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RE: I'm taking my marbles and going home...

Subject: RE: I'm taking my marbles and going home...
From: "Susan W. Gallagher" <sgallagher5 -at- cox -dot- net>
To: "TECHWR-L" <techwr-l -at- lists -dot- raycomm -dot- com>
Date: Tue, 13 Aug 2002 11:10:04 -0700



The job I have now is the first job I've ever had making over 40K. Didn't
realize that I lived in poverty for the last 17 years....

$40k looks pretty good on the way up; it's dismal on the
way down! When you've worked for a fair amount of time at
a salary, you set your life-style accordingly. And if you
live in an area that has a high cost of living... well,
$40k gross is pathetic.

A little over $3k a month, you say? Who can't live on
that, you say? Let's look at some *conservative* expenses for
someone who lives on the west coast and is used to a
household income that approaches $100k (dot boom salaries):

House payment: $1100+ (cheap on the west coast!)
COBRA $ 500 (down from $1200! I am *so*
thankful my ex-empl changed providers!)
Utilities $200-$300 (water, trash, phone, gas, electric)
Car payment $300-500 (thankfully, mine's *just* paid for!)
Credit cards $300-500

okay... so we're up to a minimum of $2400. $600 left for
life insurance, homeowners insurance, car insurance, *taxes!!!*,
and oh, yeah... food, clothing, internet connection, office
supplies, dentist (yeah, maybe)...

Kids? You got *kids*????

Sell the car? Nobody's buying. Sell the house? And move
where??? Rents are higher than house payments and if you
sell, you can never afford to buy back in. To Idaho???
And leave my grandkids behind???? And do what when I
get there???

Yes, I've been in the position where medical insurance was
a luxury. H*ll, paying the *rent* was a luxury and grocery
shopping for the week was 7 pks of ramen noodles, a head of
cabbage, and a box of soy protein. And if I want to go back
there, I can give up and get a job at Sears. The last time
I worked there, I was eligible for welfare on what they paid
me.

Bad enough when hourly rates dip down below $50. But, ply
the skills that I've worked 20 years to develop for Simon
Legree???? I don't think so.

It's a good time to be junior; b*tch of a time to be senior.

-Sue Gallagher



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