Posted: 3/26/2009 9:14:31 AM EDT
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While at work today We had a man stop in and ask for work. He and 6 others had just been laid off from their outside maintenance job at a local cemetery. Five other outside maintenance employees were still working there. The man was just about in tears. With over 30 years of working for the same employer, and he was called in an office, and told he was being let go. He has never had any complaints about his work. He is one of the few outside maintenance employees there without a drug/prison history. They escort him to his locker, watch him clean it out, and tell him to leave the property. He was the main backhoe operator, and was in the middle of digging a grave when he was called in with no notice. None of the seven fired employees had any notice that this was going to happen. The corporate office in Texas decided there was going to be a personal reduction in this and other cemeteries in Pennsylvania.
I understand why the company gives no notice, they don't want vandalism, theft, or planned violence. I understand why they are letting the employees go, they think that the company can save money by outsourcing some of the maintenance jobs. I guess what I am trying to say, is you can think you have a secure job. After all, what can be more secure than a job at a cemetery. People are always going to die, whether they want to or not. The cemetery is always going to need someone for grounds maintenance, and grave digging. This man thought, even if some were to be let go, surely it would be those with the history of not showing up, or being written up for mistakes. Surely not the most experienced, and the most dedicated workers. Nope, The corporate office only looked at the pay stubs and saw who was being paid the most - which happened to be the employees with the longest work history. It may not matter how hard we work. We must try to always be prepared for the most likely situation to happen to us. That would be job loss or injury which makes you unable to work. Prepare accordingly. Spend less than what you make - it is a lot easier when you are still working by the way. Save a portion of every pay check - 10% minimum. Yes you can, and quit wasting that money. Save a few months worth of money in an emergency fund. Get out of debt. If right now, you fell off of your computer chair, broke your back, and were now out of work. Could you make it? Guns and ammo are fun, and saving money is not. Both of them are necessary however. Which of them are you really more likely to need though? * This post is not meant to recommend not having firearms and ammo. You should have some of both. But having 20 of them while you are in debt may not be a wise choice. |
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Guns and ammo are fun, and saving money is not. Both of them are necessary however. Which of them are you really more likely to need though? I would disagree. Most people do not think saving money is fun because they have not done it. Money is like ammo, the more you have the more you need (want). |
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Guns and ammo are fun, and saving money is not. Both of them are necessary however. Which of them are you really more likely to need though? I would disagree. Most people do not think saving money is fun because they have not done it. Money is like ammo, the more you have the more you need (want). That is the truth, you could save enough to live without a job for ten years and you would still want more  .
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Guns and ammo are fun, and saving money is not. Both of them are necessary however. Which of them are you really more likely to need though? I would disagree. Most people do not think saving money is fun because they have not done it. Money is like ammo, the more you have the more you need (want). Yeah, it is kind of like an addiction...Once you start, there is no turning back. I have a couple of insights here. A couple of years ago I went (with my church) to help a guy move out of his home. His home was foreclosed, and he was moving in (with four kids and a wife) to his elderly mom's home. While I was helping the family move their things, the man of the house took me to a room, and showed me his guns that needed to be moved. I was floored. The guy had thousands upon thousands of dollars in weapons. I would venture a guess that he could have bought the home he was in outright (or got pretty dang close) with the value of the weapons in that room. I am not kidding. I said "if you need money, you should sell some of your guns..." That did not go over too well, and I have learned that many people accepting handouts don't like reasonable advice. On another occasion, I assisted in moving (with my church) an elderly woman from her home. She had lived, and raised her family, and was moving in with one of her daughters. She had a shed out back full of canned food. It was her "emergency supply." Great, everybody should be ready for SHTF. All of the food...Rotten. Thousands (probably tens of thousands) of dollars worth of rotten food. And she still wanted to keep it all, and wanted it moved to her daughters home...We ended up taking it to the dump...Thrown away food. So, a couple of lessons learned about SHTF preparations...And guns are money, and ammo is money, but know what else is money...Money. |
| Let me tell you my story. I had a top paying union job, my wife too. We saved and lived moderately (dumpy house,used cars). After almost 30 years i was offered a buyout. I was a wealthy person then wham! The markets crashed. I still have money but i am no longer a millionaire (i never actually lived like i had a million bucks). My point is the same as the OP. Anything can happen at any time. |
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Anytime we get the folks posting about how their firearms are investments I wonder how much they have in savings.
I can be bad about not having enough in savings as well so I am not about to say I am perfect and will never have to hussle to sell some stuff for cash. These days I find it simpler to eliminate stuff and monthly bills where ever possable and that really helps the savings account a lot. |
| guns can be an investment...i know i just made more off selling some spare ammo than i would have made in the market in years and years...i more than doubled my money...guns and ammo are not worth crap if you dont sell them eventually...if you buy them to keep well thats not an investment...i have keepers and investments and when i see what i feel is the right time in the market i put the investments up for sale a little at a time...this way also keeps the wife from getting mad if i want to go spend a few thousand to buy say 5 items i do it so i will make a profit and atleast keep one of the items...i try to do this with all my hobbies from fishing to cars and everything in between...i have all the toys i have because i hustle (legally) to get my toys or the money for my toys and put extra money in the bank...i would sell everything i own to keep from losing my house and keeping a roof over my families head... |
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There is a moral to the story here.... just because you CAN afford something at the gun store or outfitter doesn't mean you OUGHT to buy it.
It's nice to have a year's supply of food. It's nice to have enough guns to arm the entire neighborhood. But having those things while not having enough liquid cash to protect against financial threats....is nuts. BALANCE. |
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If right now, you fell off of your computer chair, broke your back, and were now out of work. Could you make it? 1) I did break my back once (compression fracture of L1 vertebra) falling off my horse, on a Saturday. I was at work Monday morning (desk job). I was young and foolish then. 2) Short and long-term disability insurance. Get them if you can and prioritize them above life insurance, since younger folks are more likely to end up disabled and unable to work than dead. Otherwise the OP's post is spot on. |
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There is a moral to the story here.... just because you CAN afford something at the gun store or outfitter doesn't mean you OUGHT to buy it. It's nice to have a year's supply of food. It's nice to have enough guns to arm the entire neighborhood. But having those things while not having enough liquid cash to protect against financial threats....is nuts. BALANCE. as soon as you tell me how muchmoney equals "enough liquid cash to protect against financial threats" I can evaluate where I stand, as I can eat for a year with what I have on hand now. But according to you, I am woefully unprepared. |
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I have way too many friends who are living beyond their means. You tell them to stop wasting and save their money and they look at you like your the idiot.
I have one friend who never has any money for anything, yet he has about 3000 DVD's and some 50 rifles/shotguns. He is always bringing home another rifle or commemorative box of ammo here and there. He never fails, the end of every month he calls me and asks me if I want to buy one or two. "I really need the money to pay my bills" My wife and I just upped our life insurances a couple months ago. |