they raised my rent from 895 to 1200 because i refused to get renter's insurance because it is NOT required by FL state law to have it.

also. cigarettes here cost on avergae 3.50-4.50 a pack for the good stuff.

I sold my SUV last summer and traded it for a road bicycle. I saved over $700 last year alone on gas and insurance. I've never felt better been in better shape and the commute isn't bad (only 9 miles.)

That's one more reason why I'd like to live somewhere where it's not still winter on the 24 of April. The garbage truck is stuck on a snowbank at the end of my street. Bicycles are an ephemeral dream right now.

I'd like to add that I made some of those calculations on my way back home from the bank right now. I just paid about all of my money to my school. I'm broke now. Tuitions are due in July. I need a drink.

How're you going to afford that?

Been dancing for coins on the way home?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but most of germany is not designed like the states - ie. urban sprawl, suburbs, etc.

most of europe is well connected through rail/subway. so people don't drive as much.

as for me - i'm affected mostly by gas and food costs. my job is secure for now. fortunately, my city is in good financial standing - better than most in the area i assume.

Out of sheer curiousity, how much do you pay in tuition every year?

My tuition for Winter semester (5 classes) this year was $2834.17 CDN {2,786.71 USD} and that didn't include books or supplies.

Last year was a bit lower, I think I offered the tuition gods $27somethingsomething.something.

I live close enough to my job to ride a bicycle...unfortunately there is no bike friendly roadways from home to work...unless I go about 20 miles out of the way.

I'm still very tempted to ride on the not-friendly roads and just wear reflector vests and stuff...

And before someone asks........I do occasionally ride the motorcycle to work, but the road between work and home is not even that motorcycle friendly.


I'm tempted to ask if I can work from home a few days a week to save money.

Girlie, I will send ya some homemade jerky this yr! Just lemme know your flavor. Hot, teriyaki, Cajun, or a mix. Travels well for you too, dear.

Venison rawks!

Edited to add..

OM NOM NOM NOM NOM!

sorry SK - i didn't refresh the page before i posted.

I knew you'd come through for me SS. Put that in ur pipe and smoke mr & mrs complainer pants (metaphorically not directed at anyone here). Unfortunately our infrastructure and culture is BUILT on the wheels of an automobile, and there for on the stuff in the tank. The corporate gangs that stand to make SO much money off of maintaining this revenue system will not willingly release their strangle hold on our economy. Taxation and regulation (like 2600 dollar yearly registration for a high output motor and 9 dollar a gallon gas) are the only things that are going to drive consumers to DEMAND more fuel efficient alternatives. These same pressures will serve to localize our housing and commerical zoning and maybe even our retail choices. I live within walking distance of 3 grocery stores AND a real deal old school produce stand and fish market. Most people who consider themselves "middle class" would snub their nose at my neighborhood because of its sprinkling of section 8 housing and rental properties. The neighborhood isn't dangerous, but you can't be stupid. It is truly a mixed race community, and in a "post racial" era we are all talking about it is a great example of neighbors just being neighbors. Baltimore experienced a HUGE amount of white flight before and after 68. Now gentrification and walkable communities have sprung up near the harbor, but the perimeter is a rotten hulk of what it was in gentler times. We live only 3 miles outside the city line, and suffer from some its blight but we mostly OWN our homes and are involved in our schools, and the walkable fabric of our community which was built PRE suburbification is what has kept it such a great place to live. If gas stays at 4.00 dollars per gallon for more than a year, we WILL see smaller (and less) cars, and we WILL see a suburban flight (hopefully they won't end up like Paris). The problem is, once these pressures start to take effect, there will be a glut of oil, it will fuel the cycle of "irrational exhuberence" once again, a the "hands off" crowd will come back into vogue. Collectively this country has such short memories, and it takes such small changes made by a large number of people to affect price that I WANT to see this pinch go on longer so maybe never again will we return to a government which rewards excess and penalizes responsibility. This is longwinded and blatantly political and I'm sorry, but there IS a reason why the Euro is strong now and it IS rational and painful taxes on people who can afford things like 2450 dollar/year vehicle registration.

I'm laughing so hard at the OM NOMs right now!

Maybe we'll have to trade at the Plimevention - deer jerky for smoked fish*?




*smoked fish smoked by my grandpa's super secret awesome recipe and method that he only taught me before he passed on

No recession for me, either. They happen, it's a boom and bust cycle.

Mr. Monkey and I now have 1 vehicle. Our city is walkable, and I almost never drive when I'm at home. I love it.

I pay a bit more for food than I need to, but I like to really know where my food's coming from and I can afford to pay more so I do. I'm not on the 100mile bandwagon, but I like to buy things that were produced out here.

We just bought a few acres of seaside land out on the Island, and we're going to move there/build next year, or at least that's our plan. Once there, I can keep a garden so I'll have fresh veggies or canned veggies all year. It'll be nice.

But my industry is hotter than ever right now, and a labour shortage is hindering further development. Anyone know any geologists looking for work? That's probably a no, because even the really dumb ones out making good cash. It WILL crash, because that's the mining cycle. Just nobody say that B- word and gold will stay up. I've always saved as much money as I can, so I'll be ready for the bust.


TraumaMamma, Chinook, if I'm in Yellowknife in the future I'm going to mail you girlies Musk-Ox Jerky from Northern Fancy Meats. It's.... oh, so good.

I've been selling my body to lustful women over 55 for years now. I'll make it somehow.

This was the career path I always meant to take, but never managed.

<a href='http://www.plime.com/redir.p?http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qrFizrf5EQA' class='plime' target='_blank' rel='nofollow'><b>flash video</b></a>

Like this???

EWWWWWWW!

My wife got greencard a year ago, she started to work promptly; with her income we are a bit better of than where we were before.

I'm in the oil business....11 years now, so I'm getting a kick out of these replies...

Don't hate.

But yeah, this recession actually affects everyone. Last 3 years, I was making a killing on my 'extra curricular activities' websites, now I'm lucky if it pays for itself. Seems the indulges we give ourselves are taking the worst hits of all. Without those, we will become a nation of grumpy angry old men and women.

that would suck

smile everyone, just for me.

Obviously you do not live in Texas. 700 dollar would not cover the liability insurance for a year.
$700 was 300 gallons of gasoline last year. This is about 6,000 miles with my neighbor's pickup (I dont have one). That is about 6 months for me.
Had you really changed to a bicycle you would have saved at least $2,000 on gas and insurance, and maybe an other 2,000 on shopping because the mall is just too far away to go there by bicycle.