All OT is cut

[Tiramisu]

Haley, I'm really not picking on you, and I do worry about the elderly and less fortunate, but I'm on a fixed income, too. I work for Exxon, but my monthly check is the same, even with increased gas and groceries prices. BTW, why haven't grocery prices started coming down with the gas prices?

[Janet]

It has been really cold here of a morning, down in the high 30's low 40's. I have a heater on in the bedroom (it's very safe) and this afternoon decided to have Ricky start a fire in the fire place insert. That should keep that end of the house warm. I'm just not ready to start paying a heat bill yet and for the first time....my cold blooded husband doesn't mind....LOLOL. He's just wearing warmer clothes in the house. I know the time will come...already has...that I will have to turn the furnace on, but I'm holding out for awhile longer.

Hubby has been out most of the day putting in applications and most are not hiring. A few said they would take his application for their files, but that's about it. I updated his resume and he will be taking it around too. I'm really not worried yet....just tightening up the purse strings a little bit. We've been through tight times before...we will be okay...I hope.

[judy]

Of course you will Janet. Poor Rick! They were so unfair to him. Their karma will suffer for sure, but for an experienced, grown man to have to pound the pavement looking for work is just wrong.

[gja1000]

I agree that the unemployment system is unfair - I wonder why one has to wait so long for benefits??? I remember when my husband got sick and could not work, it took him 8 months to get his social security disability approved and it takes many people much much longer to get it. I can sorta understand that it takes some time to determine that someone is completely disabled - but what the heck are you supposed to do for money in the meantime. Fortunately, I have a good job - but we were not accustomed to living on my salary alone - it's amazing how you can tighten your belt when you have to.

Then he had to apply for medical retirement and that took about 6-8 months too. He was also automatically eligible for some VA disability because he has type II diabetes which is directly connected to Agent Orange exposure from service time in Vietnam. It is an automatic disabililty - if you were in Vietnam and you developed adult onset diabetes, then you get the benefits. There was no question about him having diabetes - he'd had it for 10 years when we applied and it still took FOURTEEN MONTHS to get the benefits started. I still shake my head over that one.

I know you are supposed to have several months of salary saved for just this purpose, but it takes so darned much money to just live these days, I know many people just can't put back that kind of money. When we get our savings account built up, then invariably we have some unexpected big expense and boom, it dwindles down.

Sorry about the rant - there is just something wrong with the system!!!

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by gja1000

I agree that the unemployment system is unfair - I wonder why one has to wait so long for benefits??? I remember when my husband got sick and could not work, it took him 8 months to get his social security disability approved and it takes many people much much longer to get it. I can sorta understand that it takes some time to determine that someone is completely disabled - but what the heck are you supposed to do for money in the meantime. Fortunately, I have a good job - but we were not accustomed to living on my salary alone - it's amazing how you can tighten your belt when you have to.

Then he had to apply for medical retirement and that took about 6-8 months too. He was also automatically eligible for some VA disability because he has type II diabetes which is directly connected to Agent Orange exposure from service time in Vietnam. It is an automatic disabililty - if you were in Vietnam and you developed adult onset diabetes, then you get the benefits. There was no question about him having diabetes - he'd had it for 10 years when we applied and it still took FOURTEEN MONTHS to get the benefits started. I still shake my head over that one.

I know you are supposed to have several months of salary saved for just this purpose, but it takes so darned much money to just live these days, I know many people just can't put back that kind of money. When we get our savings account built up, then invariably we have some unexpected big expense and boom, it dwindles down.

Sorry about the rant - there is just something wrong with the system!!!

gayle, your like me at one time i had 20,000 in my savings account, and now its almost down to nothing again, when Mike got his big raise and a company truck, i started taking out 100. out of my pays and automatic deposit into my savings, i don't see it , and i don't budget it in my bills, but if we need some extra money i have to dip in there sometimes, its so hard to save these days your 100% right on that one....

[judy]

Dear Gayle,

You're so right about the "system." My daughter has MS and it took five years and 3 appeals for her to get disability. The second judge was told by whoever was in charge to approve it for her, and he did not! Her third appeal took so much time, but the approval went right through.

She did get a hefty check though. They had to give her five years back disability!

I'd like to get my hands on that judge's neck, who denied her second appeal. What a jerk. I'd also like to get my hands on the neck of the judge who decided that $50/month was sufficient child support when her father and I got divorced! That comes to $12.50/week.

This is why I believe in taking care of myself.

Haley, I also just began to put $100/check into savings. I used to put $200 in, but I stopped. I think I'm going to up it to $200.

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by judy

Dear Gayle,

You're so right about the "system." My daughter has MS and it took five years and 3 appeals for her to get disability. The second judge was told by whoever was in charge to approve it for her, and he did not! Her third appeal took so much time, but the approval went right through.

She did get a hefty check though. They had to give her five years back disability!

I'd like to get my hands on that judge's neck, who denied her second appeal. What a jerk. I'd also like to get my hands on the neck of the judge who decided that $50/month was sufficient child support when her father and I got divorced! That comes to $12.50/week.

This is why I believe in taking care of myself.

Haley, I also just began to put $100/check into savings. I used to put $200 in, but I stopped. I think I'm going to up it to $200.

JUdy i'm trying so hard, i'm trying to save up for a bigger house for my son, our house was ok when it was Mike and I, but it is a small house, hopefully i get a good price for it, everything is almost remolded in that house, all updated...
i at least want 20% down, hopefully before Micah starts school we will have a new house for him... i want to move back to my home town, the new mayor is cleaning up the drugs there - there was just a big drug bust in the paper last week, so they know he means business, so hopefully the drugs will be gone by the time i move back, plus i want to be closer to my sister and mother...
Ever year when Mike and I get a raise i up it 50 bucks... i never budget in raises... then after i get the house i'll start my money markets... for retirement...

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by Janet

It has been really cold here of a morning, down in the high 30's low 40's. I have a heater on in the bedroom (it's very safe) and this afternoon decided to have Ricky start a fire in the fire place insert. That should keep that end of the house warm. I'm just not ready to start paying a heat bill yet and for the first time....my cold blooded husband doesn't mind....LOLOL. He's just wearing warmer clothes in the house. I know the time will come...already has...that I will have to turn the furnace on, but I'm holding out for awhile longer.

Hubby has been out most of the day putting in applications and most are not hiring. A few said they would take his application for their files, but that's about it. I updated his resume and he will be taking it around too. I'm really not worried yet....just tightening up the purse strings a little bit. We've been through tight times before...we will be okay...I hope.

Aww Janet your still in my prayers at night, hopefully something will come up soon.

[HALEY]

Originally Posted by Tiramisu

Haley, I'm really not picking on you, and I do worry about the elderly and less fortunate, but I'm on a fixed income, too. I work for Exxon, but my monthly check is the same, even with increased gas and groceries prices. BTW, why haven't grocery prices started coming down with the gas prices?

I know Sandy, it just pisses me off, i'm talking about young people that are able to work, on welfare,, they abuse the system and were the ones paying for it... i knew people that get disability checks cause there alcoholics, they need to change the system and give the elderly and veterns more money instead of these bums.... it just makes my blood boil !!!
i have to go grocery shopping tonight and i dread it, my grocery bill went from say like 200. to about 300... and groceries are suppose to go higher, the reason gas went down so im told is cause the stock market inflated the prices so much, that when it almost crashed it forced the gas prices down...