Being a small business owner, the state of economy both interests and worries me. I certainly don’t know all the terminology and don’t claim to know everything about the economy. But I do see it plummeting. Some say we are in a recession. I don’t think we’ve even seen it yet. And in my opinion, it’s only going to get worse. And summers are bad. Summer has always been a bad part of the year for me with slower business. However, as I am entering summer, I don’t have as bad of a feeling as I usually do for myself. But I am not seeing booming business either. I think it was stay pretty level throughout the summer for me. For others however, not so well. I have several customers who appear to be on the edge of bankruptcy… scrambling for a way to make it to the next month. Now and then, I have been like that, and it’s hard. But my revenue numbers aren’t near what theirs are. It makes me wonder how some people even make it when their monthly bills are in the thousands or tens of thousands. I have a bad feeling that a lot of businesses will be closing up this year. Gas prices are certainly not helping. My tank fill up in my truck is now $70. Two to three times a week. When I first got my truck, it was about $40 to fill it. Prices are rising, from food to clothing to housing. I can see a lot of families just making it. Thankfully, I have done a lot this year to keep costs down. My electric bill is extremely low, and can be made even lower (although, with summer coming, it will be harder). I have a second vehicle that gets better mileage than my truck. I have changed certain eating habits. I am learning how to not need the latest and greatest and not be so extravagant.
I pray that I am wrong, and that things will get better… but I don’t know. I’d like to think more positively, but I don’t get that feeling.
How do you feel about the economy? What have you seen?
I still see people driving fast as they can to the next red light, cutting their grass when it gets over an inch long with $4.00 gas, driving to play golf or go to watch sports, buy lottery tickets,sit in line at drive-up windows. It doesn’t end. It won’t till a real depression which will cull the herd. Those that survive will be those that adapt to change willingly. The election will not help this year because whoever wins will not be by popular vote. Sadly the biggest hope will a major disaster which will start the next boom.
I do remember the depression in the 30’s it was bad. I’m hoping things will get better, but i doubt it.
my business will pick up with all the attempted suicides, chest pains, drinking binges and maybe even gunshot wounds from people shooting each other. But I don’t see that happening anytime soon…people love to spend…I’m one of them.
I suppose it’s fortunate that we’ve been adding more economically robust customers to our client base, recently.
I know YOU love to spend!! But now what if all those people didn’t have money to spend?
If you don’t fill your mind with worries about the economy, it won’t bother you! Live the carefree life like me.
thats a great comment Amber and I wish it were that easy but it’s harder to live the carefree life if you have bills to pay. Unless of course ya just forget about the bills and live in a tent. But just the same…Ambers right…ya can’t WORRY about it. Jay could always come live with us Amber, that would be cool.
Or you could do what the guy in “Into the Wild” did, cut up your credit cards, burn your money, live day to day, and eventually move up to Alaska to live in the wilderness.
The biggest thing I’ve seen is the job situation. Even if I wanted a different job it would be very difficult to find one and I would prob have to get two, just to make ends meet.
The great thing about Florida is there aren’t really seasons of great fluctuation due to tourism. We are the season. Though you may see things slow a little, no industry (that I can think of) completely stops or shuts down as I have seen in other states.
Also, a one (middle) income family nowadays is pretty impossible. It’s usually the husband who works, but the wife at least has a part-time job or does partylite or pampered chef. Work at Home Mom’s are replacing Stay at Home Mom’s. This may be due to living above their means or the fact that housing and gas prices are astronomical.
A lot of families live on credit to extend that income, so they don’t feel the recession we might be in. If ends don’t meet, they just put it on the credit card. Delaying the inevitable for instant gratification. The economy (I think) feels like a runaway train at the moment, it’s a thrilling ride, but pretty soon the train will crash and someone will have to clean up the mess.
I’m wondering if changing president’s will change anything.