How do you feel?

[borndead1]

I was scared, but then I started thinking, "What's the WORST that could happen?"

Say, if I lost my job.

Unemployment would not even cover my monthly bills. So, I guess the first thing would be to back out of my apartment lease and move back in with Mom.

I couldn't let my car get repo'd. How would I find another job?

With no rent/electricity/phone, I could scrape by with unemployment until I found another job.

What would absolutely SUCK would be living with my mom. That answers the question "What's the WORST that could happen?"

[bobarian]

Though times may be tough economically in some areas of the country and for some industries, I still feel confident. Those of us who grew up in the 60's and the times of economic growth, also had the spectre of MAD hanging over our heads. The economy was good, but when you planned for a nuclear attack at elementary school, it kind of puts a damper on things.

"I'm Super! Thanks for asking...."

http://video.google.com/videosearch?...revision&cd=1#

In all seriousness, life has an amazing way of working itself out so I'm confident that whatever hardships we may come across will be worked out in relative short order.

Hang in there my brothers & sisters!

[jledou]

I think times are going to get better. Hopefully that happens sooner rather than later.

The only thing that really is scary is that the corporations are looking so much at the books and Wall Street right now that they are losing sight of the big picture and making some bad business decisions. At least here they are.

[Redbaron]

I very nervous.
I feel secure in my job(working in fraud), my wife is a project manager working with mergers, so things are good there.

I don't know, my I just have a general overall sense of uneasiness.

I attribute it to the unstable economy, weather changing (less sunlight), and feeling like I can't make a proper opinion on current politcal situations due to lack of knowledge (not for lack of trying though).

I'd say I am valueing herfs more and more, seeing them less of a social gathering and more of a safe haven filled with extended family members.

[Sailchaser]

It is a scary time with living in Detroit and having things related to the car business .My loving wife has more faith then I ever will and I am glad that she can make up the faith in good things considering my doom and gloom out look on things all the time' As others have said this day shall end whether I want it to or not so I need to make the most of it

I try not to think about it, there is nothing I can do. Wife and I both work for the same company and have been there for a while so if they have a lay off we should be okay, But what we did do is pay off all the Crdit Cards and put them is a jar of water and freezed them, going to try the debt free process.

[LasciviousXXX]

I feel cautious at the moment having gone through somewhat of a tumultuous time lately but I'm generally hopeful.

As with everything the events of our lives are cyclical. The low end now will eventually lead to a rise in things in the future. I guess it just depends on what your personal reaction is to hard times. I'm trying to keep the optimist view in mind but it definitely is tough.

I guess when I start really getting down I just think of how fortunate I am to have what I have and be able to take care of my family.

Originally Posted by piperman

I try not to think about it, there is nothing I can do. Wife and I both work for the same company and have been there for a while so if they have a lay off we should be okay, But what we did do is pay off all the Crdit Cards and put them is a jar of water and freezed them, going to try the debt free process.

Dave Ramsey..I did his plan and got rid of 17K of debt in 6 months.

[SvilleKid]

Some probably call me a pessimistic, and say that my attitude only fuels the crisis. I say that I lived through the 1979-2001 recession, which was much worse than any since then. I was in the real estate appraisal business then, self employed, and had a handle on the economic issues. I recognized the coming recession a good 6 months before it was mentioned in the main stream press. With a pending marriage, and suspecting the probably extent of the coming recession, I took a position with the state's largest bank in 1980, with the responsibility of dealing with foreclosures and foreclosed properties.

Many of the same developer practices present then are present now. With the exception of negligible interest rates now, many of the same political and economic factors present the are present now. The historic low interest rates is actually a hindrance today, in that the FED loses lowering interest rates as a way to "warm" the market back up. Like it or not, the collapsed real estate market is at the heart of the current problems, and that collapse was evident (at least to me and others being realistic) as long as two years ago. At that time, I told my son and wife that we would be in a collapsed real estate market inside of two years, and that it would take at least two years to turn it around, and another 12 to 18 months to return to a positive real estate market that would support a growing economy.

We ARE in a recession. No heads hidden in the sand. Won't change the facts. I kinda stand by my predictions for 36 to 42 months to get back close to where we were a year ago. So, say Fall, 2010, but more probable Spring, 2011. Now, though, I'm wishy-washy. When the July and September NYSE numbers are removed from the rolling three month averages, we will see that the stock market has had MORE volitility than existed after the stock market crash that ushered in the Great Depression. ALL the REAL economic numbers point to BAD, BAD times, not to cheery times ahead. And, the people in charge, and thos that will be in charge are all pursuing potential policies that are no more than band aides on an open chest wound.

God, Dave, I wish I was wrong. Hope I am wrong. Pray about being wrong. I am not one that has stopped spending, but I also have gotten myself in as good of a financial position as possible in this market.

I won't starve, the house is paid for, and I can bring the family back home and tough things out if things turn really ugly. I hope they don't turn ugly, but I WILL NOT bet my future on the failure of others to realistically look at all factors, not just the ones they are feed by those with ulterior motives. To many basic economic indicators are wrong at this time. And, consumer confidence is a reactive (or following) indicator, not a leading, controlling indicator. While feeling good is always best from a mental health standpoint, it cannot lead an economy out of failure unless there are realistic changes to the good that the Consumer confidence Index can react to.

Pessimistic or realistic?? I don't know about others. I do know that currently, and looking to the next 18 months, i see nothing to be Optimistic about.

[TripleF]

The thing that annoys me the most is the loss of HOPE. All my life I've always had the sense that things could be changed or improved and right now I don't believe that is the case.

What's happening right now is affecting the world and that's a little bigger than the USA.

[Tenor CS]

I'm stressed because I teach high school music. If more budget cuts come through, I fear that arts might be on the chopping block. Not even teaching is a "stable" job anymore. I might have to teach reading or something else that I'm not certified in.