Now we've celebrated, who here is unemployed or underemployed?

[NightWatcher]

And how are you getting by?

Are you even able to get by?

Do you have much hope that you will be able to make it until things improve enough again to return to normal?

Do you (like I) think that it's only going to get a lot worse now that Bush's people are no longer in office to lie to us and tell us it's all ok?

Will the banks fail?

Will the currency fail?

Will there be soup in the souplines this time?


(sorry for being a downer)

[IDemo]

1. laid off as of tomorrow

With 2 major tech companies (HP and Micron) here, as well as numerous smaller companies, there are zero electronics tech openings.
I'm thinking of switching careers to something in the medical field, maybe pharmaceutical tech/X-ray tech, etc, and am going to look
at a local college for two-year programs. Could be interesting for a 50+ year old guy like me.

I do not believe there will be a turnaround for hi tech anytime in the foreseeable future, and never to the point it was in the 90's.

We are much better off than most in this situation, with the house, cars, and credit cards paid off. Definitely looking at a garden
expansion, though.

[undeterred]

11. I got an email from a recruiter yesterday

about a computer tech job that sounded good. Then I looked at the salary range, which was about $20K less than what I would expect. Level 1 Helpdesk salary for a system administrator job that requires some evenings and weekends without overtime pay. If I'm going to take a huge cut in pay I at least want the option of working a second job, and this one would make that impossible.

I think companies will offer less now because they can get away with it.

[guitar man]

2. how about just underpaid?

Inflation and increases in med insurance premiums have outstripped my meager raises for two years in a row now. :(

[GOTV]

3. Laid off last year - now working at 80% of former salary ....

... I was living beneath my means though - so I'm OK.

[bamademo]

6. Laid off Sept 2008...working temp job making 2K less a year

Medical insurance premiums are eating me up. Will be unemployed as of March 31, 2009 if I don't find another job before then because the contract is ending. No one is calling me even though I've been sending out resumes. Before the market crashed in Oct, I was getting a lot of calls for interviews. I'm in IT which is still a relatively safe field in Huntsville, Al.

[ogneopasno]

4. I resigned from my job in August when Mr. Ogneopasno got an excellent job with crazy hours. I work

from home freelance writing and editing.

[Minimus]

5. I am unemployed - since November 2008

I am receiving unemployment - the maximum amount of $494 a week.

I am only able to get by because I live in a house owned by my parents and they help me out with living expenses when needed.

I am very grateful that my parents are financially sound. I know many out there do not have that luxury.

I am going to have to file bankruptcy because my ex-husband is letting our house go into foreclosure. We separated a year ago and I quit claimed the deed to him. He tried to refinance and get my name off of the loan but was unable to so now the mortgage company is coming after me.

I don't think the banks or currency will fail. I do believe it will be quite a struggle for many of us for awhile but I feel hopeful with Obama in charge.

[Cabcere]

7. Currently unemployed

:( Graduated from college in May and worked part-time at my old summer job, then broke my ankle and wrist and was laid up for several months. Currently living back at home with my parents & little brother for the time being, while searching for jobs.

[Extend a Hand]

8. laid off in April 08

but husband still has job and we were very fortunate to be able to sell our house and get out of debt so our expenses are way down.

[Missy Vixen]

9. My husband is still looking for a job

We are hanging on with unemployment. Microsoft just announced a hefty layoff this morning; DH is in the software industry, so this is one more less-than-positive piece of information.

The unemployment rate in Washington State is now the same as the national average.

Julie

[Cessna Invesco Palin]

10. I'm unemployed.

And how are you getting by?

OK, due to an inheritance of sorts. Don't know what I'd do without that. I live(d) overseas on a work permit and would have spent every last penny getting back to the US if I didn't have that.

Do you have much hope that you will be able to make it until things improve enough again to return to normal?

Cautiously optimistic. Doubt I'll get anything in the next five or six months though.

Do you (like I) think that it's only going to get a lot worse now that Bush's people are no longer in office to lie to us and tell us it's all ok?

Obama's an improvement, but the die was cast a long time ago, and we're going to have to work through the consequences before things get better.

Will the banks fail?

Quite a few of them have already.

Will the currency fail?

No, but this might not be the best time to go travelling to expensive places.

Will there be soup in the souplines this time?

I don't think we're to that point just yet, really.

[scorpiogirl]

12. My husband is unemployed.

As I type this, we are packing up the house we've rented for the last six years to move into a 5th wheel at my in-laws. This is his second time being unemployed since July. I had to let cobra lapse and I'm taking my kids out of their schools. It's pretty bleak right now. Add in my husband's last employer decided to change the terms of his contract after he laid him off and not pay him for the entire month of December. Hence, our quick exit from our home.

After three months of unemployment during summer, we just don't have the means to hang on this time. We are in the bay area, ca, so while there should be a lot of jobs (yeah right), it's also super expensive to live here. He's applied to a lot of places, with no response so far. He's in IT by the way.

It all just sucks. I don't have a lot of hope right this second, but as I'm learning, things can turn on a dime. It's just a bummer it usually turns for the worse.