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how do you feel about the economy in your area?

Dancing Fire

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Apr 3, 2004
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33,852
for the 6 past months the restaurants that we usually frequent are dead,no waiting during dining hours.the restaurant business is really slow and so are the shopping malls in our area.
 

Black Jade

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Aug 21, 2008
Messages
1,242
It's not good.

But people put on a front. You sort of hear secretly who has lost their job now.
House prices are at a real low and the only job sector growing seems to be service jobs like supermarket and also temp jobs. Not much pays a living wage. Those that still have jobs don't spend but stash in case they lose their job soon. Nobody has any confidence in anything, especially not Washington.
the only places with gold and diamond jewelry are the pawn shops.
 

TooPatient

Super_Ideal_Rock
Premium
Joined
Sep 1, 2009
Messages
10,295
Not good. Prices on stuff are still going up and I hear people talk about where they can cut corners in order to afford gas/groceries. Some even talk about making do with fewer groceries because they can't afford as much as they used to. I've also seen the pink shut-off notice slips for water on a few doors.

I think most people around us are struggling but making it okay. Really hard to say because people don't really talk about such things and no one really wants to admit how bad off they are (if they are).


I'm the one who does all of the paperwork here at the office when any of the clients need money from their accounts. I know that I've been sending out a lot more checks recently. Some of the clients have confided in me what their situations are. There are a lot of small business people & farmers really suffering right now and others have been out of work for 2+ years. I've watched $500,000+ accounts get emptied as people attempt to keep businesses running or rental properties maintained when there are no renters available.
There are also a lot fewer people sending checks to put money into their accounts and those who do are sending less than they had in past years.
 

mayerling

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Mar 4, 2010
Messages
2,357
Badly. Unemployment is pretty high in the UK, and universities keep cutting funding. Plus, they keep increasing VAT; it's now up to 20%.
 

iugurl

Shiny_Rock
Joined
Jan 1, 2011
Messages
476
Actually, I think the economy is doing quite well in my town. There are 3 LARGE companies that employ like 70% of the town's population. The companies are doing well and have not laid off anyone. The companies here pay extremely well. The restaurants here are always busy. There is not a mall here, but there are a few department stores spread around and they are also busy. There are very few houses in foreclosure.

Even when I travel an hour away to Indianapolis, I don't really notice a huge difference. I know there are tons of people who have lost their jobs. However, when I go to the various malls, they are PACKED. The restaurants have a long wait. I always go on Saturdays, so maybe I would notice a difference during the week?? I don't know.
 

canuk-gal

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Apr 19, 2004
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25,646
HI:

Very strong.

cheers--Sharon
 

maplefemme

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
874
mayerling|1309979692|2962969 said:
Badly. Unemployment is pretty high in the UK, and universities keep cutting funding. Plus, they keep increasing VAT; it's now up to 20%.

I was born and raised in the UK and I moved to Canada when I was 17, I miss it in many ways but I I don't like what the UK has become.
Bottom line, if they stopped letting every Tom Dick and Harry into the place they wouldn't have half the problems they have. This isn't the only issue but its huge slice of the pie.
People being allowed in should not be able to claim Social Assistance for 10+ years on the back of those who actually work (or at least attempt to gain employment) and contribute.
People abuse the system because the system allows itself to be abused.
The UK has become so PC it's killing itself, both economically and socially.
I'm sure Churchill is turning in his grave...

I'm in Calgary, Alberta. The economic situation here is very good, for now, and I'm very thankful.
 

monarch64

Super_Ideal_Rock
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Joined
Aug 12, 2005
Messages
19,218
Not the best it's ever been here, but I work in retail and our numbers have been double digit increases over LY's for the past 2 months. There is no shortage of business at my store which is independently owned and operated, although a well-known upscale women's clothing store (chain) is going out of business right down the street. I work in a downtown area, not a mall.

Cost of living here is very low...people still have disposable income to spend on their hobbies and interests, and of course entertainment.
 

JewelFreak

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Sep 3, 2009
Messages
7,768
The UK has become so PC it's killing itself, both economically and socially.
Agreed. Breaks my heart. The country that should be proud of being among the first modern democracies is turning into a place I wouldn't want to live anymore, when it was always my favorite nation(s). I spent a great deal of time there for 10 yrs & never wanted to leave. Now? Trouble if you express what you think. Cameras on every streetcorner in almost the whole island. Sensors in your garbage can tattle on you for discarding a !gasp! forbidden item. Scary stuff.

The economy here? Yuck.
 

maplefemme

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
874
JewelFreak|1309988603|2963097 said:
The UK has become so PC it's killing itself, both economically and socially.
Agreed. Breaks my heart. The country that should be proud of being among the first modern democracies is turning into a place I wouldn't want to live anymore, when it was always my favorite nation(s). I spent a great deal of time there for 10 yrs & never wanted to leave. Now? Trouble if you express what you think. Cameras on every streetcorner in almost the whole island. Sensors in your garbage can tattle on you for discarding a !gasp! forbidden item. Scary stuff.

The economy here? Yuck.

It saddens me too, I feel you :blackeye:
Where have you been there?
 

Lanie

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Feb 20, 2008
Messages
1,793
Pretty bad here in Texas.

I'm a teacher, luckily in a private school. Never thought I'd say that, but in Dallas, Houston, and other smaller cities teachers that are on the bottom rung have been laid off. Not a lot of money in our budget to keep the payrolls up. Not to mention cutting programs like the arts and bilingual/immersion programs. Some laid off teachers had 3 years experience, but if they are at the bottom, they were cut. So our education is in crisis, which means those that can offset the opportunity cost are switching to private schools. So now we have thousands of educated teachers who can't get jobs. And those people that were laid off and think "I can always teach for a year or two until I find something" are in the pool with the rest. I hate people who say that, by the way.

I read an article that the new way to pitch your product is through deals like livingsocial and groupon. People have tight budgets and love a good deal, and this is sometimes the only way luxury items such as spa treatments and maid services can get business.
 

fleur-de-lis

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Apr 25, 2007
Messages
1,343
Restaurants here look about as popular as usual, but I have noticed a downward tick in new/trendy restaurant openings.

(Frankly, that's a good thing here in the westside of L.A.-- we had too many watering holes for d-bags rotating through and closing in 3 months for a while there.)

Few people stay in this high COL area when they lose their jobs, and new people who are gainfully employed swoop in the vacant places pretty quickly.
 

Italiahaircolor

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Dec 16, 2007
Messages
5,184
Not great...

Our neighbor just left their home. They recently had twins, already had a baby...so now it was a family of 5 living in a 2 bedroom home. They sunk a lot of money into their place getting it market ready (in our area, it's still very important to have the finer finishes--hardwoods, granite, new cabinets)...and it never sold, they never even had a single showing. They pulled it from the market, but I think they removed the morality from their investment. Then, as recently as Friday we saw them shoving clothes, boxes and whatnot into the trunk of her mini van...the following day, a moving truck...the day after, more boxes in his car. And they've not been seen again. The house is not for sale, not on the market, not even a pocket listing. They just jumped shipped.

But, this is the world we live in. Locally, at least.
 

megumic

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
Mar 8, 2009
Messages
1,647
Considering the fair offer we made on a home was rejected, the seller must know something about the local economy we don't...especially since it's been on the market since SEPTEMBER. Empty no less.
 

innerkitten

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 1, 2003
Messages
5,623
San Francisco has changed too. Lots of boarded up stores and restaurants.
 

movie zombie

Super_Ideal_Rock
Joined
Jan 20, 2005
Messages
11,879
not in our area but i did note that while at the grand canyon in june there were more "foreigners' than usual. the dollar is so weak that traveling to the US is a bargain now for europeans.
 

MissStepcut

Brilliant_Rock
Premium
Joined
Jun 29, 2011
Messages
1,723
Seems to be recovering. Hiring in my industry has taken a decided uptick, rental prices are going up again, I have to make an appointment at my salon (shame, I'd really gotten in the habit of walk-ins) and my favorite retailers are finally raising prices after holding steady for years.
 

poptart

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 23, 2006
Messages
1,899
Things here seem to be pretty steady... for now. I work in HR for an international company and our division is hiring right now, which is a good sign. I don't trust the economy though, it seems like prices for goods are rising a lot faster than the paychecks.
 

maplefemme

Brilliant_Rock
Joined
May 12, 2011
Messages
874
"I read an article that the new way to pitch your product is through deals like livingsocial and groupon. People have tight budgets and love a good deal, and this is sometimes the only way luxury items such as spa treatments and maid services can get business."

Groupon is very successful here, many deals sell out.
I think the concept and delivery really appeal. People request to get the email offers, they don't consider it spam, it's not junk flyers, it's not unsolicited. The deals are usually very good. Great way to get your name out there and get people in the door.
One of my friend's owns her own company doing gift baskets, she struggled to keep up with orders after using Groupon, it was a big success.
 

mrscushion

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
3,309
Germany has been doing very well recently and the area where I live in particular. People working for the big local companies (including shop floor manufacturing and admin personnel) got record bonuses at the end of the last fiscal year.

However, with the Eurozone potentially going to hell in a handbasket over Greece, etc., this may change very quickly.

It is incredibly upsetting that economists have for a decade warned of the dangers of having very different economies in one currency zone and taking away their monetary policy tools, and yet nothing was done to prevent / cushion the current implosion.
 

Pandora II

Ideal_Rock
Joined
Aug 3, 2006
Messages
9,613
To be honest it all seems pretty normal in London - I haven't noticed fewer people in shops or in restaurants.

Interest rates are incredibly low so mortgage payments are very low meaning that a lot of people have more disposable income than they would usually have - only they're saving it just in case on the whole.

My husband has been out of work since being made redundant last October, but has come 2nd in 6 potentially great opportunities and is waiting to hear on another - fingers crossed. It's a bugger to keep being the second choice but at least the jobs are there to interview for (and he's in a fairly specialised market). In the meantime he has been doing consultancy work and has only been at home for 2 weeks since October with the amount of work he has coming in. We don't feel we can relax as there is no security in any of the consulting jobs but the mortage is being paid.

I agree about our welfare system being nuts and that we are becoming too PC. With the universities... when I went it was around 15% of people that went, it's now 47% and that is just totally unaffordable. I don't see anything wrong with student fees - the rate at which you repay is so tiny I don't know what people are moaning about. If you can't afford to spend £100 a month to pay for your education when you are earning £50k then you need to look at your spending habits.

Immigration - the Eastern Europeans are great, and if they can all find jobs (and no they don't work for nothing, they work for the same money that is on offer to all for the job) then there was no excuse for our layabout indigenous population. I have a massive issue with illegal immigration and we need to tighten our borders but regarding immigration in general I think it's a good thing - I just wish we could swap some of our own in exchange. :bigsmile:

Also don't really feel spyed on. Despite being a liberal and very firm on civil liberties I'm not that bothered by CCTV - and I've never seen any gadgets in rubbish bins :confused: .
 
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