OT: How is the economy effecting you?

[Paul B]

The economy does not affect me too much because I retired, If I was still working, I would be out of work.
I just bought a new Chevy Equinox and they practically gave the thing away. They took $7,500.00 off just for walking in the door and a few thousand more back in rebates, then they gave me free oil changes for life. They can't get rid of them.
You can get a new Jeep Grand Cherokee which sold two years ago for $40,000.00 for about $28,000.00.

Still not cheap but a lot cheaper than it was.
I installed Solar Electric on my home to save about $1,000.00 a year in power. I am paying for all this out of my pension from working 40 years so I hope it all pays off before I go broke.
I can always sell live rock

When I take people out on my boat now, I take the money they offer me for gas. I never used to do that, but If I diden't, we would be sitting at the dock. :smokin:

 

[newbie916]

It's very interesting to see how the economy is effecting others. My business hasn't been negatively impacted yet, it's actually been overwhelmingly busy. I deal in insurances and investments, but I've been very fortunate to be working with physicians and dental professionals. We have actually seen an increase in business because many of the docs thought they could do it themselves, but ended up losing half their retirements by being too aggressive. Fortunately, I represent one of the few financially strong life insurance companies in the world right now. Thank god, I don't work for AIG or a bank right now....

However, as the economy worsens we're wary of the impact that it will have on the healthcare industry. I don't want to get into financial advice or politics, but it doesn't look good from a financial advisors standpoint.

Anyways, that's why reefing has been a great hobby for me. It gets my mind off of the hectic everyday life and the responsibility of my client's livelyhood and retirements on my shoulders.

Crazy time guys, hold onto your seatbelts because things are probably going to get worse.

 

[lurchccd]

I for one have not been hit very hard at work. My father and grandfather own two businesses. One is building water trucks, which has declined about 40%, only business is for CDF fire trucks now, and they also own a big gold mine in Mexico. Golds up, and they have been very lucky in getting alot these past three years. The gold company is a public company, so investers with deep pockets are helping to keep in on top in this economy. And the more equipment and mines they start mining, the higher the stock goes.
If it wasnt for high gold prices, We would be hurting bad, without construction, watertruck demands drop dramatically.

 

[Bamm Bamm]

Well I finally found a job.. only part time though.. the worst part is the hourly pay is 1/4th of what I was making before....

 

[newbie916]

We're recommending our clients to buy gold and silver right now. The nice thing about metals is the intrinsic value vs. paper printed money that's being printed by the trillions. Gold and silver don't really increase in value. It just takes more dollars to buy them as the dollar declines. Interesting fact. It takes the same amount of ounces of Gold if you bought a Mustang in 1965 and if you bought a mustang today. Interesting: it's a hedge against inflation.