With all the layoffs I feel guilty

[Mad4Mickey]

I came home and told my DH next car cant be Mercedes it has to be a Chevy .
I told him he is driving the Mercedes and I am driving the Chevy truck this week . I know that will not help anyone get their job back

I feel guilty about being so over indulgent with a whole lot of things including my DVC . Some people dont get a vacation I complained about "not enough points"
I complained because the pool at our second house needs to be retiled because it is "ugly" some people dont have a hous eof thier own much less 2
I complain because he is working to much this winter . Some people cant even get 1 job , he has 1 full time and 2 part time .

Anyone else wish things were different ?

 

[soupy11]

as a laid off guy, let me just tell ya. Don't be feeling that way, get out there and enjoy the things you own.

 

[momto2girls]

No, I don't feel guilty. I feel really bad for people who are getting laid off, but I don't feel guilty about my own situation. I wouldn't expect anyone to feel guilty if our positions were reversed.

 

[freckles and boo]

Guilt isn't productive. That you recognize your good fortune is important, though. Compassion is a good thing. Drive that Mercedes to the grocery store and pick up some canned goods for a food pantry.

 

[mouseears4life]

I came home and told my DH next car cant be Mercedes it has to be a Chevy .
I told him he is driving the Mercedes and I am driving the Chevy truck this week . I know that will not help anyone get their job back

I feel guilty about being so over indulgent with a whole lot of things including my DVC . Some people dont get a vacation I complained about "not enough points"
I complained because the pool at our second house needs to be retiled because it is "ugly" some people dont have a hous eof thier own much less 2
I complain because he is working to much this winter . Some people cant even get 1 job , he has 1 full time and 2 part time .

Anyone else wish things were different ?

Obviously your DH works very hard for the things you've got. Enjoy them. You have no reason to feel guilty.

 

[onelilspark]

If you can afford it, the best thing you can do is spend it. The more you spend, the more jobs you create. So don't feel guilty, indulge!

 

[Mad4Mickey]

Thanks guys My own SIL got laid off 2 months after they had the baby and they just got moved out of our house so I understand hard times believe me . I just started feeling today that maybe I dont deserve so much .
I left home at 15 and have never had a dang thing given to me so working hard is nothing new to me .
We just gave my DD and SIL a house 2 weeks ago I hope she knows how good she has it .They are young 23 & 25 with a 6 month old baby , we thought it would take a very long time for them to save for a nice house so we gave them one. Now I am wondering if that was a mistake

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

Don't waste your time on guilt, though empathy is a good thing. Enjoy life's blessings. Tomorrow is a gift promised to no one...

 

[Amy&Dan]

I see where you are coming from but encourage you to not feel guilty! Likely you have worked your butt off to pay for those things. I feel guilty too, we are struggling but in a whole different way. Struggling to pay for vacations and the extras. Not the bills though. My sister is struggling beyond belief and I have helped her but in the end, I have done all I can. Sometimes I feel guilty when dh and I go out to eat or take a vacation. However, dh and I have had our really hard times. He was out of work for five long months a few years ago. It took us years to recover from that. He has taken pay cuts, had benefits cut and we have managed to survive. But I am aware that we are lucky. I am hopeful a lot of these people in dire straights right now will recoup as we did.

I agree, don't feel guilty. Get that pool retiled, that's good work for somebody! And your Mercedes is likely serviced by hard working Americans.

 

[LeCras]

Nope, I don't feel guilty in the slightest. We haven't changed our spending pattern one bit, and aren't apologising for it. Why should we? If we can afford it, why should we not get the things we want and do the things we feel like doing? Like onelilspark pointed out, spending money helps the economy, so the way I see it I'm helping combat the credit crunch.

Charlotte

 

[All American]

Don't feel guilty. It isn't your fault you have these things. It sounds like you've worked hard to get to this point in your life. That's what America is about---(ETA: Life, Liberty, and) the pursuit of happiness. Sure, they are just "things" but a little indulgence within your means is fine by me. I promise that if I pull up next to you in traffic and see you in a beautiful Mercedes while I sit in a Ford Focus with a broken heater and missing hubcap, I won't resent you. Heck, I'd probably give it a passing glance because I'm trying to get something my daughter dropped on the floor before the light turns green. So, again I echo the others---Don't feel guilty.

"Accentuate the Positive. Eliminate the Negative. Don't mess with Mr. In-Between."

 

[ntsammy5]

You can feel guilty if you want to, but you won't feel any better. If you want to do something, donate to a food bank or better yet, volunteer some time.

Feeling guilty will just depress you.

(BTW - the BMW hasn't left the garage in 2 weeks )

 

[SeeDisney]

Hey, MAD4 Mickey, swing over to the cruise forum on these boards and check out my thread that I posted TODAY.

We're going on a cruise in less than a month as well as a week in WDW and I felt guilty too!!!!!!

 

[momto2girls]

Nope, I don't feel guilty in the slightest. We haven't changed our spending pattern one bit, and aren't apologising for it. Why should we? If we can afford it, why should we not get the things we want and do the things we feel like doing? Like onelilspark pointed out, spending money helps the economy, so the way I see it I'm helping combat the credit crunch.

Charlotte

I was thinking the same thing. In the last two months, I bought a new car and DVC. I feel like I'm doing my part to help the economy.

 

[*Fantasia*]

I came home and told my DH next car cant be Mercedes it has to be a Chevy .
I told him he is driving the Mercedes and I am driving the Chevy truck this week . I know that will not help anyone get their job back

I feel guilty about being so over indulgent with a whole lot of things including my DVC . Some people dont get a vacation I complained about "not enough points"
I complained because the pool at our second house needs to be retiled because it is "ugly" some people dont have a hous eof thier own much less 2
I complain because he is working to much this winter . Some people cant even get 1 job , he has 1 full time and 2 part time .

Anyone else wish things were different ?

don't feel guilty. indulge yourself. there is nothing wrong with that. just because the economy is bad and people loosing their jobs doesn't mean you can't enjoy your life. just because some people are depress of what is going with their lives because of what is happening around the world, doesn't mean you have to hold yourself back. what you're doing is a good thing.. you're spending your money to help the economy and to keep their jobs. life is too short.. enjoy it.

i know i would be driving a mercedez if i have one!

 

[Mickeyistheman]

OP,

You actually got me a bit choked up after I read your post.

PLEASE don't feel guilty!! You have shown that you have compassion for those (like myself) who have been laid off and yes its very tough out there and watching the news doesn't make it better (yet).

I am hopeful however, so you be that too!! Drive that car, book that vacation, buy those new shoes. You can help the economy and you should feel good about it.

Many people have said that there isn't a recession and YOU know that there is.

If you want to do something even more to help out others, look through your closet and donate an old coat or something you haven't worn in a year, someone else might really need it.

Or if you know of a family that needs some help - Maybe bring them dinner one night or something like that. Its small but its the thought that counts!

 

[debster812]

OP--guilt is a singularly useless emotion in things like this. You can certainly feel badly and have empathy for people who are struggling, but you have nothing to feel guilty about.

I'm also laid off/out of work. The company I worked for for 17 years crashed and burned 10 days before Christmas for good, though I've been out of work since Halloween.

I was feeling crushing guilt with some of my co-workers, because although it stinks, DH and I are MUCH better off than lots of folks.

DH carries our insurance
We have a small, manageable mortgage
Both our cars are paid for
I'm able to collect a decent amount of Unemployment, while I look for a new job

My former boss told me pretty much what I just typed for you, so please feel empathy for us, but do not feel guilt. You did not cause this mess.

 

[shopnfun2me2]

I came home and told my DH next car cant be Mercedes it has to be a Chevy .
I told him he is driving the Mercedes and I am driving the Chevy truck this week . I know that will not help anyone get their job back

Please keep driving and buying the Mercedes too. Alabama just had 700 laid off from the Mercedes plant in Vance.