Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployment

Discussions about our lives, families, jobs... things may get a little personal
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mekender
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Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployment

Post by mekender »

First of all, I have been hesitant to post this because the matter with Precision and his wife is far more important in my opinion... And it has actually been helping me stay sane a little bit by realizing that my situation could be worse.

So last Monday, I was informed that my contract would be ending early... About 3 weeks ago, the technology that I was hired to implement turned out to be impossible to actually implement. So in a shift of direction, we had to move to a different technology, one that I am far from being an expert in. Unfortunately it would require many months if not a couple of years for me to ramp up to the level of expertise they need. So my job is done... I have nothing to do, I have had nothing to do for weeks now. Thankfully they were willing to give me 2 weeks and I have been able to spend the last 2 weeks getting paid to look for a job.

The bad thing is, nothing new has come along. And if we judge by past results, it will likely be 3 to 6 months before something else comes along. Which leaves me completely screwed... My paycheck today covers my rent for this month... My next one pays most of my bills. After that, I have nothing. Oh well, I do qualify for unemployment, the maximum is $350 a week which would not even cover my rent let alone other expenses. But I do not qualify for the max, you see, they calculate your benefit based on an average salary from your last 5 working quarters. Which means that I qualify for a whopping $61 a week... So yea, that plus food stamps means I am in a hell of a bind.

I posted a few weeks ago about my trying to start a business selling stuff online and that has actually progressed way better than I expected... In 3 weeks, I have gotten $1500 in sales at a profit of about $600 or so. The level of growth I have seen is amazing and if I were able to keep throwing money into growing it, I know for sure that I would be very successful with it. But, that would require a continued investment and spending far more money than I have... it looks like anything I am able to gain from it will have to go to paying bills. I basically ran out of time to implement it.

So yea, the whole thing sucks... I am so completely fed up with the entire concept of being an employee and relying on the good graces of someone else to ensure that me and my family can pay the bills and have a house to live in.

But on the bright side, a new, really modern and high tech gun range and shop is opening in town, the retail manager is a buddy and I just applied as an instructor... So that may be a new path for me to follow.
“I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democrat Party has adopted our platform.” - Norman Thomas, a six time candidate for president for the Socialist Party, 1944
Precision
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Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:01 pm

Re: Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployme

Post by Precision »

sure seems like a few of the members of this forum are hitting a bit of a bad spot.

I guess with there being 400 of us, that is to be expected, but it still sucks. My situation with my wife is only bigger because it is happening to me / us. Each person has their own cross to bear and it is said of that cross, that it is nothing you aren't capable of handling. It is my sincere hope that this is just one more example of the dross in life making way for the good that is coming.

Being a shooting instructor is not a bad job. It should be fun, wear your eyes and ears and keep an eye out for the one bullet rental people. lol
"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~Thomas Jefferson
My little part of the blogosphere. http://blogletitburn.wordpress.com/
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Yogimus
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Re: Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployme

Post by Yogimus »

Instruct from behind
BDK
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Re: Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployme

Post by BDK »

This, and I honestly would wear w vest if I was instructing professionally - and probably see if I could get the range to spring for vests for class attendees (I would think the insurance company might "pay" for them.)
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Weetabix
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Re: Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployme

Post by Weetabix »

mekender wrote:I posted a few weeks ago about my trying to start a business selling stuff online and that has actually progressed way better than I expected... In 3 weeks, I have gotten $1500 in sales at a profit of about $600 or so. The level of growth I have seen is amazing and if I were able to keep throwing money into growing it, I know for sure that I would be very successful with it. But, that would require a continued investment and spending far more money than I have... it looks like anything I am able to gain from it will have to go to paying bills. I basically ran out of time to implement it.
Is it good enough to borrow money to do? I generally don't like the idea of borrowing, but if an ideas is good enough and will cover the costs, there's no need to starve it at the beginning. Check out this article on peer to peer lending. I'm not an investor in it, but it sounds interesting.
Note to self: start reading sig lines. They're actually quite amusing. :D
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blackeagle603
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Re: Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployme

Post by blackeagle603 »

Keep looking for work. Any work. Work isn't just income, working is contacts, people, health for mind and soul and new things learned.

Keep that online business going & growing if you can. Check out Prosper and Lending Club for ways to capitalize it better. I'm on the other side of that and have money invested at Lending Club.

Learn what works for the time spent and adapt. I have a friend who had to quit working his dealer autobody shop gig due to medical issues. He wound up making better money selling motorcycle salvage and autobody parts on eBay.
"The Guncounter: More fun than a barrel of tattooed knife-fighting chain-smoking monkey butlers with drinking problems and excessive gambling debts!"

"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic;" Justice Story
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mekender
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Re: Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployme

Post by mekender »

Weetabix wrote:
mekender wrote:I posted a few weeks ago about my trying to start a business selling stuff online and that has actually progressed way better than I expected... In 3 weeks, I have gotten $1500 in sales at a profit of about $600 or so. The level of growth I have seen is amazing and if I were able to keep throwing money into growing it, I know for sure that I would be very successful with it. But, that would require a continued investment and spending far more money than I have... it looks like anything I am able to gain from it will have to go to paying bills. I basically ran out of time to implement it.
Is it good enough to borrow money to do? I generally don't like the idea of borrowing, but if an ideas is good enough and will cover the costs, there's no need to starve it at the beginning. Check out this article on peer to peer lending. I'm not an investor in it, but it sounds interesting.
It is good enough that borrowing even $10k or more right now would be great... With Q4 in full swing, toys alone would triple that investment. I know guys that are selling $1k a day and spending $1k a day in new inventory and are probably going to hit $60k+ in sales by Jan 1.

The likelihood of me getting a loan, zero... I have a huge amount of debt due to student loans, which this whole thing was going to be to try to get paid off.
“I no longer need to run as a Presidential Candidate for the Socialist Party. The Democrat Party has adopted our platform.” - Norman Thomas, a six time candidate for president for the Socialist Party, 1944
Precision
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Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 6:01 pm

Re: Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployme

Post by Precision »

mekender wrote:
Weetabix wrote:
mekender wrote:I posted a few weeks ago about my trying to start a business selling stuff online and that has actually progressed way better than I expected... In 3 weeks, I have gotten $1500 in sales at a profit of about $600 or so. The level of growth I have seen is amazing and if I were able to keep throwing money into growing it, I know for sure that I would be very successful with it. But, that would require a continued investment and spending far more money than I have... it looks like anything I am able to gain from it will have to go to paying bills. I basically ran out of time to implement it.
Is it good enough to borrow money to do? I generally don't like the idea of borrowing, but if an ideas is good enough and will cover the costs, there's no need to starve it at the beginning. Check out this article on peer to peer lending. I'm not an investor in it, but it sounds interesting.
It is good enough that borrowing even $10k or more right now would be great... With Q4 in full swing, toys alone would triple that investment. I know guys that are selling $1k a day and spending $1k a day in new inventory and are probably going to hit $60k+ in sales by Jan 1.

The likelihood of me getting a loan, zero... I have a huge amount of debt due to student loans, which this whole thing was going to be to try to get paid off.
not saying it will work, but peer to peer lending is not about credit rating or current debt load. Might be worth a look.
"Those who hammer their guns into plows will plow for those who do not." ~Thomas Jefferson
My little part of the blogosphere. http://blogletitburn.wordpress.com/
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blackeagle603
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Joined: Tue Aug 19, 2008 4:13 am

Re: Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployme

Post by blackeagle603 »

yep, I've got a bunch of notes at 25% APR out. Figure with default for the borrower profile they'll net out around 11-12%.
"The Guncounter: More fun than a barrel of tattooed knife-fighting chain-smoking monkey butlers with drinking problems and excessive gambling debts!"

"The right of the citizens to keep and bear arms has justly been considered, as the palladium of the liberties of a republic;" Justice Story
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Frankingun
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Re: Sigh... Another trip on the roller coaster of unemployme

Post by Frankingun »

Mek,

Could you outline your area of expertise again?
Buy ammunition and magazines.

You'll shoot your eye out!

Another blog.
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