OT - Economy Poll Regarding YOU and only YOU

[notoriousrmb]

Just curious if card collectors seem to have more disposable income and are less affected than the general population. This is a poll about you and you only, not another family member or a buddy.

Thanks in advance.

 

[pujolsthomefan33]

I voted no....if anything the cheaper prices everywhere has helped our family......we are making the same money etc. plus raises that we always have been so nothing has really changed except prices are lower, we owe less on our house, and the government is giving away money......


TK

 

[muskiesfan]

I voted no. I have not been affected.

The only reason my collecting has slowed is because my wife and I are going to be moving so we will be selling our house. So we have been spending money on new carpeting, paint, and such.



Joe

 

[trevordchi]

I'm about to graduate from college and the job search has been a rough one. I'm thinking about getting an alternative teaching certification and being a highschool teacher while I go to grad school.

 

[notoriousrmb]

Since I made the poll I should probably give my answer...I voted no as well. Both my company and my wife's are doing very well and actually hiring at the moment. Personally, I know no one who is being severly affected by this recession. I've heard the stories and see it in the news every day, but knock on wood I have not been affected in the least as of yet.

 

[Kutzy]

Wife has been laid off twice in the past year or so. It has defenitally effected our household. Outside of picking up a few cards here and there recently, I havent collected anything and sold off most.

I see all of my prospecting cards gone within the next month or 3. Weather there is profit or not at that point.

 

[mredsox89]

As a current sophomore in college, this crisis really hasn't effected me personally in terms of my budget. However, one of my parents is unemployed and has been for quite some time despite real efforts to find a job. If I do not get more financial aid than last year, in which i got about 50%, my family and I are not sure what to do. Obviously it will probably end up in loans but we are really trying to stay away from that. The fact that I go to a private college along with my sister being in private HS, next year is gonna be a tough economic year.

But back to me, if anything this crisis has helped my card collecting. Prices are cheaper, people are more willing (for the most part) to get rid of cards for less value than they held a year ago or will held in a year.

 

[pujolsthomefan33]

Manufacturing places are really the ones getting nailed right now the most....AUTOs, Heavy Equipment, Housing Products, Appliances, etc.....and the first to go are the factory workers, contract workers, close to retirement, etc. as they close plants and slash cost. Doesnt mean the companies are going out of business....just making adjustments to lower profits..


TK

 

[masonphillip]

I voted no, 401k is obviously down but my employer is doing really well and so is my wifes.

 

[notoriousrmb]

Manufacturing places are really the ones getting nailed right now the most....AUTOs, Heavy Equipment, Housing Products, Appliances, etc.....and the first to go are the factory workers, contract workers, close to retirement, etc. as they close plants and slash cost. Doesnt mean the companies are going out of business....just making adjustments to lower profits..

TK

I respectfully disagree. My wife works at a pump manufacturing company...blue collar factory labor making industrial pumps for factories. Have they seen massive profits? Of course not, their sales are down. But they are still profitable and are still hiring. Maybe they have a successful business plan, no idea, but they are going on strong.

I will agree automobile manufacturers are having problems, as are soon to be retirees, but I can't agree it is a manufacturing crisis across the board.

 

[pujolsthomefan33]

My advice to people in college and going into college would be look towards careers that are recession proof....Teaching, Government jobs, Medical Field, Environmental Go Green, Exploration of oil, etc. There are a few jobs in almost every field that no matter what happens, will pay well and always be hiring. Even teaching right now is a better starting salary than you will get at a lot of companies.....

I got out of school 4 years ago and I will tell you first hand, most of these big corporations dont want to pay #&%@ to kids fresh out of college...mainly becuase they know they dont have to...college kids just need money to start off with, any money, and throwing 30-35K starting is pretty common. I ditched the bigger corporations and went with a smaller firm making well over that because no one was applying, and honestly I was probably even over qualified.


My advice would be look around, because there are LOTS of companies hiring, you just have to dig a little deeper now.


TK

 

[pujolsthomefan33]

Manufacturing places are really the ones getting nailed right now the most....AUTOs, Heavy Equipment, Housing Products, Appliances, etc.....and the first to go are the factory workers, contract workers, close to retirement, etc. as they close plants and slash cost. Doesnt mean the companies are going out of business....just making adjustments to lower profits..

TK

I respectfully disagree. My wife works at a pump manufacturing company...blue collar factory labor making industrial pumps for factories. Have they seen massive profits? Of course not, their sales are down. But they are still profitable and are still hiring. Maybe they have a successful business plan, no idea, but they are going on strong.

I will agree automobile manufacturers are having problems, as are soon to be retirees, but I can't agree it is a manufacturing crisis across the board.

Ok, obviously not EVERY single manufacturing company is going to be doing layoffs, in general though, they are hurting...and you mentioned sales are down......the other industry is the banking and investments...but I am a firm believer that those companies did that to themselves as they were poorly managed and made very bad lending decisions...

TK

 

[notoriousrmb]

Manufacturing places are really the ones getting nailed right now the most....AUTOs, Heavy Equipment, Housing Products, Appliances, etc.....and the first to go are the factory workers, contract workers, close to retirement, etc. as they close plants and slash cost. Doesnt mean the companies are going out of business....just making adjustments to lower profits..

TK

I respectfully disagree. My wife works at a pump manufacturing company...blue collar factory labor making industrial pumps for factories. Have they seen massive profits? Of course not, their sales are down. But they are still profitable and are still hiring. Maybe they have a successful business plan, no idea, but they are going on strong.

I will agree automobile manufacturers are having problems, as are soon to be retirees, but I can't agree it is a manufacturing crisis across the board.

Ok, obviously not EVERY single manufacturing company is going to be doing layoffs, in general though, they are hurting...and you mentioned sales are down......the other industry is the banking and investments...but I am a firm believer that those companies did that to themselves as they were poorly managed and made very bad lending decisions...

TK

Agreed about the banks, although I will say the people taking the bad loans were just as much at fault as the banks giving them. My wife and I bought a home 3 years ago. The banks offered us twice the amount we were looking for, but we refused the larger amount and got the home we knew we could afford and are in very good shape currently because of it.

 

[tonsofcommons]

My employer is in a very specialized field (we provide lighting for sporting events and fields, as well as movies) and I manage the cell phones, a position that will definately not go away.

We find out Tuesday what our profit sharing will be, and they are speculating that it will be the same as last year (20%).

 

[pujolsthomefan33]

My employer is in a very specialized field (we provide lighting for sporting events and fields, as well as movies) and I manage the cell phones, a position that will definately not go away.

We find out Tuesday what our profit sharing will be, and they are speculating that it will be the same as last year (20%).

yeah there are some technology fields that are going to be booming no matter what happens....that sounds like a cool gig...


TK

 

[Pine Tar]

I voted for the My Life Is Altered
since I will be laid-off the week of April 17th being my last day.
I was looking at some jobs but there seems to be not many around me.

 

[Rudzud]

No, I have a stable job and good income.

 

[Pine Tar]

No, I have a stable job and good income.

I maybe coming to live with then. LOL

 

[ChasHawk]

I voted no because thankfully I work for a family owned company that is not affected by the wims of the economy.

If anything, this is all helping me because my wife and I are expecting our first little one. We're also looking to buy our first house, and the home prices in Illinois have dropped into the toilet. We are looking at houses that were $240,000 pre-construction that are now selling for $150,000-170,000.

 

[pujolsthomefan33]

Manufacturing places are really the ones getting nailed right now the most....AUTOs, Heavy Equipment, Housing Products, Appliances, etc.....and the first to go are the factory workers, contract workers, close to retirement, etc. as they close plants and slash cost. Doesnt mean the companies are going out of business....just making adjustments to lower profits..

TK

I respectfully disagree. My wife works at a pump manufacturing company...blue collar factory labor making industrial pumps for factories. Have they seen massive profits? Of course not, their sales are down. But they are still profitable and are still hiring. Maybe they have a successful business plan, no idea, but they are going on strong.

I will agree automobile manufacturers are having problems, as are soon to be retirees, but I can't agree it is a manufacturing crisis across the board.

Ok, obviously not EVERY single manufacturing company is going to be doing layoffs, in general though, they are hurting...and you mentioned sales are down......the other industry is the banking and investments...but I am a firm believer that those companies did that to themselves as they were poorly managed and made very bad lending decisions...

TK

Agreed about the banks, although I will say the people taking the bad loans were just as much at fault as the banks giving them. My wife and I bought a home 3 years ago. The banks offered us twice the amount we were looking for, but we refused the larger amount and got the home we knew we could afford and are in very good shape currently because of it.

Absolutely, we did the same thing too...those $500K homes, w/ a Vette in the garage, a boat, riding lawn mower, are all very attractive, but when you make $50K a year, that is just unrealistic. And honestly I dont really agree with taxing the people that do make over $250K up to 40% to cover all the people who made that mistake........this all got really upside down because everyone got way too greedy instead of just sticking to what they needed and could afford....banks wanted to make money and were just giving loans to anyone, and anyone wanted it ALL, instead of being smart and taking what could be afforded.

It is ok though, everything always corrects itself...what goes up must come down, even when over the haul it has increased 9% or so a year on average, there are times when it crashes down....once it is corrected we will start the upward cycle again.....


Same thing is being held true with all the businesses going out of business. Just look at what is happening. Exactly how many different restaraunt chains, or clothing stores, or electronics stores do we need??? Obviously the market could not sustain having 50 different options for each, so the ones that win are the ones that the customers will still go to when times are a bit harder, and the rest will falter. Basic economics and survival of the fittest...been going on forever...


TK