x mas

well.. talkin w my mom i figured out my christmass will be cheaper than other years, we will be saving money. there will be no exchange of gifts with cousins, as there used to be. im from a mid high lvl family, im not used to this, the economic problems had not passed by my mind as what it is, i hadnt seen it affect me, but now i know it does. it kinda seems ridiculous the fact that i didnt cared about it til dates near my birthday n christmas, cuz i dont have a job and i live from my parents. also my gfs dad works at the general motors.. i read an article that said that probly car industries would go to bankrupt. thats another reason im worried about it
how does it affect u. i wanna know what caused it, possible solutions.. i dunno what 2 say

this should be in the general chat

Well, we're going skiing in Minnesota instead of Colorado. I'm putting fewer and less-expensive gifts on my wish list this year out of my own volition, simply because I bought the guitar of my dreams and I really can't think of anything else I'd ever want. I know my parents are having some difficulties with their retirement funds though, so I'm trying to help them out as much as possible.

I guess when you're used to living off of your parents it wouldn't cross your mind, no wonder really.

I've realised it for a very long time. My standards of living are a lot lower than all of yours. I can't do anything about that so I deal with it. I don't particularly care to share how low it is, because I feel that will instantly create a "character". I am who I am and how I survive doesn't really matter, because it doesn't define me.

It's quite clear we're going to have another Great Depression, though.

I think this will be a tough Christmas for many families. And who knows what the years to come will bring. It's the spirit of Christmas that is the best gift of all I think.
I remember one year when my parents business wasn't doing so well and there wasn't any money to buy us kids (4) gifts. Three of us had paper routes so we all gave mom and dad some money and they bought us gifts with that. That was the leanest year I can remember, and maybe the best Christmas as well.
Anybody here who isn't going to get a gift this year PM me. No friend of the phipster is going without a gift if I can help it.
Phip

what we do in my family is when the family members get to a certain age we include them in a main family present which we give which then cuts down the amount we have to spend on presents. we started doing this a few years back when my dad lost his job and we were really low on cash so my mum had to be the bread winner with her job, and since then its sort of just stuck.

Although it is nice to recieve and give presents and christmas, thats not what it should really be about. it's actually about the birth of jesus which is associated with christianity, so technically most people shouldnt really celebrate something then dont believe in. dam corporations -.- .

inflation rates effecting me? not at all, we're all sorted at the moment as my dad now works in computing and my mum is a teacher so yeah not really much going on there. i dont think it has hit us hard yet in the UK but i dont really listen to news, all i know is quite a few major companies are going down but thats about it. doubt there will be anything quite as extreme as a great depression.

my dad selling his buisness due to taxes of losing almosthalf his profits from taxes, besides that...we still try to save more but wind up spending money on garbage we will never use. a 500 $ keyboard...my sisters ukeleale....

Well, this year I felt like everything since the credit crunch started is a real rip off, so this year for my parents I just secretly finshed an acrilic and coloured pencil drawing of a wild leopard with a little bit of savanna back ground and framed it with an old frame. There could be some sort of free alternative for everybody to be able to do from little scraps of activity stuff and old furnature. I feel better about it now rather then buying an expensive present at a store.

I feel I need money due to this debt thing, since I'm over 3 months too young to even get a minimum wage job here I'm starting to create paper mache chickens (Ha, no really. You'd reconize me alright!), mod rock dog ornaments and differnt pictures. Technically the Government couldn't even tax me when I'm 16 or keep me getting minimum wage so that sort of thing should help people of any age, going to sell whatever you're good at making, at a table sale. If you dodge that legally, it'll help. ALthough I'm worried I won't be at the right place at the right time in the public trade cycle, people may not be interested if I get the wrong combination.

@ Heather,
They will LOVE IT! Hand made by you, will be the best gift they get this year. Bravo!
Phip

JCB whoa man. I'm in the UK and I'm getting it BIG TIME. They made grocery stores decreased VAT because there was no income. Car companies are doing "Buy one, get one free" I'd love that!!

Our weekly grocery shopping has gone up (still getting the usual stuff) by £50..

Heather, I used to do that! They loved it.

yeah, it will be a little less than usual for most famalies.

My family isn't really affected. My dad works as a kind of middle class guy in a BIG company. The pay is pretty good. My mom quit her job a few months back to be with me and my sis...and our dogs. Since we currently am holding a month old pup till Christmas for my pap. Anybody else have a Boston terrier?

I could go foreverrr on this topic.....

In this game of monetary system, its all about participation. What happens if you dont participate? The Game changes...

1) Go to a fast food resturaunt and tell them you had just been their and they forgot your hamburger and fries (a drink if you like) With the rest of your order. They are obligated to give it to you by company policy....Bam!

2) Walmart, Take what you need, pretend to do the self check out. Bag your stuff and calmly walk out...or just take your things and run like hell....they cant chase you once you pass the door.

4) Learn some DIY. We have been enabled by corporations to the point of us needing them to clothe ourselfs and EAT! This is outrageous.

3) is boycott the military. I cut it out because I didnt want to offend, but it makes me look stupid having 1 2 4

Even though worsening economic conditions is typically associated with higher crime levels, there's no reason to promote shoplifting.

Also, how does boycotting the military help you? I'm not saying you shouldn't boycott it, I'm just curious what's motivating you to do so.

Yah, the economy isnt too good and Im feeling it too, but still guys come on

Christmas is that one special time of year where we can be thankful for what we have and of those close to us

And besides, isnt there that little touch of magic about this season that lessens the strain on everyone?

Well, for me as Finnish, christmass is always very important thing. First of all, its a holiday for children. So we spent what we can to try to make this xmass nice.

What comes to presents, well that is a again commercial intervention to this holiday, no use of it. Most important thing is caring and being together with your close people and set your mind to peace.

I know we are all goin to have hard hard times, bank crisis affects globally and here too are news full of bankrupts, unemployment gets worse...

So what we need? think about it. Jazz said she have standard of living much lower than many, sorry to hear, but have you a roof? Home? Clothes? you have even an instruments :)... Food? Do we really need commercial things to make us happy? I think everyone in this forum have never being actually poor, its all that you want you to have to be happy. You have all computers and stuff...well...c'mon

There is a difference between poor and those who have nothing.

Merry christmass.
Empirism

im glad im not a kid anymore, wanting pointless toys. this year i got an amp, which i payed half of it for, then just asked for a few cd's

I'm not saying I'm poor, and I know I can't do anything about my way of living so I deal with it. I did say I don't want to explain my living style. I'm not one to complain for what I have because it's all I have. I built my computer out of scraps and some old neighbour of mine gave me his screen because I was having trouble finding parts to build one.

My point in being annoyed is that the system is flawed. We're here experiencing this whilst politicians are sitting in one of their many homes not understanding how we actually feel or what we're going through. And they think they have the right to the country full of people like us? No chance.

Amen to that! This Christmas or any other time of year you can't count on politicians for answers because they have none. So, we are all going to get through this the best we can relying on ourselves, family and friends.
Phip

dam straight! anyone for a karma spree on xmas?

Well to begin, or money system is completely flawed thanks to the federal reserve. Money is now LEGAL tender and not representative of gold as intended by the founding fathers.....this is important, because now all of our money comes from the central bank. And when the government decides it needs money, it basically pops out of thin air...handed to us in bank notes from the central bank (WITH INTEREST) causing the money we have to be less valuable.

The worst part of that is that every time we borrow from the central bank is that theres interest on top of it.....so there is always more money due back to the bank than even EXISTS! This makes us entirely slaves.

If walmart and Mcdonalds hadnt destroyed our local economies, we wouldnt have a GLOBAL or NATIONAL economic crisis.We would have alternative enery all around if the Oil buisiness didnt own the government.

Capitalism is about competition, and we ALWAYS lose. Rockafellar and Exxon, Haliburton......Huge corporations profit billions by setting up rebuilding contracts in iraq and Afghanistan.

Sadam Hussein used to work for the US CIA. Reagan gave him weapons to fight the soviets, and you can see a dozen or so pictures of various politicians shaking Sadam, giving him hugs etc.

When he stopped playing the game is when ** hit the fan. He started holding out on us over oil. Well look what happened next.

These big buisiness mofos want a war. Screw who wins or loses....it costs money....so we owe the federal reserve more and more.

SO its not stealing, its taking back what should be yours. Boycotting the military ends the war too, short answer. taking a life is wrong anyways. Nobody should ever say its right

Haha I'm up for that! Someone do me a favor and give Jazzy a Karma for me. I can only give her one and I'd love to give her two (or more, she's earned it). So if one or more of you would please give Jazzy a Karma for me I would be forever grateful! And JCB gets one for a great holiday idea! Thanks JCB3000
Phip

none for me? im insulted D=

ill give her it 4 u n me, phip...
interestin what u say dav_palm

why doesnt the government just make more money?

@ bodomBeach Terror

The government does make more money; well they ask the federal reserve for more and Thats the problem. Our money is worthless. Worse than worthless, Every dollar we have is owed back to the Central bank with interest.

Some people (like director of Zeitgesit, and Zeitgeist Addendum) are saying the plan is to devalue the American dollar so bad that we have to switch to an alternative: The Amero....and then a world currency....not good.

Id recomend watching the Zeitgeist films(more so ADDENDUM), or atleast doing some research for yourself on the Federal Reserve.

You can find the zeitgeist films online through google search. It might shock you though.

Dav_Palm, You should read something I found out about the government. This guy was determined to let people know but was soon killed after he told some of my friends and myself. Soon after they classed his "theory" as fiction. Though I'm naturally questioning everything he said but some of it was already proven as fact and some prophecy anyway.

This isn't the place to be talking about it. So PM me if you're interested in knowing.



I'm up for it!! :D

If they do so, money become less worth to other currencies. Its last thing they want to do.

And soz for the double post, but one thing popped to my mind. We can easily point goverments, politicians and all for our troubles. I know that there are say netpoker players who win or lose 1 million dollar in one take.

So I think that for example those have so much money, that they just play for playing and because they are good. Why these dudes atleast few of them, play for charity? We know the answer. Its what we all want to do... I cant pass the red cross employee on street without givin him/her something.

netpoker players were just one example. Most of people do things for their own profit. Only strong should survive they say... Why big bands do not make more charity gigs? Why big companies do not share to important things to aim for humanity and world peace?

We know the answer. Greed.

Haha, I'm up for a Karma spree! That's if I can give people more than I already have, I'm not sure how this forum controls with Karma limits.

@Jazz and Phip, I'm acting not much like my christmas self this year, I did stop getting excited about the actual persent opening two years ago but this time I can't wait again, just to give them the picture, now I feel like I'm a young kid again :)

Well, the last thing I can say on the actual subject is if you can, again use whatever litle talent you have and make something of it without it being a business but legally shift your way through it. But that's going to be a tough thing for anyone to do. I won't say toomuch as politics comes into it though. Just stash whatever money you have not on record through little sales or dog walking, it's a good paying job I think, away where the tax man can't legally take it. It'll keep an extra to get by.

ive always wanted to go play in a street corner with a hat on the ground, i guess itll be fun and also it will help

i tried it, a cop kicked over my guitar, while i was taking a break and told me to "get the hell out of here."

thats in the us. in mexico, if anything happens, someone will menace me with a knife in exchange for my money, but its not that common

Street musicians actually have to havea liscence. Weird, huh? Not many do but I saw my favourite street guy get arrested because he didn't have one. It's apparently illegal to do it because you're not letting them know you're earning pocket money. (the fiends!)

its apperently not illegal here. my brother and his friend were playin their mandos, and across the street there was a guy with a slide guitar. and he was there for 4 hours straight at least

I found out today that I will be laid off at the end of next week due to the current economic conditions. No warning at all. I wish they had said something before we started our Christmas shopping.

Hey les pal those guys are **s.

Has anyone noticed no one's won the lottery in weeks?

Les Paul, dude really sorry to hear that man, I swear they're not allowed to give you a weeks notice but you can give them one. (That, or I want it to be that way)

@ les_paul,
That is terrible news. What line of work are you in? Do you have any prospects?
You'll be in my thoughts!
Phip