Gotta say, I'm thoroughly impressed with all you guy's thoughtful, encouraging, and heartfelt responses to Kerry. I did have to sell one of my favorite cars last fall...my '37 Chevy coupe...due to tough times. Sucked, but...things are starting to look up a little bit for me now, and there will be other cars in my future. Michigan is in tough shape...not many jobs. I was an automotive machine-tool designer for 25 years. Lost my career to overseas outsourcing...they basically press a button now, and send the design-work overseas. I painted houses, did orchard work, landscaping, etc. for a while, but there was little $ in it, and it was kickin' my butt. Started thinking, "I can't do this 'til I'm 65. I actually gave long-haul trucking a shot, but quickly realized that's no life. But the medical field is going strong. If you think you might be the type that would be happy taking care of folks who can't take care of themselves, you may consider becoming a nurse. That's what I'm doing...at 53 years old. A good start is to become a CNA. (Certified Nurses Aide) You can get financial aide to help with the cost of schooling. With only two months of training, you can be working as a CNA, and will never be layed off. It's a professional work-atmosphere, and very fulfulling...nice to be needed and appreciated. The facilities, the female nurses, the residents, and their families all appreciate having the male nurses around. I've never done such meaningful work. It's not for everyone, but for some it's great. I was the oldest of 10 children, so I helped to care for my baby brothers and sisters for most of my young life. Taking care of the poor elderly folks is not much different than taking care of babies, so it's right up my alley. It's just that they don't poop their diapers, or say "Goo Goo Gaa Gaa". Wait...OK, some of them do. I know you need to support your family and keep things afloat in the meantime, but you can easily work and train for this at the same time. Just giving you an option you may not have considered. I wish you all the best. As others have said, try to keep a positive outlook, say your prayers and ask HIM for help, and have faith that as long as you're making a sincere effort, you'll find your way to better times.
i have always found that knocking on doors seems to work well after all anyone can send a resume it takes commitment to ask in person .Also it is hard to ignore a guy who is standing in front of you genuinely looking to work.best of luck
Fight the good fight and never give up, like the previous posters have said. I watched my son, a welder, lose his job last September. In fact the firm went belly up three months later. And I saw how hard it is, with a wife and two young boys, to not be the breadwinner. But you cut back, like you sold your truck, and do without cable, toys, etc. You use extended family as a resource. And you aggressively pursue job leads. My son put in several resumes to Navy shipyard, they were hiring, but never heard back. A letter to the senior Senator from NH asking WTF and then resumes began being responded to. After all the kid (hell he's 40) was a shipfitter in the Navy, a certified welder and a level 1 AWS inspector so he deserved a least an interview. You gotta believe in yourself and don't take rejections without a fight. Use your network, such as social friends and church friends, to find leads and contacts. You'll make it but it may be take real grit. Don't be shy about excepting help. I know my son was pretty down before the email came in May giving him an interview. In the end he had four shops to chose from at the yard and started July 1. So it will happen. And that was good counsel from Rickybop, at some point it becomes apparent that you are looking for a job, not career fufillment so any opportunity needs to be explored that can give you a paycheck. My son understood that at his age, not many more chances at grabbing the brass ring. He was just lucky the shipyard was on a campaign to bring in new workers due to large outflux of retirees. Wishing you the best of luck!
Had that happen once to me years ago---at the time, it was the bleakest of situations. Hung in there, and the opportunity I was hoping for came along. There will be an up side to this story---be sure to let us know when that happens.
The fire Department made me retire early. Got a job at the college teaching Fire/Life Safety class. Working 29.5 hour a week. making just as much money as I did at the fire department. Loving it and a lot of extra time on my hands. I was just like you when it happen. Did not sleep and was wondering how I was going to make it. So keep your head up something will come up. And I heard that you can collect longer then 6 month now. Good Luck
Thanks again everyone. Helps hearing everyones answers & stories. I am sure I will figure it out but like I said, right now I am a basket case. I finally ate last night for the first time since tuesday and had to force it down (not that is stayed down for long). I had an interview yesterday for delivering pizza and thought I was in because I had done for so long prior. The Mgr said they would call me yesterday afternoon to set up the next step but I did not hear anything. If I can just get something like that to at least keep some $$ in my pocket until something good comes along, I won't be as stressed. But if I don't calm down soon, my wife thinks I am going to have a heart attack. Going to a car show tonight with some friends so hopefully that will take my mind off of it.....Thanks again.
I have mentioned this before and since you noted that you had no savings to fall back on. Go to Daves site www.daveramsey.com He teaches folks how to live,prosper and save. Nothing hokey, just common sense living. Once the overhead is taken care of, the rest is gravy. It's life man, keep beating the crap out of those curveballs it throws at you!
A little over a year ago I lost my job. I was the provider with 2 little guys at home. I lost my new F250 and my house. These were the hardest times of my life. I keep my head up and changed my WHOLE lifestyle. Im now working at a job I love for 1/3 of the pay,but I like going in to work. I just keep telling myself this is the hardest time of life. It will get better,and it did. Just keep putting yourself out there and surround yourself with postive people. Nothing sucks more than people who bring you down when your already there.
50Delux, You lost your house and truck ? That must have been the worst. My fear is my debt....I have a LOT of it because when I moved into my house, we put quite a bit into it and now we are way upside down in the house and credit card debt up the wazoo. So, that is what I am so stressed about. Making the bills. My wife has a good job and she actually makes quite a bit more than me but it was tough before and now it looks like it is going to be worse.
Don't be afraid to negotiate with your creditors, So many people have gone BK lately that these guys have plans and options for you, they really do not want your house, your car, and the credit card guys are dying from people filing bankruptcy, see what they have to offer before you thin any resources to desperation.
Kerry, Wish you and your family all the best during this stressfull period. Like has been said there oportunities out there, so keep on plugging. If you are a veteran each county usually has a veteran's affairs office that can help you. Just don't give up just keep plugging away and trying.
Look in to wind turbines there all the rage here in Washington state . They advertise needing technicians on the radio and TV all the time. And you can drive the country side looking for old cars and cool stuff.I'm a cartpentor by trade so half the time I'm laid off its gave me alot off time to work on my cars but I've had to be resourceful like teach myself to gas weld and recycle sheet metal. Good luck man all is not lost
although i'm still working, i had some issues at the end of last year due to slow times, and got behind on some stuff. best thing i did was call my CC companies to see what could be done. long story short, i borrowed from my 401k and settled most of my CC debt for about 1/2 what i owed. down side of that was the 'un-paid' portion is credited to you as income for tax purposes, but it kept me from tanking altogether. lot of options lately for debt relief/management, don't be afraid to make that call. best of luck to you in finding work, and as said, one door closes, another seems to open for the better.
check into the 33% home loan reduction program the feds are offering....33% of your home loan just diapappears...gone....i am getting it all put together with the forms my home loan company sent me..ya that they sent to me..most of them don't want to foreclose, they don't want to sit on houses that they can't sell.... i am supposedly pre-qualified..should drop almost $300 off my mortgage... between a commision shop, where i make 2/3's less then i used to,,,and haveing my wives 2 sons staying here for...over a year..both work for $8 hour, in their 30's...and moving my mom in, stage 2 diabetes and alzheimers.. and i've had 100% disability for the past 12 years, but can't/won't sit down and collect it...not yet.. life can be a kick in the nuts... .. best of luck to ya....roll up and get kicked to the curb, or come out swingin....i know which way i'm rollin....
Just be careful on the loan reductions, there are some people at my work that applied for that, were told while it was processing to pay the lower amount, were denied, and now have to pay the remainder in a lump sum!
Lots of great advice and suggestions here, the place where I'm working treats us like crap, saying we are overpaid and underworked and so on and so on. Probably gonna go belly up before too much longer, so alot of the info on this thread and aheads up on whats probably going to happen, I'm going to seriously going to look at my options.
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