Jack_Diane_Freedom wrote: Much better off than 4 years ago and now retired. All this doom and gloom about fuel prices. I do not hear any complaints about the price of smokes, booze, theatre tickets, or bottled water. Try getting tickets to a major rock band. Nobody is complaining about these things and they have all increased dramatically in price but we complain only about gas prices.
Even those without cars are affected by fuel/oil prices. The local bus operators are going to raise fares and cut routes due to fuel prices affecting their operations. Taxes cover about 70% of transit operations, but the state here plans to cut the tax contribution to transit.
I can get by without booze, cigarettes, bottled water or theatre tickets. I can't get to work without either mass transit or my car both of which are affected by fuel prices.
Those who commute by bike have to pay more for tires and other parts due to fuel/oil costs.
I'm certainly worse off than I was four years ago, but part of it is my own doing. I decided in Dec 2006 to sell my home. An expected 3 months to make it ready to sell took 15 months instead and $25,000.
I didn't get the house on the market until Apr 1, 2008 and the market has worsened in that time as everyone knows.
My employer is going into the tank and has canceled any sort of pay increases for non-union employees indefinitely and probably permanently since newspapers are bleeding money like crazy.
I'll be doing much better if I can sell my house and move into something less expensive.
belfert wrote: I'm certainly worse off than I was four years ago, but part of it is my own doing. I decided in Dec 2006 to sell my home. An expected 3 months to make it ready to sell took 15 months instead and $25,000.
I didn't get the house on the market until Apr 1, 2008 and the market has worsened in that time as everyone knows.
My employer is going into the tank and has canceled any sort of pay increases for non-union employees indefinitely and probably permanently since newspapers are bleeding money like crazy.
I'll be doing much better if I can sell my house and move into something less expensive.
Our family is affected by the downturn in housing, too. All our equity is pretty much gone and our payment is not getting any smaller. But, instead of trying to sell it in this market, I decided it was better in the long run to increase my income rather than decrease my outgo. I got a part time job and now we get to keep our nice big house and be able to afford camping, and other fun stuff. It's still tight, but is worth it in the long run. Good luck to you!
68 Me & DW
93 DD
03 DD
06 F150 Screw 6.5' Bed, 4x4, 5.4, 3.73
04 Tahoe 23RB-GL Honda EU2000 Parallel Cables "I hope you like Guinness, Sir. I find it a refreshing substitute for...food." Col. Jack O'Neill, Stargate SG-1.
Still working 4 years ago and retired now? Hmmm. Yup.
2001 Chev. 3500 CC Duallie, D/A, 20.5 Pullrite Super 5th, Roll n Lock, StarBoards, Firestone Air Bags, TTT Mirrors, BrakeSmart.
2004 HitchHiker Discover America 33 1/2 CKQG, Disc Brakes, Mor/Ryde IS
Garmin Nuvi 350
While I do enjoy many comforts that may parents and grand parents did not, they had something that I currently don't have, and I feel I can speak for many who have become financially successful in this world. The work/life balance is not there. I am trying very hard to simplify my life, and enjoy the simple things my parents did. Things like a wonderful sunrise, or a lazy Sunday in the park, a pretty flower on a long hike, a simple conversation on the stoop with your neighbor, coffee and cake with my family.
I have 5 days planned @ Thornehill Broom in Ventura, CA in the end of June, hope to experience all of that and more.
Better than 4 yrs. ago but not as good as last year. Maybe it's my fault. Last year my part time job was booming and I was able to buy more toys and save some. Maybe I should have saved it all. Then again I lost over 5K in my retirement account in the first 3 mts. of this year.
* This post was
edited 05/11/08 06:06am by oltroll *
Without bragging, I can say that we are better off each year.
We have always spent far below what we could have and saved/invested the rest.
Now it seems that the Jones, who we should have been trying to keep up with all of these years, are upside down on all of their fancy homes and toys, worrying about the price of food and fuel.
Perhaps there is justice in the world after all.
If more people would follow the old rule about pay yourself first, there would be much less stress in their lives.
Yes, we are better off this year than 4 years ago. Each year gets better and better. The earlier planning, diligence, and use of common sense makes a very big difference.
In reply to the poster who said the Michigan people should get out of there!
I offer this: Lumping of people/areas together is not very smart! The Southeastern Michigan (Detroit area) of heavily unionized one thought/economy is having the it's problems, not the whole state. Much of Detroit's economic issues were self-inflicted over many years. While our area of West Michigan is booming, growing, and building like crazy with a very solid economy. Money Magazine has just printed a rating of the TOP 10 desirable areas/cities/markets to purchase/build homes and business/real estate within the U.S. The Grand Rapids CSA/MSA area is in the top ten. The future is very bright in our West Michigan area, as they had stated in the article. The CSA/MSA code which is our federal government's designation means: Combined Statistical Area/ Metropolitan Statistical Area. The Grand Rapids area is 1.4 million population and doing very very well, thank you! We live within the CSA/MSA and know this to be true. Building construction and large/tall buildings construction cranes are all over the area. Not only in Grand Rapids proper. We drove thru Grand Rapids yesterday afternoon and there are 7 building cranes in one area alone. One of those cranes is building a very large new 36 story "condo only" building on the west side of the Grand River near downtown. About half up now, it will be the tallest "lived in only" building in the entire state and the condo units are well over 60% sold already.
2004 Chev 2500HD D/A crew cab LB 4X4 - Air Bags - Loaded
915 Lance Camper with 2'X 8' rear porch (my own design n build)
29 ft Carri-lite 5th wheel - 1 large slide - specially built
36 ft Carriage - 3 axle 5'er -NOW SOLD- Looking at some new 5'ers
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