Do not discriminate! So long as he draws steady income, some payday loan companies don't care if that income comes from an employer, the government or court-ordered support. (Photo: flickr.com)

At Personal Money Store, one of the primarily qualifications a consumer must meet in order to receive a payday loan is that they must be actively employed for a pre-determined length of time. It’s an indicator of steady income, which traditionally signifies that the consumer will be less of a financial risk in that they’ll have the money to pay back their loan. It’s also a safety measure for borrowers, in that only those with consistent income – or, to be more precise, a sufficient level of livable income – will be allowed to enter into a contract with a payday lender in the network to which Personal Money Store has access.

However, desperate times may indeed call for desperate measures on the part of some major payday lenders. That’s what a KEPR 19 story out of Pasco, Washington indicates. The CBS affiliate found that not all payday loan companies require the consumer to be drawing a paycheck. In the Tri-Cities area (of which Pasco is a part), the answer to whether consumers could get a payday loan with an unemployment check as their only source of income was “Yes.”

As in, “Yes, We Do Not Discriminate as to Income Source”

Moneytree, Check into Cash and Advance America (three of the top payday loan companies in America) told KEPR Action News that they would not only cash a consumer’s unemployment check, but would issue them a short term loan based upon that proof of income. Thus, “you don’t even need a payday to get a ‘payday loan,’” says KEPR.

Advance America says they accept such proof of income because doing otherwise would be discriminatory. The federal government does not allow traditional lenders to discriminate based upon an applicant’s source of income, so “non-traditional” payday lenders are following suit. However, Advance America did acknowledge that “only a small percentage of clients are using unemployment checks for loans.”

Sandbagging Before the Storm?

Whether you’re talking unemployment, social security or even child support, some payday loan companies will say yes. This could be because the state of Washington is preparing to make life more difficult for payday lenders and the consumers who use their products. In 2010, the maximum amount a Washington resident can borrow will be $700 (not to exceed 30 percent of total monthly income). In other bad news, payday loan customers will be entered into a database used by state lenders. The purpose of this database will be to prevent consumers from taking more than eight payday loans in a single year. While this could protect some consumers, it could also be argued that the lack of privacy and the nanny state mentality behind such a database doesn’t make for a more financially independent society.

Baby Me, Lawmakers

At what point did Americans lose sight of the values of educating oneself and making appropriate decisions based upon one’s own knowledge? Now it’s apparently OK for government to educate consumers through nanny state regulations. Make it harder for consumers to get payday loans – because you’re TEACHING them! Brilliant! Put the cookies on top of the fridge and schedule nap times while you’re at it.

Setting limits and guiding children is one thing… but administering the same treatment to adults is completely inappropriate. People must be given the chance to learn and save THEMSELVES.

“There’s always ways around it, but I do think that if nothing else they’re going to put up hurdles to jump a little higher and try harder and maybe that will make the consumer wiser,” said Yvonne Fengler of Consumer Credit Counseling in reference to Washington’s payday loan laws.

Some People Can’t Put Down the Cookie Jar

And that has never been the cookie jar’s fault. The minority of payday loan customers who do create unmanageable debt for themselves through short term loans make for sensational news copy. They owe large amounts and the media feigns sorrow as they cry along to stories that are indeed sad. Yet such sloppy journalism is like a sugar cookie: tasty, but far from nourishing.

Don’t Follow Oregon’s Example, Washington

Oregon has placed a hard 36 percent APR rate cap on payday loans, and mandated that consumers have 31 days to repay (rather than the two weeks that is standard in the payday lending industry). Studies indicate that this harmed the financial welfare of credit- liquid asset-constrained consumers in the state. Washington can do better for its residents, whether they are employed or not.

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/scobleizer/ / CC BY 2.0

In January 2009, for the first time in its history, Microsoft Corp. announced it would cut some 5,000 jobs over the year as the company witnessed a drastic decline in revenue. The company suffered an 11 percent drop in profit, leaving many Microsoft workers unemployed and in need of short term loans. However, according to several news reports, it appears this trend will only continue for Microsoft.

Microsoft Layoffs – Another 1,000 Down

According to Seattle’s Tech Flash News, Microsoft will lay off almost 1,000 employees as part of its budget cutting. Apparently, the plan to cut 5,000 jobs is not yet over. This wave of job cuts, however, is said to be part of the final phase of the company’s initial plan to cut 5,000 jobs over a period of 18 months. This time around, however, employees at Microsoft will not be as fortunate.

Earlier this year, during Microsoft’s massive layoffs in January and May, laid off employees were able to find other positions within the company. Unfortunately, with limited job openings and slow growth, people will have to go somewhere else to find employment.

Falling Revenues

Last month, Microsoft posted its quarterly revenue at $12.92 billion, down $730 million from the amount reported in its third quarter ending March 31, 2009. With the help of the Windows 7 launch and a steady demand for Xbox, the company says its revenue would have been $14.39 billion and earnings would have been 52 cents, up 8 percent, according to Tech Flash. However, through advance sales and negotiations, the key strategy behind the Windows 7 launch deferred about $1.5 billion in revenue from the quarter. According to accounting rules, customers must first be given an opportunity to actually get the final product they bargained for before the company can recognize the revenue.

The Unemployed – What can you do?

Since the beginning of the recession, the unemployment rate has been climbing significantly. More and more people have fallen in need of short term loans and debt relief. But what else can be done to alleviate the amount of stress and financial worries during such a trying time of need? Save, sacrifice, and safeguard; that’s what.

She's found that silver lining amidst the dark clouds of the recession. It's a matter of effort and perspective. (Photo: picasaweb.google.com)

Millions of people around the world have fallen victim to the current recession. Business houses with international reputations have filed for bankruptcy and employees who were confident of their job security have been dismissed. While the experience of unemployment is common, the reactions of the unemployed vary widely. Unfortunately, many people allow their worlds to collapse around them once the job they have worked at for years has disappeared, and they add mental anguish to the financial sufferings that usually come with job loss. However, there are also those who lose their job and are able to take advantage of these unfortunate circumstances to make a new start in life. As with many other things in life, a great deal depends on whether you choose to view changes in circumstances as a personal disaster or a source of motivation. A search on Google for “starting a new business” turns up an incredible 70,000,000 hits, which surely indicates that despite the downturn, there is a healthy interest in new business opportunities.

Redundancy Can Lead to Something Much Better

Although the vast majority of people are upset when they are made redundant – unless they receive a generous early retirement package – some workers find a silver lining in the dark cloud of job loss. Redundancy sometimes furnishes an opportunity to make a welcome break with a “dead end” job and start enjoying life. For instance, employees who lost their positions working for large companies have found this event gave them the motivation to go ahead and set up their own businesses, and they have succeeded beyond expectations. Instead of having to fit into the schedule of somebody else’s business and being paid a fixed wage, they now find they can manage their own time and they feel their quality of life has consequently improved and their financial status advanced. Rather than allow the economic recession to wreck their lives they take advantage of it to realize their dreams. In some cases, unemployed people have also been able to transform a former hobby into a source of livelihood, or they have taken their professional skills and applied them in new fields such as teaching or consultancy. For example, www.gaebler.com describes how an applications consultant for a small software company took advantage of his redundancy to open his open business training other people to become consultants.

Environmental Side Benefits from Industrial Decline

Just as the recession has brought unforeseen benefits to some of the individuals affected, its impact on the life of nations has also revealed a positive side. A good example of how recession has led to an improvement in life quality comes from the North of England. This area is famous as the cradle of the Industrial Revolution, and it has suffered severely from a loss of jobs in traditional industries like textiles and coal mining over the last forty years. At the same time, the decline of industrial activity has been responsible for a dramatic improvement in the quality of the environment. The industrial sources of water and air pollution have been so dramatically reduced that fish have returned to rivers that have been biologically dead for over 150 years, and respiratory diseases have been much reduced by the cut in factory smoke emissions. The river Irwell in England is a classic example of a dead river that has returned to life as the polluting factories along its banks closed down. The people may now be poorer, but at the same time their environment is so much healthier.

Image from Flickr.

The ridiculously high national unemployment rate (9.8 percent) has convinced Congress to consider a bill that would allow people to collect unemployment for an additional 13 weeks. However, an unemployment extension of three months might not be long enough for many people.

CNN Money reports that the job market will get better — in a year or so. Actually, the forecast says it won’t be until summer of 2012 that employment is back up to normal rates. Though people are starting to apply for auto loans again and spend a little more, the unemployment situation is not getting any better, and in many places it is actually getting worse.

How do they know?

The recession is crawling to an end as reports show the economy actually grew last quarter. Still, it’ll be a long time before there are enough jobs to go around. CNN explains:

Jobs are what are known as a trailing or lagging indicator, meaning that they change in response to other economic events, rather than predicting changes the way a leading indicator, such as the stock market, does. That’s because even after a recession has ended, employers are slow to add staff until they’re sure that demand has returned.

The article from CNN also points out that the last two recessions we’ve had were followed by a “jobless recover,” and this one probably will be, too.

When is unemployment extension vote?

Though the unemployment extension legislation has already passed the House, there is not a vote scheduled for the Senate yet, which is bad news for people whose benefits will be running out soon.

The length of time a person can collect unemployment is different in different states, but anyone who is on unemployment right now most likely will not be able to continue collecting their checks until the summer of 2012, even if Congress does pass the unemployment extension.

After 24 years on the job, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis president Gary Stern retired last month. Today it was announced that Narayana Kocherlakota will  be his replacement, taking over the position immediately. He will become a voting member of the Federal Open Market Committee in 2011.

Narayana Kocherlakota, 45, is an economics professor at the University of Minnesota and has been on the research staff at the Minneapolis Fed. He is currently writing a book on tax policy. Here are some more news tidbits in the world of credit and cash today.

No more gift card fees from AmEx

CNN Money today reports that American Express will terminate its policy of deducting monthly fees from unused gift cards — starting now! Customer complaints pushed the company to make this change. The company previously deducted $2 from a gift card’s value each month that it went unused.

The new policy will apply to all gift cards, including ones purchased before the policy change. Earlier this year, a law was passed prohibiting credit card company’s from deducting dormancy fees from gift cards unless the cards are dormant for more than a year. That law goes into effect August of next year.

Unemployment still higher than last year

Every city in the United States in August 2009 recorded a higher unemployment rate than it did in 2008, according to Reuters. A total o f 16 states reported an unemployment rate higher than 15 percent. The national unemployment rate in August was 9.6 percent. Normal unemployment is about 5 percent.

The labor Department surveys 372 U.S. cities, and though 11 metropolitan areas reported gains in jobs, the unemployment rate in those areas was still higher than last year. Detroit has the highest unemployment rate in the country, 17 percent.

Projections say gas prices will go up

The the government reported a surprising decrease in gasoline stockpiles today, causing oil  prices to jump. Prices went up almost 6 percent, according to CNN Money. That means gas stations will pay more for crude oil in coming months, and gas prices will continue to rise through November.

MF Global energy analyst John Kilduff said the rising price of crude can also be attributed to rising tensions related to Iran.

“The revelation of the Iranian nuclear facility seems to be installing higher and higher floors for oil prices as the situation becomes clearer,” Kilduff said. “If the situation deteriorates and the rhetoric around it becomes more bellicose, prices could reach between $80 and $100 a barrel later this year.”

Image from greyhoundsinseattle.blogspot.com.

I hate to say it, but if you are trying to get a job right now, you are up against stiff competition. Although the economy has shown signs of improvement, unemployment is stable at best and in many states increasing. It is definitely an employer’s market out there right now. Employers have plenty of choices now — many of whom are over-qualified but willing to work for lower wages than usual.

So if you are looking for a job right now, you must find ways to make yourself stand out. Your cover letter is your first chance to make an impression on your potential future employer, and you know what they say about first impressions. Make sure your cover letter is quick but killer by using these five tips.

1. Give examples to back up your claims

You can list off your “positive attributes” all you want, but unless you give examples of your “strong communication skills” or “excellent leadership abilities,” the cover letter reader has no reason to believe you. You wouldn’t believe that a payday lender had the best personal loan rates until you actually saw their rates, would you?

Use real life examples to show your skills, but make sure you keep it brief. Pick two or three of your best skills to focus on, and then keep your examples to one or two sentences. That brings me to my next tip.

2. Keep it Short

More people in the job market means more cover letters to read. Keep your cover letter to one page to ensure that the potential employer reads the whole thing. The best cover letters are four paragraphs. As you already know, one of those paragraphs should be examples of your strongest skills. One paragraph should also address the employer directly and address the exact specifications the company is seeking.

3. Keep it 50-50

In fact, your cover letter should be just as much about the employer as it is about you. Include what you know and like about the company and why you want to work for that company based on what it does. If you can directly quote the qualifications the employer is looking for and then give real-life examples to show that you have those qualifications, that’s ideal.

Don’t include things about yourself that have nothing to do with the employer’s needs. If the employer is looking for a good writer, don’t waste his or her time talking about your college scores in calculus.

4. Edit, edit, edit

Not only does it make you look uneducated when you make spelling, grammar or punctuation errors in your cover letter, it makes the employer think that you are careless and unmotivated. Anyone who doesn’t even bother to edit their cover letter for mistakes or ask someone with more grammar knowledge to edit it for them doesn’t come across as being very serious about the job.

Everyone has a friend or family member who is good with grammar and punctuation and, you know, words. Even if the job you are applying for doesn’t require writing, a perfectly spelled and punctuated, grammatically correct letter will show that you are serious.

5. Formal business letter format

It’s very important to use formal, business-letter format in your cover letter. Remember when you learned that format in high school? Remember to not indent paragraphs, and instead leave a line space between each paragraph. You should start off with the recipient’s (employer’s) company name and address, then put the date you wrote or sent your letter, then your own contact information including mailing address, e-mail and phone number.

EPPICard seems simple enough. But consumer experience has been checkered by misplaced funds, service problems and identity theft via online phishing scams. (Photo: http://www.jokqt.qkpy.com/common/imagelib/index.htm/1138_500_250_crop_e6393.jpg)

When you’re unemployed, your unemployment check each week is a real life-saver. Sure, most of us aren’t that far removed from living on the street if our jobs ceased to exist. That’s a disturbing reality that many Americans face in a system that has lost the ability to regulate itself. But what would you do if you had difficulty accessing your government unemployment checks or child support funds. It’s your last line of defense in a financial emergency, and you aren’t eligible for money loans without a job.

That’s what some have faced with EPPICard

EPPICard is a company that was contracted by various state governments to handle the distribution of unemployment and child support monies. The money is placed on a check/debit card that is supposedly easy to use at any retailer or ATM machine. However, this has not always proven true, according to the Web site Consumer Affairs. Not only have some people had difficulty accessing funds at some establishments, but there have been reports of missing money that should have been there and phishing scams perpetrated by individuals outside of EPPICard. Consumer Affairs reports that in 2008, Indiana Attorney General Steve Carter issued an alert about bogus messages via text, voice and E-mail that all claimed to be from EPPICard. Consumers who replied to those messages were tricked into giving up sensitive personal information that placed them in the line of fire for identity theft. The most common method used in the phishing scam was to send EPPICard customers messages claiming that their account had been closed due to “unusual activity.” Carter advises that if said attacks reoccur, consumers do not reply.

The EPPICard Web site (which I won’t link to because my browser suspects the phishing/hijacking is still going on there; see the photo below) states that the company will never ask for social security numbers, card numbers or PIN numbers via text, voice or E-mail. If there is a problem, an EPPICard  holder should call the number printed on the back of the card ONLY.

Other problems consumers have had with EPPICard

This is what my browser told me when I attempted to view eppicard.com. Consumer beware!

Deborah of Kershaw, South Carolina wrote on Consumer Affairs that she cannot access her account information online because the Web site will not accept her username and password. Anita of Atoka, Oklahoma reported that money left over from one distribution period did not carry over to the next period. Her calls to customer service consisted of multiple people telling her there was no balance, even though she kept careful records. Teresa of Henderson, Nevada took issue with the 35-cent charge for customer service calls to the company, as well as the general difficulty of reaching a live person. These people are just three of many who have had difficulty with EPPICard, and I’m sure many have needed money loans to make up for the trouble.

There are reports that EPPICard has worked to resolve these service issues, however. Check out the second YouTube video below. Harold of the “Harold Says” consumer advocacy Web site claims they told him they promise to work to fix the issues that have been plaguing some consumers, that they “take these concerns seriously.” That doesn’t necessarily mean the problems have been fixed, however. So I say consumer beware. Hopefully you don’t live in a state like Indiana that depends upon EPPICard to distribute unemployment and child support funds. If you do and are eligible for money loans, keep the number on speed dial or just click the button below.

Related Videos:

Phishing and EPPICard

EPPICard and damage control

Tiffany Shepherd, former high school biology teacher, is being denied work either because she worked as a bikini-clad fishing charter attendant or because she wasn't showing up for work. Oh, and there's the porn… (Photo: fisherwy.blogspot.com)

Not showing up for work and not having a reasonable excuse are difficult things for employers to ignore. If Tiffany Shepherd (aka Leah Lust) was fired due to chronic absenteeism, it would be understandable. However, if she was fired because she moonlighted as a bikini-clad attendant on chartered fishing cruises, Port St. Lucie High School should be ashamed. They should leave well enough alone and strengthen their relationships with their own spouses, rather than fantasizing about Tiffany Shepherd. Their former biology teacher could use installment loans, but the “former” status makes that difficult.

Desperate times, less clothing

According to the New York Daily News, photos of Tiffany Shepherd in her fishing charter garb were actually responsible for the firing, while the school claims it was more because she missed too much work. Whatever the case, she’s been unable to find employment in her chosen field, so she’s resorted to pornography to pay the bills. Not the choice most people would make, but I understand she was desperate. She’d also lost custody of two of her three children and was facing eviction.

It’s not like she hadn’t tried to find work

Tiffany Shepherd, 31, says she sent out 2,500 resumes to find a new teaching job. Some of her applications even went to prisons. But when things failed to work out in a reasonable amount of time and financial difficulties set in, Tiffany Shepherd became Leah Lust.

“I’m not particularly proud of it. To be honest, I hate it,” Shepherd told a Florida news outlet. “I’m an educated woman, but I never thought it would come to this. No one gets brought up thinking they’ll be a floozy.”

Yet “it’s very professional”

The Daily News reports that Leah Lust has appeared in five adult features, including “My First Sex Teacher,” which mirrors her real-life struggle to get her job back. Too close for comfort with starched shirt administrators?

“It’s very professional,” says Shepherd. “Everyone’s tested — for venereal diseases and AIDS — and I’m carrying around my little piece of paper that says I’m fine. They love me because I take care of myself and I don’t run out to party with my money.” Is it as professional as California, where the industry refuses to use condoms on screen?

The captain of the fishing charter hooked Leah Lust

Captain Gil Coombes of the fishing boat “Smokin ‘Em” recommended to Tiffany Shepherd that she try adult entertainment as a means to procure money during her emergency. Installment loans may have been a better alternative (definitely less reputation-altering), but not having employment disqualified her with reputable lenders. Shepherd tried it and has now starred in multiple films.

Of course, Coombes leveled with Shepherd.

“We sat down with her and told her she’d never get a teaching job again,” Coombes told a local Florida newspaper.

Yet pornography is becoming mainstream

However, it may never reach the point where people are comfortable with adult entertainment industry stars teaching their children. I can understand the impulse, although I certainly do not view the pornography industry as a “sin.” I think that many other countries laugh at America for its puritanical viewpoint and damaging mix of religion and politics. But from an evolutionary standpoint, some of that is to be expected. America is through its crawling and walking stages. It’s definitely the biggest kid on the block, make no mistake. And eventually it will learn to run without tripping over its own feet.

Related Video:

There are a lot of different factors that could be signs of the recession easing up. Though in some sectors we’re still seeing evidence that the recession continues to get worse, a few rays of hope are starting to shine through.
CNN Money reports that companies are starting to recall previously laid off workers, giving them back their old jobs. This is a good sign that economic conditions are improving. Paired with the stable unemployment rate, I’d say there’s definitely potential for some prosperous days ahead.

Other economic indicators

JP Morgan Chase has lost a lot of money in its credit card division, and this company sees that as a sign that the recession is not getting any better, especially because it is continuing to lose money. However, I think it’s a sign that people are getting smarter about credit and discovering alternatives like installment loans instead of using their credit cards like there’s no tomorrow.
I think the fact that people are using credit cards less even though there are strong indicators that economic conditions are improving is another piece of evidence to support the idea that people are simply changing the way they spend money and use credit. Here are some statistics from CNN Money that show we’re headed for better economic times:

• About 38% of employers have indicated they anticipate some type of recall of cut workers, according to a recent report from the Labor Department.
• General Motors, Ford Motor, Dell, AK Steel and truck maker Oshkosh, have already reached out to previously laid-off employees to meet rising demand.
• In a survey, 18% of laid-off workers who landed new positions were rehired by the employer that let them go, up from 13% in 2005, according to Right Management’s outplacement services, a division of Manpower.

Not out of the woods yet

Though some companies are able and willing to rehire their laid-off workers now, the economy is still pretty unstable, and we will definitely still see more layoffs before the recession ends. But it’s important to remember that laid-off workers really can and do get hired back by their former employers.

Getting laid off is tough. It makes people scared, depressed and usually very angry. However, remember that if you get laid off, the way you handle it could come back to haunt you later. It’s easy to have fantasies about telling off your employer and saying all of those horrible things you’ve imagined saying to your coworkers, but finding a job is not easy, and if you have the chance to get your old job back while you’re still looking for another, wouldn’t you want to take it. So always leave companies on a good note. Don’t count on being rehired, but make sure you consider the possibility that it could happen and behave accordingly.

More from CNN Money:

There are many upsides to rehiring former employees, according to management professor Peter Cappelli of the University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School of Business. The positives include savings on recruiting and training costs, maintaining associations between customers and employees, and the fact that the rehired employee doesn’t need an introduction to his or her colleagues.
But redundant firing and hiring can also be costly for the company, particularly in the form of severance payments, and can even be disruptive to workforce performance.

(Photo: Monroe College)

Trina Thompson spent $70,000 in tuition for a degree in Information Technology from Monroe College in the Bronx, New York. Now that she can’t secure a job with her advanced degree, she has taken it upon herself to sue the university and get her tuition money back.

Some would call this ridiculous, and the majority of them would most likely be those who had a successful college experience and are in some way still in connection with their own university due to alumni activities or the like. Gary Axelbank, spokesman for Monroe College and the man who says that Thompson’s lawsuit is “completely without merit,” is likely one of those people. He also probably wouldn’t know payday loans or short term loans if they bit him on the backside.

True success comes from struggle and toil

That is how America was built. The Rockefellers, Carnegies and J.P. Morgans of the world didn’t rise to prominence because of a fleeting phenomenon like a dot com boom that dumped money in their laps for no good business reason. They had to work hard to rise to prominence. On a slightly lesser scale, college graduates have to do the same thing in order to be successful. Just going to college is not a guarantee of success, as you have to make some connections and learn how to market yourself.

Marketing yourself – where schools fail us

Along with real-life skills, this is something schools should begin to teach at a much earlier age, as part of the core curriculum. Too few people understand what they have to do to stand apart from the pack. As I don’t know Trina Thompson, I can’t say how much she knew about packaging/marketing herself to employers. What I do know is that she graduated from Monroe College, and that she is unemployed. Yes, a difficult economy has played some role in that, but I think that colleges get away with too much of our money without giving equal value. A student shouldn’t have to dig around, beg and squeeze until they actually get the info they need from their universities. Considering how much of our money they’re stealing, colleges should lead with pay dirt, right up front. Instead, countless people are left in need, using payday loans and short term loans to remedy temporary financial problems. They apply for such loans here.

Somebody needs to set a precedent. Go for it, Trina Thompson

The AP story at http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hOd5SMu_c48SwH6dYreQ4Cf7JNTQD99R312G0 tells us that Thompson, a 27-year-old New York City woman, has claimed that she “can’t find a job,” so she’s suing Monroe College, where she earned a Bachelor’s degree. Let’s set aside the fact that today’s Bachelor’s degree means about as much as yesterday’s high school diploma. I believe each and every accredited college has connections in the business world. With the money given to them by students for education (more than is needed to cover costs… even small colleges are bloated with enough cash to send administrators on lavish retreats), it should be the obligation of colleges to connect their graduates with jobs.

But Monroe College has failed to do that, and Trina Thompson is suing them for $70,000, the cost of tuition. That’s a hefty sum, yet colleges continually lie to us that it’s necessary in order to pay salaries, costs, etc. I say do the work and help the students who are funding your European vacations. Thompson says that she has had particular trouble with Monroe College’s Office of Career Advancement, which she claims “hasn’t provided the leads and career advice it promises… they didn not try hard enough to help me.”

What? Economy has them sitting on their hands?

I say they should call in their favors. Live up to their obligation. Then I’ll believe places like Monroe College when they insist that they help students in career placement. Looking at my own example, I was successful in college and have achieved reasonable success in professional life thus far. There’s room for improvement, but I’m still young. I was rather shy when I was in college, so I wasn’t the first one to jump at networking opportunities. Furthermore, since my college campus was very large, I’m not sure how easily I could have found their office of Career Advancement. But if I had been given a bit of a kick start by a required professional development class, I would have appreciated it. It would have been the least they could do, considering the money I was giving them.

Here’s the point – know what you want to do and what you want BEFORE attending college

Take a brief respite after high school or junior college if you aren’t sure. But don’t stay away too long. If you have a direction and know what you need before you go to the inadequate halls that pass themselves off as institutions of higher learning, they’ll work for you. However, you have to twist their arms – most of the time – if you want them to truly DO anything for you.

Then there’s the debt

This is hitting Trina Thompson and her family right now. Her mother, Carol, said her daughter was “very angry at the situation” after putting all his faith in his college. Student loans are coming due, and Trina sought help from Monroe College but got nothing in the way of career placement.

What your local college president thinks about (Photo: collegeotr.com)

Yet Axelbank continues to spout the party line: “The college is proud of the excellent support for career development that we offer each of our students, and this case does not merit further consideration.”

Will you continue to be so proud if you lose this lawsuit, Monroe College? If you haven’t delivered something promised, I don’t believe you’re entitled to the money you were paid.

And Janet Shan weighs in

Janet Shan, a blogger for Black Political Thought, may think of herself as an enlightened, professional black woman. I’d say two out of three there ain’t good enough. In her analysis of Trina Thompson’s dilemma, she leads off with a rather expected question: “Do you realize that 6.5 million workers have lost their jobs since the recession started?” Then, while she recognizes that Monroe College should be doing more, she stops short of what needs to be said and what needs to be done:

Monroe College, Miss Thompson is at the stage in her career where she needs help! While I understand the situation Miss Thompson is in, there are many others who share a similar story of unemployment, but do they sue their alma maters or previous employers? I seriously doubt that.

Do they sue? Generally, no. But they should. Colleges needs to be held accountable – America’s entire education system needs to be held accountable. I wish Trina Thompson luck in her suit, even if the deck may be stacked against her. Major change is needed in the way America prepares people to succeed in the world.

Related Video:

When will this ever be OK? When these things fly! (Photo: TripAdvisor.com)

Are your tax dollars hard at work, making President Obama’s stimulus plan the biggest, baddest stimulus fighting machine it can be? Is it helping America recover from this gigantic recession? Let me just say that you shouldn’t give up your payday loans and unsecured loans based upon the outcome of Barack’s little plan.

Take a look at what we’re giving Clougherty Packing LLC

Bungalow Bill’s Conservative Wisdom blog points out that when it comes to stimulus fighting, the pork barrel stuff may be just the tonic to deep six America’s economic stimulus. Huzzah!

First of all, check out the images in Bungalow Bill’s article: they are statements that reflect just where (and in what amounts) our tax dollars are being used. Among the expenses are a $1 million two-pounds of sliced ham, courtesy of Clougherty Packing, LLC. But that’s not all. Take a look at the numbers and see perhaps why we haven’t seen more job creation as yet.

$1,562,568 for Mozzarella cheese!

Is that the change we need? Or $351,807 to replace a dumbwaiter? This is along with the $2,531,600 expense for “HAM, WATER ADDED, COOKED, FROZEN, SLICED, 2-LB.” That brings Clougherty Packing LLC’s already staggering total of pork (they like to say ham) to almost $4 million. How do you explain something like that away, Mr. Obama?

Oh, the damage continues! There’s a ripe bill for $5,708,260. This is for community works projects, right? Wrong! It’s for PROCESSED CHEESE from Bongards’ Creameries in Minnesota! I agree with Bungalow Bill when he questions whether newly elected Minnesota Senator Al Franken will be getting right on this one and questioning procedure. Was there more than artificial cheese going down there? To answer that, let’s understand that multiple sources confirm that the CEO of Hormel, the mega company that currently owns Clougherty Packing LLC, is an Obama campaign supporter. How does that pork smell now?

Wait, wait

(Photo: politikditto.blogspot.com)

It may be that Clougherty Packing LLC was awarded that kind of money to provide ham for food banks. Hard to argue if that’s true, but this all still comes across as a smelly, wasteful mess. Is that the change President Obama promised us?

Bungalow Bill concludes his piece with some good advice:

By the way, two-pounds of ham and some processed cheese isn’t going to go far in the coming Obama soup lines. Obama did say the country is broke. You should be worried.

I don’t normally subscribe to media fearmongering. Both liberals and conservatives do it. However, if these numbers are any indication of where our tax dollars are going, I am deeply concerned with this administration’s ability to execute a recovery plan representing the will of the people. The next thing you know, payday loans and unsecured loans won’t matter, as joblessness will continue to rise and the unemployed will (for the most part) be ineligible for the loans. With any debt, the person must have the means to responsibly repay.

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Today the government announced unemployment figures for June that are much worse than expected. Employers cut 467,000 jobs and the unemployment rate rose to 9.5%, the worst since 1983. Unemployment is a lagging indicator, so even after the economy begins to improve, the jobless rate is likely to rise for some time.

With no end in sight to rising unemployment and with foreclosure rates continuing to accelerate, people are turning in droves to bankruptcy. You may find it humiliating even to consider bankruptcy, let alone join that crowd in the courthouse corridor, waiting for your name to be called. But with an economic tsunami rolling over your home, job, and health insurance, it just may be your best course of action.

The time comes when it makes sense to give up the good fight

Many people — honorable to the bitter end — struggle much longer than they should to rein in unmanageable debt. By the time they give up, they’ve lost valuable assets that would have been protected in bankruptcy, which defeats the “fresh start” purpose of the law. If you are a candidate for bankruptcy, the best time to file may be when you’re on the losing track but still have assets worth protecting.

It’s true that a bankruptcy filing remains on your credit record for up to ten years and makes it difficult to obtain competitive interest rates on loans. Most bankruptcy debtors, however, already have badly damaged credit records by the time they file.  When you are faced with insurmountable debt, a compromised credit rating can be a small price to pay for the fresh start that only bankruptcy can afford.

Before you decide to file, consult an experienced bankruptcy attorney

Bankruptcy is a significant and complicated legal proceeding. There is nothing to prevent you from representing yourself in bankruptcy court, but it is not wise to do so. When you represent yourself, you are held to the same standards of knowledge and practice as a licensed attorney. Knowing exactly how to navigate the intricacies of the Bankruptcy Code and several other bodies of statutory and common law is essential to an effective discharge of debts.

It costs nothing to get an initial consultation with an experienced bankruptcy attorney practicing in your jurisdiction.  It is vital that you receive competent legal advice before deciding whether bankruptcy is the right choice for you.

Looking at the numbers, bankruptcy may not be such a tough choice

An Associated Press analysis for the first quarter of 2009 revealed that U.S. bankruptcy filings were up an astounding 46% from March of 2008 to March of 2009. The jump is an even more dramatic 81% since March of 2007.  Some economists predict that the situation will become even worse.

A little over four years ago Congress enacted the Bankruptcy Abuse Prevention and Consumer Protection Act, also known as the 2005 Bankruptcy Amendment Act. Bankruptcy filings surged in the fall of 2005 to a record-shattering 2 million cases for the year as struggling consumers rushed to beat the implementation of the new law. In 2006, filings plummeted to 600,000. This year, bankruptcy filings are soaring again, and the predicted numbers for 2009 range between 1.5 and 1.6 million.

Elimination of debts in Chapter 7 may be an option even for higher incomes

The majority of bankruptcy debtors file under Chapter 7 which eliminates most (but not all) unsecured debts. When Congress enacted the 2005 Bankruptcy Amendment Act, it sought to restrict Chapter 7 filings by requiring debtors to pass a “means test” designed to weed out those who appear to have the ability to pay all or a portion of their debts under Chapter 13. Despite this hurdle, many people still qualify for Chapter 7 relief. Read Bankruptcy|What Should I Do?

The means test allows debtors to deduct certain expenses from their incomes. The greater the deductions, of course, the easier it is to qualify. Despite the congressional intent, the means test contains several variables that may enable people with higher incomes to qualify for Chapter 7. Debtors who own homes with mortgages may deduct the full amount of the mortgage. Having several children or dependants, multiple cars with loans or leases, high childcare and insurance expenses, and making large religious donations may also facilitate qualifying for Chapter 7.

Short term loans are still viable options for qualified Americans as the economy slowly recovers. Senator Ben Nelson of Nebraska stated, “Over the first 100 days of Obama’s presidency, the nation has shown patience with his approach toward the economy. Over time, the public will watch three key numbers – unemployment, the stock market and the deficit.” It’s estimated that only the stock market will truly show some quick resolution. Unemployment is expected to reach 10% by the end of 2009 and the deficit is well on its way to $1.2 trillion according to projections.

Consumer approval

According to the AP, 41% of Americans disapprove of Obama’s deficit plan, which is his highest disapproval rating since the beginning of his presidency. Surveys show that people are closely watching government spending and how much of deficit in budgeting exists. With the approximated costs skyrocketing, this could prove detrimental to Obama’s future approval ratings.

Health care costs

The president is focusing on a reworked health care system, hoping that it will be the answer to the Medicare and Medicaid issues. Jared Bernstein, chief economist for Vice President Joe Biden, stated, “The big ticket, that’s health care. That’s where some of our real savings come from in the long term. “It was released recently that Medicare and Social Security funds are quickly dwindling, making them potentially obsolete sooner than originally calculated. This is another sensitive issue the president will have to maneuver to get through his leadership unscathed.

The economy

Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke believes that the economy will see growth later this year, taking the growth in real estate sales and increased spending as indicators. He did warn however that activity will revive, but may not reach its former levels until well in the future. Unemployment is seen as the key factor in a true economic turnaround. Said Bernanke, unemployment “could remain high for a time, even after economic growth resumes.” Single-income households are waiting with baited breath for an upswing in the economy but in the mean time are looking to short term loans as an option for immediate cash needs.

Although there is hopeful news on some fronts, it is important to remember that it will still be difficult for President Obama to sway Congress in his favor. Any new tax hikes will be seen as additional stresses on tax payers. This could be difficult to gain Congress’ support, much less the support of the American people. Robert Shapiro, chairman of Sonecon, agreed by saying, “The problem, the challenge for the administration, is that they don’t just need tolerances or slack from the public, they need sufficient support to drive very difficult policies through Congress.”

Short term loan options

The three factors, unemployment, the stock market and the deficit, are all weighing heavily on the minds of consumers. Until there is a true improvement in all three, the recession may continue to hang on longer. Policies and procedures are being revamped to improve the economy, but whether or not they will be truly beneficial has yet to be seen. In the mean time, consumers are looking to short term loan options as a potential answer to their money problems. Until the recession is over, they may be the most reliable way for qualified customers to find funding.

If the only responses you’re getting to online job applications are advertisements for quick college degrees, safe teeth whiteners, low interest loans, and work-at-home schemes for fast cash, maybe you’re just not looking in the right places. Because of the overwhelming number of people applying for jobs, employers who are serious about hiring often bypass online job boards and placement agencies and try to fill the openings directly.

It’s an employers’ market

When unemployment rates are high, as they are right now, employers don’t have to look hard to find qualified employees.  Sorting through a big stack of resumes is a time-consuming process many employers aren’t willing to undertake. Many companies rely on their current employees to network job openings. Other companies advertise only in small, specialized job pools to avoid a flood of unqualified candidates.

Most jobs aren’t advertised

Recent Labor Department statistics show that there are nearly 14 million unemployed people in the United States and about five job-seekers for every job opening. According to Epic Development and Evaluation, a human-resource company, more than 80% of available jobs aren’t advertised to the public, at least not initially.

Some job postings eventually make it onto conventional job boards, but only after word-of-mouth networking fails. Even then, employers prefer to use specialized job boards because the big boards have so many users who are outside the employer’s geographic area.

Limit your online searching

If you’re an employer with a job opening in a sea of hungry job-seekers, keeping your cards close to your chest is easy to understand.  But it’s frustrating if you’re a job-seeker doing everything conventional wisdom says you should, and getting no response.

If you’re inclined to keep searching online, try a Google search for job boards specific to your home town. Or search for professional associations and societies that might have specific listings for your profession or industry. Some job-seekers swear by the local job listings on Craigslist. The free postings on Craigslist may be somewhat more on target than many of the professional job boards. But if you use Craigslist, you can also expect a fair number of hoax and promotional listings.

Go back to knocking on doors

If you’re serious about finding a job, the most effective job-search methods may be the most old-fashioned:

1. Check the want ads in your local paper every day.

2. Get your foot in the door, literally.  Walk in to businesses that interest you. You can check online first to see if the company has a job board with any openings, but whether or not they do, go to the office in person. Dress for success and be confident. Remember, employers are not trying to keep job openings secret; they just don’t want to be inundated by applications and resumes from hundreds of unqualified job-seekers.

White House administrators are saying that the estimates for how many jobs the economic stimulus plan will create or save are right on target. Officials project the package will save about 3.5 million jobs.

Estimates when the package was announced said the $787 billion stimulus package would save or create between 3 million and 4 million jobs.

Yes, there’s a catch

While officials predict that 3.5 million jobs will be saved or created by the stimulus package, they agree that it’s possible the unemployment rate will still get higher at the same time.

Job loss may be so steep that the number of jobs lost will exceed the number of jobs created and saved. Thus, the unemployment rate will be lower than it would otherwise, but it could still climb higher than the current 8.9 percent national unemployment rate.

Time frame

The projection regarding number of jobs saved or created applies through the end of 2010. So don’t go out and get cash advance loans thinking you’ll get another job before it’s time to pay it back. This is going to take a while.

The report says that 1.5 million jobs will be created or saved by the end of this year.

Possible further action

According to a report by Reuters:

The official said the administration was monitoring closely the results of the $787 billion spending and tax-cut package to determine whether additional actions are needed as “mid-term” economic forecasts are prepared by the White House.

The official who spoke to Reuters, who was not authorized to speak publicly on the stimulus program, said further action likely won’t be needed, but it will be taken if necessary:

“At this point we think that we’ve taken the right steps and (the plan) is going to do what it needs to do for the American people, but the president always said we’ll do what it takes. So we will very much be watching,” said the official.

Current unemployment

According to Reuters:

On Friday, the Labor Department said U.S. employers shed 539,000 jobs in April, pushing up the unemployment rate to 8.9 percent, the highest since September 1983.

Currently, Michigan has the highest unemployment rate in the United States, followed by Oregon. Both states have unemployment rates higher than 12 percent.

As of March, the United States economy had already shed 4.4 million jobs. A Special Report from CNN Money reminds us that the unemployment rate only counts those who are filing for unemployment benefits.

Almost one out of six members of the labor force are either unemployed, working part-time when they would prefer to work full-time, or are out of work and have become so discouraged that they did not look for work and thus not counted in the unemployed total. That’s the highest reading in that measure that goes back to 1994, says CNN.

Unemployment in America has reached about nine percent, and there’s no immediate evidence that the climb will slow any time soon. People are looking for the opportunity to make a better life for themselves and their families. Quick payday loans and debt relief have become commonplace, and the tools to improve one’s financial standing are readily available. But steady employment is a key element.

Thus, President Obama’s efforts to bring more Pell Grants and educational opportunities to the unemployed comes at the perfect time. With the Web site Opportunity.gov (www.opportunity.gov), the American people can find some relief and inspiration in their career endeavors.

Training and benefits

The Associated Press (at http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/05/08/obama-offer-help-unemployed/”) reports that Obama wishes to roll out this plan while the jobless retain their unemployment benefits. In addition, the government will indeed pay for the training programs outlined at opportunity.gov. Obama is asking Americans to “commit to at least one year or more of higher education or career training.”

“Our unemployment insurance system should no longer be a safety net, but a steppingstone to a new future,” Obama said. “It should offer folks educational opportunities they wouldn’t otherwise have” and give they needed to “get ahead when the economy comes back.”

The numbers are sobering

The economy lost another 539,000 jobs in April, according to the United States Labor Department. The president acknowledges that it will “take months, maybe even years,” to pull out of the recession.

Yet he remains hopeful. “Although we have a long way to go before we can put this recession behind us, the gears of our economic engine are slowly beginning to turn.” He based this comment on signs of stabilization reported in consumer spending and home sales. Furthermore, the AP notes that construction spending has risen for the first time in six months.

Yet small businesses still lay off employees

President Obama’s $787 billion economic recovery package gave states billions of dollars to extend unemployment benefits by 26 extra weeks for those who want additional job training. Currently, 12 states have expanded benefits. Twenty more should follow soon.

A law that stopped unemployment checks if someone stopped seeking employment and returned to school has been a major stumbling block for Americans. The Obama administration also noted that previously, unemployed workers who return to school may not qualify for Pell Grants that are income based. This will change now. Unemployed workers will be eligible for Pell Grants via Opportunity.gov. Beginning in July 2009, the maximum possible Pell Grant will rise $500, to $5,350.

$200 billion in scholarships and credits

According to the White House, money from the stimulus bill and American Opportunity Tax Credit (provides a $2,500 tax credit for four years of college), would be made permanent. The windfall is expected to provide $200 billion in scholarships and credits for a decade. Moreover, Obama’s proposed 2010 budget will “ensure the Pell Grant continues to grow steadily by making it an entitlement,” say sources.

Big promises for a growing crowd of unemployed

Numbers like 539,000 more jobs lost in April can’t be ignored. That makes the nation’s current unemployment rate 8.9 percent, the highest level since 1983. The number of debt relief applicants is rising; quick payday loans for the employed who are in need are a boon, but only so long as employment is retained. In this economy, there’s no guarantee.

Will Opportunity.gov direct enough people toward the aid they need? Will the money be there? Whatever the case, the change is going to come. Both the Department of Labor and Department of Education have been told by Obama to move forward with the plan. Check out http://www.opportunity.gov to see if there is a program in place to help you in your situation of unemployment. Those who make inquiries for information will be sent a letter to describing available training opportunities and financial aid.

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For the actively retired, like me, The Personal Money Store is a real godsend. It provides a whole extra range of activities to help me through the days, and some nights too. Shopping for a Personal Loan involves a great deal of computer activity and this is what the active retired community thrives on. Before I upgraded to my new employment status I considered web-surfing to be State-of-the-Art time wasting.

Web-surfing

Today it is a much respected occupation. There are not many of us who can spend an 8 hour day in cyberspace, surfing for important information, gliding from one link to the next, marveling at the endlessness of the information highway. This is an acquired art and is the result of hours spent in front of the computer.

Health hazards

My ophthalmologist, who I visit at 3 month intervals because she insists I can get glaucoma at any moment, warned me about excessive computer use and says that she sees a definite change on the retina thing at the back of my eye, the screen, as it were. “It has developed the format of a computer screen,” she noted two visits ago.

“At last!” I breathed thankfully.

My days

So my days are well taken care of. The mornings are crammed full of retirement activity. I browse the newspapers briefly; the news is always depressing: unemployment, swine flu, bad economy, swine flu, yucky job market, swine flu. Actually once you’ve read one paper, you’ve read them all. I do the NY Times crossword, check my miserable little portfolio for signs of renewed life, read the health tips, log into my bank account and take a fleeting glance at my overdraft, and by then it’s almost time for lunch.

After lunch things slow down considerably but an active retiree never forgets that he may be called upon at any time to take a grandchild or fetch a grandchild to some unheard of place miles from the nearest internet café or coffee shop.

My nights

Generally sleepless and I can vouch for the fact that there’s nothing to watch on the TV after midnight.

The internet as a workplace

I have been doing intensive research on the internet, following the ads that claim you can make $10,000 a month by sitting in front of your computer and not moving. This is simply not true. There are many sites where you can earn. As far as I can see on just about all of them you will sweat blood to pull in a few dollars. I spent the entire afternoon setting up a Google AdSense Account which I am sure will never bring in a cent. The instructions were impossible to understand and the information they required to get the account going was not available. Only after I managed to get myself to think like an eight-year-old did I understand what they wanted and completed the forms.

Having my own account is a highlight of active retirement. Most of my other accounts are being closed down. I may have to rely on this one.

More U.S. residents every day are staring down unemployment checks.

Unemployment has gone up every month since the beginning of the recession. The national unemployment rate for March was 8.5 percent, up from 8.1 percent in February.

It’s bad everywhere, but some U.S. cities have been hit particularly hard. Here are the four cities in the United States that had the highest unemployment rates in March.

1. El Centro, California

The unemployment rate in El Centro is somewhat artificially inflated because it mostly relies on agricultural employment. The city of about 40,000 is near the Mexico border, and many of the jobs are seasonal. El Centro had the highest unemployment rate in the country in 2008 as well. Still, imagine living in a place where a quarter of the population is unemployed. The unemployment rate in El Centro is 25.1 percent.

Remember, the unemployment rate is based on residents who are actively seeking work and collecting unemployment insurance. People who are ineligible for unemployment or living off of credit cards, personal loans or savings or choose not to work for some other reason aren’t included in the statistics.

2. Merced, California

In the same state, but much farther north, Merced has the second highest unemployment rate in the country. Merced, in central California, has a population of more than 80,000. The unemployment rate for March 2009 was 20.4 percent.

In 2005, the University of California’s 10th campus was built in Merced. However, college students are not included in unemployment statistics. The city’s main employers are fruit and vegetable growers, so the high unemployment rate here is seasonal as well. However, last year at the same time the unemployment rate in Merced was less than 15 percent.

3. Yuba City, California

Sure enough, another California city rounds out the top three. Yuba City lies in Northern California and has a population of about 60,000. It’s the heart of a large metropolitan area with a population of about 164,000. It’s unemployment rate is 19.5 percent.

Orchards and farms surround the metro area, so agriculture is a main industry in this city as well. The city also has large education and health and human services industries.

4. Elkhart-Goshen, Indiana

To find the city in America with the fourth highest unemployment rate, we must travel more than halfway across the country, to the Elkhart-Goshen Metropolitan Statistical Area. Elkhart-Goshen has an unemployment rate of 18.8 percent. This area has a much different story than the agriculture-dependent California towns. In February 2008 the city’s unemployment rate was just 4.7 percent.

The city’s main — some would argue only — industry is recreational vehicles. For quite a while, the demand for RVs was all Elkhart-Goshen needed to thrive. However, since the start of the recession, demand for RVs has plummeted. In fact, the city is in such a freefall that President Obama visited the area in February to highlight the recession.

More scary statistics

A total of 109 cities have unemployment rates of at least 10 percent for March. Jobless rates were higher than 15 percent in 18 areas. Last year at the same time only one city — El Centro — had an unemployment rate higher than 15 percent. Unemployment rose in March in all 372 of the country’s metro areas.

The way I see it, I’ve earned it. I moved to North Dakota about two years ago. I’ve moved more than 20 times, and every time it has been a financial set-back. So I expected it. This time, I managed to get a job – granted, a low-paying one – within a few days. But just 16 months later I was laid off. I have a doctorate degree and tons of work experience, but it took me more than six months to find another low-paying job. Still, I made it. And I made it just in time. Real estate taxes are due this week.

I live hand-to-mouth, so it’s not saying much to say that I did not incur any debt while I was unemployed. But I did manage to stay in the black. The fun stuff I do is free. I don’t spend any money on entertainment. I don’t even spend money on the new “necessaries” like television and internet or cell phone service. So I made it through unemployment with my mortgage current and without any of my utilities being cut off. But I made it by the skin of my teeth, and now I’m feeling the effects.

I can pay my real estate taxes, almost to the dollar, with the pay check I’ll get today. But I have no financial cushion and all my utility payments are due. Toward the end of my unemployment, I was having to push all my utility payments – gas, electric, phone, water and trash — to the absolute deadline, and now they’re all one payment behind and it won’t be long before I start getting cut-off notices.

I’m lucky I got a job just when I did

When you have no other source of income and no financial cushion, unemployment has a cumulative effect. You’re okay for the first couple months, and then money gets tighter and tighter. I was hanging by a thread toward the end of my unplanned vacation, and now, a month and a half later, I’m feeling the effects. Then there’s the mortgage and car insurance due next week. I’m pretty good at robbing Peter to pay Paul, but I’m tired of this. And really, I’m worried about eating for the next month.

I’ll admit I’m a little skeptical about getting a payday loan. But I know that it costs $39 to bounce a check or make a debit charge on insufficient funds. And I know that within a month, I’d really be struggling not to do that. I also know that the only way I can make my mortgage payment this month is to pay it two weeks late and take a $25 late fee hit. I’d also have to pay my mini-storage bill two weeks late and take a $10 hit there. I’d have to pay my car insurance a few days late, to the tune of $10 again. The poorer you get, the poorer you get! So I’m going to pay for a loan rather than pay late charges across the board. I survived unemployment, and it’s time to get this monkey off my back.

Today’s strategy meeting of the unemployed over 65s is taking place at Mike’s place, his few acres of exotic fruit farm in the foothills. The six of us who are coming are all taking Personal Loans to pay for the gas and accommodation in the area. We will need some days to formulate a strategy that will be effective in dealing with our unemployment situation.

Mike

Mike is a former government employee who took early retirement, moved out of the city, bought a small plot and began growing exotic fruits trees. He has been very successful and his smallholding is burgeoning. Spring is the time of rapid growth and it’s literally a jungle at the moment. I took some pictures to show you.

The visitors

The attendees are a lawyer from the Ministry of Tourism which went straight down the tubes at the start of the recession. He was laid off instantly. Another lawyer is advisor to a large economic corporation. Needless to say he’s out of a job as well. The third lawyer represented a huge construction outfit for years, made a pile of stocks in the company and retired. He held onto the shares. You can guess what’s happened to him. The construction company is no more, the pile of stocks is about as useful as wallpaper and our lawyer has gone directly from retired to unemployed without even passing “Go”.

The non-lawyers

The non-lawyer members of the club are an unemployed clerk from the Social Services and Welfare Department and myself, an unemployed engineer in the private sector. The clerk is furious: “I devoted my entire working life to helping the less fortunate, the unemployed, the needy and the homeless. I make it all the way to the top of the ladder – head clerk – comes a recession and I’m on my backside in the dust in the first round.

Then there’s me. In the 1990’s I was a manager in this engineering company of about 60 employees. Then came the turn-down in 2002. The owner closed the company but kept calling on me to help with certain projects. He paid me for my time and when things picked up a couple of years later, called me back on a part-time basis and I was very happy with the new situation. Now the work has stopped again and I can feel that I am teetering on the edge of unemployment.

The project timetable

What’s holding back the final decision is an inquiry by the Army Corps of Engineers who need some work done and approached us. “Of course we can do it!” we cried in excitement, and you can bet that I am the most excited of all. “When do we start?” we yell, but the answer is slow in coming. “Maybe in May, or perhaps June, possibly July, August is the summer holiday period, September is too hot, we’re thinking about October and November as a possibility. December is cold and holiday time. It will probably be January.”

“What year is that?” I ask from the depths of my disappointment. Don’t these people understand that they are the only customer in town with a construction budget?

We need a strategy

We need a strong, creative and winning strategy that will cover us all. Is it prayer, optimism or will continuous banging on the door bring back the work?