Oh, my SO is a auto technician for a fairly large company.. I am so praying he keeps his JOB

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September Coupon Savings: $146.56
October Coupon Savings: $209.08

I personally think we are headed toward another depression. This is just my opinion, though. I'm stockpiling food, toiletries and first aid. I will container garden in the spring and I'm going to teach myself how to sew and such. Just learn the basic survival stuff. I don't want to rack up anymore debt and try to get out of as much as I can. It's funny when people made a big deal about stocking up for Y2K, I wasn't worried. When people said stock up for the bird flu, I wasn't worried. The economy worries me and the experts and officials have tried to keep it hush hush for so long but people know better. Bush wants to do the family rebate thing but is anyone wondering where this money is coming from? This country is in debt. Most people are just hearing getting a check, though. I could go on and on but I won't. Sigh.

The last recession was in 2001. March to November officially, I think.

My DH builds houses and honestly they don't have enough people to finish and start all their jobs (which is wonderful news for us- fingers crossed )- thank God there is no end in sight with the company he works for!

The more I think about it is that a lot of the recession has to do with the stock markets, business downsizing, corporate mergers (like major banks/mortgage companies) and etc. Also with no one having the extra money to just spend their money frivilously- KWIM?

A depression is just a grander scale than recession. A recession is a "bump" in the economy while a depression is more of a "slide". Many factors and websites are pointing to a "perfect storm" for another depression. One of the biggest factors is housing. And true, as another person put it, not all people suffered during a depression. Job security is key, if there is any doubt at all, have some backup opportunity in mind. I don't think stockpiling food is the key, but having a back up plan to catch you if you lose your job. The people who did well during the depression were those with cash on hand, plenty of it, to scoop up all that real estate (sounds very similar to what's going on now). They held onto it for a long time, and then sold it years later when the market came back up. Of course, the war helped us out of the depression back then with jobs, this war seems to be having the opposite effect (it isn't the 1930's anymore!).

Bush calls this a "stimulus package" for a reason....he wants to give you money to spend on things to stimulate the economy. He definitely doesn't want you to save it.

I agree. All the signs are pointing in that direction for now. I'm not 'worried' per say but I wonder if this whole FTJ exercise is going to be good preparation for the next few years ahead of us.

Good description of the difference and you are right .. it does seem to be pointing to a perfect storm, compounded by the worry that this has never happened in an election year before.

This is not the type to sell of your investments ladies. Hold on tight for the ride. We lost a lot in 2007 but I'm trying to view it like I'm buying stocks on sale now and in 10-15 years time (long before I need it for retirement) I'm going to be one happy camper that I held on for the ride.

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I have to say one of the stranger things I've heard, mostly this week, is that we are NOT in a recession, NO NO NO!!! Nope not at all!! (Google "not a recession" - lots of articles claiming we aren't, here's a NYTimes one : Data Suggests Weak Growth, Not a Recession - New York Times )

Huh???

We have a housing slide, ever climbing energy costs, every climbing food costs, and non-climbing incomes (or around here, high unemployment with no hope for new jobs). Of course, then around here, *they say* it's that it's just MI in a "one-state" recession...hmmm....me thinks if that were the case, this board would be populated by only people in MI, because if it's only one state, what does the rest of the country need to worry about?

As for the "stimulus package" - how much is our national debt again? How does dumping more dollars into circulation help? Last I knew, if a country is in trouble and just starts producing more and more "money", the value of the money decreases, inflation rises. Living next to Canada and watching it beat our dollar doesn't make me feel that great for that situation. $1600 isn't going to go into willy-nilly spending in our household either (I think the number was that $800/person) $1600 isn't going to make me feel happy and sunshiny inside. Living in a country that isn't in HUGE debt and reliant heavily on foreign markets and trade would make me feel happy.

I may be wrong, but to me low dollar+rising inflation=bad economy and sucky times ahead. I'm not very comfortable with the outlook.

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its not just MI, its herwe e. everyone is movin out state to find jobs! there is absolutly no good jobs around here. my brother is graduating college in april and the first place he is lookig for work is down south. our area has been very dim ever since the steel mill closings, but it has gotten worse over the years.
i also agree with the inflation of everythin and no increased in income to make up for it. we use to live comfortably but now were lucky to live paycheck to paycheck, with $4 g milk and $3.21 for gas.

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WIFE TO MIKE
MOTHER TO HUNTER 3YRS OLD AND HEATH BORN 9/22

I knew there had Been one Post Reagen Yrs. !

Doesn't anyone remember this One?


My Dh's Job was Slightly Affected. We had 3 kids and I Remember - EVERYTHING was expensive, and There was alot of talk then of Going towards Another Depression.