People affected by credit crunch!

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Sun Oct 05, 2008 9:31 pm

Still not feeling hit much by the credit crunch, in fact, gas prices are comfortably low right now (less than $3.5/gal). Pissed about the $150BN in pork on the rescue package that passed, though; that could impact college funding (not mine personally, but the university's).

TriggerHeartExelica · Mon Oct 06, 2008 12:59 am

I'd say yes because I am thisclose to going back to work

I haven't had a job in over 2 years now and am not looking forward to heading back into the grind muchless finding a job.

PC Engine Fan X! · Post by **PC Engine Fan X!** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 2:02 am

TriggerHeartExelica wrote:I'd say yes because I am thisclose to going back to work I haven't had a job in over 2 years now and am not looking forward to heading back into the grind muchless finding a job.

Looking for a job is alot of work into itself. I recall one instance of going through three consectutive interviews with Wal-Mart:

1.) the first one, was to fill out an application.

2.) Got called back for an second interview, was asked to take a multiple choice psychological test.

3.) Got called back a second time to talk with Wal-Mart interviewer about the reasons why I picked my answers and to further explain them in greater detail.

4.) Didn't get called back a third time...had to guess that Wal-Mart didn't like my answers on this so-called multiple choice psychological test that they used back in the day to screen out prospective employees.

5.) Wal-Mart sure did waste my valuable time and theirs too in the process. Oh well, it was a learning experience that I won't forget either. I'm glad that I didn't get hired by them anyways.

My current job is much better than what Wal-Mart has to offer their current employees nowdays. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

TriggerHeartExelica · Post by **TriggerHeartExelica** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 2:07 am

PC Engine Fan X! wrote:
TriggerHeartExelica wrote:I'd say yes because I am thisclose to going back to work I haven't had a job in over 2 years now and am not looking forward to heading back into the grind muchless finding a job.
Looking for a job is alot of work into itself. I recall one instance of going through three consectutive interviews with Wal-Mart:

1.) the first one, was to fill out an application.

2.) Got called back for an second interview, was asked to take a multiple choice psychological test.

3.) Got called back a second time to talk with Wal-Mart interviewer about the reasons why I picked my answers and to further explain them in greater detail.

4.) Didn't get called back a third time...had to guess that Wal-Mart didn't like my answers on this so-called multiple choice psychological test that they used back in the day to screen out prospective employees.

5.) Wal-Mart sure did waste my valuable time and theirs too in the process. Oh well, it was a learning experience that I won't forget either. I'm glad that I didn't get hired by them anyways.

My current job is much better than what Wal-Mart has to offer their current employees nowdays. ^_~

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

Fuck ya it is! I have filled out a few applications this year and had a few interviews that were absolutely fruitless and a waste of my time. So I pretty much gave up looking as no sense in wasting my gas on an employer that isn't going to call.

maxlords · Post by **maxlords** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 3:59 am

Well, I'm in Canada and it hasn't affected me directly...yet. I still have a job, which is pretty good, considering I make auto parts (work in a parts factory) and the car industry is in a massive slump. My workplace's productions has ground to a crawl, but I'm forunately on the only production line still running full time, and we're a multinational that shouldn't go under...it's just a lean time so we're running lean. I still have the potential to lose my job though. I'm not INSANELY concerned, but I do think about it.

I've also lost money on my retirement fund (only maybe a couple hundred bucks so far) but I'm going to see an investment broker at the bank tomorrow to reallocate some of my funds into safer investments.

I also have a house that isn't remotely paid for. We are planning on selling in about 3 years and right now, it's at about 20K abouve what we paid. That may change, forcing me to stay where I am now, which I don't REALLY want to. So it affects me that way.

Finally, I have limited savings...most of my excess is tied up in collections (games, books, artwork, etc). So I could liquidate if I needed but if we faced an imminent economic crash, demand would drop and I'd be hard pressed to get the value out of those collectibles that I might get if I sold now. I've always considered the collection a fall-back as well as a hobby...not sure if that would work if the bail out kills the US economy.

In short...the future is more uncertain than ever

Minzoku · Post by **Minzoku** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 4:04 am

McCain wants to cut funding for scientists studying bear DNA, so since I am temporarily working for NIH, that might mean a huge cut in workload

[not that I didn't run out of work for the prior position, also a government contract]

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 7:55 pm

Because everybody knows that wildlife doesn't count unless you're making burgers out of it

Speaking of credit crunch, the former CEO of Lehman Bros thinks that regulators failed ...to clamp down on short selling, the mechanism by which the market lets people profit while punishing bad firms. No mention of their own bad investments, of course.

Post by **undamned** » Mon Oct 06, 2008 8:54 pm

Well, asside from my 401k, I'm not effected immediatly. I'm seriously wondering if I should pull my savings and buy gold so that when I am wiping my anus w/ worthless US currency, I'll actually have something to live on.
-ud

SAM · Post by **SAM** » Tue Oct 07, 2008 5:13 pm

(1) I earn dollars and live in Yun. (i.e. RMB)
(2) I am paid partially in stocks and I am not allowed to sell it. It has downed 35+%, from the date the payment is made.
(3) I am a shareholder of AIG.

Minzoku · Post by **Minzoku** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 7:08 pm

Ed Oscuro wrote:Because everybody knows that wildlife doesn't count unless you're making burgers out of it

Haha, right.

This is stuff like drug testing on animals, treating diabetes and kidney disease in mice--I suppose bears are a stretch, but for all the jobs McCain says would be created by expanding research into alternate energy sources, how many scientists will be put out of work because all they know how to study is the wildlife Governor Palin hunts?!?!

undamned wrote:Well, asside from my 401k, I'm not effected immediatly. I'm seriously wondering if I should pull my savings and buy gold so that when I am wiping my anus w/ worthless US currency, I'll actually have something to live on.
-ud

I would say no, since the value of gold fluctuates just as much as the dollar, actually. Unless you really know how to sell the stuff yourself.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:01 pm

undamned wrote:Well, asside from my 401k, I'm not effected immediatly. I'm seriously wondering if I should pull my savings and buy gold so that when I am wiping my anus w/ worthless US currency, I'll actually have something to live on.
-ud

Yes, let's go after something that everybody else has jumped onto! Gold is gold, but buying it doesn't seem appropriate given its current inflated price (unless you're preparing for full fledged economic meltdown / Great Depression II)

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 10:46 pm

whoops value of gold sharply decreased

Neon · Post by **Neon** » Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:28 pm

Guys are always trying to get you to buy gold on TV, so I suspect one of two things:

1. They're trying to sell you their gold at an inflated price

2. Gold will plummet soon and they wanna get rid of it

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 3:42 am

Twiddle wrote:whoops value of gold sharply decreased

what a serpuriz

ALSO, I saw an ad on cafeteria tv (aka the Home Improvement Channel) for a local coin dealership (that I don't like) asking people to bring in their silver and gold coins, complete with random change being loaded onto a scale. Oh well, they're probably just going by 2000 Red Book values on everything, then applying their "I own this store you sell at my price" discount

Seems like a dumb time to be trying to profit off this; of course they must've commissioned the ad some time ago.

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:10 am

I can't vote, but I'm voting yes. I get paid and live in NZ dollars, and we're sitting at almos exactly 0.60 to the US right now. Down from .80 which was our high in March.

I refuse to import any further PCBs until it at least reaches .75 again. If this keeps up, my importing days are over. I'm not alone in thinking this.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 4:14 am

I have had two NZD $5 bills in my wallet since 2005 at least. Whenever I need to show somebody Sir Edmund Hilary (R.I.P.), I'm prepared.

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 5:38 am

Ed Oscuro wrote:I have had two NZD $5 bills in my wallet since 2005 at least. Whenever I need to show somebody Sir Edmund Hilary (R.I.P.), I'm prepared.

You would probably get about $6US for both of them. On the bright side, they're nice and orange.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 6:34 am

They're more of a salmon-and-parsley affair.

$6 for both seems about what they were worth when I left - of course with inflation eating into both currencies. Still worth more than that crappy Official PSM Australia I bought (in NZ; must be annoying to get stuff marked for Australia; kinda like Canadians getting stuff marketed to AMERICA! AMERICA!)

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 11:00 am

The currency here actually was pretty strong earlier this year. As for magazines, we do get stuff like Official Australian ____ stuff, but back when I actually purchased these things, we had Edge and EGM. Back then I wasn't too worried about spending money on gaming mags as the information was useful, but it's no longer the 90's. It's no longer time for Klax. Time to move on, I guess.

Plus the whole internet thing killed most selling points they had.

DEL · Post by **DEL** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:43 pm

PC Engine Fan X! wrote;

Looking for a job is alot of work into itself. I recall one instance of going through three consectutive interviews with Wal-Mart:

1.) the first one, was to fill out an application.

2.) Got called back for an second interview, was asked to take a multiple choice psychological test.

3.) Got called back a second time to talk with Wal-Mart interviewer about the reasons why I picked my answers and to further explain them in greater detail.

4.) Didn't get called back a third time...had to guess that Wal-Mart didn't like my answers on this so-called multiple choice psychological test that they used back in the day to screen out prospective employees.

5.) Wal-Mart sure did waste my valuable time and theirs too in the process. Oh well, it was a learning experience that I won't forget either. I'm glad that I didn't get hired by them anyways.

My current job is much better than what Wal-Mart has to offer their current employees nowdays. ^_~

^A friend of mine experienced the same kind of thing here too.
* He went for an interview for a Waitrose supermarket job/stacking shelves etc.
* Got called back for a second interview. Then at the end of the interview he asked "Have I got the job?" Then they reply "No, these were TWO screening interviews to get through to the ACTUAL interview with Waitrose themselves

"
FOR STACKING SHELVES!!!
* He didn't bother wasting more of his time by attending the third interview.

---------
In other maddening news, the recession plods on and I find that my local Council is paying $340,000 per annum putting up an Afganistani woman with her seven kids in a $2,400,000 house. Whilst paying her more than I earn per week in benefits

.
The social system sucks here (in a forcing people NOT to work way). The immigration system sucks here.

Lordstar · Post by **Lordstar** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 12:50 pm

I dunno about you guys in the USA but in the UK were also in a "slump".

seems like a load of bullshit to me though becuase I went in to costco at the weekend and its as busy as ever. Really high priced luxury purchaces too like big TVs, consoles, niche cooking unticils and stereo systems.

There may be a probelm but i think the media blow everything out of proportion and everyone panics.

neorichieb1971 · Post by **neorichieb1971** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 1:52 pm

Everyone is panicking because those 401k's in the States are worth tuppence now. Meaning quite a few of those people about to retire are about to realize the Bush dream of being broke for the rest of their lives.

We are young and able to recooperate any losses. I only started my pension 2 months ago so i'm sure that £150 I put in so far hasn't really had a chance to go down the toilet, or maybe it has!

The ones worst hit are those with big properties/big mortgages in the UK, and in the USA its the pensioners to be.

If your living pay check to pay check you won't find hardly difference in your life.

Lordstar, just out of curiosity what do you think it means when $1 Trillion just disappears off the stock market?

Lordstar · Post by **Lordstar** » Thu Oct 09, 2008 2:06 pm

neorichieb1971 wrote: Lordstar, just out of curiosity what do you think it means when $1 Trillion just disappears off the stock market?

Errr do you mean that $1 Trillion just disappeared off the stock market?

SAM · Post by **SAM** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 1:28 pm

Lordstar wrote:
neorichieb1971 wrote: Lordstar, just out of curiosity what do you think it means when $1 Trillion just disappears off the stock market?
Errr do you mean that $1 Trillion just disappeared off the stock market?

Well, that means the dividend yield of my stock portfolio is increased from 3% earlier this year to 5% now. Or in other words lossing 40% in market value.

This makes no difference to me as long as no more company I own goes bankrupt or lower their dividend payment.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 1:39 pm

Elixir wrote:[...] it's no longer the 90's. It's no longer time for Klax. Time to move on, I guess.

I was thinking just this yesterday. Great minds thinking alike?

Lordstar · Post by **Lordstar** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 2:29 pm

despite being self employed (of sorts) I guess im still living paycheqe to paycheque. For me its been great with my workwear sales since ive never over infladet my prices and were still one of the cheapest in quality workwear in the Northwest of the england if not the UK. Everyone knows were value for money and so its not been an issue for us.

If anything the credit crunch has been good for it becuase everyones trying to drive up there sales and one way is to update there image. I allow them to do that while not breaking the bank. A lot of people have been laid off and are trying there luck at self starting a new busnises which has also helped us.

I may actualy see a bit of cash for myself in a few months time

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Fri Oct 10, 2008 3:07 pm

New York's Debt Ticker ran out of digits this week (we're up to $10T in debt now).

jpj · Post by **jpj** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 7:29 pm

how not to deal with rising utility bills:

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=665847

Elixir · Post by **Elixir** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 7:58 pm

I'm starting to seriously feel the credit crunch now. America catches a cold and the rest of the world gets pneumonia. This statement couldn't be more accurate.

1 NZD = 0.546232 USD
1 NZD = 52.6541 JPY

This is bad. This is really, really bad. If it keeps up I won't be able to continue importing stuff. For comparison, this means a $65 dollar import ends up costing me $112 NZ dollars, or a quarter of my pay. It wouldn't be so bad if signs of things were about to pick up, but that seems extremely unlikely in this case, or at least any time before Christmas. In retrospect, buying things locally is actually a possibility now, despite how expensive they normally are.

The rest of the time I'm spotting deals on Yahoo Japan which I'm forced to pass up as I know they'll end up raping my wallet in the long run, with deputy fees and all. At this rate I might as well buy a PS3 locally, hell, 6 months ago it was actually cheaper to order one online from Play-Asia and have them mark it as a gift. These days it's almost double the price.

Ed Oscuro · Post by **Ed Oscuro** » Tue Nov 18, 2008 11:09 pm

Elixir wrote:This is bad. This is really, really bad. If it keeps up I won't be able to continue importing stuff.

THE HORROR

I would be more worried about having tech components and other durable conveniences of modern living go up in price, but that's just me. On the other hand I do live on a pile of gaming crap...

Anyway, I agree it's bad because of the two Sir Edmunds sitting in my wallet at all times. I do not like them to lose value :C

shmups.system11.org

People affected by credit crunch!

Has the credit crunch affected you badly?

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