How were you and the area you live in affected by the economy?

I live in a tourist town famous for whitewater rafting and camping and several big music festivals. This was a slow season for sure. Our little river store was slow, sales down, and the campgrounds were not at full capacity as they usually are.

Unemployment is high, our local paper had about 14 ads recently for “help wanted” and most of the jobs are either high end county/administrative possistions or truck drivers and busboys. The middle zone is non-existent.

I’m curious what our Christmas festival will be like.

The economic issues have spared no community it seems.

Our town is so small that it only has one stoplight, and that one blinks! We have a handful of stores and they seem to be busy most of the time. A lot of us are poor by most folks’ standards, but that’s our choice… the price we pay for living here, and happy to pay it too. : )

5 years ago, my house was valued at $450,000. It is now about $250,000. During this time, we improved 2 bathrooms dramatically.
At my retirement place, the builder expected to sell it for $400,000. We got it 2 years ago for $300,000. The reappraisal on it (for property taxes) put it at $240,000.

There was some increase in unemployment, but not as bad as other places in the nation. I actually moved to this town after my husband was laid off (In round 3 at his previous place of employment). That whole town was studded with foreclosures and unemployed people.

Youth unemployment within the UK is at 21% (people not in education or work including voluntary work). I have a degree and can not get a job. I have been VERY lucky and secured a place to do a masters and so continuing my studies for the time being. Crime has gone up and I know many people who have had things stolen, myself included. I fully expect to never get a pension and maybe even to die before I retire. My main aim in life is to one day own my own house and even this is not necessarily possible. I am 23.

@bongo

IMHO, if you want to see what the future of the USA looks like, take a look at the UK right now. It seems as if they tried things out on you guys in preparation for attempting the same thing over here. God bless you.

@bongo You’re going on for more education. Good for you! What are the fields that are in demand and can your Master’s Degree help you in those fields? The UK has had its highs and lows in the 1990s and until 2009 after the recession is now having a low. It will probably turn around once again. Keep plugging and think positive! We’re born to win.

@comity I am doing an MRes in sustainable aquaculture and fisheries. Basically I am banking on people continuing to want to eat fish in a world of crashing fisheries and disdain against intensive fish farming in its current sense.
Edit: There may be a fair few jobs in the future in this industry but I do not expect to be paid a high wage at all! Ecology jobs tend to rely on people wanting to do the job for the love of the job not for the money… Most jobs I have so far seen ask for people to work for free… not so useful.

Basically I want to save the seas and the UK is one big island!

Cheers for your support @comity and @CaptainHarley I shall keep my chin up with my future financial prospects!

Yes. My home was appraised at $650k and now its around $400k. A biggg difference

House prices have fallen and there are fewer jobs available. Public sector wages are frozen and pensions increases are now linked to the CPI rather than the RPI (because it is lower). We have been promised that years of austerity lie ahead.