Thursday, January 1, 2009

Lifestyle Downsizing

There's a fascinating article running on CNN talking about the various folks who have taken huge pay decreases in the recent economic downturn.

Being a long-time computer hobbyist I tend to look at things in terms of breaking them down to discrete components and asking myself, "How does this work?"

Of course if one has had a certain salary, particularly for a couple of years, I would tend to think that many aspects of their lifestyle would be based upon that salary. For instance, if you're making $200,000/yr you could handle - what? - a $300,000 house and maybe a $400/mo. car payment?

Now suppose you lose this $200,000 job and can only get one that pays $50,000. How in the WORLD do you "unwind" the "positions" you had in housing and transportation that was more appropriate for the $200,000/yr salary.

Well, this article isn't painting a very rosy picture on that topic. They are talking about people getting their houses foreclosed on and vehicles repossessed - and these are people with children.

However, this article makes mention that this one particular family was able to find rental property.

I suppose that is a good sign because I've always been under the impression that landlords really didn't want to work with you if you had a recent foreclosure or eviction.

Of course I guess times have changed.

But, I suppose the theme that is coming through this article and other similar ones is that life goes on - not in the way you were used to at higher salary levels, but life does indeed go on.

Of course I suppose it begs the next question though - suppose you were starting out at $35,000/yr. or some such and can only find a job that pays $10/hr or so? Where do you end up THEN?

7 Comments:

At January 4, 2009 at 8:30 PM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Not to jump off the topic, Mr. Axinar, but is that a pic of you??!! Wowser! What a distinguished, handsome dude. My compliments to Mrs. Axinar. She has excellent, discerning taste!

On downsizing, I've learned to do more with less. And sometimes suffer a bit. Turn down the heat, bundle up & keep moving in the house. I've also gone way back to using my Grandmothers' ways of cleaning products, keeping house, etc. If the clothes aren't completely dry after a 10-15 minute spin in the dryer, hang them up to finish. Stretching that thin little dollar as far as it will go! Right now, if I held that stretched dollar up, I could vividly see daylight!!! We're spoiled & unfortunately, I don't think we've seen the worst of it yet. Meanwhile, I'm thinking of other ways to save, conserve & make do.

 
At January 27, 2009 at 1:41 PM, Blogger Axinar said...

No ... it's not me ... representative though of what is going on in many parts of the country though.

 
At November 22, 2009 at 9:19 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

Who knows where to download XRumer 5.0 Palladium?
Help, please. All recommend this program to effectively advertise on the Internet, this is the best program!

 
At August 30, 2011 at 12:20 AM, Anonymous Ativan VS Xanax said...

in Asia USD 8000 a year is consider good enough...


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At September 18, 2011 at 3:08 PM, Anonymous ThatDeborahGirl said...

Well, what happened to me when we went from being a 2 salary family to a family living on one part time salary - we moved back in with my mother, I went back to school, he got a full-time job that barely paid more than part time.

Six years later my daughter is in college on scholarships, grants, student loans and a prayer.
After an assortment of odd jobs I settled for work study and I have finished an associate degree and am hoping that the place I'm interning for will hire me. He got laid off and after 3 months just got a job paying way less than what either of us used to make.

The financial strain, among other things, has taken it's toll so, even though we both agree the relationship is over, we can't afford to split up right now. We're hoping that both of job situations will be stable enough be Jan 2012 for us to be able to afford to break up.

It's like that, and that's the way it is. Huh.

 
At September 23, 2011 at 9:43 AM, Anonymous Anonymous said...

youre against mixedrace couples eh !? YOU WHITE UGLY PARASIT BIRDSHIT SCUM !! YOURE GONNA DIE ! YOU FUCKING GET THAT !? YOURE GONNA DIE YOU UGLY SCUM AND SO WILL YOUR INBREED FAMILY DO ASWELL ! VHHV 822 ! DONT EVER MESS WITH FRAMNTIDSBARN. YOU INBREED BIRDSHIT SCUM. TAKE SUICIDE BEFORE SOMEONE KILLS YOU !!

 
At October 11, 2011 at 7:53 AM, Anonymous alan said...

10USD is still so muc man :-)

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