Breaking News from ABCNEWS.com:
663,000 Jobs Lost in March, Pushing Unemployment to 8.5%, Highest Level Since November
1983 [8:35 a.m. ET]
Unfortunate as its more and more people are loosing jobs and more and more business are closing. I have even seen some business cutting back on their hours of operation. Do you think things are going to get even worse? Where will all the lower income people go when paying rent gets impossible?
[question posted by muscles4me]
responses and comments:
I hate to think about it, it looks like a lot of people are going to be living out doors, and that is not good at all, they already in some states, have people living in tents, this is really getting bad, when it get to this point but you have to have some place to stay, and I know most of the homeless shelter are full, there are eve turning people with children away, because they have waiting list and the shelter are all filled up.happy [notlistening2]
I am glad I was a saver. I own my home but I still have condo fees, insurance on the condo and electric bills. I do nothing extra now but thats OK. [muscles4me]
I'll tell you,I'm out of work and searching right now.I didn't work at my last job long enough to qualify for unemployment.So,I'm afraid when my money's gone.I have enough to survive for one more month.I get tired of filling out applications because noone calls me.My next resort is I'm gonna ttry all the fast food joints.It's a paying job.Alot of people say they wouldn't work at one,but they pay you.People shouldn't be too picky for a job,not now a days.I'm one of the low income people,so I feel worried what's gonna happen.I'm a single mother.Just me having to work. [skylight53]
When I could not get a job anywhere, McDonald's hired me as an overnight cleaner. I never worked so hard in my life, but it paid bills. I also had free breakfast, free uniform (except for the special shoes), once in a while, we could earn another free meal. It has been 4 months, how are you doing? [writersedge]
i'm afraid it's going to get worse before it gets better. alot of people are going to have to change their way of living & live w/in their means. there are ways for us all to cut back. [ANTIQUELADY]
no, they can't. i'm for surenot taking up for the goverment. they need a hugr housecleaning themselves. i know they could live cheaper than they do. they could give up alot of perks that they get but they aren't going. what i meant was we are all going to have to cut back & most can. so many prople live above their means & have not given onr thought to the rainy days that come. i think all we can do is our best & hope everybody else does but we know they want. [ANTIQUELADY]
goverment should pay attention to unemployment issues. add transfer payment. decrease tax. [wodekonghuapen]
What is add transfer payment mean? [muscles4me]
This is really bad for whole world.In india, few days ago, jet airways announced that, they wanted to cut employee. And another big IT company "satyam" is insolvent. On the other hand, the daily usage foods in our life are going increase day by day. I dont know what will happen in coming two or three years. As we are all known that, world economic condition is not good right now. I think Every Govt should give their helping hand for those company. [skyblue]
I think things will have to get worse before they get better, it always happens that way. I don't know where people will go when things get impossible, something is going to have to happen, too many people are losing jobs now, I think its a sad thing. [walijo2008]
Have they done anything to help the homeless in your area since this posting? [writersedge]
Yes, I think things are going to get much worse. Just wait until those green jobs the 0bamunist wants are put into place. Spain is the leader in green obs, and I read today that a study showed that for every green job, 2.2 jobs were lost elsewhere. This is truly change that we can believe in... Yes We Can!...doh [Destiny007]
That is alot of lost jobs. [muscles4me]
The whole situation is just terrifying! My hubby's company cut 550 jobs in Febuary and thankfully it wasn't hubby! But what's to say there will not be more cuts ahead?!?!?!? My work has cut hours too, I only work pt time like say 5-15/wk. But if someone calls in they don't call for a replacement or ask you to stay longer as they are not allowed to fill those hours. I liked getting the phone calls for some extra hours.... but now I'm thankful for any hours. They've also cut the full timers by 4 hrs a week as well. The sad thing is people can spend if they have no income! The only places that prosper during these times are the collection agencies, bankruptcy atty's, mass discount places like WM or Aldi's. [3SnuggleBunnies]
Very true, I tried to afford COBRA once and I couldn't do it. I went without health insurance for years. [writersedge]
Unfortunately, the Bible tells us that things are going to get a lot worse before his return. Since we know this, we can trust him to see us through. [Rozie37]
That makes two of us. I certainly feel the same way that you do. [Rozie37]
I think this will only be temporary. It is only now that we are experiencing the effect of the recession. Don't lose hope, everything will be fine. [feathers26]
If people own even one acre that isn't poluted with herbicides and pesticides, they can learn to eat wild edibles. That can cut down on their food bill. Food stamps have also been raised recently. [writersedge]
Hey muscles! I am very worried myself. I am trying to get Disability, but that will not be enough to for me to live on. I will still need some kind of a job and I don't see how I will ever get back into the workforce! If people keep losing jobs and I haven't worked in over 3 years, how am I supposed to get a job when I have physical limitations? I need to have some more money coming in to! I can't find a way to make money online so what am I supposed to do? It is so scary now! I don't know what people are going to do! [Opal26]
Alot of people (including me) are using our savings but now they want to tax us on our savings. I am seriously wondoring if having no savings account and just using a safe deposit box would be smarter. They sure don't pay much in interest. [muscles4me]
I'm going to have to agree with Rozie on what she said. She's not lying and though I am a type of person who likes to be happy and optimistic, the times we live in are just not. four million people have lost jobs as of now. More is to come. The best thing to do is to put your trust in the Lord and go from there. [Savvynlady]
I agree with you there; See, there is a balance to this, and if you keep trying to take more and more, you will upset this balance, which is the reason for all of this job loss and such right now. [Savvynlady]
perhaps the reports are true and valid, but it doees not mean at all that it happens to each and every poeple. companies may retrench emloyees, jobs may be lacking but not poeple who has ability, skill and thinking capability. who create jobs? we are the ones who created it. the only thing is to be creative and look for something that can be used for living. we cannot anymore choose the jobs we want. we have to do all the jobs as we can in order to face these calamities happening. [yanime]
We are already seeing tent cities go up. Shelters are full and even if they weren't many people won't go to them. I think it will get worse. I hope I am wrong. [Ruthep]
I saw a piece on the news a couple months ago about a tent city going up outside of Sacramento. I think it was CBS. I don't know if they'd have it on their website or not. And in our capital of Des Moines many of the homeless have tents down by the river. There have been a couple fires this past week. My husband says if it gets much worse we are going to have to start communal living. [Ruthep]
yeah..you know our country is much affected with this global crisis..i don't know still philippines is number one of the poorest country in the world..i really don't with our president...no actions have been done..if there is only a few who took benifits on it..that is why graduates of today i dont know if they will find jobs for their living...others just migrate to other country for a living [worldbestwriter2008]
hi, idon't know how long the financial crisis will lasts ,there are sooooo many companies have been closed in china ,my company is not ok.... im worried about the future .... [sarahong]
Apparently they're going to end up staying at MY house driving me crazy..... Mow not only is the economy a disaster my home is too! [uath13]
winkOH NO Be careful for the union stewarts are watching you. [muscles4me]
I think it ia a sad and scary situation. I think that the demand for different types of employment are going to change dramatically. There are businesses going out here left and right and people being cut back on their hours. The state is trying to open new jobs but they are very different than the ones people had to begin with. I think this is going to boil down to being more versatile in the job market in order to survive. [JenInTN]
I dont know Muscles my deawr friend..we are all in a lot of trouble really..money is almost valueless it seems and I am so worried about my son not having a job too...since we moved here he has been hard pressed to find one. It is very worriesome yes..what is happening to our country dear friend? Love and Hugs and many blessings to you that money cant buy. I do not think I could make it if I was not sharing rental expenses right now myself. Although I have paid my whole check for rent previous to this move, I did not mind..but isn't that ridiculous? xoxoxothumbdown [OceanTiara]
Yes, indeed, thank you for your encouragment dear..counting our blessings everyday we awake does wonders for the worry factor. Good Luck to you Muscles dear friend. xooxwub [OceanTiara]
Up here, probably the state parks and woods during the spring, summer, and fall. Live in a lean-to built by the park service or get a tent at a sale with the last few dollars they have or borrow one from a friend or relative. For winter, maybe the Salvation Army Shelter. The job losses are even higher than what was listed 4 months ago when you originally posted this timely topic. I am very, very worried for winter and for the people where I live. Winter without a job or back up money from warm weather jobs is very scary up here (Northern NY State). Some people have moved back home with their relatives. Parents have moved in with children, adult children have moved back in with their parents. Sometimes as many as three generations under one roof. Everyone doing whatever they can. Some walking along the road and collecting soda bottles and cans to get 5 cents. Some having a rummage sale to get rid of stuff before they move/loose their homes/move into less space. Many taking one part-time job and donating what they can for expenses. Then, if they're lucky, finding a second part-time job. People without relatives. That's going to be really, really hard. Vermont has house sharing. People who have a home can offer to share the home and expenses with people looking for a place to live. But that's hard. Think how hard it is to have a room mate. Trying to match people, I know at college, I had a room mate who was a drunk, another one who really hated me and I don't even know why. With all the alcohol problems and drug problems, plus abuse and so on, you need to have a background check before you let anyone into your home. What if you let a stranger in and that person kills your cat or tries to hurt you or steals all you $ and takes off? I think house share is hard to do in this day and age. It's hard enough to let relatives live with you, but a complete stranger? [writersedge]
All very good points, and no, I don't think the rich or our representatives/elected officials care. [writersedge]
sad Hi Muscles. I live in Michigan, so that tells you what the economy is like here! And yes, before they begin to get better, I believe things will get even worse. Many of the unemployed, even entire families, end up homeless or living in their vehicles. We are in a sad, scary state of affairs. I do pray it soons turns around. Karen [PeacefulWmn9]
Yes, for many years, the auto workers had it made! And then they kept getting more greedy. I blame that greed on their part for some of todays problems in that industry and for why so much of it moved south or overseas. [PeacefulWmn9]
If unemployment increase that can only mean that consumer spending will go down, and when that happens more people lose jobs. It is really truly scary that this is happening. It stinks we all have to live in fear like we do. I have several friends out of work right now and some of them have been out of work for some time. I don't know how they are surviving I really don't. This is all so sad and very scary. [ladym33]
The best thing everybidy that is still working can do is save as much as they can. [muscles4me]
I know I am later in responding back to this discussion, but as you can tell things for sure are not improving any in this arena are they? People are still continuing to loose jobs at an ever increasing rate and it does get scary. It is hard to think where things are going to go from here. People are still loosing homes, etc. and it does get scary. I know right now my husband and I are at secure jobs, but nothing can guarantee the future either. [KrauseHome]
I really pity those people that saved so much only to loose most of it. I have many firends and I as well have lost ALOT of money. This is money we worked for, we did not win or inherit it and now the idea of living comfortably our last 10 to 15 yars is but a dream. If cap a trade goes trough or the idea we have to buy governmnet health care goes through I do not know what we will do. [muscles4me]
hiya muscles4me I watched a movie yesterday called 'The pursuit of happyness' starring Will Smith. I'm not sure if you are familiar with it but it's the story of a man's struggle in the system today trying to keep mind body and soul together while taking care of his little boy. I cried through a lot of the movie, mainly because it's based on a true story and partly because I'm a big softy at heart lol He managed to secure a job in the end, but for some unfortunates it's not a happy ending. I was shocked to see the homeless queuing up for a bed at night and believe that it is probably like that in reality in the States. We have homelessness here in the UK too but on a lesser scale. The loss of jobs is taking away a man's stability and the system looks like it's crumbling here in the UK too. I expect things will get worse and the only thing that can prevent it IMO is divine intervention. No-one is putting me on the streets I can tell you that! Alice happy [Aliceinwebland]