Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

I am much better but DH is much worse so in total we are much worse than we were 4 yrs ago because we need both incomes. However, It started from DH making a poor choice getting a new job back in 2010. We knew we were taking a risk and unfortunately it did not go in our favor. Since that job did not workout, finding a new job in this economy has been rough for DH. It is starting to take a toll on him now....

Message edited 9/28/2012 8:24:02 AM.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

I would say better.

I basically got to "create" my position at work over the past year or so to something that is a great fit and that I enjoy much more than what I was doing previously, and I am also making more money as a result.

DH is self-employed and is consistently bringing in money. Not like several years ago where we had to drain our savings to pay our mortgage.

We bought our home right before the bubble burst, so I would say we owe more than it's worth right now, however, we have no plans to go anywhere in the near future, so I am hopeful things will turn around in the real estate market, at least enough for us to even break even if we do decide to sell.

At that point I would hope to move off costly Long Island anyways, where I feel like it's a struggle for MOST.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Financially, a bit worse, but ONLY because we have HUGE daycare/school tuition costs. This is our choice though, since we chose to send our son to a very expensive (yet excellent) preschool. Plus the cost of daycare for my little girl... Puts a huige burden on us.

Other than that, on the whole.. just about the same. Slash out the tution /daycare costs, we would actually be living very very good.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better. DH and I both have good-paying careers, health insurance, stability, etc. We are in the process of buying our first home which, 4 years ago, I never thought would happen. We are much happier and more comfortable, but 4 years ago we were only 24, so at 24, sometimes you don't have your shit completely together

Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Much better but that has nothing to do with Obama.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

depends on how you look at it

4 years ago, we were just about to be married, had no children, no mortgage and were making the same income. we were doing WELL, banking money left and right.

since then, 2 houses later, 1 child and 1 on the way, mortgage, daycare, bills galore. still doing well but not as comfy. i wouldnt change it for the world.

ETA - nothing to do with the current president. luckily, we were not really impacted by the current or past econ conditions.

Message edited 9/28/2012 9:10:50 AM.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better. Both employed, my condo is rented, started living a bit differently and being mnore frugal and smarter with money.

I think the "crash" taught us a lesson. We saved, didn't spend and paid off debt.

Maybe it was a realty check for a lot of people.

Also, better because through HARP I was able to refinance my home and save close to $450 a month which helped me pay off debt.

I have not received a raise and neither has DH but we are definitely better off financially. DH is making commissions again

We are more aligned with our financial goals, we are in good health and have company subsidized health insurance which is fine.

It could all go away so the precautions we have taken over the last 4 years have helped us be less nervous about our financial future even though we will soon help support both sets of parents.

We have many many expenses coming up but we've grown up and learned from past mistakes.

I'm also reassured about the health care initiatives and I hope they remain because it will help many many people stay out of poverty because one illness can put you there. I have a chronic illness than costs about $60k a year just in meds. That would quickly hurt us if we didn't have insurance.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Probably worse, but it's hard to say since in some aspects, we are much better. But I think the negatives outweigh the positives.

In the past 4 years, both DH and I had some major medical issues, taking a bit of a hit on us financially, we had another baby and I am not working now as much as I used too. Things that we used to have with little to no cost, we now foot the bill for (gas, auto insurance, medical insurance!!).... At the same time, we are still able to send our kids to a private school and enjoy family things, but its just not like it used to be.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Oh, I never thought of this, good question.

MUCH better. 4 years ago, i had just gotten laid off, DH's job had taken a 15% cut.

now? both employed, both making better money and currently looking for a house :)

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

we are better

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

I know a lot of people who are better off or about the same. If all Romney has to offer is the cliched "are you better off" question, he is in big trouble.

Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Much much better for sure!

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

About the same.
DH and I are still in our same jobs and we have gotten wage increases, not outstanding ones, but at least to help out with the increasing costs of daily life.
We do have more debt (a little to much spending.)
Our contributions towards health care have increased a bit.
Now we are at the stage of our lives that we are gearing towards retirement.
DH has 7 years to (early) retirement when he'll be able to begin drawing his pension, and I plan on 16, 14 if I can swing it.
My 401k took a huge hit during the financial crisis, but it rebounded nicely and I've increased my contribution percentage.
It's time for us to start thinking about long term care.

My biggest worry about the future is social security and medicare, not only for myself but for our dads. I see what's going on for them now and I really don't see it getting better.
I don't even want to think about paying into SS for all these years (28!) and not getting anything out of it.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

We are much better off financially, but I think that's because we're more established...and lucky In both of our fields, job security has declined.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Worse. Much worse. BUT we've also had 2 kids and bought a house in those 4 years. We are struggling.

Our house is worth less than when we bought (and we bought low and put work into it!), I haven't gotten a raise in 3 years, food costs are higher, oil prices are higher, my taxes have gone up dramatically.

It sucks.

Message edited 9/28/2012 11:36:17 AM.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

We're actually a little bit worse. Yes, we own a home now (bought it in late 2009) and we both still have our same jobs and have even gotten raises.

However, our cost of living has increased DRAMATICALLY! Our utilities (gas, heating oil, electric) costs have almost doubled. Food prices are through the roof. In 3 years our real estate taxes have increased by over $3,000.

We bought our house in late 2009 when the experts said "it's a great time to buy, the market is at it's lowest ever" - well 3 years later the house across the street from us is listed at $40,000 less than we paid for ours and it's bigger and newer.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Message edited 9/28/2012 11:49:14 AM.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

im glad to see that the majority are doing better. 2 years ago, i think the percentages would have been flipped.

for those who are in the "worse" or "much worse" category ... i hope things start to look better soon!

Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better. We own a house, now.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Better. My husband was laid off several times around the time Lehman fell. I remember being on the train to NJ for work and seeing some guy on the train calling his wife to tell her he'd been laid off. I think this was Nov/Dec '08. I knew my hubby had a meeting with his boss that day and I just got a bad feeling and he got laid off that same day. He had a hard time finding another job because he had pretty much always worked on Wall St. or with firms who worked heavily with Wall St. It was brutal. My company started laying people off like crazy shortly after that. In a span of 3 years i think I survived 5 rounds of layoffs. It was brutal. in 2009 and 2010 those who stayed around didn't get any raises.

Now, at my job we're getting small raises, business is going pretty well. it's not so super amazing, but the company is profitable and posting growth most of the time.

My hubby got a job in 2009 and left it for a higher-paying job in 2011. In 2011 he had several offers to choose from all very good jobs.

I would say we are DEFINITELY better off than we were.

That having been said, i think it's hard to judge a president based on this because 2008 was one of the worst recessions in history. On one hand I feel like we'd HAVE to be doing better than that, and on the other hand i don't think we can expect to have recovered so quickly and for the economy to just be taking off at this point, so I take a measured view of it all.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Worst.

4 years ago we lived in a cheap apartment that included everything, we had just DS1, our car was in great shape. We were doing ok. Not rolling in it but doing ok.


Now we don't have health ins. due to the rising cost of it. Thankfully our DS do have it.

We are paying way more in rent than 4 years ago plus utilities. Our car is crap. We had DS2(who we love and do not regret having) but it is harder now. DH overtime hours were cut. It was a huge loss.

Things are harder but we are stronger. We will rise. We have too.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

I think I’m personally the same or a little better. However, the economy affects my clients greatly, and I deal with what they’re making/budgeting etc, and the MOOD overall is still not better. I feel people are DOING better, most of my clients are doing BETTER but the mood is still negative & it’s frustrating because they are doing better, I get the general sense of negativity and it stresses me out a lot.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

Much better! Dh works in real estate so obviously things have improved a lot from 4 years ago.

Re: Are you better or worse than 4 years ago

worse. my work has slowed down and I am fearful of layoffs.....my home has lost alot of equity as well.