Is the financial crisis affecting you?

[Raddleman]

Just wondered how present economic times are affecting us snusers. Have you lost your job? Pay been docked? It's not really affected me that much, just small things, like my bus pass being revoked by the council, as they can't afford to fund it.

[TBD]

I've been out of work for 3 weeks. Things aren't too bad yet, we were a little ahead. Unfortunately 3 kids, 2 dogs, 2 cats all like to eat real regular, and it seems no one is doing much or any hiring right now. Another month and I'm screwed. Things are looking up as I have two places that are hiring I'm going to hit tomorrow. About a 2/3 pay reduction but it's better than what is coming in now.

[Starcadia]

It's not affecting me as badly as it could. We had a big layoff last week, which I survived, and no paycuts yet. I've been taking on quite a bit more work since late last year when we had a hiring freeze, and there won't be any raises this year. What's affected me most has been the constant anxiety and feeling trapped with little or no leverage. And when things are going bad for me personally, that anxiety just multiplies it. Winter has not been fun, even though good things happened.

[slartie]

It hasn't affected me in any negative way, so far.

I work in Denmark and live in Sweden. My paycheck is Danish and every month it's transferred to Sweden. The Swedish krone has been weakened a great deal against the Danish krone as of late. That translates to me getting more money every month once the funds have been transferred to Sweden.

Call it a state-pay-raise if you will.

In the end it just means I buy more snus, though.

Que sera, sera.

[Jason]

I put "big time" even though I'm not really that bad off and still have a job. The reason being is because I work in the auto industry (GM and Chrysler dealership), and we basically go to work every morning and hope the doors aren't locked when we get there. It is stressful to work every day and hear rumors flying that you might not have a job tomorrow. Dealerships everywhere around here are dropping like flies...we end up getting their business, but it won't matter if the source manufacturers go under.

People are really resorting to some crazy shit. I just saw this a little while ago...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29656878/?GT1=43001

Desperation can cause people to do anything. :shock:

[ShaulWolf]

I'm still a student and plan on going into the military. So far things in that sector are booming, which is good for job security but bad for damned near everything else. What's hit me is student loans, or not being able to get one as easily or at all. Last semester I can really afford anyway, and I plan on nothing short of graduating and going into the service. My sister, however, still has a couple years to go after this, and she's going to have a tougher time with higher rates to deal with. So I'm not personally affected, but my family is.

My mom's in upper management and her company was bought out in a hostile takeover. She still has her job but it's stressful since it's never certain that she won't be replaced. Add in this economy and everything is shaky since everyone wants to cut costs.

[BrianC]

Big time is a little strong, but I can't say not much either. I was already in a delicate financial situation due to being out of work for 4 months or so about a year ago. About a month ago, my pay was cut about 20%, leaving me with no extra money and having to find ways to make cut backs in my regular bills to get out of the red. In addition I don't even have any credit because I am on a debt management plan, so all my credit is cut off.

I can't complain too much though because I do still have a job, and feel very bad for those that don't.

[bearcat87]

I am actually doing better right now. Being a T.A. I have absolute job security as long as I don't mess around with the freshman hotties (very hard to resist!).

On another note. My father is in the military surplus business and is breaking is record sales almost every single day. Once he puts MRE's on the shelf and website they are gone within a few hours. People are really scared. He said his business picked up the day Obama won the election. There are many scared conservatives and libertarians out there. But my fathers financial success equals more money in pocket.

Damn.... I need to get off the tit!

[lxskllr]

Big time. I've been out of work for over a month now. I'm trying to get into IT, but I'm competing with people way more qualified than I am. I've done land surveying for more than 20 years now, and I'm tired of it. Luckily there's no civil engineering jobs either, so I don't feel I'm wasting time chasing jobs I'm not qualified for.

[Jason]

Big time. I've been out of work for over a month now. I'm trying to get into IT, but I'm competing with people way more qualified than I am. I've done land surveying for more than 20 years now, and I'm tired of it. Luckily there's no civil engineering jobs either, so I don't feel I'm wasting time chasing jobs I'm not qualified for.

I won't try to dissuade you from the IT field, but it is a tough one these days due to saturation. I went to IT school a few years ago; I have the A+ and N+ certs, as well as the MCP and a few other Microsoft certifications. Finished Cisco, but never took the tests.

One thing all these schools tell you is how you will be rolling in the money when you graduate. They never tell you that it takes years to get to that point; everyone starts out at the very bottom no matter what certs you have, because it's all about experience. No company is going to trust their network and servers to a noob regardless of how well you did in school. It amazes me how many IT guys there are out there who hold no qualifications at all....they are where they are because they started in the mailroom or something, and just worked their way up until they knew the network like the back of their hands.

Another thing: I know more than a few IT guys personally, and it surprises me, but they really do seem to hate their jobs. They make good money, but it is a whole lot of baby sitting, repetitive action, and damage control.

[lxskllr]

You may very well be right Jason. I don't have any certifications, and I don't have any money to get any. I'm just a hobbyist, and like the work(at least on a limited basis).

I can't imagine surveying for another 30 years, and the thought of that gets me depressed. I'm kind of aimless, and not really sure what I'm going to do, but I'd like to do something I enjoy, instead of something that just pays the bills.

I feel like I'm 14 all over again, without the joy of seeing the world for the first time :^(

[sentry103]

The only way it's affecting me so far is the inflation on everyday items... I have job security and am not worried about being layed off. Thats a good chunk of the reason I became a FF/medic. I never have to worry about the economy and moving from job to job.

[captncaveman]

It hasn't affected me any and i feel bad for the people it has affected. Business is acctually booming for us. I feel in no way worried about my job. I also hate my job. I'm one of thoes IT guys that just hates doing what he does. I hate babysitting all day. I spent a month away from home in the middle of now ****ing where freezing my ****in ass off training dip shits that should have left the industry 15 years ago.

I have been pondering for awhile about becoming a paramedic or anything in the line of EMS. Also thinking about the Police service (my wife won't let me). I would love to join the forces again wife won't let me.

I know i will take a pay cut where ever i go but i need excitment.

[sagedil]

I am amazingly lucky and say a prayer of thanks every day.

I posted about 7 months ago when I got my job with a small company that trains people how to make concrete countertops. We are a major player in a tiny industry. Although I panicked in September when the economy dove off the cliff, we have continued to do amazingly well. I am just REALLY good at selling our classes. My company was on the verge of bankruptcy when i first started, adn I have pulled us way back from that line. Running some reports, we started to get bad a year ago February, and it was getting worse and worse till I arrived. We had 5 students in May, 4 in June, 3 in July. I was hired in August, we had 4 in September. My first real month, October, we has 1. I then sold out November. December and January were a bit sow due to the holidays, but still more than double the previous months, and I have sold out (16 students) both February and my class next week.. And I am already 1/3 way to selling out April.

So basically, I have more than tripled our revenues since I started in the middle of the worst downturn in 70 years, My bosses absolutely adore me, I hardly work at all, get to spend much of my work day surfing the net. But I turn it on when someone calls, and THAT is the only thing that matters.

I'd feel guilty about all of this if I hadn't been so screwed by corporate America over the past 4 years. Am looking at declaring bankruptcy next month becasue of the damage these last few years have done. But at least I have learned to live on fumes, and can handle a Chapter 13 now if we need to take that route.

Everyone else who IS being hurt, please hang in

[Zero]

The crisis isn't going to affect the public at large, aside from investors and people with retirement funds, for perhaps another 12 months. The economic system is kind of like outer space. The sun could explode right now and we wouldn't notice or care until about eight minutes later. It's kind of like going to the doctor and being told you have cancer. You can go home and say to yourself "well, I feel fine - no worse than yesterday, at least", but that doesn't really quantify the true degree of shit you're in.