<< Back to all Blogs
Login or Create your own free blog
Layout:
Home > I'm not broke and I feel guilty

I'm not broke and I feel guilty

October 27th, 2009 at 09:33 pm

It seems that many of my hard working friends are suddenly getting hit hard with the economic recession. I in turn feel bad and want to help somehow.

The guys who replaced our roof a few months back called yesterday offering us a great deal to get our windows repainted (They know we have some rotting panes and just need a new coat on the rest- and they are generally handy guys who specialize in roofing). Seems they have not been able to find work since our roof job months ago- the roofer has resorted to selling off personal items to friends just to try and stay afloat (I learned this from the mutual friend who purchased some of the items). When the roofing team called, BB told them that he would need to ask me about their offer. Before hanging up the phone the roofer suggested just hiring him to do a few windows at a time if cost was an issue. Then BB calls me asking if we can get our windows fixed because he feels so bad. I feel bad too- but windows were not in our short term plan. I went and tried to run numbers to see if we could even get the guy $400- but that would mean upcoming christmas would put us in CC debt.So I had to tell BB no. I feel so bad.

Our other friend is a realtor. He has had 4 closings in a row fall through due to financing issues and he has watched his savings account drain- drain- drain over the last few months. He is down to $400 and had a mini breakdown in front of BB today because of it. He doesnt know how he is going to pay his own mortgage this month. I feel so bad. I heard about it and tried to think if there was anything I could hire him to do for us around the house- (the realtor has a construction background)...but we are pretty done with our projects. And besides- this realtor has a very grand house and my $3-400 I offer him would not make a dent in his mortgage. I feel bad.

I just feel bad.

Posted in a bit about me, myself and more me | 9 Comments »

9 Responses to “I'm not broke and I feel guilty”

  1. momcents Says:
    October 27th, 2009 at 09:37 pm 1256679451
    1256679451


    I think it has to do with making choices to plan for the long-term. Our income is about the same as the two closest people we've got (lawyer brother and best friend). Our spending habits have saved us from the hardships they are both facing (and they are both still employed). And I have a plan should DH become unemployed. I think the best thing that you can do is to keep them in mind for referring work on, or maybe invite them over for dinner.

  2. LuxLiving Says:
    October 27th, 2009 at 09:38 pm 1256679512
    1256679512

    Times are very hard for many many people. I feel bad for them as well.

  3. whitestripe Says:
    October 27th, 2009 at 11:55 pm 1256687701
    1256687701

    I feel bad also - DF's dad is in financial dire straights. He realises now that it is his own fault, but I still feel bad. DF's dad paid $2770 for DF's car a few years back, and has never asked for the money. We are alright financially, but not in a position to be giving money away either. We have resorted to DF paying for some work supplies and then not being reimbursed for them. It helps his dad's accounts, we can claim them on tax next year, and it is not such a large amount that will dent our accounts either.

  4. miclason Says:
    October 28th, 2009 at 01:24 am 1256693046
    1256693046

    Well, donīt feel bad. You canīt help right now unless you go into debt yourself, you know saying no is the right decision. Try to find other ways to help (like, letting people know about these guys and what a good job they did... ask your friends to forward this information, something might just turn up!...someone who REALLY needs their roof done NOW, for example!)

  5. Broken Arrow Says:
    October 28th, 2009 at 12:28 pm 1256732881
    1256732881

    There's nothing wrong feeling bad for people. I think that's a wonderful thing, in fact. However, emotions should never cloud us into making poor decisions. You did the right thing.

  6. LuxLiving Says:
    October 28th, 2009 at 12:38 pm 1256733495
    1256733495

    Around here many of these kinds of service people have advertising signs that they put in people's yards while they are doing the work.

    Does your roofing man have this type of sign? Can you agree to put one in your yard for the next couple of months as some free advertising for them?

  7. Ima saver Says:
    October 28th, 2009 at 03:49 pm 1256744956
    1256744956

    I understand how you feel. The realtors around this area were making fortunes a few years ago. We made some money building spec houses also. However, I did my own financing and everytime we made a profit, we saved it all, every single dime. It really pays off to have a large amount in savings to tide you over.

  8. baselle Says:
    October 28th, 2009 at 10:29 pm 1256768984
    1256768984

    I feel bad too. I don't know about helping every single person, but if re-doing the windows means a tighter seal from the elements, a drop in your utility bills, and if you and BB re-cast your Christmas gifts to each other as "this new window is my gift to you", it might work out. The vulture side of me is looking strictly at price and cost, but eagle side of me definitely wants to tend, befriend, and under-write people who do great work, won't screw me over, and would return the favor if they could.

  9. Jerry Says:
    November 6th, 2009 at 10:47 pm 1257547648
    1257547648

    I know so many family and friends back in the States who are in similar straits, and it leads me to wonder when this economic crush will end. I don't think that we have any real insurance that the Fed is taking the correct steps of fiscal responsibility and the like... so how exactly is this thing supposed to be coming to an end? Anyway, I am with you. I worry about my brother-in-law and his family all the time, he just lost his brand new job (last-in-first-out kind of thing), and they have a new home with a new mortgage, with three kids. Yikes.
    Jerry

Leave a Reply

(Note: If you were logged in, we could automatically fill in these fields for you.)
*
Will not be published.
   

* Please spell out the number 4.  [ Why? ]

vB Code: You can use these tags: [b] [i] [u] [url] [email]