Posted on 08/05/2009 3:17:30 AM PDT by Daisyjane69
MIDDLEBURY, Ind. -- He sinks into the couch, foot jiggling, his gaze traveling from his wife to the television to the darkness outside, broken now and then by the distant glow of passing headlights.
His mind settles into another round of "What if?"
As in: What if we don't have cash to buy milk, eggs, bread or diapers? What if our unemployment benefits run out? What if we never find jobs?
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Btw, as someone raised by two middle class and frugal parents and someone who was trained in financial planning, this article was downright depressing.
I am now working on getting a U.S. manufacturing business up and running that will put a few others to work just to stick my finger a little deeper in the government's eye.
Well, being out of work has got to be hard.
BUT...there are so many “problems”, IMHO, with what they say their financial state is and how they act.
1. They’re hanging around the house all day. First lesson of getting a job is treating your search for unemployment like a job...get up and get moving...spend your days searching, not sitting on the couch, playing video games on your cell phones (btw...cell phones cost money, but giving them the benefit of the doubt, maybe they’re tied into a contract.)
2. He gained 40 lbs, well there are lots of low cost meals (black beans, lentils, etc.) that can be prepared for pennies a serving, and won’t put excessive weight on you. Shop smart, and you won’t starve nor gain weight.
3. In one photo I swear they’re eating take out pizza. Enough said.
4. And families moving in together was very common during he depression. But he needs to be moving to a place where there’s a possibility of a job, which didn’t sound like the town he was in or the town he was going to.
I was laid off in January of this year. Yes, it’s hard. But when I read this article I was astonished to read how people can make it even harder!
Going out to a bar and having 8 beers and driving home? Did this turkey ever think what a lawyer would cost to get him off the hook for a DUI?
Kid has an IPod? Kid is claiming his grades suck? Uh, how about the parents helping him bring them up? And perhaps taking away the IPod until then?
Sounds like they are getting a decent amount of money from unemployment each week, so they should not be struggling like this. Lottery tickets and bar betting pools? What the hell?
Btw, Big Harry I sure do admire your pride in avoiding taking any kind of gov’t check. And I used to share it. However, some years ago I was an employer myself and I KNOW how much I paid in Unemployment Insurance premiums. But unemployment checks are not welfare checks and you should not feel bad applying for it. Your employer paid months and months of premiums for that eventuality. Now I draw the line (myself) at food stamps and all that crap, but unemployment insurance is different. I say this as someone trained in financial planning: please don’t drain your savings in exchange for avoiding benefits that you are not only entitled to, but benefits that have been PAID FOR. I am one of those doom and gloomers who reads endlessly and this mess could be a long one. I’d rather you apply for the benefits and bank the money, trying to continue to live without it. Remember, you can always remit it back to the agency once you get back to to work, if your conscience is bothering you. Nevertheless, if you don’t feel guilty going to a doctor when you have health insurance, you should not feel guilty accessing unemployment benefits when you’re out of work...both are paid for in advance.
If Bush were president, stories like this would be all over the news, 24/7.
Obama’s policies are deliberately creating more unemployment, especially among men.
Hey wait a minute, didn’t 54% of the voters last Novemeber want change, so this could be fixed? :)P
There is time to think: about the laundry he needs to wash. Or maybe he'll save it until tomorrow so he has something to do.
The guy has the foresight to save the laundry for tomorrow so he'll have something to occupy his time but he didn't have the wit to save his money for a rainy day.
Plus, he's bitching about how little he has left from his unemployment check but he's still buying pepsis, cigarettes, beer, lotto tickets. Not a lot of control here.
This is symptomatic of the dependent person. They work paycheck to paycheck always thinking the good times will keep rolling with little or no savings what-so-ever.
They were sold a bill of goods by Zero with the Hope and Change spiel.
Maybe this has to happen just to get some people’s head straight about who is elected to lead this country and how to live their lives.
Then again maybe some will never learn!!!!!!!!!!!!!
One of many things in this story that had me scratching my head.
“What if we don’t have cash to buy milk, eggs, bread or diapers? What if our unemployment benefits run out? What if we never find jobs?”
What if they won’t sell you food without their mark on your right hand or forehead?
Why should he have to start all over?
Waaah! Why should I have to learn Java? Why should I have to learn PHP? Why should I have to learn .NET? There was always supposed to be work with mainframes.
No wonder this guy is on antidepressants and gained 40 pounds.
Well they got their change, about 2 cents worth.
Gee, I can't believe this savings plan didn't work. By the way, there are lots of things he could do. The biggest thing would be move to where there are some employment opportunities, not moving from 6th worst to #1. He could also sell his dirtbike. It sounds like he sucks at riding it anyway. Oh and stop wasting money on beer, smokes and pop.
I did file for un-employment, I wasn’t eligible because my employer (me!) did not pay enough into the fund. (corporate salary was too small!). In forty years I have only used three months of benefits so I have been blessed financially through my work. The big payday is coming soon so deferring the income is working out for us.
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