Recession Hitting Home?
EmailAs world leaders are gathering in London to tackle the global financial crisis, millions of American families are saying that the recession is taking its toll. In the latest ABC News/Washington Post poll, 61 percent of Americans say they are under economic stress — and a third call the stress serious. Americans are struggling — 63 percent of Americans say they’ve cut back — spending less on everything from eating out, to vacations and activities for their children. Some say that cutbacks are not only affecting their lifestyle, but turning life upside down. Charlene and Tom Vanmeer lost their jobs at a factory in Michigan that makes car seats. "We’ve had to cut back on going out to eat. I mean, things as simple as getting the dog groomed," she said. "We have to save up to go to the movies." How is the recession affecting you and your family? How are you coping?
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I’ll do my part.
I am going to buy the new Chevy Camaro SS. I want to make sure that it has that 426hp tire shredding engine too!
For fun then I will order a super charger adding another 140 horsepower to it.
I also will be updating my truck. A 2006 Chevy 4×4 3/4 ton with the Duramax diesel.
It currently has an 8″ lift kit with 20″ rims with 38″ tires. I want to up the rims to 22″ and then add 38″ tires to those.
The truck has had that crappy factory exhaust removed from it and replaced with dual pipes and no mufflers or emission junk.
I have one of those 5 stage chips in the computer, that when on level 5 really puts out the power. Granted it blows the blackest of smoke that would make James Bond jealous, but that means raw power.
I want to remove the turbo and buy an aftermarket one that delivers more boost. My goal is to take the current horsepower of 600 to somewhere around 900 horsepower.
Posted by: Tray | April 1, 2009, 7:02 pm 7:02 pm
sounds like a plan tray…
Posted by: Jimmy | April 1, 2009, 8:19 pm 8:19 pm
Right now, my wife and I aren’t under any major economic stress. I was laid off in early February, my wife works part-time three days a week, with her pay, my unemployment, and a generous severance package, we have been able to keep up with all the bills so far. What has been hurting in this recession was the layoff, but also not being able to find work. For every job opening, there are probably 25-30 people or more after the same job you are applying for, so competition is tough. I have extended health insurance through my last employer until the end of June, after that it’s COBRA or nothing. I don’t want things to go that far, but who knows what will happen. Right now, my wife and I have a roof over our head, food on the table, and covered healthcare, so we are in good spirits.
Posted by: Andrew B. | April 1, 2009, 8:19 pm 8:19 pm
I have had to tighten the belt as they say, I have had to trim my budget, I do still eat out once in awhile,once a month. cost of food is higher and bills have to be paid so you do what you can. Life is not easy right now.
Posted by: oldies60 | April 1, 2009, 8:42 pm 8:42 pm
Well lets see. Seems an engine assembly factory (that’s pretty high tech) in Washington State was raided by the ICE agents. A bunch of illegals were rounded up. Were they deported? Nope. They were given work permits by our new Homeland Security chief, that Mexican loving, Homer Simpson look-a-like, Janet Napolitano. Unemployment in this town is over 8%. One Illegal was deported. Over 150 applied for his job. Pretty sad ABC News when one has to go to Fox News to actually get the truth.
Posted by: MBNA Joe | April 1, 2009, 8:45 pm 8:45 pm
It’s a sad state anymore!! And the worse is yet to come. I don’t know about other people but I’ve had about all this “change crap” that I want. It’s time the politicans started doing what the American people want or find another job!! We need a good revolution in this country before they stomp us further into the dirt than they already have. God Bless America!!!!
Posted by: John W | April 1, 2009, 10:00 pm 10:00 pm
Don’t worry people, ‘the one’ will fix everthing. No more poverty or want. And Reid and Pelosi will still be there. Yuck.
Posted by: Sluggo | April 1, 2009, 10:39 pm 10:39 pm
Its been tough on my family…
No job since Dec. 08, wasn’t making much anyway, so unemployment is not great, but at least its something…
My son has Autism and my state has cut back on so many services, that I am on a year or more waiting list just to get him help that he needs.
Haven’t eaten out in over a year, don’t go anywhere that costs money, so my only perk I can afford (barely) is internet service.
Yep, its tough, but glad to hear that many are not suffering.
Posted by: lm | April 1, 2009, 11:24 pm 11:24 pm
I don’t know about you but times are tough and this whole thing is very depressing! I’ve had enough of this “crap”. America needs to ‘WAKE UP AND SPEAK UP!!!!!??????? Enough is enough! NO MORE TAXES…….THE GOVERNMENT IS BREAKING US DOWN FURTHER AND FURTHER EVERY DAY! IS THIS WHAT YOU WANT? NOT ME! IT’S ABOUT TIME WE DID SOMETHING ABOUT OUR FREEDOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Linda | April 2, 2009, 12:36 am 12:36 am
Save up to go to the movies, we don’t have enough to save that much (maybe if they didn’t pay movie “stars” 20 million dollars we could afford one now and again). We go to the dollar movie in our neighborhood when we can.
After being laid off last November we cut back on everything from Christmas (giving only what we had bought to date) to eating out (once to our favorite restaurant since November), clothes, food and doctors.
On a positive note, we have found out that we can easily survive and have fun without all those extras. We cut back on phone, TV and internet costs, car insurance and health insurance (I am a disabled vet so I can us the VA at no cost). We spend more time together and have grown stronger together. Even the ‘bad’ times can bring good results. (but I still need employment)
Posted by: Joe Scheible | April 2, 2009, 11:35 am 11:35 am
The bankers that caused the mess we’re in and are now considered so important to fix the problem will quickly return to earning huge salaries and bonuses. The industrial workers in this country – auto workers and others — will be reduced to a permanent “Wall Mart standard of living”. Please don’t tell me there isn’t a double standard!
Posted by: Novi Mike | April 2, 2009, 3:54 pm 3:54 pm
I think this has gone a little far, I can understand if you were starving, but having to cut back back on going to the movies? I mean think about how many people cant go to a movie, because they are scraping up change to eat…
Posted by: Kayla Hart | April 3, 2009, 12:25 pm 12:25 pm