time.

[Kegger]

I came off of active duty in early Feb. Everyone seems to be in a hiring freeze. I can't even seem to get a job on the ambulance service, much less in an actual hospital.

My savings are drying up fast, and with no money coming in I might be living in my parents basement soon.

[The Average Joe]

I've got a "good job", but work has really sluffed off. All the big jobs that were supposed to be coming down the pike have gotten pushed back, put on hold, or dropped.

Our company works on a seniority basis and if they hold to that, to be laid off would essentially be pushing me out of a plane that's spiraling to the ground. (i.e...I'd be one of the last to go.)

Hopefully we have enough of the small jobs to keep everyone justifiably on the payroll.

Sadly, I have a sneaking suspicion that there won't be as many at the company Christmas party as there were in 2008...if there is one:drama:.