Welcome to the "Hard Times Saloon!"

8/6/2003 | Luke Skyfreeper

[Luke Skyfreeper]

Over the last few months, I've run into quite a few other Freepers who are either unemployed or underemployed, and generally going through majorly tough times in this economy.

So I'm starting this thread as a "watering hole" for all of us here who, like me, are currently living on the edge financially and job-wise.

Of course, you don't have to be in dire straights to join in the discussion. You can simply be interested in those of us who are.

In fact, since one useful function of this thread can be to pass on job-hunting tips or maybe even letting a job-needing fellow Freeper know about a suitable possibility in your town, any Freeper who drops in might just find him/herself able to actually help a fellow Freeper or two.

Now one of the main things I expect to happen in this thread is a bit of mutual encouragement. We who are job-hunting need to keep our spirits high, sometimes in the face of months, even years (gulp!) of discouraging news -- and we can help each other do that.

The goal is to make it out of joblessness/ underemployment, and into Prosperityland. Our joblessness /low income is hurting not ourselves, our families, and even our ability to make a positive difference in this country. So let's get encourage each other, cheer each other's progress, and celebrate when one of us gets a good job.

One ground rule: If what you have to say to someone else here isn't uplifting and/ or helpful to that person, then please don't say it. (And of course, no advertisment-type stuff, either). OK?

If you know other Freepers who'd like to drop by, give 'em a ping, and let's get going.

By the way, anything you'd like is on tap here at the Hard Times Saloon: cold milk, fresh-squeezed lemonade, frozen milk shakes, even [shudder] Bud Light... but you have to pour it yourself. 8-)

[Luke Skyfreeper]

A ping to some folks who might be interested in this thread, or who may know someone who is...

[OldCorps]

bump to read later

[Doc-Joe]

I'm unemployed, but by choice. I walked out of my teaching job at a local CC just last week. Thanfully, I already have two hospitals showing interest in hiring me. Still a little uneasy being without a job.

[neutrino]

Great idea! The recession hasn't hit me personally yet - but I don't think any of us are immune.

[LibertyAndJusticeForAll]

For anyone who missed this thread, it has some good ideas of how to successfully market even basic computer skills.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/958885/posts

[neutrino]

I walked out of my teaching job at a local CC just last week

That took some courage. Any interest in saying why you chose to leave?

[BushCountry]

I been waiting for someone to do this on Freerepublic. The brainpower on this site is amazing and on several threads Freepers have mentioned that they have been recently laid off. I hope this helps, good luck.

[PJ-Comix]

Summer is the slow time for me. Thank God for eBay. Recently some woman has been giving me big amounts from her jewelry collection to sell for her. I've done a lot of eBaying but never in jewelry before so I am just now getting the hang of it. I sort of got spoiled by the early years of eBay when you could sell T-Shirts for over $40. Those days are gone but if you are willing to make small profits on large quantities of items, it can add up.

[PJ-Comix]

I walked out of my teaching job at a local CC just last week.

Is that Community College? I thought those places are OK to work at. It's grade school and high school that you want to avoid teaching.

[Libertina]

I believe Utah Girl just got a new job. Way to go!

[Noumenon]

I lost my six figure job over a year ago. I've tried a few things, but my StarBand satellite Internet access dealership is starting to gain some momentum. I'm just barely getting by, installation by installation. I make a mere $200 per install, but there are always extras that folks want. Working the security side of it is getting to be significant.

The local StarBand installers are without exception inept.

[PJ-Comix]

My weirdest experience in going from broke to bucks was back when they were running all those BlueBlocker infomercials. One night something came over me and I picked up a notepad and decided to somehow get an idea from TV. I flipped on the tube and the first thing I saw was the BlueBlocker infomerical. It was really convincing, and even though I was broke, I started to dial the number to buy the BlueBlockers. Then I stopped and thought maybe I could find the BlueBlocker knockoffs. The next morning I ran into a friend with the BlueBlockers and tried them on. Then I drove to downtown L.A. and found a place where they sold the BlueBlocker knockoffs for just $10 per dozen. I bought 5 dozen, came home, and painted up several big wood signs for the Blue Block sunglasses including one that said "TRY ONE ONE AND BE AMAZED!" Plus the signs advertised them at just $5 which was way below their $49 price. The next morning I set up my signs at a roadside and while doing so I thought I heard an accident when I heard car brakes screeching. It turned out to be a car braking by my sign and a lady jumped out and bought a pair of Blue Blocks from me. It was a portent of things to come. For most of the rest of the summer I sold about $400 to $700 Blue Block sunglasses per day with very little work. By the end of the summer, copycats were all over L.A. doing exactly the same thing I was and they even copied the color pattern of my signs.

Anyway, that is what I did one summer to get myself out of Brokedom.

[11B3]

I've been self-employed for over 10 years now, but constantly changing my business. (Gotta go where there's some money.) What I'd like to pass on to anyone who is newly out of the workforce is the subject of the cash economy. (My divorce sent me to the cash economy, BTW.) Basically, it's life "under the radar" of the gov't, or near liberty.

As mentioned above, E-bay is a great way to make some cash - it is a major supplement to me for sure. I know that there are some others in here that enjoy restoring cars or other mechanical items, which is the main part of my income. Generally, I tend to watch the local legal notices for towing/impound auctions. There are lots of them here in Tacoma, I don't know how each city/county would list theirs - but it is worth the effort to find them. I've seen 6-7 year old cars go for as little as $100 with very little damage on them. (No one believes me until they go to the auctions.) After a little work, you've got a car worth several thousand dollars - toss it on E-Bay. Best of all, you never had to register it to yourself, leaving no paper trail with your name on it. By taking cash/money orders only for the payment you remain totally anonymous.

It's not for everyone. Self employment is the hardest you'll ever work, with the longest hours. But freedom isn't free.

[mlmr]

I am finally getting paid for my internet column. 99 more weekly newspapers and I can stay home with the children. Any one know any conservative weekly newspapers?

[moneyrunner]

One piece of generic advice for job seekers: try to find a job from that allows you to define your own role, rewards you for what you can accomplish and from which the only route to failure is a personal one.

I left the corporate world about 20 years ago, resigning from GE in my mid 40s. I joined Kidder, Peabody as a rookie broker. I thought I was moving from a low risk environment to a high risk one. I was wrong. Friends who stayed at GE are now looking for jobs or wondering about their job security. Meanwhile, I am working for my clients numbering in the hundred, who give me job security.

If I were starting a job search, I would see about starting my own service business: mowing lawns, washing cars, opening a restaurant, doing what I know best, but working for myself. The future is unlimited and you don’t have to worry about corporate downsizing or office politics.

My advice: don’t look for a job … create one.

[PJ-Comix]

I've tried a few things, but my StarBand satellite Internet access dealership is starting to gain some momentum.

HEY! I used to sell the big 10 foot satellite dishes. I had a lot of HILARIOUS experiences while selling those things and I am planning to write up a big story about it. BTW, that is something else i am planning now---to enter as many story contests as possible.

[LibKill]

All I can say is never give up. I've been there.

[PJ-Comix]

I do a lot of freelancing but the money now isn't nearly as good back when you could make some big bucks from Web Revenue (Commission Junction). Sometimes I could earn over $300 in a day with those clickthrus. No more clickthru payments however. Those days are...gone with the wind.

p.s. There used to be "Write For Cash" where you could pick your subject matter and you would get paid for just a 300 word article. Sometimes I wrote 3 such articles per day.

[PeterPrinciple]

Add me to the list.....combination midlife crisis and disappointment in the leadership of the organization I was working for led me to quit and remodel the house for past two years.

I worked with farmers and always said 10% of them were entrepreneurial......Surprisingly that group stayed with me and I am still employed part time........now I am trying to figure out what that means.

One question I am wrestling with is what type of services do entrepreneurs need.

My sabbatical is about over and need to get back in the saddle sometime in the near future.