Has the economic downturn affected you?

[mnmasotto]

Just wondering if I was the only one out there feeling the weight of the downturn? I have been in the heathcare industry since 1991. This is the first time I have seen it affect the healthcare industry. We just lost our largest contract (40% of our work) and will have to let go at least three employee in addition to mandatory across the board pay cuts. Let me know if I am the only one.

Mark

[Daviboy]

Mark,
Sorry to hear that this whole recession thing sucks. However I am in the oil industry consulting for a French major (no name mentioned) and although we have dropped a few wells from our 09 - 10 program there seems to be no affect so far. That being said I know our contractors are feeling the pinch, however when oil was at $140/bbl they went crazy on equipment and personnel, now they are sitting with a lot of kit not working and dropping men like hot bricks. So in a nutshell as far as I am concerned no it has not directly affected me.

[Bart_dood]

Yes and No, I got a new job at the beginning of October. About 1 month after I started they laid off 3 people (its a very small company); thinking I was next...but after another month they laid off 5 more people and not me....I got a pep talk from the pres and VP (also the owner) about they were glad to have me and didn't want to let me go, also a guy left just after me and I'm filling in for his job, without me right now they would be stuck.
We have had mandatory days off unpaid so my salary has been down, but we haven't suffered too badly.
Apparently our companies sales went down 12% in october and 40% in november and some more in december although I don't know the figure.

[Zef]

No.....

[robert walsh]

Its is affecting just about all facets of the american economy at this time, it's taken a toll on almost everybody, Ihave a small company, about 35 employee's, first time ever had to let 3 go last week, almost 10% of the work force, I'm sad for those that are effected, will hire them back in better times. Hang in there.

[schamp]

Yes it has. When the power company starts laying off 400 people its bad. Its that many meters not turning. A good example of whats going on in Georgia. Got to be worse up North.

[Oh Haha]

You aren't alone, friend.

Here in Michigan, it's hitting most everyone pretty hard.

I think if we could get folks to start spending some money we could get the ball rolling again but it's difficult to spend big when you aren't certain you will have a job in the upcoming months.

[ramonesfreak]

not yet...but im starting to wonder

[charleskieffner]

yes it has. it has driven me to buy guns like a drunken sailor. not average run of the mill guns..........but black evil nasty out of production guns with parts that are impossible to find.

i am a one man economic stimulus plan!

its jes lak going to the "LAK ME BAR" when buying these. everybody "LAKS ME!" and my credit card or cash!

[Paulporsche]

Since most of my work these days is design of retail environments, in a nutshell, yes. The slowdown seemed to start last spring.

[sammyg2]

Other than the stock market, no.

[fastfredracing]

I must be one of the few, I own a small auto repair buisness, and the last two quarters, and so far this year will probably be the best I have done in the last 5 years. I did however trim ALL of the fat off my buisness about 3 years ago, not because I saw this coming, I was just trying to simplify my life. My buisness right now is a lean mean money making machine for me,.
When economic times were good, It seemed as if I wasnt getting the go ahead on a lot of the larger jobs,( head gaskets, motors , transmissions etc...) People would just trade them in, and get a new car. Now I am fixing all sorts of basket cases, because people are either scared to buy a new car, or just simply cannot.
I do a lot of import work, and although I still am seeing quite a few of BMW's and Mercedes ( daily drivers), most all of my porsche work has nearly dried up, it is winter , but I usually have some long term porsche project on the rack for the winter, and this year, none.
We have also been rehabbing rental houses on the side. We just finished and rented one last night. We originally set out to do lower income, maybe section 8, but I was surprised at the response we had from our ad in the pennysaver. We were getting responses from mostly working class people, and about 25% of them were telling us that their landlord was being foreclosed upon, and they had to vacate.
Sorry for all of you out ther who are suffering right now. Hang in there, and tought it out, another year or so, you will all be doing good, and I will be poor again.

[LeakProof]

The construction / plumbing business is not so great either. I no I had more money five years ago. Luckily Chicago has A micro- economy. Why else would I be here freezing my ... off, and not being able to drive my Porsche on salt covered roads!

[rcooled]

I live in the greater SF Bay Area and although I have a few friends who've recently lost jobs, I'm still employed (biotech design engineer). In spite of the media hammering everyone with tales of doom & gloom, there's still lots of folks around here out & about spending money. I went skiing a couple of weeks ago and there was no shortage of people on the slopes who shelled out $50/ea for a lift ticket and another $35 for rental gear. My wife & I recently visited the newly-reopened Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. Same story...the place was packed shoulder-to-shoulder with people who paid a $25 admission fee. This past weekend we went to the SF Kennel Club dog show at the Cow Palace and guess what?....it too was packed with people who paid $10 to park and $15/ea to enter. I live in a tourist/university town and I haven't seen any drop off in the number of people visiting the local hot spots and traffic around town is still always jammed up on the weekends. Maybe the full impact of this recession/depression hasn't hit this area yet but I suspect it will pretty soon.

[Steve Viegas]

Feeling it here in the SF bay area.

[HardDrive]

Portfolio yes, life no.

[mudman]

Things have gotten really bad for me. Most of my income comes from landscape renovations and designing/installing 'dream backyards'. I just can't see many people writing me big checks for that kinda stuff next season.

To make matters worse there are so many failing companies slashing prices just to get some work that I can't compete on price. Normally I'm able to get jobs on a number of other factors but most of my leads are only looking at the bottom line. The few people who are looking for a superb contractor are also the ones that will wait things out before writing big checks.

Savings have already been depleted and I'm not sure what we're going to do next.

[LeakProof]

Thats the funny thing , people around these parts seem to have no problem spending $100.00 dollars at the restaurant on A few hamburgers and A drink (me included) . You would never know it was A recession by the hour wait to get in most eating establishments on the weekends. Perhaps people are holding off on big ticket items. I suppose Around here people live A little higher on the hog.

[tabs]

The only way I can stop crying is by hitting my head against the wall. That leaves me with a headache and I can't afford the aspirin anymore...so yes the economic downturn has affected me.

[Hugh R]

Just a lot more cautious of how I spend money. We don't have many features coming down the tubes for 4-6 months. No spending money, like most others, which is a big part of the overall problem.