How bad is the economy..Let me tell you , page 5

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reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 01:22 PM by LittleBlackEagle

Originally posted by Jameliel
I'm not bragging, simply stating my credentials. I have a PhD in econ. and I work as a consultant in investor relations. The "economy" in this country is rigged. Plain, pure and simple. I'm not going to sit here and write another redundant essay explaining why. There are a group of people who plan certain actions to take in order to manipulate the costs of everything. They know the effect it will have, how long it will take, and they leverage it. One day these people will realize they aren't God and can never be God. Until that day, get used to this. It's only going to get worse since obviously we as a people aren't actually going to band together, pick up arms and take over. In order for that to happen, people would have to first stop being so ignorant. People are waking up a bit, but far too slow to affect major positive change in our lifetimes. We will see it get worse, but our children and grandchildren are the only ones with a real hope of still being around to see it get better. And most likely even they will not.

good post, it's always nice to see an educated person not bitten by the, "never tell them the economy is phucked so they keep spending moar money" crowd. i know how it is since i'm a business man and when my customers occasionally ask me what i think about our economy, i tell them the truth and they still continue with their service.

i'm not going to lie to my customers just so they keep buying my service, screw that i have to sleep at night. our economy is like a gigantic tree that has been cut down already, but will take a while to fall over.

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 01:25 PM by Isee1111

Originally posted by MrParanoid
People may be spending gobs and gobs of money, but do any of them really have it? Or is it all going on their credit cards to some day (soon) wind up in bankruptcy? Granted, we somehow allow our government to spend money in a similar fashion, but just because there's long lines and people "spending" doesn't mean everything's a-okay. Not when the average credit card debt is around $8,000 per person.

Holy cow. I don't know anyone with that much credit card debt, not for the last several years at least. People have paid down their debts, taken on less debt, saved more, and done a lot recently to be able to have more disposable income now. My family has lowered our living costs by almost 50% in the last 3 years. That's a ton of money, more than offsetting the loss in wages and jobs in the last 4 years.

It all about being smart and not holding on to things that you don't need costing you money you don't have.

edit on 3-12-2012 by Isee1111 because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 02:21 PM by nixie_nox

reply to post by Aisling

The Five and Under store saved me last xmas.

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 03:39 PM by dogstar23

Originally posted by Jeremiah65
reply to post by RocksFromSpace

Sorry to hear that bud. I am also in business but in a completely different field. From where I sit, I am seeing things look up in big ways and if I understand markets, it is only a matter of time until you will see it in the merchandise and retail ends...so don't give up hope just yet.

Jewelry and such are generally going to do much better when people feel more comfortable and have disposable income. For the last few years, the average person has been bombarded with negativity and because of that, they are holding on to their money.

But there are a couple positive indicators that the MSM doesn't talk much about.

The housing prices in most areas are starting to squeak up a little.

There are more help wanted ads. There is something like 3 million decent paying, unfilled jobs. They say it is because of skills and education, but people are starting to do things about that. If I understand correctly, trade school and tech school enrollment is up...this is a good thing.

The stock market continues to be good, bobbling at or near the highest levels ever.

The GDP is still growing in a positive direction at +2%. That is not where we would like to see it, but it is far-far better than retraction.

Interest rates are still very low. If you have the credit rating, now is the time to borrow capitol for any start up businesses or expansions. It won't stay this low if the economy suddenly springs to life in the first quarter of 2013...as many think it will.

Just a few things. Don't be hard on yourself and don't give in to despair. You made it through the dark night and dawn is coming...hang in there!

Great post Jeremiah - it's true, the OPs businesses is especially sensitive to the economy. I would say it's not a good indicator of a "bad" economy, but an indicator that an economy isn't "great." Savings rates are higher than they've been in decades, and consumer debt continues to fall. In all reality, the economy is ready to "pop" (in a good way.) It's really just waiting on all of this tied up cash to be put to use, and for consumer confidence to rise.

People who have money have been sitting on it. A favorite example of mine is that during the 90's, you would buy a new dishwasher, because yours is loud, or simply because you've had your eye on this great new one and felt it was about time to upgrade. Now, if you have a loud dishwasher that will only clean pre-washed dishes, you just deal with it. Sure, you could pull the $500 out of the bank and buy one, but you're worried because so many people have lost jobs these past few years. That $500 could get you through a few more days, should you lose your job. That's the situation out there, and what that means is...

There's a lot of cash sitting around, and a lot of loud dishwashers (proverbial loud dishwashers, that is!) When people feel better about what's happening out there, they're going to buy that long-awaited dishwasher. When they start doing that, the appliance stores are going to need more cashiers, more salespeople, more stockers, more installers. When people fill those positions, those people are going to start buying more things too. Domino effect: It brought us down, it will bring us back up.

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 03:45 PM by LittleBlackEagle

reply to post by dogstar23

all i want for christmas is the truth and your post is as far from it as anything can be, here, go learn some things and come back with a report on just how clueless you and others like you have become.

ALL I WANT FOR CHRISTMAS IS THE TRUTH

www.theburningplatform.com...

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 04:07 PM by Jeremiah65

reply to post by LittleBlackEagle

Ah...the truth...I believe that is in the philosophy section...I'll bite...

You want the truth?…OK…I’ll tell you what you want to hear.

The economy is terrible…it’s in shambles. There is a monster roaming the countryside, devouring your precious assets. He’s coming and he’s going to “getya”

You should liquidate all your holdings…for whatever you can get for them and buy gold. You can take that gold into a bunker with you while you wait for the monster to retreat to slumber in 4 years.

While you do that, I think I’ll facilitate the bunker dwellers (for a price of course). I’ll run circles around the monster while I deliver bread, goods and services to all the bunker dwellers. Maybe I’ll have to throw a piece of a loaf to the monster every now and then to get him off my trail…but that’s ok. I’m going to make a lot more loafs than the bunker dwellers can eat or the monster can get. My risk taking will be rewarded with lots and lots of bread.

When the bunker dwellers come out into the sunshine, their gold trinkets will likely not be worth what it was when they were all panicking…and those of us who chose to take risks now will be so far ahead of you that you will never see us again…well maybe our taillights…

edit on 12/3/2012 by Jeremiah65 because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 04:38 PM by LittleBlackEagle

reply to post by Jeremiah65

cool story bro! i'll keep my assets though, since they'll be the only thing worth anything when Benny Boy is done waxing your chain.

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 04:52 PM by Jeremiah65

reply to post by LittleBlackEagle

Yes it is a cool story! I was rather pleased at the cleverness!

Look man...I said back in earlier posts...I can only speak for what I see and hear around the area I live in. I do not trust a damn thing the MSM or the Gov releases about our "current state of affairs"...it's all bunk...it's all twisted data. It completely depends on where you choose to be fed that day.

I choose to make choices or take risks on what I personally experience. I live in north western Virginia...I do not care what is happening in Las Vegas. Has little or no effect on my life.

I can understand where some folks are coming from. Their areas aren't so great so they want to bash at me cause my area is doing ok. Fine...bash away. My point to the OP was not to give up hope and throw in the towel. His particular line of business is going to be one of the last to make a recovery...that is not being harsh or critical of his choices...it's just what it is.

I see lots of reasons to be optimistic...and No...I am absolutely not an Obama supporter. I voted for Gary Johnson...but the indicators I see has nothing to so with what puppet is in the White House...I'll tell you why.

Back in the end of 07 and beginning of 08 when the shiz hit the fan

The real experts...you know...unaffiliated economists... said that it was going to take anywhere from 8 to 10 possibly even 12 years to recover as the collapse was really "that bad". I knew whoever got elected in 08 wasn't going to do crap...only time and sweat heals these things. I believe time is on our side...it is going to slowly crawl out of the pit and get better...for the here and now.

This does NOT address the financial, economical and budgetary issues on a national level further down the road...that is still a big problem. However...I am fine with the fiscal cliff...the deficit must be cut drastically if not eliminated. We cannot have it both ways. Either we want to address the debt and the deficit or we all want our favorite pet programs to continue...bot ways are a paradox and will not work.

edit on 12/3/2012 by Jeremiah65 because: (no reason given)

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 05:04 PM by Isee1111

Originally posted by LittleBlackEagle
reply to post by Jeremiah65

cool story bro! i'll keep my assets though, since they'll be the only thing worth anything when Benny Boy is done waxing your chain.

You do realize monetary easing has been used successfully and scaled back successfully before? You must have also noticed the lack of runaway inflation like the doomsayers in 2009 predicted would happen in less than 4 years... Sure, there's some inflation, it's unavoidable with easing, but nothing like what was foretold.

People in the 70's talked like they talk now, only to be left waiting around for what they thought was assured economic meltdown. Never happened. As far as precious metals, it seems like another generation is being taken for a ride on the gold train. The rush to sell physical gold when the economy shows clear signs of taking off is going to be crazy.

On the other hand. For arguments sake, if the economy collapses and society is in chaos, what will you do with your gold? Eat it when supplies run low? Nobody in their right mind would take a worthless heavy chunk of metal in exchange for supplies that will save their own life down the line. Do you think there's going to be trading caravans going from town to town? Get real. Just masses of people all wanting food, water, shelter, and safety. Or there will be a whole lot of dead people and the few remaining won't need your gold either. Gold doesn't do anything for you unless there's a society in place with people that know they can use the gold to buy something later.

If the U.S. dollar goes down, society will have already gone down with it. They are inseparable at this point.

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 05:46 PM by LittleBlackEagle

reply to post by Isee1111

i don't have gold, or very little maybe an ounce laying around, what i have is what can be had, stuff. i try to buy ahead on most things where possible, like 20 tones of coal which will heat my house for about 7 years at today's prices. usable goods are always the best to have around if you have the means.

you, like several others i have read, cannot seem to see past the symptoms to the disease, that's a shame and perhaps one day you will understand that.

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 06:12 PM by Isee1111

Originally posted by LittleBlackEagle
reply to post by Isee1111

i don't have gold, or very little maybe an ounce laying around, what i have is what can be had, stuff. i try to buy ahead on most things where possible, like 20 tones of coal which will heat my house for about 7 years at today's prices. usable goods are always the best to have around if you have the means.

you, like several others i have read, cannot seem to see past the symptoms to the disease, that's a shame and perhaps one day you will understand that.

Sorry for my assumption.

Oh I know the disease is the monetary system itself.

But it's the system in place, and it will stay in place until there's a better system. Or until there is no system. Knowing that helps me use the system, but I know the system is fatally flawed and will probably end or be replaced. Exiting a system I can manipulate is not in my best interests until I'm forced to, but I can make preparations while within the system for any eventualities.

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 06:20 PM by LittleBlackEagle

Originally posted by Isee1111

Originally posted by LittleBlackEagle
reply to post by Isee1111

i don't have gold, or very little maybe an ounce laying around, what i have is what can be had, stuff. i try to buy ahead on most things where possible, like 20 tones of coal which will heat my house for about 7 years at today's prices. usable goods are always the best to have around if you have the means.

you, like several others i have read, cannot seem to see past the symptoms to the disease, that's a shame and perhaps one day you will understand that.

Sorry for my assumption.

Oh I know the disease is the monetary system itself.

But it's the system in place, and it will stay in place until there's a better system. Or until there is no system. Knowing that helps me use the system, but I know the system is fatally flawed and will probably end or be replaced. Exiting a system I can manipulate is not in my best interests until I'm forced to, but I can make preparations while within the system for any eventualities.

accepted, it's all good, to use a now old cliche'.

sounds like i assumed as well, sorry also for that. you seem to have a good grasp of what's ahead and i think it's an equally good strategy you have there.

i just get tired of hearing people say everything will be fine and we have been through this before because although i think everything will be fine, i also know it's going to get real bad before that comes and no we haven't been through this before.

reply posted on 3-12-2012 @ 06:38 PM by Isee1111

reply to post by LittleBlackEagle

Agreed. We might have a long way to go though. My 65 year old mother keeps reminding me that my grandmother lived through the depression. From her stories we haven't even begun to have real problems yet.

reply posted on 4-12-2012 @ 09:43 PM by 1loserel2

reply to post by RocksFromSpace

Sorry about the business. It coud be worse. my friend has a little less than $165 to live on after paying the monthly bills. Unfortunate that I can't help in return, either.

The economy only looks good if you look at it the way they spin it. Too bad none of those clowns would come down here at this level and see it through our eyes .