Upon some recent hours of reflection I've come to conclusion that any one who graduated with a degree in these past 3 years got screwed. And it looks as though it's not going to stop twisting that flat-head Stanley tool into future graduates backs either.
I remember the deep conversations Larry and I had while we were planning our future. We were knee deep in Law School applications, talking about where to apply. Weighting all our options. Coming to conclusion the place we would attend school would also need to have a high percentage of placement for jobs.Little did we know how the stock market would mold all future decisions for businesses and individuals. Older employees wouldn't retire because of the hit on their future $$, leading to less entry level jobs or any hiring at all. But we dealt with it. We found a job Larry enjoyed even with it's "eye-popping" itty-bitty salary. We've become creative with what we do have, Larry has found ways to keep the student loans at bay and I've learned to keep costs low at home.
Until now. Today I found myself back at the beginning. Back in the same nasty, dirty government offices filling out applications that I filled out 100's of times during Law School.
Gas, groceries, insurance, co-pays, water, electricity...even the cost of a flu shot has jumped $10 over the past years. Although some would point out the cost of cars and homes have dropped, but really it's the day to day financials that can bite you in the rear. It's not a depressing thing for me, I'm just shocked. This is NOT what I had pictured myself doing 9 years ago when we diligently filled out our school applications.
I pictured running the kids to dance & sports, big birthday parties, driving a car built in this millennium, going on family vacations, flying to visit cousins & grandparents...you get the picture. Instead it's second hand stores, teaching piano lessons, backyard parties, coupons are a MUST....
So here we are, still making the same amount of $$ with the threat of a pay decrease or even layoffs continually hanging over ALL our heads. But the cost living is up. How do we keep up?
We don't.
Welcome to 2010.
How is life different for your family?
(the bright side: must mention our family is blessed with a lg home and loads of healthy kids to fill it up)
7 comments:
Amen. Honestly... aside from the the fact that someone has the comfort of "knowing more" for learning sake, what is the draw for going into any sort of "while collar" job when you are financially screwed for doing so? You put in SO much time and effort to get into school AFTER undergrad... spend many MORE stressful years going through school/clinics/boards/residencies/etc/etc/etc... and end up with 1/4 to 1/2 million dollars in student loans alone (depending on the profession) before ever receiving a paycheck!!! Then if you are lucky enough to find a job/practice, the government finds more ways to screw you over... and to top it off the clients/patients think you make too much money and choose to not pay for your services because they think your services should be free anyway. Funny thing that there is almost NOTHING for personal living expenses after paying for those student loans... the ones that let you go to school... to do what you wanted... so that you could serve the ungrateful who are screwing you over. Anyone else waking up to the smell of communism asking what happened to the American Dream? We are!!! (OK I'm done with my rant... until you ask again)
I'll brighten your day. After over 32 years Jon & I are:
--still on the same kind of a budget,
--still driving old cars, well, except for the 5 year old KIA mini van that has killed us for several years (making the payments), that we will be driving until it rots off it's axles.
--had an appraiser come who took off the value of our house because of deferred maintenance (really? I wonder why).
--a full time mission (planned before we married) is no longer even a glimmer of a dream.
--bodies falling apart, and you have so many co-pays at the dr.'s offices, it throws your whole budget off, big time!
--you get a little less demanding on yourself and let reality help you accept that not everything will be perfect all the time.
--You have had time to remember how much fun it was to pack a lunch and take off on an outing, with no diapers, etc now.
--When you tell each other to go fly a kite, you're serious and have a ball doing it!!
--You find out that the sense of humor that came in handy when you first got married still comes in handy (take that how you want).
--You realize that many of those dreams were a little unrealistic in the first place.
--You find out that he meant it when he said that he didn't marry you just for your body. He loved you when you were built like a brick outhouse and still loved you when had become a two seater and he still loves you with the siding slowly sliding south.
So be strong and enjoy the ride, it doesn't get any easier, but oh it does get better, so much better. . . . in all the ways that are important.
Join the military! Not a bad lifestyle right now! For lawyers, they often give money for student loans!
Oh man I hear you...Jared graduated last June. We've been looking for jobs for 2 years. Part time is what we live off of. It's sad to work so hard for a PhD and then find nothing. We have our fingers and arms crossed for next round of applications. I hope you guys hang in there and find something good. We have been blessed in so many other ways though.
I'd settle for a large house because at this point we're stacking kids on top of each other and no way to get into a bigger house any time soon.
After 2 years and a SUBSTANTIAL loss of job and income we're just glad that ol' Stephen was finally able to find something. It's interesting how perspectives change. If you'd asked me to live on Stephen's new salary a few years ago I would have said it wasn't possible. Now, after living on hourly side work he scraped up and the interpreting I could pick up for two years, his salary is looking much better. But it is still very TIGHT, and stressful. We know we need to get his parents up here to start taking care of them soon. That'll be a huge additional financial burden on top of these expensive little critters that keep coming.
In summary...yep it sucks.
Don't do the military. The recruiters are the biggest liars on the face of the planet. National Guard was my brother's big plan. They lied and lied...shame on them. He believed all the B.S. (even when we warned him about what sounded shady)...shame on him.
Fun Times...
Rach,
We need to do lunch! We can you meet up in October? I don't mind driving to you if that's easier. It's been far too long and we need a good chat :) Oh, and do tell how Larry is keeping the student loans at bay!!
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