Community Chat

[esmeraldagooch]

Just because money is being spent doesn't mean they have it. 48% have no savings.

[RetRN]

Well said. And they have no retirement savings.

[Snowpuppy]

On 3/30/2015 esmeraldagooch said: Just because money is being spent doesn't mean they have it. 48% have no savings.

So true.

We had some unexpected layoffs a couple of years ago. While it lasted only 8 weeks just about all of the employees affected said they didn't have $500 to make it thru until their 1st unemployment check. And we pay decent salaries.

I've learned to nod when they talk happy, happy and get myself together to cover my own behind.

[CrazyDaisy]

On 3/29/2015 chrystaltree said: ......the economy bounced back about five years ago and it gets stronger every year. Of course there are people who are struggling but that isn't due to a weak economy. That's because they are poorly educated and ill prepared for well paying jobs in this economy.

So you are saying that anyone who is unemployed, under employed or struggling financially are poorly educated and ill prepared for well paying jobs. Interesting point, how do you come by that conclusion?

[BonnieBelle]

I hope so. My daughter is working part time and going to school part time for her masters, she will finish in December and my son is graduating college with his bachelors in May. They BOTH NEED GOOD JOBS !!

[kittymomNC]

On 3/30/2015 CrazyDaisy said:

On 3/29/2015 chrystaltree said: ......the economy bounced back about five years ago and it gets stronger every year. Of course there are people who are struggling but that isn't due to a weak economy. That's because they are poorly educated and ill prepared for well paying jobs in this economy.

So you are saying that anyone who is unemployed, under employed or struggling financially are poorly educated and ill prepared for well paying jobs. Interesting point, how do you come by that conclusion?

I agree, CrazyDaisy, that conclusion makes no sense whatever and certainly isn't based in reality. There are many people who are highly educated and experienced who still can't find appropriate jobs. Also those very experienced in construction who might be able to get well-paying jobs if the PTB in Congress would get off their duffs and pass a bill to rebuild our disintegrating infrastructure, which would help at least a little to equalize the disparity between the middle class and the 1%.

[Qwackertoo]

On 3/29/2015 chrystaltree said: ......the economy bounced back about five years ago and it gets stronger every year. Of course there are people who are struggling but that isn't due to a weak economy. That's because they are poorly educated and ill prepared for well paying jobs in this economy.

Tad bit more complicated than a simple statement saying it has "bounced" back.

stock market = great

inflation for food up but yet not the way they calculate it for CPI and cost of living adjustments = bad

number of people on food stamps up, way up = bad

labor participation rate, lowest in 40-50 years = bad

energy costs ie gasoline are down = good for individual consumers

housing stabilized not all great not all bad = getting there and hopefully more prudent lending taking place

avg household income slightly down = treading water for many

GDP some quarters up some not so much and always revised =lukewarm certainly not robust after they are revised in recent quarters

it is a "mixed" bag as far as what is up, what is down, what is about the same and last but not least WHERE within the 50 states

[deepwaterdotter]

On 3/29/2015 millieshops said:

More people are okay than were at the bottom of the recession, but plenty of people are still in trouble. Further, even those who are okay are certainly not necessarily living an easy life.

I think money is like politics - it's all local. It's the money in my house that determines what I think about the economy. Yes, there's an effect from economic conditions in general, but it's my own specifics that really count.

How the voters view the health of the economy will certainly be a factor in the outcome of next year's elections.

[Cakers1]

Too many simplistic reasonings here. Not sure why politics is entering the picture in terms of who sees growth and who doesn't. Not every state is having an uptick.

Crowded restaurants/malls do not indicate that all is well with everyone. Some folks are still hurting; that has nothing to do with the way they ""lean"". It has to do with a realistic assessment of the economic times.

[Lucky Charm]

On 3/29/2015 chrystaltree said:

On 3/29/2015 Snowpuppy said:

I spent the weekend at the butcher to stock the freezer and did a big haul shopping trip to stock the pantry.

I figure might as well buy it today. Great investments because it'll be more costly next month.

We're gearing up for a downturn at work. While all the chatter at meetings is happy, happy, just wait till we can hire again......the fact is we're preparing for some tough times ahead.

Sounds like you are hoping for tough times. I can't imagine why....

Why do you think that? She's being proactive.

Good for her to stock her fridge and pantry.

I'll add that I know people who don't have sufficient retirement savings, or emergency savings, who fill the Olive Gardens and Chili's parking lots. And they waste half the food by leaving it on their plates. Leave a small tip thinking that's how their saving some money.

Or they'd order sandwiches and pick them up rather than grocery shop and make something in that room they called a kitchen.

Look at the nicer restaurants parking lots, those are the people who have the savings or are comfortably retired, they 'thought it all the way through' whether it was good times or bad.