| Author |
Across the Fence:  Economy gloom and doom  |
|
Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
 Posted - Jan 30 2008 : 06:15:09 AM
|
| Oh, and wow those taxes! $700 dollars for all that?! I pay almost $2000 for one house on a postage stamp lawn. Of course, I do appreciate my weekly trash and recycling pickup, and the snow plowing in the winter, and the city water and sewer. But I would trade all that for land. Maybe I'd better start looking for work in Kentucky... |
 |
|
|
Past Blessings
True Blue Farmgirl
1083 Posts
Brenda
Orchard Prairie
WA
USA
1083 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2008 : 06:56:16 AM
|
They are giving free 5 acre parcels in at least two different counties in Kansas, as they need more people to help pay taxes, etc. I would do it in a heart beat if hubby was on-board!
Hugs & blessings,
Brenda
Past Blessings . . . Celebrating Life as it used to be . . . when people loved God, loved their families and loved their country. |
|
|
|
KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2008 : 07:11:57 AM
|
Our house was built by the CCC and while I really appreciate that program, I could do without the poor workmanship  . I remind myself that it was a "good program" everytime I try to measure for curtains or do something with the floors, or the basement--nothing is square and our house is collapsing in a part of the foundation. Still, I do wish that there were more programs like that. Jimmy Carter could head them up for sure!!!
It's interesting that Kansas wants people....we were just looking there last night on Google Earth. We inherited my Nanny's farm in Kiowa, Kansas, but my daddy didn't want to live out there in no man's land, so he waived his inheritance. After looking at Kiowa on Google Earth last night, I can see why--apparently, it's not even worth a clear satellite image!!!
I'm going to try to stay steady and true to our values during this...I don't have fancy clothes (well, I do, but they were bought second hand) and I don't need anything but food and shelter, some of which we can provide with the garden. As long as I can make my housepayments, I'm not worried. It's the utilities that I'm concerned about...Duke energy is looking to increase our natural gas prices by 30%...my last bill for my little cottage was $300.00--we keep the thermostat on 62 degrees. How could I possibly afford it?
We live so pared down anyway, that it would be nearly impossible to cut out anything else except for maybe buying meat, and then Justin would simply fade away to nothing.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
|
|
|
palmettogirl
True Blue Farmgirl
571 Posts
sue
camden
south carolina
USA
571 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2008 : 07:37:41 AM
|
| property taxes!!!: $12,000.....house insurance: $6,000. we just got so used to the high numbers that's all they became: Numbers! i'm sitting with an empty house in fla.(yes, house, NOT mansion!) it is awful. any of you girls who "read the stars" see anything happening in the housing market? we're living in the cheaper house in SC. in some ways it doesn't make sense. this house is on 7 acres, so we can plant a garden, etc. the house in fla. is on 1/3 aacre, no room for garden, but it is so close to grocery shopping, etc, you could walk if you had to. do you do better living there, where you don't need so much gas, ...or where you can be more self sufficient but you are quite a few miles away from town/neccessities? by the way, i got my MJF bakeover sampler and have been making them using various veggies....i use them as meal. that's a real $ saver!! |
|
|
|
KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2008 : 07:45:09 AM
|
Wow. I think we are very lucky in comparison...our house is only valued at $70k and we pay $854.00 in taxes. We live in the northern part of the state where taxes are a bit higher per capita. Our insurance isn't much, either...maybe $600 a year, and I have it all included in our escrow payment to the mortgage company so I don't HAVE to come up with large sums at the end of the year.
I bought my house when I was single, and I really bought it for me--it was small and had an acre of land and I could afford it. I'll never forget the mortgage people stating that I was approved for up to $110K....I thought, yeah, but how would I eat, or furnish it, or pay utilities? I'm grateful that I have (and had) a pretty good head on my shoulders...I'll never keep up with the Jones's, but at least I can keep my home. My boss is the Master Commissioner her in our county and had 43 foreclosure sales yesterday. Last week there were 70. It's all over the board, also...anywhere from 2.5 million dollar homes to $30K homes that are being foreclosed upon.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
|
|
|
Amie C.
True Blue Farmgirl
2099 Posts
Finger Lakes Region
NY
2099 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2008 : 07:59:17 AM
|
| Jonni, I guess the CCC was better at their work in NY. They built all the incredible stone bridges and walkways through the gorges in Stonybrook State Park, and I think they also did some of the cabins at Allegany State Park that are still in use. You are so lucky with your house. I would love to have an acre or two to plant a garden on, but still be close enough to town to keep my job. |
|
|
|
junkjunkie
True Blue Farmgirl
1306 Posts
Judy
Lawrenceville
NJ
USA
1306 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2008 : 08:01:57 AM
|
quote:
Originally posted by Amie C.
Oh, and wow those taxes! $700 dollars for all that?! I pay almost $2000 for one house on a postage stamp lawn. Of course, I do appreciate my weekly trash and recycling pickup, and the snow plowing in the winter, and the city water and sewer. But I would trade all that for land. Maybe I'd better start looking for work in Kentucky...
New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the country. I pay $4,100.00 now yearly on taxes...and that's the low end of the spectrum. Depending on where you live, you could pay up to $15,000 to $20,000 a year. I don't even own land. I live in a townhouse.
"To have life in focus, we must have death in our field of vision." Benedictine monk John Main |
Edited by - junkjunkie on Jan 30 2008 08:03:24 AM |
|
|
|
KYgurlsrbest
True Blue Farmgirl
4853 Posts
Jonni
Elsmere
Kentucky
USA
4853 Posts |
Posted - Jan 30 2008 : 08:03:52 AM
|
Sounds like, Amie! Weird measurements and all, I am grateful for my little house, and our plot of land. I never realized how lucky we are in that neighborhood until the last few years or so....Our street is long (about a mile) but once at the top, we're right on the bus line and we're 15 minutes outside of downtown Cincinnati. I work in Covington, just across the river, in Kentucky and we can get there without even going on the expressway. When are car was busted for a few days, we just walked up the street (or our neighbors saw us and offered a ride) and took the bus in.
Farmgirl Sister #80, thanks to a very special farmgirl from the Bluegrass..."She was built like a watch, a study in balance ... with a neck and head so refined, like a drawing by DaVinci"...
NY Newsday sportswriter Bill Nack describing filly, Ruffian.
http://www.buyhandmade.org/ |
|
|
|
lisamarie508
True Blue Farmgirl
2648 Posts
Lisa
Idaho City
ID
USA
2648 Posts |
Posted - Jan 31 2008 : 06:34:07 AM
|
Property taxes back east are rediculous! We only have .48 acre with our house and we pay $412 in taxes a year. But then our wages are one of the lowest in the country too. But we could never afford to buy a house when we lived in WNY mainly because of the taxes.
Farmgirl Sister #35
"If you can not do great things, do small things in a great way." Napoleon Hill (1883-1970)
my blog: http://lisamariesbasketry.blogspot.com/
My Website:
http://www.freewebs.com/lisamariesbasketry/index.htm |
|
|
|
katmom
True Blue Farmgirl
17161 Posts
Grace
WACAL Gal
WashCalif.
USA
17161 Posts |
Posted - Feb 02 2008 : 10:43:29 AM
|
When you figure property taxes & add that onto a motgage, wowzer it gets to the point that precludes some people from being able to own a house.
We paid off our house so no mortgage but our property taxes are just shy of $6K,,,that equals almost $500 a month! Then add in utilites and property insurance....my retirement check get's eaten up quit fast!
Thank goodness DH & I are young(early 50's) & healthy enough to take on a job or part time work to supplement our income. But for some just trying to hang on to their jobs is a struggle in todays economy. And some have health issues that make it hard for them to work. My heart goes out to them.
I believe our Nation is the best in the world, and that we will weather this "storm" just fine.
I believe in self sustaining gardening, repurposing, & faith in our leaders. There are some good ones.
But there will always be the "takers" and after they have taken more then they can afford, they will become the burdens on the good tax paying citizens. But what goes around comes around.
I love my comfortable life style, I may not have fancy go-to-heck designer clothes & I may not eat at the most prestiges resturants but I am not stressed w/being in debit up to my eyeballs from financial foolishness.
Remember that dumb commercial of the well groomed man bragging about his fancy home, club membership, fancy cars and then say's "I'm in debt, won't somebody help me please" what an irritating commercial. Why should we bail people whith that kind of mentality out!
I believe in giving a helping hand, but I don't believe in handouts...we all have to make an effort. That's what I love about this farm group, we are making an effort, from a simple windowsil garden to making an apron from a dicarded shirt...recycling, repurposing, friendship & faith.
To borrow a verse from an old Helen Reddy song, " I am woman, I am invincible" yes, We are strong! 
>^..^< Happiness is being a katmom.
mjf#72
Sisters on the Fly#472
www.katmom4.blogspot.com |
Edited by - katmom on Feb 02 2008 10:48:02 AM |
|
|
|
miss wilma
True Blue Farmgirl
3410 Posts
Wilma
Knob Lick
Ky
USA
3410 Posts |
|
|
Across the Fence: Economy gloom and doom |
|
|
|
Economy gloom and doom
