[Ron Fontaine]

I've been hearing on the news recently that the economy is improving. In my relatively rural area (and how one defines "rural" is always relative) we are always among the first to get hit by a worsening economy and among the last to bounce back.

There is no doubt that in my area the economy continues to worsen. Individual and mass layoffs are wiping out any job gains. Whole small factories continue to close. Recently a furniture factory in northern Vermont that also had many New Hampshire workers closed. This then hits the loggers, truck drivers, mechanics, and other trades.

What's more, people I know who are employed are often having reduced work hours or even actual wage cuts (10%), benefit reductions, forced time off without pay, and no wage increases for the last couple of years.

Also, I personally know quite a number of people who have lost their homes to foreclosure, or are way behind on payments, moved from apartments and back in with friends or family, or are struggling on the edge to pay the bills.

Many people who are having tough times financially are not included in the official stats.

In my sphere, there is no way the economy can be construed as improving. Posts on Survival Topics by forum members seem to indicate jobs are being lost throughout the country.

Is the government and big media somehow manipulating the stats, putting a spin on things?

How is economy in your area?

[Dameon]

Well, where I'm at here in central SC, things seem to be getting better. Companies are hiring again. The company I work for had cut out hours by 25%, gotten rid of all contract and temp. employees and moved a lot off full time employees around to cover for the missing temps. Well now almost all perm. employees are back to their jobs, contractors and temps are all back and we are back to normal hours, we still aren't running to full capacity yet, but we are ramping up more and more every week!

[tjwilhelm]

Things are outwardly appearing a little better here in my area. Several manufacturers are hiring again, and some new commercial construction is underway.

However, I think unemployment is still about 9%; and, (this is a proven indicator) attendance at the local community college is ALREADY up 25% over last year's fall semester enrollment. Increased community college enrollment almost always indicates a high level of local unemployment. Unemployed folks are coming in -- with free government money -- to get retrained for new employment possibilities.

[hunter480]

Nothing improving in Indiana that I`ve seen or heard. Thanks to the Lord, I`ve remained employed thru all this, but the pharmaceutical mfg. industry will be hit worse later, as the messiah puts the clamps on free enterprise and attacks healthcare. My company accounts for 12% of the states economy directly, and more indirectly as suppliers and construction for our sites.

[TheAvatar]

As far as I can tell, I don't believe things are improving here. I look at the Classifieds everyday, and there are still hardly any job opportunities.

I think when they say it's improving they mean its not going downhill as rapidly as it was before. It would be like saying my income is going up! But that could mean -1000/mo. to -800/mo. Technically that IS going up...but its still on a downward slope :P

Word games...it's what's for dinner :D

[Unswydd]

Here in Bloomtown it's mostly social services that have gotten cut badly. there are a couple of factories that have laid off some but over all it's not terrible. There are jobs out there, I'll find one soon enough. I hope.

"Yah, this is going to turn out well... Illinois sending layoff notices to 2,600 employees. The article doesn't specify where the total amount of layoffs will be but does say 1,000 jobs will be correctional officers. Great! (that's sarcastic) Where's the other 1,600 going to come from?"

http://illinoispreppersnetwork.blogs...ting-back.html
found this from a member here.

[cowgirlup]

It seems the worst of layoffs from big companies hit a few months ago and things seem to have leveled out there. But, I have noticed lots of small businesses starting to go under. Some that only lasted a few months. Even the vet that I take my cats to may be closing. I stopped in last week for something and they were getting letters ready to send out just in case something didn't work out with the bank. It was really sad. The vet and her main technician were both crying. People are cutting out or delaying pet care. I'm one of them too. Had to delay rabies shots due to some big unexpected car reapirs. She totally understands times are just tough but I'm hoping something works out for her.

On the flip side, the retail store I work a few hours in each week was almost
1 million dollars over their budget for June!! Go figure! I was hanging on to that job in case my main job slowed down. Instead the retail job hasn't scheduled me for 6 months ( I show up when I want to) and massage therapy so far has been holding steady.

Nothing really makes too much sense with this economy.

[Herbalpagan]

Things are NOT improving here in western Mass, nor in northeastern Vt where my daughter and her husband have been unemployed for almost a year (eith two temp hirings for him that lasted 6 weeks)

[AlpineZone]

Here in sullivan county New Hampshire it really hasn't been that bad through it all. But thats because there is a select few factories that have been around for a long time and still will be and medical places (hospitals, health centers, nursing homes, assisted living, etc) and a lot of people work in the medical profession including me so I have actually thrived through this whole economy problem fortunately. With the tax cuts I have been able to save money and to live fairly good buying toys for myself here and there so feel very lucky and dont take it for granted.

[cosmic cowboy]

Here in N.W. Indiana there use to be 30 trucking jobs in the Sunday paper, now there's 1 or 2 .