| T O P I C R E V I E W |
| Cabinprincess |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 09:14:29 AM
Layoffs and cutbacks are happening across America and hitting Farmgirls here too! Our economy may get worse before better and everyone is being affected somehow. My family has seen it's share of layoffs within the last month:
Husband, Law Enforcement Investigator, County budget cuts
Son, Assistant Ranch Manager, Ranch had to sell
Brother, Minister of Education, church had to close school, low enrollment
Sister, Manager in textiles, company went bankrupt
Brother in law, Corporate Consultant, companies can't borrow to stay in business
I want to start with thanking God that he taught our family years ago to pay as you go. We are blessed to know that all we have is paid for to share with others in need also. Due to my husbands job we had to move into town a short time ago. Well it is a very small country town but we are still within what is called the city limits. I honestly thought we could not have any farm animals in town but I called the city manager and talked to him about having chickens to help feed my family.
Yeah!! We can have them! So I've ordered 25 chicks and will be picking up a couple laying hens this weekend to use till the chicks start laying next spring. We have started building another coop so I can order some broilers that I can raise and put in the freezer in just a couple months.
Farmgirl's know how to survive! We cook from scratch, we know how to make things from scraps (i.e. quilts, rugs etc) and the best is we know how to make do with what we have. And we know how to barter. Above all is the Farmgirl's spirit is always seeing the needs of others and lending a helping hand, it's in our blood and we can't help ourselves. We are resilient, when the going gets tough WE get tougher.
What are you doing to make it through the family layoffs?? Or maybe not layoffs but a lower income because your family business has slowed due to the economy?
Still smiling, Melody June
God's gift to you are your talents, your gift to Him is how you use them. |
| 18 L A T E S T R E P L I E S (Newest First) |
| Cabinprincess |
Posted - Aug 30 2009 : 07:49:26 AM
Lay offs, blessing in disguise?? Yes!! Two men at home means I get the old carpet removed and the hardwood floors restored. Yeah!!! Thought I'd be doing that all by myself. And if I hurry and pick up the 50's linoleum I can get that green and white checker board kitchen floor put in next. My honey do list and my Melody to do list is shrinking. This winter I just may be painting my nails and eating bon bon's.
Oh snap out of it Melody and get those guys busy! LOL
Smiles, Melody June
God's gift to you are your talents, your gift to Him is how you use them. |
| miss wilma |
Posted - Aug 29 2009 : 09:23:18 AM
Melody what a sweet story,
Farm Girl #96
http://www.picturetrail.com/misswilmasplace
http://misswilma.blogspot.com/ |
| Alee |
Posted - Aug 28 2009 : 11:33:12 AM
Melody June- What an interesting point you bring up. I hope that we have tales of friendship and getting by together stories. Or if nothing else, I hope our children learn skills that will help them keep food on the table no matter what the economy does. This year my garden was less than spectacular, but I am hoping to do better next year! :D
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| Cabinprincess |
Posted - Aug 28 2009 : 08:58:15 AM
I remember hearing my grandparents and parents talk of the great depression as I was growing up. They would compare new issues with it but only to say "well this is nothing like the big one." I heard my grandma once say that one good thing about the big one was how close folks became. I drew in close to hear about that. She said it was a time period that even though it was so hard on everyone, you could always see someone that you were compeled to lend a helping hand to. After all those years she retold of a man who came to their house and while wringing his hands at the front door looking at the ground he asked if he could work for them for just a few potatoes to feed his family. It just happened to be butchering time and the man was asked to go get his family so all could pitch in. It was hard work but there was meat at the end of the day for all and a friedship between two families that lasted for years.
I can't help but wonder now if we will have stories like that to pass on to our grandchildren.
Smiles, Melody June
God's gift to you are your talents, your gift to Him is how you use them. |
| laurzgot |
Posted - Aug 28 2009 : 08:04:07 AM
Yep, my husband got lost his job as a draftmans after hurricaine Ike hit us. The economy is ruff. You learn to servive. It took my hubby alomost a year to find any type of work. It is only temporary and then back to looking again.
Laurie
suburban countrygirl at heart |
| Amie C. |
Posted - Aug 28 2009 : 07:39:05 AM
That's funny, Toby. I've always run into the opposite problem. Nobody wants to hire someone with a bachelor's degree, they'd rather hire someone who has experience working with exactly the same software they use in their office, or whatever. |
| asnedecor |
Posted - Aug 28 2009 : 06:49:30 AM
Where I work - we were a company of 650 employees, we are now 350 employees. I made the cuts and still have my job but only by a "thread". Also all of our salaries were reduced. My brother was laid off from Washington Mutual about a year ago, found another job but got laid off from that. DH is self employed, but things are tight with his business too.
Anne in Portland, OR
"Weeds are flowers too, once you get to know them" Eyeore from Winnie the Pooh
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| aunt boby |
Posted - Aug 28 2009 : 06:30:40 AM
My brother started at a local factory here in Illinois 30 years ago fresh out of high school. He worked his way up into management and got offered a position at a sister plant in Juarez Mexico. He moved his family to El Paso TX 13 years ago and has been crossing the border everyday to go to work which was very stressful. His company merged with another and his job was eliminated. He's been living off his severance but that is due to run out and he said he will start cashing in his retirement. He has searched and searched for something similar in his field but he does not have a degree since he worked his way up in the company. Work experience doesn't mean much unless you have a piece of paper to go with it.
POOR IS THE MAN WHO CANNOT ENJOY THE SIMPLE THINGS IN LIFE- anonymous |
| Amie C. |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 8:32:04 PM
I'm not getting laid off exactly, but I took a voluntary separation from my job starting in April. My position is being outsourced, and I've only been with the company 3 years...so I could see the writing on the wall. I'd rather know when I'm leaving then get the old "let's walk you out to the car" routine.
I know we'll survive, because honestly this last 3 years that I've had this job is the only time in my life that I haven't been dead broke. I'm not looking forward to losing the security of a steady paycheck. Just hoping I can find another good job in this area. We can't move, we've got a good drummer here! |
| Cabinprincess |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 2:15:43 PM
And did I mention how positive Farmgirls are about hard times. We just all seem to know by nature that God will always take care of our needs.
Smiles, Melody June
God's gift to you are your talents, your gift to Him is how you use them. |
| LauriP |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 1:53:16 PM
Since big ticket items aren't being ordered from overseas corporatios, there has been a very big reduction in freight being sent here. And the companies who manufacture things here, just don't have any inventory to speak of - so they aren't shipping anything overseas. There have been weeks where tom's truck company has only been able to scrape along with 35 hours for the drivers. But thank the Lord he has a job!!
The state of Va., has recently laid off some Port workers, and the ILA (International Longshoremen) have also laid off a lot of workers. That's something that never happens, but with the financial worries everywhere, worldwide, it just is going to be rough for at least into Spring of next year.
Everybody just hang in there -- we all know how to make do -- I wouldn't know how to let go and splurge if I even had the chance!! Lol!!
Laurianne |
| Alee |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 12:35:38 PM
My husband is worried that they will close the call center he works at. We were talking the other day about how likely it might be that we would have to move.
But on the other hand I just got a part time job to help add a little more income to the family (especially since I just added a huge expense- a horse!)
We have always been frugal and continue to be frugal. I love finding ways to make food and things stretch extra long or make more meals than I thought I could out of groceries. I am pretty excited that we haven't hardly had to use any of the frozen meat in our fridge this past week. We have been using up leftovers and the meals have been stretching. I thought I had only bought enough for 2 weeks, but now I am thinking we might make it last a month!
Alee
Farmgirl Sister #8
www.awarmheart.com
www.farmgirlalee.blogspot.com
www.allergyjourneys.blogspot.com
Put your pin on the farmgirl map! www.farmgirlmap.blogspot.com |
| princesspatches |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 12:16:29 PM
My income was reduced when I left my husband 2 years ago. I went from being a stay-at-home mom and not worrying about money to working fulltime. I was always very frugal, but now I am even more so.
My family is always amazed at what I can produce from my garden and making do with what I have in the house. Even my kids are more budget conscience.
When I'm afeeling stressed out about money or lack of it, I stop and remember that I have everything I NEED. Home, clothes, food, car, health.........so then I don't need to go to Walmart and buy more 'stuff'. And it always seems like when a need arises,God provides. So I just keep trusting him.
Life is better without all the material items cluttering my home.
Arttie
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| Caron |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 11:37:16 AM
My husband lost his job as a draftsman, first because of Hurricane Ike flooding the area, then the economy. He has been laid off since last November. We are making do by his working as a handyman now, painting, remodeling, etc. It has been a hard adjustment, I admit we got very used to his really good salary as a draftsman, and we do have a couple of credit card bills to pay on. But we'll make it and I already was one who stocked up in food, extras, etc.(Hurricanes teach you to stay stocked up)so we have that we can use up.
Funny I used to spend $30.00 here, $50.00 there and not think to much on it. Now I look at a price tag and say "$30.00! Thats so much!"
LOL!
Caron
"Praise to the Lord, the Almighty, the King of creation".
Farmgirl #254
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| Faransgirl |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 10:34:21 AM
Yup, mu husband lost his job as an environmental specialist for an oil company working on the North Slope in Alaska. My daughter lost hers as a waitress for a restaurant that went under.
Farmgirl Sister 572
May the force of the horse be with you. |
| 1badmamawolf |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 10:18:16 AM
"What doesn't kill you, only makes you stronger", we all will survive if we use the brains that God gave us.
"Treat the earth well, it was not given to you by your parents, it was loaned to you by your children" |
| Hosanna |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 09:54:11 AM
My husband got let go from his job overseeing a bio-diesel plant at a huge sod farm. We were cutting back before the lay-off, but now we look for ways to cut back more. I know a lot of folks who have it worse off than we, with massive debt and huge payments each month. We have one expensive truck payment but no other debts.... I am confident that all will be ok, my husband is a skilled and talented man with his hands and loved working the land; he'll either go into business for himself, or find work somewhere.
www.happilyeverafterhosanna.blogspot.com
www.thewindofheaven.blogspot.com |
| Cabinprincess |
Posted - Aug 27 2009 : 09:36:25 AM
That is so sweet of you, but no I can't get laid off also. My work as a Chaplain is what I give back to Him. I work for free, like a real cheap date. LOL
Smiles, Melody June
God's gift to you are your talents, your gift to Him is how you use them. |
