Survey-Who out there is unemployed?

[cjon455]

ok heres my story, im 33 and was formerly self employed as a home builder/contractor. started the business 7 yrs ago and the first 3 yrs were great, managed to make about 40-50k a year on average. not to shabby for northeast pa. Anyhow, the last 2 yrs were terrible, i made 17k the 4th yr and about 20 the 5th yr. I was in it with my buddy (or so i thought) and my brother. my brother bailed about a yr before i did, and Finally 2 yrs ago i bailed and went to work for dish network. I got tired of people screwing me outta money and needing to get lawyers to get it back. Litigation is expensive!!. I left the business and the lone survivor (my so called buddy) switched it to a sole proprietorship, good for him except he continues to bury himself in the robbing peter to pay paul legacy. Needless to say after 5 yrs of self employment the whole dish network thing didnt work out too long. I was on an install when my boss called me to tell me he switched me to an all weekend/every weekend schedule NO THANKS!!, I drove my dish network van to the local community college and registered as a full time nursing student. I lost everything i had (home included) and am currently living with my parents with my wife and 2 kids. and i tell ya what i regret NONE of it, im almost done w/school, start the final 2 semesters in 2 wks and after that I can start to rebuild my life. Metal detecting helps me keep my sanity through all the hardships and changes myself and my family had to endure, good luck out there people, this is a tough economy and you really need to work hard if you want to make any kind of life for yourselves. Thanks for reading and HH

 

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[Moonrover]

I've been closely watching this interesting thread. More personal stories and ideas like these need to be brought to the attention of our so-called government leaders. Actually I think they really DO know how bad it is out here in taxpayer land, but refuse to take the bold curative measures to stop the march to oblivion. Why? Votes. Votes from the huge numbers of government dependent people. Politicians can't break the cycle of buying votes with free ride promises.

Knowing that we can't expect the problem to be addressed, we are faced with increasing debt to support the money hand out "programs".

Here is a simple analogy. We are all in a canoe heading downstream toward a giant falls. We have paddles (votes). The roaring sound of the falls grows louder. Do we paddle upstream now or wait to see if that roar is a deadly precipice or a cool sounding politician offering free money? Most of us will start paddling back upstream now, and some of us are uncertain so we wait. Then we look at the other big group in the canoe and what are they doing? Paddling toward the loud sound !!

Those of us who see the problem at least can be wearing flotation devices (survival method). Downstream paddlers will attempt to take our flotation devices. They won't care how they get them.

End of analogy. I hope everyone who has a paddle uses it in the upstream direction before November.

Sent from my iPad using TreasureNet app

 

[stefen]

forced into medical retirement (by health issues ) in 2006 even after being fully medically unfitted by my union in 2007 after 27 years of going to sea --it took the govt 3 1/2 more years to finally declare me "unfit" to work and give me my SS disability --would that mean I'm unemployed ?

According to O'Bammy, you're considered employed...you're working the system...

Just funnin ya...

 

[Cristasphoto]

If your happy and you know it clap your hands......if your happy and you know it clap your hands....... Come on everybody sing!!!

Lol and lol
True there is always someone, "badder".
But I aint scurred. Ive survived without in my life as it is. Trust me its not that bad...

 

[vor]

Just one man's opinion

If you want to blame someone. Blame the CEO's who don't have a damn thing invested.They take very big salaries & lots of stocks while they set on the board of many other companys surrounded buy their college buddies and outsource our jobs to China. Another name for CEO's is corporate terrorists.
I almost forgot. They don't even get fired if they screw up. They are rewarded with a golden parachute. Google the top 100 salaries of CEO's in America. You will get a education.

I, too, have been watching this thread. There are so many posts that I disagreed with but only selected one to quote.

A CEO is engaged to look after its shareholders and should maximize the amount to the best of his ability. He/she would be remiss in their duties if they did otherwise. The system has made it more advantageous to ship jobs overseas, not him.

There have been many post on disability and the difficulty in obtaining benefits. Those that are "obviously" disabled (some injuries are much harder to "prove" than others) get approved within 60 days or so, others take years. It is a good thing that we are scrutinized heavily otherwise the incentive for a free ride for life will be abused. Far too many sitting back drawing a check and medicare that are gaming the system at a tremendous cost to the taxpayers. How much faith would you have in an "independent doctor" when some are known for selling every drug/painkiller in the book for a few hundred dollars? But don't worry, when you get approved after 3 1/2 years you will receive a big check for the backpay. The delay is unfortunate (back medical is excepted) but we are fortunate to have that safety net.

While underemployment is a problem, it is best to take that $10/hr job and get some income rather than to think that you are above it. Take it and continue to look for a better job. I know first hand the situation in Williston, ND. Yes, it may be inconvenient to live in ND but almost any business in town will hire you if you are an honest hard worker. Work at home jobs are typically lower paying but offer the convenience of not living outside your comfort zone. Most able bodied individuals can get a job of some sort if they wanted it bad enough. Extending benefits to the able bodied will only put this county deeper in debt and give no incentive to get back to work.

Those that complain about the system can use their vote to change the status quo and work for the party of their choice to help even further.

We would all like to make a good living by THing but I would think that the percentage that do is insignificantly small but we do it for the enjoyment. I have seen people jump up and down when they find a merc dime or some color in their pan but in reality it wouldnt even pay for the suntan lotion.

To answer the question, I am unemployed w/serious health issues but manage to generate a little income. Not nearly enough to pay health insurance for me and mine.

 

[Snap on Man]

i am sorry if I hit the nerve of a CEO.

 

[Treasure_Hunter]

I lived in Minot ND and have friends their working now in the oil fields. I can vouch that there are lots of good jobs there if someone wants to go there..... I have friends there making $35 an hour working there.......

I have been unemployed in the past, was off for 18 months back in 2002-2003, it sucked...... Vor is corect, take any job you can find and keep looking for a better job......

The CEOs have nothing to do with the unemployment situtation right now.....

 

[vor]

i am sorry if I hit the nerve of a CEO.

No problem. Guess it was just that the statement seemed to be knocking someone that is working hard at his profession and probable has a "damn whole lot invested".
Hope I didn't offend those disabled but I think that preserving the program for years to come is in their/our best interest, not easy entry.
vor

 

[dirtscratcher]

Here in the Flathead Valley of Montana the oil boom in ND and Eastern MT has saved most people I know from loosing everything they own. It's mostly long hours three weeks on one week off. Most companys supply housing or they would'nt be able to do bussines. This is real and its tough sometimes miserable but when someone here says they can't find here they don't want one. On a side note metaldetecting around Williston was not real good. Sidney MT was real good until the cops ran us off saying ther was an ordinance against any metaldetecting in city parks.

 

[Catobra]

Everytime I come back to this thread, I want to reply to a post, but then I find another post and another and another-so many that to reply to each individually would have me taking over the thread and possibly boring everyone to death, so I'll just throw out some general comments:

I am sincerely humbled by most of the stories that I am reading here. It seems that a lot of people are in bad situations with no or only a dim light at the end of the tunnel and I truly feel for you. Moonrover is right-more of these stories need to be brought to the attention of our government. If only to put faces to the statistics. Problem is, I think we could spray paint the stories on the sky and a few in positions of power would read them and have an interest, but the others would shrug and say, "Yeah, I know, we're working hard on it". It sucks, but they are really not working at all-to do anything for anyone but themselves. I HOPE that come November everyone votes to CHANGE the current administration. Granted, the other side might not be much better, but at least it's a chance. We keep going the way we are and forget about it.....

Some on here have suggested in so many words to "just go out and do it" (whatever IT might be), but speaking from experience, for some of us it is not that easy. Sending resume after resume (even for jobs that pay WAY less than what we might have been making before) or talking to every friend or colleague in our address book and getting ZERO response is tough. It is a brand new world out there for job hunters and the old rules rarely apply. Being overqualified or currently unemployed or not connected are frequent comments-how do you combat that? I agree that if you are unemployed you need to make some hard decisions/choices, possibly re-train, or do anything to just get some income coming in, but sometimes, depending on each individual circumstance, it might not be that easy.

Thanks everyone for sharing-I hope it is a worthwhile thread.

 

[cjon455]

Everytime I come back to this thread, I want to reply to a post, but then I find another post and another and another-so many that to reply to each individually would have me taking over the thread and possibly boring everyone to death, so I'll just throw out some general comments:

I am sincerely humbled by most of the stories that I am reading here. It seems that a lot of people are in bad situations with no or only a dim light at the end of the tunnel and I truly feel for you. Moonrover is right-more of these stories need to be brought to the attention of our government. If only to put faces to the statistics. Problem is, I think we could spray paint the stories on the sky and a few in positions of power would read them and have an interest, but the others would shrug and say, "Yeah, I know, we're working hard on it". It sucks, but they are really not working at all-to do anything for anyone but themselves. I HOPE that come November everyone votes to CHANGE the current administration. Granted, the other side might not be much better, but at least it's a chance. We keep going the way we are and forget about it.....

AGREED!!!!, this whole hopey changey thing sucks

 

[spartacus53]

Like many have said, you take any job that makes some money and wait for things to turn around...


Just don't hold your breath, there is no quick fix.

If you are unable to find a job, you may want to consider reselling things for a profit like I do. Hey, it's the next biggest industry out there with no discrimination. Besides, with salaries so low, we will see a swing to the barter system anyway

I remember an old joke from the 60's "Save your Dixie cups, the south will rise again" How true

 

[Catobra]

Yup, Spart-I hear ya-that buying and selling idea has been on my list forever.

Questions: where is the best place to sell-ebay, flea markets, Craigslist or ? Has anyone tried Rubylane or Etsey vs. ebay? I understand it would all be based on a particular item, for example, you wouldn't sell a couch via ebay... Anything smaller goes through ebay, larger items Craigslist-give up flea markets 'cause of the work involved? Any pointers from those out there who do this and make an ok profit for the newbies like me?

 

[spartacus53]

That's a good question Catobra

I would think you would make a better profit on the e-bay/Craiglist route, but like you say it's the work involved. You can probably make a little extra on the shipping/handling side too, but is it worth it At this point for me at least it's an easy solution, I go the flea market route for a few reasons.

1- It's a day out mingling and negotiating with people
2- The profit on my side is over 100%, most items were found in mall lots and you would be surprised with the items and values I get almost on a weekly basis.
3- Your cost is minimal to get 1-2 tables
4- I get a chance to use my sales skills once again and go for the higher price, even after negotiating
5- What you don't sell, you can always post on any online venue
6- No matter what, you're bound to improve your people skills and that is a must down the road. It will build more confidence in you too

I've done the flea market twice and did very well, and most of all had fun doing it Then again, I have a different approach and entertain along the way Here's another helpful little clue to keep it light. When people want to negotiate to a silly number, tell them times are tough, you have to buy. That gets their attention

Just have fun with it

God, I love careless shoppers

 

[Catobra]

I know, I know-there's a thousand tips/tricks and many have probably been posted before. Go ahead, make snide comments-I can take it : )

I appreciate the tips/advice, some good stuff in there. Thank you!

 

[N.J.THer]

Yeah, most likely.. I always look at the bright side.
1- 3 squares a day
2- FREE Cable
3- Free Medical
4- Private tutors who will take me beyond grifting 101

You left out recess with friends...I've visited some of our states finer facilities but have never been a guest.

NJ

 

[N.J.THer]

Someone mentioned it already but North Dakota has tons of jobs and they are throwing cash at people. Oil workers and construction people are getting the most money but there is every type of job you can think of available. (Now I can't wait to hear what type of job Spartacus is going to ask about)

NJ

 

[spartacus53]

NJ THer, my little ankle bracelet courtesy of NJDC prevents me from such travels

Although ND seems to be the job market answer for now, the infrastructure cannot handle the volume pouring in.

 

[kuger]

I can easily answer this, as I am an expert in this area.. As far as my records indicate, there were 3 jobs created under the "American Recovery Act".

1- The guy making the signs
2- The guy driving them to their destination.
3- And finally, the sign hanger himself

I hope I answered to your satisfaction

Oh,you forgot the Environmentalists that suck the funding dry before the job gets started and if it does get by them they hold it up until the statute of funding is up.....true story and happening!!

 

[kuger]

Someone mentioned it already but North Dakota has tons of jobs and they are throwing cash at people. Oil workers and construction people are getting the most money but there is every type of job you can think of available. (Now I can't wait to hear what type of job Spartacus is going to ask about)

NJ

....if you dont mind living in a tent....in the winter!!!