Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

I am watching SNL and in one of their jokes was "obama" asking people if they are better than 4 years ago and it actually make ask the question to a real community. Economical and/or job wise are you better or worse?

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

we are MUCH better.
4 years ago I was working w/ my dad.. now i own my own business going into our 2nd year and doing well.

For my husband he is in a much better job, but he was unemployed for about 6 months about 3 years ago before he found it.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

as a whole, better, but that's bc of my husband

as an individual, worse..although i'm in education-4 years ago i was in an internship, and now i'm at a slashed private teaching job

Message edited 9/27/2012 8:27:00 PM.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Financially we're probably a little worse but that has to do more with our spending than anything else.

But in terms of the gloom & doom prospect that felt very real 4 years ago, much better. I remember people talking about stocking up on food & predicting the Depression.

I also know at work, things are definitely looking up. We're on a hiring frenzy for computer programmers & our business is doing very well. Four years ago, I was preparing severance agreements for a large number of employees. I remember laying off people, the reduction in work force we had to do numerous times. The employees breaking down,crying about how they were going to pay their mortgage, how could they afford COBRA on unemployment. I was worried for them, for their safety, for their family's safety. It occurred to me more than once that I needed to take precautions at work because of having to terminate people.

People have forgotten the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act (2010), which gave incentives to business to hire someone unemployed for more than 60 days. The stimulus package in 2009 gave people a 65% reduced COBRA payment. Without those, I can't imagine what would have happened. It was the only solace I had to offer them. Even employees that got 12 weeks pay, it wasn't nearly enough to get them through. I'm so grateful that this healthcare initiative passed. The number one concern of every employee I laid off was how they were going to afford COBRA. Now at least it will open up more options for them. For my friends with children that had medical conditions that made them completely uninsurable, it's life changing.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Four years ago I was still in college and making virtually no money.

DH was in his first year of his job, and he is now making just about double of what he was then.

Message edited 9/27/2012 8:40:01 PM.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better but not because of the government. Our actions leading up to the past four years have put us in a position that is better. We have always busted our arses & been very frugal.

The only credit I can give our government is the economic shambles my clients (small business owners)are in has increased their need to hire my firm, so my business has improved.

However DH & I both have to work much harder/longer hours/take on more responsibility in our fields to see even minimal growth at this point and the burdens put on small business owners are unreal. I don't see how anyone thinks its going to get better if things continue this way

Message edited 9/27/2012 8:41:03 PM.

Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

About the same. I am in education so I have gotten raises as per my contract. Although I am worked harder than I was 4 yrs ago bc there were 3 people in my department and now 2 of us do a job that is meant for 3 or more...

DH is about the same, make a little more, which is actually very good for his industry considering the climate many others have lost their jobs or taken huge pay cuts so we are fortunate in that regard.

Message edited 9/27/2012 9:05:07 PM.

Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better!! DH now has a stable job where before he was bouncing around to different places and unemployed for long stretches. We now own a home, something I never thought would happen, at least this quickly.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better. I have a new job making more money, closer to home AND they partially reimburse for daycare. My husband has been promoted and is making much more money as well. The only part that is not better off is that we are upside down on our mortgage and owe a lot more than it is now worth. So we are stuck in our starter home and bursting at the seems with no end in sight to that. Overall though, we are better off.

Message edited 9/27/2012 8:57:57 PM.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

I'd say about the same. I had a job but now I don't. That being said, DH makes more money now, so we are pretty much in exactly the same place

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

DH has only now started to recover his old salary from 2008. He has two stints of unemployment having nothing to do with his job performance. Because he is in sales and there is a lag he is only now almost at his old salary. However, he now has to commute into the city, his day is much longer and we have increased costs due to his commute. LIRR ticket and extended care for two kids.

I am in education so it's hitting us now and hitting us hard. Not just salary, working conditions and the new assessments will ruin the teaching profession and education in general for a long time to come. It's not like the business world, we lag and then when we are hit we are stuck for a long time even when and if the rest of the country recovers.

So overall, we are just the same if not worse.
We don't make the returns on the investments we used to. Our home value is down. Our retirement accounts are down. So considering all variables, I'd say worse, given the entire picture. Day to day, same.

Message edited 9/27/2012 9:09:20 PM.

Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Definitely better

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

I would have to say worse.

4 years ago we were banking alot of money for a down payment on a house.

Now we own a house, still own my co op, have 2 kids and another on the way and not saving much at all.

Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

I would say worse. My husband has not seen a substantial raise in almost 10 years, though his health insurance is free (but it sucks). I will have only had 1% raises for the past 3 years and I am now in a longevity block so I will not see a raise for 5 years, So when all is said and done it will be 15 years before see anything of substance,

Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

I would say worse. My husband has not seen a substantial raise in almost 10 years, though his health insurance is free (but it sucks). I will have only had 1% raises for the past 3 years and I am now in a longevity block so I will not see a raise for 5 years, So when all is said and done it will be 15 years before see anything of substance,

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better but surely not because of anything Obama did.

Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better...same jobs, both of us have gotten almost yearly raises.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better. Much much better!!!

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better. DH's family owns a small business that is doing really well. I have a job that is still giving raises - albeit small ones. We are comfortable and not struggling, and 4 years ago I was in school and DH's family business was going through a rough patch.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Worse - My DH lost his job more than two years ago and STILL only works part time because although he finally found a good job its taking FOREVER for them to hire him full time. I JUST finally got hired full time after contracting for a few months and being laid off before that. But of course we are just now getting caught up on the mortgage we were not able to pay because unemployment just wouldn't cut it. Although things are definitely looking up from 2 years ago they are much worse than 4 years ago.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Honestly, we are much, much, much better now than four years ago thank god. Now if the housing market would turn around so we have some equity in our home, things would be extra good!!

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

In the past two years, I have completed two fully-funded masters degrees and started my first full-time teaching job. I just got my masters +30 increase in the beginning of my second year.

4 years ago, I was starting graduate school, so I was broke as a joke, substitute teaching at a Catholic school and waitressing at night.

So yes, things are much better.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Much much better but it has nothing to do with the economy, and everything to do with DH's job.

Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

The same or maybe a little better. My DH is making more but I took a pay cut to stay home more with our LO.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

I would say a little worse, but that's mainly bc we had DD and now have to pay daycare.