Economic hardship due to Covid-19

[f6john]

Of course restaurants have been adversely affected. But do you know of friends and family that have been personally put in harms way due to these crazy shut downs? In surveying my own family and network of friends, everyone is doing well and in my sons circumstances even better than well. Particularly his wife who works full time for the Lexington Health Dept who had to take a leave when she had her baby in July is now doing her job full time from home which has allowed her to also be a full time mom.

My life has remained unchanged except for wearing a mask which is a joke, but if it makes others feel safe so be it. The idea of essential workers and industries is a strange mix too. Strip clubs yes, churches no, liquor stores absolutely, hair salons and barbers nope, and so on. To me all businesses are essential especially to the employees. It’s time for the government (governors) to back off, give the public the information they need to make informed decisions about their health risks. Instead it seems we will be looking at even more stringent restrictions on our freedoms moving forward. The heat on the burner is slowly being turned up and the frog in the pot is enjoying its spa day.

[..]

Where do I start.

People laid off work.

My boss 2 days in the hospital

Half the boarders at school didn't come back. Big financial blow to the school

Students getting Covid

Parents getting Covid

Grandparents dying thanks to Covid.

Local business's closing. FOR EVER.

Me out of work for 5 months.

Etc etc etc

[f6john]

Well dang, that all sucks. I guess that makes you non essential? I don’t have anyone I’m close to that has had COVID at all so I guess I’m living in a small pocket of low COVID spread. But at least you still get to ride!

[f6gal]

An 11-year-old boy shot himself during online class today.

Open the schools, put Britman back to work.

[..]

An 11-year-old boy shot himself during online class today.

Open the schools, put Britman back to work.

I'm back at work. The 5 months was March to August.

It's tough when you ask one of the students when they are waiting to be picked up if there have been any Covid problems and they tell you their grandfather died last week and they went to the funeral a couple of days ago.

[carolinarider09]

My two daughters work in the "hotel" industry. 

My oldest daughter was terminated in August but that was most probably because she was being too effiecent and the higher ups could not stand the pressure.  She did get paid for the remainder of the year. 

My youngest is still working, albeit with a reduced staff at a hotel in Rock Hill, SC. 

In my travels and conversations with them, it seems that it is hard to find staff for the hotels/motels.  The pay is not that great for a start and I think the Covid pavements sort of kept some from needing to work.

But that is supposition on my part. 

Me and my wife, we are retired.  We have not had any specific economic issues yet. 

[pais]

All things considered, feeling fortunate thus far. Most of my siblings are retired and able to hunker down. Myself and one sis are both working. She works from home. Myself, the city of Kent, Ohio deems me essential. I'm the utilities manager and oversee the distribution and collection systems.  Older bro(70) in S.C. got it back in the summer. Rather mild case. Currently one niece(45) is getting over it. She was diagnosed with pneumonia and once in the hospital tested positive for virus. 6 days on oxygen and 5 days of the meds they gave The Trumpster. Shes home and recovering. Doc says home for at least 2 more weeks. The virus is now making its way through our 20 man water and sewer dept. We also handle snow plowing. So this miserable virus creates stress on numerous fronts. Most important is my wife and her weakened immune system.
Tired of it................like everybody else.

[scooperhsd]

It's kind of been a boon for us - I'm not working, looking after MIL. The wife's company does mortgage loan processing - when mortgage rates crashed - they have had a BOOM in business. She typically works 55+ hours /week from home (she came on as permenet just as this was starting - I was setting up some ethernet when they were getting her work PC ready). Mostly I look after MIL and take care of things like the grocery shopping and other household chores.

[Valkorado]

Tired of it................like everybody else.

Yup.  Too bad ignoring it doesn't make it magically disappear.  

To address the title subject, the real economic hardship will come under Biden and Harris' socialist state.  If President Trump's legal team or Georgia voters can't stop it, we're in deep doo-doo.

[Bret SD]

Personally, I'm self employed and have had to change my business model. I was making good money busting my butt for a time doing large commercial jobs, then being able to coast along for awhile on the money I made. Now commercial businesses have throttled back and aren't spending money unless they absolutely have to.
I've had 3 jobs cancel since January and am now relegated to doing small jobs to make ends meet until this blows over. My honey's been with DHL for 34 years and has been very busy. Others I know have been laid off and switched jobs, one perk of being in a larger metro area is job availability.. if you're motivated to find work it's there.
My siblings are all working as well as my ex who's a NICU nurse.

I too am tired of the political use of this bug, and politicians making 'orders' that have no basis in logic, science or reality.

[motomama]

I own my own catering business (Motomama's Munchies) and my business has been devastated by all of this!  Weddings were cancelled (some rescheduled), conventions cancelled, graduation parties cancelled, Christmas parties cancelled, etc.  Thankfully, this is not our only source of income, but is sure has had a huge affect on me (and my employees.  I have catered 43 events this year, and usually it is a few hundred.  At this time, I am working on putting together some Christmas cookie/candy trays to try to bring in a little business for this month.  I sure am hoping for a better 2021and getting back to a regular work schedule!!!  Some events have been rescheduled for 2021 and I am looking forward to those, providing they don't have to cancel again.

[f6john]

I own my own catering business (Motomama's Munchies) and my business has been devastated by all of this!  Weddings were cancelled (some rescheduled), conventions cancelled, graduation parties cancelled, Christmas parties cancelled, etc.  Thankfully, this is not our only source of income, but is sure has had a huge affect on me (and my employees.  I have catered 43 events this year, and usually it is a few hundred.  At this time, I am working on putting together some Christmas cookie/candy trays to try to bring in a little business for this month.  I sure am hoping for a better 2021and getting back to a regular work schedule!!!  Some events have been rescheduled for 2021 and I am looking forward to those, providing they don't have to cancel again.

I knew you were well known for pies and such but didn’t realize you had a catering business. Any of those trays available by shipping?

[motomama]

Yes, they actually are!  I am working on putting together my flyer today. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

I own my own catering business (Motomama's Munchies) and my business has been devastated by all of this!  Weddings were cancelled (some rescheduled), conventions cancelled, graduation parties cancelled, Christmas parties cancelled, etc.  Thankfully, this is not our only source of income, but is sure has had a huge affect on me (and my employees.  I have catered 43 events this year, and usually it is a few hundred.  At this time, I am working on putting together some Christmas cookie/candy trays to try to bring in a little business for this month.  I sure am hoping for a better 2021and getting back to a regular work schedule!!!  Some events have been rescheduled for 2021 and I am looking forward to those, providing they don't have to cancel again.

We have seen so much damage to restaurants. I never really thought about the catering business. You must have been hit terribly. I hope it's true that we are seeing the light at the end of the tunnel. Look forward to hearing more about the flyer.

[Jess from VA]

During this time, I've been seeing a few catering trucks driving through the neighborhood, presumably doing some deliveries.  One came to my new across-the-street neighbors the other day, only 2 of them.  Never seen catering trucks around here before this.

I wonder how anyone could afford to cater single family meals, here and there around a community.  And how expensive it would be to order from them.  I'm an OK cook and live on simple fare, and have never been a restaurant fan (never go at all, unless stopping while riding for fast food).  But I tell you, the idea of occasionally being able to order some really nice and yummy stuff is appealing to me, if it wasn't $100 a shot.  I live alone, but I'd order enough for 3-4 meals anyway.  Good food, I can eat the same thing every day.  I ain't particular if I like it.  

I don't eat regular meals ever.  Just when I get hungry, once or twice a day; and being hungry helps a lot when your food is basic like mine.   Like right now I'm trying to decide between a can of chili or a can of soup.  Neither sounds that good right now, so I know I'm not hungry enough.  

I hope things pickup for you Lori (Lori right?).

[Ken aka Oil Burner]

Things definitely haven't gone well for us over the last 8 or 9 months, financially speaking. That being said, we've recovered from worse, and there's always people in this world who'd give anything to trade their problems for yours. I haven't been forced to sell a motorcycle, internal organ, or anything else yet, so there's that. I hesitated to even reply, as I feel like I'm whining. Everybody's got problems; just some worse than others. And some wallow in it. I refuse to let my mind go into "victim mode". Like I said, we'll get back up again.

[scooperhsd]

Things definitely haven't gone well for us over the last 8 or 9 months, financially speaking. That being said, we've recovered from worse, and there's always people in this world who'd give anything to trade their problems for yours. I haven't been forced to sell a motorcycle, internal organ, or anything else yet, so there's that. I hesitated to even reply, as I feel like I'm whining. Everybody's got problems; just some worse than others. And some wallow in it. I refuse to let my mind go into "victim mode". Like I said, we'll get back up again.

That is probably the best thing you can do - approach it with the attitude that you have. Best of luck.

[Willow]

Economic hardship?  We own a rental property.  My plan was to sell the property as part of my positioning for retirement life.  I waited a bit too long.

In March 2020 the renters paid the rent for the final time.  In April mandates came down precluding the possibility of evicting renters for nonpayment.  They fully utilized this prohibition until its planned expiration in mid November.  Mid November came and the governor extended the non-eviction protection until mid January.  I'm looking forward to mid January.

I could concentrate on the several thousand dollars out of which I've been cheated (stolen?).  I have little hope of recovering that loss as they are persons of few assets and limited income.  For ten years I have rented to these folks for $700 per month in what should have been rented for about $1100 monthly.  I have used some money from my retirement investments and the government was kind enough to provide us with an unexpected $1200.

I choose to concentrate not on what has been taken from me but on how well Providence has provided for us.  It is indeed an enviable position to be in when one can have thousands stolen from oneself without it being the end of the world.

Life is good.  

[Oss]

Yes Carl,

It is always good to concentrate on what can come in the future   Hope that mtg is paid off

I have found for my 300+ clients that is important to at least start, serve the predicate notices, file their cases, move for judgments and execution of warrants EVEN though Cuomo keeps slamming the door on the actual evictions.    I also was leading weekly protests for 12 weeks.  Now I am known as the man who puts his money where his mouth is and I am a pain in the a$$ for the Court administration

If you do not start you can not expect to finish.

Personally, I lost my commercial tenant back in April and yes the taxes, water, insurance and all the other things must be paid     No money from govmt In fact taxes went up again

[Rams]

Economic hardship?  We own a rental property.  My plan was to sell the property as part of my positioning for retirement life.  I waited a bit too long.

In March 2020 the renters paid the rent for the final time.  In April mandates came down precluding the possibility of evicting renters for nonpayment.  They fully utilized this prohibition until its planned expiration in mid November.  Mid November came and the governor extended the non-eviction protection until mid January.  I'm looking forward to mid January.

I could concentrate on the several thousand dollars out of which I've been cheated (stolen?).  I have little hope of recovering that loss as they are persons of few assets and limited income.  For ten years I have rented to these folks for $700 per month in what should have been rented for about $1100 monthly.  I have used some money from my retirement investments and the government was kind enough to provide us with an unexpected $1200.

I choose to concentrate not on what has been taken from me but on how well Providence has provided for us.  It is indeed an enviable position to be in when one can have thousands stolen from oneself without it being the end of the world.

Life is good.  

WIllow,
Who's paying their utility bills?

You may have just talked me out of buying a home close to me that I was thinking of using as a rental property.    Think'n I may need to rethink this................  
I'm damn sure I'm not going into the catering business.   
Rams

[Willow]

WIllow,
Who's paying their utility bills?

You may have just talked me out of buying a home close to me that I was thinking of using as a rental property.    Think'n I may need to rethink this................  
I'm damn sure I'm not going into the catering business.   
Rams

I've told my friends that owning rental property is feast or famine.  If you get good renters it's great.  If you get bad renters they can skin you in short time.  Best would be to have multiple properties so it averages out. 

[f6john]

I lost more money on rentals than I ever made but it was probably my own fault. Only real money I made was selling the last two rentals after they were paid off and financing the deal myself. It’s worked good for 10 years now.

[Serk]

But I tell you, the idea of occasionally being able to order some really nice and yummy stuff is appealing to me, if it wasn't $100 a shot.  I live alone, but I'd order enough for 3-4 meals anyway.  Good food, I can eat the same thing every day.  I ain't particular if I like it.  

Facebook/MeWe post I made earlier today:

"Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic."
--Arthur C. Clarke

Who would have believed a generation or two ago that today I could cast a magical spell by rubbing a piece of glass in a specific way that would cause someone to leave a package of chicken fried bacon (With extra cream gravy of course!) at my front door about an hour later.....

Lot of crap going on now, but some truly wonderful things as well..... Don't forget to see the magic all around us!

---------

Addendum #1 - You really should check websites for local restaurants or barring that Uber Eats or the like. You have to have some discipline, but yesterday for lunch I ordered chicken fried steak with mashed potatoes, sautéed mushrooms and jalapeno cream gravy (Extra please) along with an order of chicken fried bacon (Extra cream gravy please). It cost just $20 and change. I made 3 meals out of it, and all 3 were freaking delicious.....

If Motomama was near me, my wallet and my waistline would be in serious trouble!

[motomama]

This is my flyer...

[da prez]

One of our renters asked if we were going to reduce or stop taking rent. I told her to call our bank and see if they would cancel our mortgage. 
 We did not do our annual rent adjustment .
 We still get our rent.

                        da prez

[Beardo]

Thankfully I work for a utility that is “essential” so I’ve been working, mostly from home since March. I can do 95% of my job remotely. My wife does home daycare so she’s been working, although with reduced numbers.

The most affected in my family had been my kids. My daughter is in her 2nd year of her nursing degree. She’s been taking 90% online, which is quite the challenge. Ask yourself if you want to be the first one who gets an IV (or worse) from someone who’s learned to do it in theory only over a choppy Zoom feed with crappy audio. She’s very frustrated as she’s paying for an education she’s not really getting and future employers will be expecting. She’s also frustrated that we can have kids in schools but nursing students who are properly trained in PPE, microbiology, viruses, etc can’t go to school in small groups??  Hoping they’ll adjust the 3rd and 4th year curriculum to adjust for the practical skills they haven’t been able to get online. For their sake and their future patient’s sakes.

My son is in his first year of a 2 year Resource Management diploma (wildlife, fisheries, forestry, etc). Obviously a lot of it would normally be labs, but they’re mostly online too.

They also had their summer jobs affected because of COVID so they weren’t able to save as much for school expenses.

Overall though, we’re thankful to have our health and we’re certainly less affected than many many others. We’ve tried to focus on shopping locally and, as someone who is still working, keep spending money at small businesses that are struggling, and tipping much more generously than usual.

I really feel for you guys with the rental properties and are getting taken advantage of, and other small businesses as well.

[cookiedough]

beardo,  sounds like your kids in somewhat similar scenarios in college as both of mine, although one is nearing the end passed her state of WI teaching test 1st time around so she once does her 2 month more stint as a 4th grade teacher in rural school, can pretty much get a teaching job anywhere she wants as more and more teachers are retiring right and left. 

My other kid though is having a rough time at college 2nd year virtual learning classes as most other kids are.   A lot of college kids are dropping out of college and moving back home with parents figuring why bother paying expensive tuition if not getting much out of it nor learning anything online anyways.  Some of his online classes are getting so bad that the teachers are giving ONLY a pass/fail grade as most grades are D's or F's right now, very bad.  Not sure how that correlates when it comes graduation time, but just a pass/fail grade if coming to that means to me the INSCHOOL learning has to start ASAP. 

Wife and me both have jobs but for how long?  My co-worker quit on me cold turkey no other job lined up age 60 2 weeks ago for being put on probation for making ONE keying mistake.  Now just me left and my boss and HR and mgmt. thinks she was worthless not needed, so I have 14 hrs of work to do in an 8 hour day daily.  Boss comes to me 2 days ago saying it is all about time mgmt..  I told her yah she was slower than me, but her 8 hr work payday was my 6 hrs of work and by not hiring anyone else nor giving me 5 hrs. overtime daily, all the work will just keep piling up and up and up,  already 20 million behind.  AT this rate,  the company will not survive more than a few months as far as I am concerned,  let the company fold and go bankrupt fine by me.      I HATE working for a boss and HR and mgmt. who is absolutely clueless on my entire daily job duties and how long each one job takes for my ignorant, absolutely worthless boss refuses to learn any part of my jobs nor help, yet she is my boss somehow age 32 born with a silver spoon in her mouth making 3x's my salary.

My wife in somewhat similar boat but been with same company since 1990 she is ONLY one that knows 5 jobs around her everyone else much higher up making 2-3x's salary is brain dead,  and she is salaried NOT hourly like me so they expect her to work 12 hour days every single day.  I refuse to work 1 minute overtime unpaid for my hourly pay is piddly already 2-3 bucks below hrly avg for my job already and only half of what my wife makes salaried but if you take into account her 12 vs. my 8 hour payday,  she is not making tons more than me hr by hr work basis.  My wife's company already 1 month ago closed 2 depts. she worked with daily in Accounting area shipping over 50 jobs overseas to INDIA and that has NOT worked out at all ruining her company as well in short order, besides creating nothing but more daily headaches for her by them screwing up Accounting entries every single day since the employees in INDIA are braindead in Accounting as well.

I got job interview for Wednesday so doubt I will get it but if I do,  sure hope my company goes bankrupt and goes down in flames with me leaving as my boss, HR, and mgmt deserve.       With no one left knowing how to apply around 80 million per month in revenue in an outdated 1980's mainframe system the company will not survive very long.  Sometimes the lowest paid employees in a company are the most important.  

HR 'supposedly' tried to tell my boss that there is NO money in the budget for overtime for me nor hiring a full time employee.  NO common sense: we had 3 full timers at one time when I 1st started and since I was so good they reduced 1 coworker down to only 20 hrs per week as she requested age 69, but when the 40 hour employee quit age 60 2 weeks ago, getting yelled at like a 2 year old red headed step child,  one has to cover her 8 hours of daily work right?  So, if HR says NO money in budget to hire or me no unlimited overtime,  where does that 8 hours of NO PAY for the coworker who quit go?  PLENTY of money in the budget to let me work 2-3 hours overtime daily still ahead on payroll budget not paying a full time worker benefits nor 8 hours pay per day.      

Come Christmas time, just like Thanksgiving,  with days off work with the banks being open some of them, puts me with all those days behind as well on daily workload that the banks are open with me not working those days.  I also have 1.5 days to use up of my whole 10 days of vacation I get per year that MUST be used up in the next 3 weeks in 2012, but when?    

At this moment I hope I catch COVID since then I am forced to stay at home working isolating in December being year end as well vs. now being forced to go back into the office to run reports, do daily journal entries, credit cards, ACH entries, etc. which must be done in the office daily since company to cheap to give me a home laser printer and not able to take confidential banking information home with me.    My wife takes 12 bank accounts information home with her daily past 6 months working from home,  but my company is not allowing me to take 2 bank accounts with 1 bank home with me to work from home.