I nearly fell off my chair when I saw this this morning. Right down to the husband's former industry this is my story with 2 small changes.
1. They are in slightly worse shape than we are. We're at the three year mark, they're at four. We make just slightly (by about $2,000) too much for food stamps or food pantry help.
2. I haven't even been able to get the shoe sales job.
THIS IS NOT THE AMERICA MY FATHER LEFT ME. OR YOU.
Will they vote for Obama to get more aid, or Romney to hope to get a job?
ReplyDeleteThe husband says he supports Romney because it will help change the whole structure.
ReplyDeleteThe wife says she's had it with all politicians. They will never understand what we're going through because they will be taken care of for the rest of their lives once they leave office. And if they don't truly understand us they can't truly care or affect real change.
An opinion that pretty much mirrors my own these days.
MR,
ReplyDeleteI may be joining the ranks of the unemployed in September. So far, nobody has enrolled children in the classes that I offer. These classes are real deal: less than $350 a year for a course that provides a college credit accepted EVERYWHERE. Courses last 32 weeks.
I'm not sure what is going on. All of these families have decent-paying jobs - white collar jobs. However, I have heard that some had balloon mortgages. All have health insurance, the premiums for which have risen sharply for at least two years in a row.
I do have some competition: places that offer similar courses (not as AP oriented) for free. What those students do after graduation I have little idea. None of them get into a university -- that much I DO know.
As one who has been self-employed since 1997, I will not be eligible for unemployment funds.
I may be able to pick up some private tutoring clients. If not, we'll be living on savings and Mr. AOW's Social Security: $13,200 (including what he pays for Medigap). And I guess that we could tap our IRAs.
The damn banks haven't been paying decent interest for us who save as Mr. AOW and I have done all our lives. The stock market scares me as I've lost quite a bit of money there.
I think that I will have to sell off some of my much treasured jewelry -- as scrap.
Ah, what the hell. My situation isn't nearly as bad as yours, MR. No house payment! Thank God that my own health insurance premium is only $235/month. The premium went down on my private policy. Go figure.
Meanwhile, all of my retired neighbors (federal workers, teachers) are living it up and getting ready to take their luxury vacations next month.
You would have to relocate to get the shoe sales job, you know, like an Okie.
ReplyDeleteObama will have you buying at the company store.
;-)
ReplyDeleteAoW -- and I'm not nearly as bad off as so many others.
ReplyDeleteBack on Holy Saturday I had to sell off seven guns. I took a bit of a beating on it (about 40% -- sheesh) but it was the only way I could make the mortgage that month and had to make it fast. On the bright side part of the payment was a trade for a new handgun which has quickly become my favorite every day carry (a Glock 36). Anyway, there's not many more of those to sell. I've never owned more than 2 dozen at any one time and those include the ones that my wife and daughter # 2 carry and the small .22 the 14 year old learned on and will (hopefully) be hers when she is old enough. A total of 18 guns now, I think.
So what's next (and has started to a small degree) is selling off the knife collection.
I like guns but knives have always been my passion. I have hundreds of them, collected over the last 35 years, that were supposed to be held and sold to augment my retirement if necessary. Seems/feels like retirement has come very early whether wanted it to or not. Trick is to find the right buyers who have the disposable income and not take a beating on the knives like I did on the guns.
I don't know your neighbors, of course, but even decent paying white collar jobs are finding it hard to get by right now, depending on the area. Or they may just be afraid to spend the money not knowing what November and beyond will bring. Or may not think their job is as secure as it used to be. Which is absolutely no consolation to you. And a balloon mortgage can be crushing when you get to the end. The premiums are going up, of course, in no small part because of Obamacare.
All this havoc in three or four years. Not the America our fathers left us.
Epa's private island idea is sounding better and better. I'd ask about including the whiskey and dark eyed women but I don't know if my wife or daughters will read this. . .
Wimminz.
ReplyDeleteEveryone on the island, I presume will roll their own EVERYTHING.
ReplyDeleteI suggest rule via benevolent anarchy
As long as MR is Secretary of Whiskey, Wimminz, and Guns.
ReplyDeleteSi amigos. Con mucho gusto.
ReplyDelete