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For an area with such high unemployment and low pay, there certainly are a lot of unemployed people with large wallets or infinite credit!
Here is what I'm talking about. A few years ago I noticed there are a lot of people around here who apparently do not work, yet are out driving around in their expensive cars, spending money like there's no tomorrow. Whenever I would take a day off in the middle of the week, I've noticed the traffic does not die down too much after morning rush hour. Stores and malls are quite crowded during normal work hours around here. And who are these people? Is it all elderly retirees living out their golden years? Nope. They represent maybe 10% but the rest are younger people, some middle aged but most in their 30s. They're not driving company vehicles. They're not dressed for work. And it would be an enormous statistical anomaly that they all work off hours (at night/graveyard shifts)!
I've noticed a LOT of fairly expensive cars around here too, from $60k-$100k+. Upscale and mid-priced restaurants are packed every night. Yet we are supposedly in a recession, this area is virtually jobless, and the few that do exist are low paying. (Actually, we've been in a depression for over a year now, but that's another story). Meanwhile, the high end BMWs, Mercedes, Porsche Cayennes, and Ferraris roll by. Yes, I see a lot of Ferraris around here.
Are most people around here selling drugs to make ends meet?! I know there's a lot of fraudulent businesses constantly being started around here. Are they starting businesses, buying everything on company credit, then after a while taking all the money and running? I really don't get it.
This is not some new trend I've seen, I've noticed it for a few years now and only seems to be growing. Surely I am not the only one who has noticed these things!
Location: Where ever you're at, that's where you are!
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I would venture to guess that it would be a mixture of all of the above circumstances. Isn't the Tampa Bay area flourishing in the medical fields due to the ageing population of the retirees? You would have alot of the people in the higher end of the medical field that would be in the higher income bracket, driving newer vehicles, spending more money at stores and restaurants. Their spouses and possibly older children might be out and about during the daytime if they did not work.
You might have business owners or corporate execs in the same circumstances.
Add in the retirees and visitors or tourists from out of town, state or country. It will suprise you how many people are not affected by the recession and the downturn of the economy. I currently live in an area of Virginia where I too asked the same questions when I first got here. I wondered if anybody worked during the day time because of how many people were out and about yet seemed to have plenty of money.
Funny you should mention that OP.... I have noticed that before...an example I went a got a haircut last Thursday around 10am...there were much younger guys in there with cell phones, nice cars...dressed in shorts....why is no one working???
I was proably the oldest one there...lol...but it was crowded..and a couple of them stepped outside to take calls....when I left I made note of the cars and they were all nice...
I have said to my wife a few times over the last two years how come you see so many people in their 20's and 30's who don't seem to be working out and about during the day.
They're not dressed in business casual, they're not in uniforms or scrubs..they don't appear to be working.
And none of the people in this barber shop were well educated professional types either, or trust fund kids....lol...more the type you would see working fast food.
How can you judge a book by its cover? There are a lot of people who have a day off during the week because they work weekends. There are a lot of people who work evenings and nights.
There are a lot of people who are independently wealthy due to good fortune and inheritances.
I dont see how you could tell that none of the people in the barber shop were well educated or professional types.
How can you judge a book by its cover? There are a lot of people who have a day off during the week because they work weekends. There are a lot of people who work evenings and nights.
There are a lot of people who are independently wealthy due to good fortune and inheritances.
I dont see how you could tell that none of the people in the barber shop were well educated or professional types.
Dont forget us people that work from home...during the week in the middle of the day is when I like to run my errands, appointments, and have lunch etc. with some of my other home based work friends....plus i have friends in sales, and exec/professional type businesses that pretty much make their own hours too...
It is interesting that you do see alot of people still crowding the restautuarants, bars, malls, movies, etc....i can only guess that those hit hardest by the recession/umemployment were not the ones out and about much?? I personally still dont know anyone that has been laid off, but I guess if you look at the figures, there are many out of work.
Good point. Work at homers. Lots of reasons people should and could be out and about during the "business day". Its not a 9-5 world anymore.
Even mid town manhattan at 10 am or 2 pm is jammed with people coming and going from place to place.
If 13 or so percent of the people are unemployed, that means that 87 percent are working. That is why there is croweded restaurants, etc.
Not everybody in FL works in the construction industry or for poor wages.
Quote:
Originally Posted by tampaguy03
Dont forget us people that work from home...during the week in the middle of the day is when I like to run my errands, appointments, and have lunch etc. with some of my other home based work friends....plus i have friends in sales, and exec/professional type businesses that pretty much make their own hours too...
It is interesting that you do see alot of people still crowding the restautuarants, bars, malls, movies, etc....i can only guess that those hit hardest by the recession/umemployment were not the ones out and about much?? I personally still dont know anyone that has been laid off, but I guess if you look at the figures, there are many out of work.
For an area with such high unemployment and low pay, there certainly are a lot of unemployed people with large wallets or infinite credit!
Here is what I'm talking about. A few years ago I noticed there are a lot of people around here who apparently do not work, yet are out driving around in their expensive cars, spending money like there's no tomorrow. Whenever I would take a day off in the middle of the week, I've noticed the traffic does not die down too much after morning rush hour. Stores and malls are quite crowded during normal work hours around here. And who are these people? Is it all elderly retirees living out their golden years? Nope. They represent maybe 10% but the rest are younger people, some middle aged but most in their 30s. They're not driving company vehicles. They're not dressed for work. And it would be an enormous statistical anomaly that they all work off hours (at night/graveyard shifts)!
I've noticed a LOT of fairly expensive cars around here too, from $60k-$100k+. Upscale and mid-priced restaurants are packed every night. Yet we are supposedly in a recession, this area is virtually jobless, and the few that do exist are low paying. (Actually, we've been in a depression for over a year now, but that's another story). Meanwhile, the high end BMWs, Mercedes, Porsche Cayennes, and Ferraris roll by. Yes, I see a lot of Ferraris around here.
Are most people around here selling drugs to make ends meet?! I know there's a lot of fraudulent businesses constantly being started around here. Are they starting businesses, buying everything on company credit, then after a while taking all the money and running? I really don't get it.
This is not some new trend I've seen, I've noticed it for a few years now and only seems to be growing. Surely I am not the only one who has noticed these things!
Unemployment in Florida is one of the highest in the nation and while its reported at 10 or 11% the real unemployment rate (U6) is closer to 20% when you factor in people who have quit looking for work or those in the professional fields who have left their $70,000/yr salary to work for $8/hr at Wally Mart. Keep in mind, overall Florida is a very image conscious state especially in Orlando and Miami. Just look at the ridiculously high foreclosure rate and that partially explains the mentality in this state.
Even if a guy's unemployed, which many professionals are, doesn't mean he has to look like a slob.
Figure this: a thirty-something professional has been doing well, making money, has a nice car, buys nice clothes. Like so many others his age, he doesn't have a land line, just his cell phone. When he loses his job, he has to keep the phone to job hunt, and while his car payments might be uncomfortable, he doesn't want the ding on his credit a repo would mean, so he avoids that as long as possible. Besides, he needs a way to get to interviews, if he ever has any. For the same reason, he needs to have his hair cut-- but he starts going to Phil down the street instead of getting his $100 haircut from Sergio. I can think of a number of people this scenario fits, to be honest.
Unemployment in Florida is one of the highest in the nation and while its reported at 10 or 11% the real unemployment rate (U6) is closer to 20% when you factor in people who have quit looking for work or those in the professional fields who have left their $70,000/yr salary to work for $8/hr at Wally Mart. Keep in mind, overall Florida is a very image conscious state especially in Orlando and Miami. Just look at the ridiculously high foreclosure rate and that partially explains the mentality in this state.
Tampaguy, I'm thrilled for you and your friends. Really. But I would suggest you are an anomaly.
Spring, not everyone in the construction industry was making low wages-- I heard something recently that said almost 50% of architects are unemployed right now, and structural engineers aren't far behind. Project managers are probably worse off.
And Roger--- exactly! 13% doesn't mean 87% are working. The other 87% is comprised of people who don't qualify for the term "unemployed". Most don't because they are working, but some have taken jobs at Lowe's or Walmart, some have outlasted their unemployment benefits, some didn't qualify in the first place. I know a couple of people who took earlier retirement than they'd intended, and at least two who are hanging on by doing odd jobs.
And then there are the people still in their jobs who've taken pay cuts and people with their own small businesses who are making half what they were this time last year...
This area maybe isn't Detroit, but the economy here definitely has taken a gut punch.
To the OP & Seain........so you want to see all the unemployed out of the streets being homeless? and look terrible? would that make you feel better about Tampa?
The reason unemployment is so high in numbers IS BECAUSE of the construction industry! (including architects, project managers, etc) and THAT is because it was so VAST! and uncontrolled! probably all transplants from other states that came here during the housing boom thinking they'll make a killing!!!!!!!! (some did, some bite the dust of their own greed) as you can see, if you look at some of these homes you can see how "smart" the architects really were.......no storage in most of these homes, no parking and plenty of stupid HOA rules that make no sense!
I am SAHM and also work from home.....so....you WILL probably see me to the store in the middle of the day....big whoopy do! what about the snowbirds? it is pretty much winter everywhere up north now.....what about students at USF living at home? to save as they can't afford to live on their own anymore!? Here check out this article:
Goodbye jobs, hello mom and dad, say young adults - Yahoo! News (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/ap_on_go_ot/us_boomerang_kids - broken link)
Also, I looked through my encyclopedias and have NOT seen a photo of how people should look in any of the following categories:
People driving company cars!
People who work OFF hours!
People working at fast foods!
I think it is highly offensive to judge people by how they look in respect to what they "might" be doing for a living!
I see a "huge step backwards" being made in our society's evolution.........we went from calling people "red necks" & "Blacks or worst" to now categorizing people by what they "might" be doing for a living! "grave yard shifts", "fast food people", "didn't look educated enough" are you SERIOUS!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I am starting to think that all these posts naming and judging people this way MUST come from people who have no parents! grew up under a bridge or in cracktown or had parents who were just as ignorant and uneducated themselves..... which it is very scary! Now I am going to the store thinking there is some a** out there looking at me and thinking how come I am not at work!!!!!!!!
Dude.....This is still Florida, and Tampa is a city that IS in Florida, Florida is mostly known as a VACATION STATE!........have you been in Orlando in the middle of the day? the malls are full of stay at home moms to name one category, and that is because THANKS to the daycare fees, a LOT of people prefer to live on one income than PAY those fees which are out of this world! and if you have 2 kids you can definitely forget about it (middle class named here first, because high class has nannies)..........there are a ton of people who are visitors, who visit their families who LIVE here, a notary doing real estate closings, is a person who travels all day from closing to closing, they may stop between closings to get a few things...if they are parents and the kids are in school, hell you're going to see them in the store in the middle of the day between appts shopping because well, have you ever been shopping with KIDS?????????????? most parents would LOVEEEE to stick to the list when going shopping and not come back home with 10 extra items!
The "oddity" about Tampa is people like YOU! who wonder around a mall in the middle of the day judging people and wondering how come the mall is not EMPTY because all people should be at work somewhere!
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