How's the recession biting now people?
Discussion
After all the long, how bad can it get threads populated by PH's doomsayers I'm interested in how people have been affected by the recession/crash/crunch/squeeze whatever you want to call it.
The reason is that although I have some tales myself of people hard hit, the street still seems to be no different. The shops are obviously warning about what a dire Chrimbo they're going to have but every time I visit the highstreet (Woolies apart) things look fine and dandy. Restaurants are full, events are full no change seems apparent.
I have to say I don't really geddit.
My stories are that I know of three people (not particularly close) who have been made redundant. All now have new jobs and seem happy enough. One person who can't get the money he needs for a good scheme where he probably would have got it before and one person who works in the car leasing world who basically it the wall a year ago and hasn't budged since. Auto finance is just a world of pain.
I think the only really painful example is the last one. I know of no house repos or similar horrors.
And you?
The reason is that although I have some tales myself of people hard hit, the street still seems to be no different. The shops are obviously warning about what a dire Chrimbo they're going to have but every time I visit the highstreet (Woolies apart) things look fine and dandy. Restaurants are full, events are full no change seems apparent.
I have to say I don't really geddit.
My stories are that I know of three people (not particularly close) who have been made redundant. All now have new jobs and seem happy enough. One person who can't get the money he needs for a good scheme where he probably would have got it before and one person who works in the car leasing world who basically it the wall a year ago and hasn't budged since. Auto finance is just a world of pain.
I think the only really painful example is the last one. I know of no house repos or similar horrors.
And you?
It didn't really hit me until June this year, when my contract (IT) wasn't renewed. I was fortunate enough in that I had some money put aside for such times, but then spent two soul-destroying months trying to find more work. I found some eventually, but it's half the money I'm used to and the kind of work I did ten years ago. I'm getting married next year, so I'm cutting back on spending anyway, so all the nice meals out and holidays have had to stop.
I'm just happy to be working again, and I'm sure things will sort themselves out soon.
As for people I know, five of my (permie) ex-colleagues took voluntary redundancy and I believe the company in question (IT services company) is constantly asking for more people to go.
I'm just happy to be working again, and I'm sure things will sort themselves out soon.
As for people I know, five of my (permie) ex-colleagues took voluntary redundancy and I believe the company in question (IT services company) is constantly asking for more people to go.
At 30, with a strong CV, great experience and more qualifications than anyone can possibly need i have been unable to find work for the first time since i started working at 14.
consequently have totally stopped spending on anything. I am not the only one of my friends to be in this position- 2 very well qualified and experienced solicitors are having the same problem.
consequently have totally stopped spending on anything. I am not the only one of my friends to be in this position- 2 very well qualified and experienced solicitors are having the same problem.
Self employed! Did have a wholesale business and a shop a year ago. Now the shop is closed, and wholesale is crap (used to have 15 or so fair sized orders a day, now it's around 1 a week!).
Anyway, now it's just me selling (mainly) on eBay (what I was doing 15 years ago!). Complete change of product lines (film/TV collectables), and things are ticking over.
Hasn't really affected me in what I do for fun, just have to do more work myself. Still travelling the World on a regular basis, and have nice cars (which will likely remain the same cars for a few years).
Anyway, now it's just me selling (mainly) on eBay (what I was doing 15 years ago!). Complete change of product lines (film/TV collectables), and things are ticking over.
Hasn't really affected me in what I do for fun, just have to do more work myself. Still travelling the World on a regular basis, and have nice cars (which will likely remain the same cars for a few years).
Luckily working in an industry that has been so far unaffected by the recession (even improved) - gambling. Our team has expanded from 2 to 12 over the past year and I've been promoted! Although a lot of friends have not been so lucky.
I think I'm building up a large bank of negative karma though
I think I'm building up a large bank of negative karma though
Got booted from an OEM as I was a contractor last December.
No work for 2.5 months.
Found some fill in work.
Literally just had 2 interviews in the last month and now have at least one offer on the table. Both permanent roles, but both involve moving away during the week.
Should mean I'm employed over Christmas this year unlike last year..... Getting laid off 2 weeks before Christmas isn't nice.
No work for 2.5 months.
Found some fill in work.
Literally just had 2 interviews in the last month and now have at least one offer on the table. Both permanent roles, but both involve moving away during the week.
Should mean I'm employed over Christmas this year unlike last year..... Getting laid off 2 weeks before Christmas isn't nice.
I've been trying to get back into contracting for the past 18 months.
There was a drought between autumn and spring lately of contract jobs in my arena, but there seems to have been a bit of a hike in activity of late with some very interesting jobs on offer.
The problem I have is that even though there appears to be a requirement for head count, the people in charge of recruitment seem to think initially that there's an immediate need for people, advertise the urgent need then bugger off to finalise their requirements leaving people like me in the 'mushroom class'!!
I'm currently waiting to hear back from about half a dozen positions that I'm perfectly suitable for but am getting nothing back!!
It's very frustrating and ultimately demoralising but I figure I'm fortunate 'insomuchas' I have a job and have the privilege of being able to make an educated choice rather than take the fist opportunity that manifests, (if only!!!), itself.
There was a drought between autumn and spring lately of contract jobs in my arena, but there seems to have been a bit of a hike in activity of late with some very interesting jobs on offer.
The problem I have is that even though there appears to be a requirement for head count, the people in charge of recruitment seem to think initially that there's an immediate need for people, advertise the urgent need then bugger off to finalise their requirements leaving people like me in the 'mushroom class'!!
I'm currently waiting to hear back from about half a dozen positions that I'm perfectly suitable for but am getting nothing back!!
It's very frustrating and ultimately demoralising but I figure I'm fortunate 'insomuchas' I have a job and have the privilege of being able to make an educated choice rather than take the fist opportunity that manifests, (if only!!!), itself.
Aged 31, I was made redundant in sept 08 (8 years service and only on permanent in the team so should have been safe) , didnt have a sniff of work/interviews until may 09 when a friend offered me temp work to tide me over and then managed to land a contract job back in the industry i love in sept 09 for an investment bank.
When off i studied as much as possible so I was prepared for when my opportunity arose and since the contract came up im doing 8:30am to 6:30-7pm everyday to prove myself and going home to do a bit of studying.
Hopefully I can get an extension in the new year for a 12 month contract.
the work load has been insane and i havent been much fun for the OH, but hopefully now i have my foot back in the door im going to make sure its jammed in there.
So a bit of a success story after basically a year of doing stuff i hate or not doing anything at all.
When off i studied as much as possible so I was prepared for when my opportunity arose and since the contract came up im doing 8:30am to 6:30-7pm everyday to prove myself and going home to do a bit of studying.
Hopefully I can get an extension in the new year for a 12 month contract.
the work load has been insane and i havent been much fun for the OH, but hopefully now i have my foot back in the door im going to make sure its jammed in there.
So a bit of a success story after basically a year of doing stuff i hate or not doing anything at all.
I've gone from earning what I considered a very satisfactory amount 2 yrs ago to about 40% of that at present. I'm sure the good times will return eventually and I've a bit put by until they do, but I am more careful these days and it has stopped buying some 'bargains' in the classifieds that I would have just gone out and bought on a whim 2 yrs ago. A case in point being my attraction to Range Rovers , I've approx £15-£20 to spend but the 'what ifs' keep getting the better of me and the cash stays in the bank just in case. I also found it hard to resist leasing a new M3 a few months ago when they were on offer for £656 per month , an amount I could/ can afford at the moment but if things don't get better in the next year or so it will be a different story
I've ended up contracting in the NEtherlands. Money isn't brilliant but its enough to be able to save a decent amount for my next period of fun.
There's precisous little in my specialist line being advertised in the UK and one of the few that has been advertised has been at a very low rate.
My brother's a salesman and has been struggling to find work.
There's precisous little in my specialist line being advertised in the UK and one of the few that has been advertised has been at a very low rate.
My brother's a salesman and has been struggling to find work.
I was made redundant 1 year and 4 days ago. I've seen the recruitment sections in the newspapers (Scotsman & Glasgow Herald) get thinner every month & the job centre busier every time I go down to sign on.
I went from earning a shade under £30K to nothing, fortunately I received a fairly good pay off and we had some savings. At the time I was paid off our daughter was 9 months old and the wife was on 1 year's maternity leave so not a great time at all.
Fortunately my wife was able to go back to her half-decent job (in a bank) while I looked after our daughter but it's now got to the stage where I am probably going to go to work in the local Sky TV call centre in order for us just to pay our bills.
I went from earning a shade under £30K to nothing, fortunately I received a fairly good pay off and we had some savings. At the time I was paid off our daughter was 9 months old and the wife was on 1 year's maternity leave so not a great time at all.
Fortunately my wife was able to go back to her half-decent job (in a bank) while I looked after our daughter but it's now got to the stage where I am probably going to go to work in the local Sky TV call centre in order for us just to pay our bills.
It is still tough, personally I have been fortunate to date but a lot of my colleagues are finding it tough out there. It has been a bit of a blue collar recession I think and this has meant not as much noise has been made as these guys tend to have a bit more put away to get them through the rainy days.
Really do not think it is over yet, I think the big impact will be in the next year or so as the government starts cutting heavily in the public sector. There is already a great deal of talk from both parties about major spending cuts. When this happens you will start to see the strikes and the struggling as the public sector worker is not in the same prepared state for redundancy, pay cuts etc.
Really do not think it is over yet, I think the big impact will be in the next year or so as the government starts cutting heavily in the public sector. There is already a great deal of talk from both parties about major spending cuts. When this happens you will start to see the strikes and the struggling as the public sector worker is not in the same prepared state for redundancy, pay cuts etc.
swansea v6 said:
Left a full time position in fitness industry after 6 years to set up a company with 2 old colleagues and at the moment its gone crazy. Already we are fully booked up until Christmas! So even tho everyone said I/we were crazy its the best thing I have ever done.
Debt collections?I was made redundant on 6th June, and went straight on 3 months gardening leave. Last pay packet was last friday and technically I'm still employed by the b
ds until this Friday.
However, got a Contract Role offered within 2 weeks, 95 miles from home, formed a ltd company, immediately paid off half mortgage with savings we happened to have and have been doing 45 hour weeks, whilst only drawing legitimate expenses of accomodation, food and mileage. This contract should run until next June, although I'm finding more and more scope and savings to be found, so could be longer still, but they could (like any contract) cut it short with 24 hours notice, and I reckon that there's enough now in the business to last 5 or 6 months.
Last Pay packet included holiday pay which paid for an MX5 for the wife. We figured that a mk1 mx5 would be fairly depreciation proof.
ds until this Friday. However, got a Contract Role offered within 2 weeks, 95 miles from home, formed a ltd company, immediately paid off half mortgage with savings we happened to have and have been doing 45 hour weeks, whilst only drawing legitimate expenses of accomodation, food and mileage. This contract should run until next June, although I'm finding more and more scope and savings to be found, so could be longer still, but they could (like any contract) cut it short with 24 hours notice, and I reckon that there's enough now in the business to last 5 or 6 months.
Last Pay packet included holiday pay which paid for an MX5 for the wife. We figured that a mk1 mx5 would be fairly depreciation proof.
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