Anyone Else Struggling in "Bad Economy"?

Hi T.,
Sorry to hear about your situation. Just want to warn you to be careful on the websites and posting resumes. Unfortunately, not all companies who call and want to give you a job are legit. Never send in an application with your details like your SSN. I work in ID Theft and it is unfortunate that they prey on people who are desperate.

I'd be happy to email you some additional info and website links on two legit businesses (one is a 35 year old NYSE traded company) that both of you can work around your schedules. If he is the super salesman guy then he could very well choose them as his full time gig. I'm in the area as well.

I'm also helping a friend who hopes to get a business started in the next 6 months and will likely be hiring soon. I'd be happy to pass on his resume to her as well. Just trying to figure out the details on a partnership investor.

If your friends are true friends, let them know what is going on. I think you would get more support than you imagined and it would make this bump in the road easier to tolerate.

Please let me know if I can help you.
Take care,
S.

Believe me, I know all about stress and scraping by. I am a single mom and I rarely get child support. I work full time but it is hard to pay for everything. I just wanted to tell you that both my mom and I found full time work through employment agencies. I went with an oil and gas headhunter, and she went with a standard temp-to-hire company. We are now both employed full time and with benefits. And while I am not making six figures a year, I am making enough to keep up with my bills.

Dear T.,

Unfortunately yes, My family is also struggling. I was an Interior Designer and unfortunately in this housing market lost my job at my design firm designing model homes. Fortunately my husband still has his job. You are absolutely right that NO ONE and I mean No One is hiring. I had to get a job at The Gap which pays one quarter of what I was making and is kind of humiliating. I tell my friends it is for the discount. lol. yeah right. I know there are sales jobs quite often in pharmeceutical sales and radio commercial sales as well as cars. I am sorry that times are tough for you. Stay on unemployment for as long as you can and then if you get suplemental ui benefits after the initial benefits you can sometimes have a part-time job as well as unemployment benefits. But you really have to be looking for jobs because there isn't much out there and there will be more lay-offs after Christmas. Bankruptcy may help you. I don't believe you have to cash out 401-Ks to do that but you may have to cash out stocks. It is hard to consider you are in that position but if you feel your getting farther and farther in debt with no help perhaps it is time to talk to a bankruptcy atty. I am staying at home during the day with the kids then work in the evening when my husband gets home. He is considering working overnights as a stock person at Safeways or Wal-mart. Desperate times cause for desperate measures and perhaps it is time to lower your standards and work at jobs that are beneath you until the economy gets back. Any job and an apartment is better than no job and homeless. I also have a BFA and as I say am working at the Mall for now. We also are selling our nice cars and getting beaters that are paid off so we don't have car payments we are considering selling our home and moving into an apartment. Sorry, but maybe these are some options for you. Keep your chin up and have faith. This has been really hard for my husband as well as he has never been poor in his life was raised in a multi-million dollar home and had never been told no when he wanted anything. Not to mention he has a very well-to-do cushy job and it is extremely embarrassing for him to tell his friends as well. It sucks but your family is more important than your lifestyle and yes our relationship is rocky as well and that is where the prayer part and faith come in real handy.
Pray.
L.

Hang in there! There may not be a lot of jobs out there, so you may have to outside of the box. That means applying with places you have not thought about before or taking a job that does not pay as much as you are used to. Temp agencies can help and the online job sites. Have you thought about Healthcare? Not the medical side, but the administrative side-especially since your husband is into Sales. You may have to start out low, but once you or your husband are inside of a company, it is easier to rise up in the ranks. Don't forget, the holiday season is upon us and there may be a lot of opportunities for temporary work.

Hi T.!

I own a Pampered Chef business and work from home. I love the flexibility and used my last paycheck (I get paid twice a month) to pay cash for all of our Christmas presents for the kids this year. You can get started with your own business for as little as $55 right now and start making commision with your first party. There is no risk and no strings. If you are interested in more info I would be happy to share with you. You can contact me at www.pamperedchef.biz/melissashenton. I would love to help you and your family!

In times like these, you cannot wait for the right job, or the perfect job. You need to be willing to take what you can get for now, and continue to work on finding the right/perfect job. In the meantime, at least you are working. With a college degree, many school districts will hire you as a substitute teacher--you don't need a teaching degree, just a bachelor's. It doesn't pay great, but it is super flexible, and generally with high school, you teach 5 periods, have two planning periods and lunch. I did it while I was in grad school part time, and it gave me a lot of time to study or read (or learn new skills or work on a resume, budgeting, etc...) Also, checking out temp agencies might be a good way to go. It is a little late, but some retail places might be hiring for the season--there is a lot of turnover, and after this last weekend a lot of people quit--just can't handle the stress. Also, a couple of great financial resources are the authors Mary Hunt and also Dave Ramesy. They both have lots of great financial advice. Mary Hunt especially focuses on great tips to help you live below your means.

Good luck during this difficult time. Hang in there, and avoid the credit card trap if at all possible.

Hi T.,
I know the stress you are under seems like it will never end. . . but it will. Things will get better. Your hubbie and you need to remember that you are friends and you are in this together. Easier said than done,I know. We are struggling, too, although we both still have our jobs. It is just really tough out there.

A couple ideas: I put my resume on Monster.com. I wasn't even really looking for a job, just thinking about looking for one. A company called me and I've been with them for a year. So 1) put your resume out there. 2) Looking for a job is a full-time job. Your hubbie needs to be working on that M-F 8-5. He gets up to go to work and he needs to get up and show up to look for work. 3) Apple One Temps has an ongoing position as a grader of papers for elementry school students. It pays $11/hour. Perfect for you and they have daytime and evening hours. Call the Apple One in the Tech Center. I cannot remember the guy's name but the job is with McGraw Hill. Good Luck!
K.

First, I'd suggest starting to tell your friends. They may have job contacts for you. Second, talk to your church. I'm on the financial committee at my church, and we budgeted extra money to help people pay their mortgages, etc., based on this economy. I've known a family who gave away their primary car to another family in need. Your Christian/religious friends are liable to be quite generous. I will pray for you.

I like CareerBuilder.com, Monster.com, and the Post News Classifieds (don't know their website off the top of my head but you should be able to search on "Denver Post Classifieds" and find it.)

May I also suggest that you let your circle of friends know what is going on. Part of being friends is being able to offer some sort of support (even if just a shoulder to cry on) in hard times. I went 14 months without employment and almost lost everything. Sold some things off on E-Bay and Craigslist to make it by. Was forced to pull money out of my IRA (which I am still trying to pay off the taxes on that). My friends were the biggest support. They prayed a lot, coached me for interviews, hugged me and let me cry when things got really rough, helped me find contract/temp jobs to help with just barely getting by,....

Perhaps your friends can be of similar support if they know what is going on.

That sounds rough! SInce you both have bachelors degree's you both can subsitute teach, go on the district web sights and find out their requirements, most want a CBI fingerprint clearance and transcripts etc. If your unemployment is running out soon( I did hear they are giving extensions) this might be a good alternative while you are searching for real jobs where you can make a living. Do anything, swallow your pride, you have eachother and that's what matters! Just don't borrow any money against your home or anything like that. You could aslo temp, if you have done exec.asst work this could lead to something permanent. Be pro active, stop waiting around for that call! And it is good you recognize those other junk companies are scams! Good luck!

I have an awesome list of websites - I can't cut and paste it here, but send me your email address and I'll send it to you.

____@____.com

Yep yep. I know what you mean. We just had a baby 3 months ago and we also have a 20 month old. I decided to stay home with the kids instead of go back to work, since my paycheck would be going to childcare anyway. My husband has a good job and is making more than we both used to make combined but it is still hard. I have 2 sets of close friends who are feeling the same way as well. Everyone is using their "emergency credit cards" for things like groceries and gas. Neither us or them are buying Christmas presents for our families. My husband and I agreed to get a few things for the kids and that is it. We will make homeade Christmas cards and maybe some cookies for family and friends. We are still paying off Christmas presents from last year. It is tough, that is for sure. I was so thankful when my stepdad came to visit us for a few days when he was in town. I needed to go to the grocery store, so he came along and when it came time to pay, he paid for it. I felt like a charity case, but I knew it was because he wanted to and it makes him feel good that he can do that kind of stuff, but still....I felt pretty bad. Anyway, you are not alone in this. Try to stay positive and try not to let it affect your marriage, you are on the same team ya know. It is stressfull yes, but just remember how much worse it would be without the other person. Good luck! Oh, by the way I am in Lakewood. If you are anywhere close and want a friend or someone to talk to, I am looking to meet some other moms in the area!!