It's 13.2 percent. Unemployment rate goes up again. (Fort Myers, Port Charlotte: rent, house)

[121804]

Originally Posted by hiknapster

Yes! I worked at SONY in Fort Myers. Not great pay (because of the area, they know they can get away with it) but decent benefits (because that was company-wide). Last I heard, they had shipped most of those jobs to India. It was tech support, not telemarketing.

Let's say you had that same job today...do you think it would be easier or harder to get by? (I'm not taking into account basic maturity that comes with age or how certain events in ones life makes them more/less appreciative, etc).

I think the days of making mucho $$ is done for the average Joe. Now, companies see how the average Joe will work twice as hard for half the pay just to keep his house. Plus, I think a lot of salaries were overinflated and many, many of the highest paying all had their hand in the investment banking/wall street pot of the 2000s.

It would be great to see some of those jobs back here. I cringe many a time that I am forced to go to WalMart, also. I've made a valant effort to avoid the WalMarts, Targets, etc.

But even when I was in amish country looking at some things "Made in China". In Amish Country of all places...

[TANaples]

People who DO have jobs here today are in abject FEAR of losing them and/or being replaced.

[121804]

Originally Posted by TANaples

People who DO have jobs here today are in abject FEAR of losing them and/or being replaced.

I think I can safely say that is Any City, USA at this current moment.

And a good wake up call for some.

[aidaolympia]

Originally Posted by 121804

I will say that when I go grocery shopping, the average age of the cashiers are not 16, 17, or 18...but well into their 50s and 60s...you do what you have to do to survive sometimes! And I don't really feel "bad" for those in my age category (30s) b/c we are young & have time to readjust...it those who are in their senior years, lost tons of money in the stock market, and now have to fight to find a min wage job standing at a register....I can only imagine the situation now in SWFL...it was bad when we left and it's gotten just that much worse....

very, very nice!

[justNancy]

I was chatting with a cashier at Publix and he had to lean over a bit. He told me he was deaf in one ear and had trouble seeing out of one of his eyes. When I said "Well, I admire you for working on your feet all day" he said "Well, I'm only 78." True story.

When I worked in a furniture store in Fort Myers, I worked with a woman in her 80s, although she had plenty of money. She was just one of those people who liked to work. In fact, I couldn't keep up with her!

I want to add that a lot of people were depending on that 4% or 5% interest from their CDs in addition to social security. Now the average 12 month CD is under 2%. Big difference.

[121804]

Originally Posted by justNancy

I was chatting with a cashier at Publix and he had to lean over a bit. He told me he was deaf in one ear and had trouble seeing out of one of his eyes. When I said "Well, I admire you for working on your feet all day" he said "Well, I'm only 78." True story.

When I worked in a furniture store in Fort Myers, I worked with a woman in her 80s, although she had plenty of money. She was just one of those people who liked to work. In fact, I couldn't keep up with her!

I want to add that a lot of people were depending on that 4% or 5% interest from their CDs in addition to social security. Now the average 12 month CD is under 2%. Big difference.

I've told this story before..but we were frequent customers at the Publix in PGI. As the average age there is well into the 60s, so were most of the workers. But I tell you, besides one very crabby cashier who told me that she couldn't stand the "whining of babies" and that she moved to FL to get away from her kids and grandkids, they were so kind and nice. As you know they will walk to the car with you and this one man, who had to be well into his 70s, always offered, even in the dead of heat. I had a toddler with me and was expecting #2 and he said that I shouldn't be lifting bags I just couldn't imagine asking him to do that in such heat. It was one of the few places we went to when we said our goodbyes.

[hiknapster]

Originally Posted by 121804

I've told this story before..but we were frequent customers at the Publix in PGI. As the average age there is well into the 60s, so were most of the workers. But I tell you, besides one very crabby cashier who told me that she couldn't stand the "whining of babies" and that she moved to FL to get away from her kids and grandkids, they were so kind and nice. As you know they will walk to the car with you and this one man, who had to be well into his 70s, always offered, even in the dead of heat. I had a toddler with me and was expecting #2 and he said that I shouldn't be lifting bags I just couldn't imagine asking him to do that in such heat. It was one of the few places we went to when we said our goodbyes.

Wow. Massive difference between there and Fort Myers. I'm not kidding.

[mrcoolmrcool28]

Originally Posted by 121804

I think I can safely say that is Any City, USA at this current moment.

And a good wake up call for some.

Wow, I can't beleive I'm agreeing with 121804, but she's right!

Yes, most of the people we've meet in Punta Gorda are great!! Very friendly and happy to be there.

[nhkev]

I think Hik's posts on this topic is dead on. As bad as things appear right now there is something that people need to remember, which is a reason why things will get better. The stock market was at 15000 went to 6500 so a lot of people lost money. That statement is true but not everyone lost money. In order for the stock to go down there had to be sellers on the other side of the trade. If I bought stock valued at 100 and it went down to 75, I may be down 25 but someone sold it for 100. There is a dollar in the plus column in someone else's pocket for everyone that has lost. The problem has been is that the winners stopped spending. There are almost 3 trillion dollars sitting in money markets of people waiting for an "all clear". The other thing is this "slow recovery" is happening virtually with no finance/credit. Banks went from lending irresponsibly to no lending at all. They too will find a way to get back to responsible lending

[mrcoolmrcool28]

Originally Posted by nhkev

I think Hik's posts on this topic is dead on. As bad as things appear right now there is something that people need to remember, which is a reason why things will get better. The stock market was at 15000 went to 6500 so a lot of people lost money. That statement is true but not everyone lost money. In order for the stock to go down there had to be sellers on the other side of the trade. If I bought stock valued at 100 and it went down to 75, I may be down 25 but someone sold it for 100. There is a dollar in the plus column in someone else's pocket for everyone that has lost. The problem has been is that the winners stopped spending. There are almost 3 trillion dollars sitting in money markets of people waiting for an "all clear". The other thing is this "slow recovery" is happening virtually with no finance/credit. Banks went from lending irresponsibly to no lending at all. They too will find a way to get back to responsible lending

Good post!! And I'll admit, I'm one of those people with money in money markets "waiting for the all clear" BTW, CD's are a horrible investment right now!!

Where is all the money I/we gave to the banks to lend....stimulas?? me thinks NOT!!