How has the poor global economy affected your family?

[imabrat]

This is not intended to be a political thread. Any bashing of the US President or any other political figure will not be tolerated, and I will request to have the thread closed. It's purpose is to merely state how your family has been effected.

My family is surviving on one income only - my fathers. My mom had to quit her job when I was diagnosed with cancer, which was 2 years ago in July. She's been looking for a job, and finally her old company wants her back.

- We've stopped buying "just because".
- Groceries are rarely bought if they are not on sale.
- Coupons are used. We use energy efficient lightbulbs, and we drop off our recyclables at the center instead of paying extra to have the picked up curbside.
- We try to walk when we can, although living in a sketchy area with no public transportation does not make it easy.
- We've downgraded from Digital Cable to basic cable.
- We hold back on eating out, although sometimes Chinese is necessary.
- We wait until we are in one area to do all of our errands at once.

 

[Babyjustrun]

I don't find the recession in Canada to be quite as scary at the one in the US, as I don't think much has changed. Thanks to fuel being so up and down in the past year we haven't travelled much. I don't like to say it, but at this point we're probably spending more money than we ever have...

 

[blindsided]

My family hasn't really been affected, yet. We'll see how long it lasts.

 

[::Snow_White::]

It has cut down on things such as presents, and expensive things. We also had some work cut, but it was replaced suprisingly. We luckily haven't been affected that bad.

We still use tons of coupons. You have no idea. My mom doesn't work, and she gathers up coupons for the week as well as sell on ebay. That's a huge huge huge money saver and maker. We don't buy anything that isn't on sale or we have a coupon for.

I'm always the one trying to go around the house and save energy. My mom keeps our house medium to cut the heating and air conditioning bill. We also recycle aluminum cans. We save a lot of money, and probably in the best spot ever, but that doesn't phase us really. We're a money saving family. I have a hard time spending more than 10 on pants. Lol.

 

[AbsoluteAwesome1]

Our family actually hasn't been affected, I consider myself very lucky.
My dad's a divorce lawyer and I guess people are still getting divorced in this economy..

 

[SnowyJingleBells]

My family hasn't been effected too much yet. Sure, we're doing the "no buying just-because" but that's about it.

 

[questionmark]

My family isn't affected just yet. We've tried to save electricity a little better, but that's about it.

Although for the most part, the stuff you mentioned, we've pretty much always lived like that. Sales, coupons, walking, etc.

 

[nerdylightbulb]

Pretty much the only affect that the poor economy had on my family is that I don't see my dad as much because the plant where he works fired a ton of people and instead of hiring new people, they want all of the people that still work there to work extra hours.

 

[chisnpeke]

My mom hadn't worked since 2003 because my brother has some health problems. After my grandpa died in 2004 he left an inheritence (the exact amount I don't know) and it has been enough to get by. We were able to survive on it, take vacations, etc. Unfortunately my mom left some of that money in stocks because it was so high when she got it. In November my mom told me she has lost over $30,000 in the stock market. We are cutting corners but doing OK. Certainly better than a lot of others.. My mom is working a couple days a week at JC Penney and we are both going to start again at the amusement park here when it opens later this month. Just weekends until Memorial Day though when it finally opens everyday. My mom agreed to go to Disney for my birthday if I paid for the majority of it, so we are at least getting to do that. I'm sacrificing most all luxuries though!

Mostly it's been really watching what we buy and saving a lot more money than before.

It's a scary time.

My dad is out of the picture. No help at all...he can always help others though with some horrible sob story but usually a scammer (don't get me started). They are always in more need than his children.

 

[Cinderelli16]

I live in Michigan...enough said.

 

[DramaQueen]

I don't find the recession in Canada to be quite as scary at the one in the US, as I don't think much has changed. Thanks to fuel being so up and down in the past year we haven't travelled much. I don't like to say it, but at this point we're probably spending more money than we ever have...

Ya, I have to agree with you Hilary.
I haven't found that my family is affected too much.
I feel kind of terrible saying this...but yesterday we went on a shopping spree in buffalo and bought tons of clothes--even though the dollar is only at .80 (approx) we're not rich by any stretch of the word...I guess we're just stupid.

My mom works on HR of a company that has branches all across Canada and the U.S and she's been having to do TONS of layoffs lately.
She also got an almost $50,000 bonus this past february (though she is having to take a slight salary decrease this year)

Anyways, all in all, I don't feel like my family has been affected, and I haven't noticed much change in the economy around me.
(and minimum wage went u to $9.50 on wednesday, so now I get paid $9.75/hr instead of $9.10!)

 

[Pearls]

Daily life hasn't really changed that much. The only big thing is we are postponing our Disney trip from this year to next year, which kind of sucks. :|

 

[goofyandplutoluver]

We reuse anything we can, only use the dishwashed when it's full (ditto withwashing machine), and we hang some clothes to dry in the basement instead of always using the dryer.
All of my friends carpool together.
I take the bus home from school now (not so happy about that one..).
We have not been affected dramastically *knocks on wood* but we have no clue how we're going to pay for mine & my sister 's school tuition next year, if we cannot sell my grandmother's old house (been on the market since June). We have a solid offer ATM so hopefully it will go through.

 

[chisnpeke]

I don't find the recession in Canada to be quite as scary at the one in the US, as I don't think much has changed. Thanks to fuel being so up and down in the past year we haven't travelled much. I don't like to say it, but at this point we're probably spending more money than we ever have...

Ya, I have to agree with you Hilary.
I haven't found that my family is affected too much.
I feel kind of terrible saying this...but yesterday we went on a shopping spree in buffalo and bought tons of clothes--even though the dollar is only at .80 (approx) we're not rich by any stretch of the word...I guess we're just stupid.

My mom works on HR of a company that has branches all across Canada and the U.S and she's been having to do TONS of layoffs lately.
She also got an almost $50,000 bonus this past february (though she is having to take a slight salary decrease this year)

Anyways, all in all, I don't feel like my family has been affected, and I haven't noticed much change in the economy around me.
(and minimum wage went u to $9.50 on wednesday, so now I get paid $9.75/hr instead of $9.10!)

If you have money to spend you should spend it! That helps the economy!! If no one who had money spent any of it this situation would be worse.

 

[DramaQueen]

If you have money to spend you should spend it! That helps the economy!! If no one who had money spent any of it this situation would be worse.

ya that's true, i suppose.
(and yesterday i was helping your guys' economy...sooo you're welcome (just kiddingggg!))
i hear ads in the radio ALL the time trying to encourage people to buy cars, because no one is...and the auto industry around here has suffered an awful lot.

i heard on the news the other day that in detroit people are just abandoning their houses and cars and stuff...and that some houses are being sold for as low as $1,000!!!

 

[Disney Princess Elli]

ya that's true, i suppose.
(and yesterday i was helping your guys' economy...sooo you're welcome (just kiddingggg!))
i hear ads in the radio ALL the time trying to encourage people to buy cars, because no one is...and the auto industry around here has suffered an awful lot.

i heard on the news the other day that in detroit people are just abandoning their houses and cars and stuff...and that some houses are being sold for as low as $1,000!!!

woah i don't think it's that bad here.
the shops are still always really busy and stuff.
the only thing we've changed it getting Freeview instead of Sky.

 

[marypops!]

I think the worst is that my dad had £1,000 monthly decrease in his salary. Other then that, it's the same as always. Even before the recession, we would reuse things, look for offers in the shops, and buy cheaply.

 

[Cinderelli16]

ya that's true, i suppose.
(and yesterday i was helping your guys' economy...sooo you're welcome (just kiddingggg!))
i hear ads in the radio ALL the time trying to encourage people to buy cars, because no one is...and the auto industry around here has suffered an awful lot.

i heard on the news the other day that in detroit people are just abandoning their houses and cars and stuff...and that some houses are being sold for as low as $1,000!!!

Well first off, thanks! hahah

And secondly, yes that's right, it's horrible.
I just can't believe economy has gotten this bad.
It actually makes me sad to be honest.

I think we are in ALOT more trouble, than what most people think.

 

[STOPxmickeytime]

It's SERIOUSLY affected my family.
My dad had a really good job in the stock market area, working for Merrill Lynch, which he had for 30 years.
He got laid off, and NO ONE is hiring now. He's applying to jobs that he's WAY over-qualified for, just so he can get some work.

My mom had to go back to work as a secretary for the first time since my brother was born, which was weird for my little sisters, but at least some money's coming in now, albeit a small percentage of what my dad had been making.

I took everything for granted before. We went on 2-3 vacations a year, I never had to worry about college money...now that's all changing. My family is changing pretty much everything we do. It's scary, but it's also really a learning experience, too.

 

[saratogadreamin09]

Not at all


both of my parents have still employed and have job security (they work for my grandmother )

we live froogaly but we always did before the economy went down the toliot. My mom doesnt like to spend money so we've always live on a low budget