How do I end my addiction?

[Deja Q]

I know that I will lose my job some time in 2005, unless a miracle happens. It is rather early to tell, though it's safe to say my time left with a job is short...

I have the following interests/addictions:

TV
Photography
Pet fish
Pet bird
Music
Internet
Computers
Reading

How can I wean myself off of all of these, totally?

Given that the corporate fuckers want to "reform" bankruptcy by taking everything except what's owed by people when they lose their jobs, I will essentially live a life of homelessness owing a lot of money. It's my reward for conforming to the system.

Of course, I would kill myself but enough people had told me not to. Hell, not being able to afford food when the time comes, it won't make much of a difference anyway... I suppose a slow death is better. :eyes:

So I want to wean myself off this crap now. All of it. I know this means fewer dollars will go into our economy, but given how corporate america is behaving, they are an entity I will not support anymore... Let them drown with the rest of us, for their actions are killing us and I refuse to help them do so.

No more entertainment or hobbies. Period.

How can I do transition to a entertainment-free lifestyle? One way or another, it's inevitable. I may as well do it now. (hell, when HDTV becomes mandatory, I won't be upgrading either way, so it is inevitable - even if my employer keeps some of us around.)

I'll be selling off as much as I can. Just to be rid of it. I'll still owe them after their "reform" (which I bet won't affect how corporations or the wealthy do bankruptcy) but at least they wouldn't get anything back.

It's interesting, how me and tons of others like me are experiencing the "freedom" that * is allowing, with this outsourcing and offshoring outsourcing and shit. But don't get me started on that...

Thank you for listening.

[unblock]

1. you know you will lose your job in 2005? do you work for the bush admin?

seriously, how do you know so certainly that you will lose your job 6-18 months from now?

[Deja Q]

2. Simple.

I can't tell all the details but one division I work for will likely be ended in the next few weeks. I know I will be with them until the end of 2004. Assuming they are ended (which is likely), I will at least have a slight repreive by going back to the main department thanks to the union.

However, the union is fucked up. Not only because they no longer work for the workers but because seniority is based on how long a person has been in their classification, NOT for how long one has worked for the organization. Even a high ranking union member told me org. seniority did count while another said it did not. I read the manual and sure enough, organization seniority does NOT count for jack shit.

Given the server-based products combined with thin client software testing, and looking at the logs of trouble ticket entries, layoffs are comin' and, indeed, the whole department is being re-tooled in favor of a small handful of managers managing a truckload of contractors.

No matter how useful I am, it seems likely I have but one year left.

They've also been constricting our duties in the main department - obviously a sign that they're going to knock us off, either one at a time or all in one go.

The writing is on the wall and the time is 11:55 PM.

I have already put in 30 resumes.

0 responses.

Many jobs paid almost half of what I make and demanded a BACHELOR'S DEGREE.

This is pure uncensored bull shit. I've dealt with associates who aren't half as bright or creative as I am (forgive the ego, this is the first time I've ever spoken about myself with any form of non-derogatory comment yet alone vote of confidence for myself) and I can't get a job, past the initial resume screening?! I'm a good worker, I'm a hard worker, I'm the person who gets the 3rd most amount of trouble tickets (1st amount if you don't consider the helpdesk staff who log every call made). Hell, I now wonder why I bother to whip myself in the ass to keep up with things, there just seems to be no point anymore. The end is coming.

Corporate american CEOs are destroying the middle class. What's left to say? If fighting back is by ending everything I like topped by ending myself when the time comes, you can bet your sweet bippy I'm going to do it. I may as well learn to suffer now because maybe, just maybe, by the time I lose my job, I'll be so accustomed to nothing that I'll oddly want to live.

[Don_G]

3. Start To Live As Simply As You Can

You'll be amazed at how much your imagination and resources can go make up for the loss of "stuff."

[Nikia]

4. You still could use the library

You could use the internet, although some libraries are stingy on this, and read there. If you still have a cd player, often you can get music there too. If you have a VCR still, you can get movies. Of course my husband and I are on our libraries systems most wanted list and would probably be arrested if we tried to use our library cards again. I hope that you are not in this situation.

[Deja Q]

7. No. I mean NOT using them. Ever. Not renting. Not USING.

The Library only carries mainstream rubbish and I'm rather better than that, pardon my ego. Have you ever seen "Sapphire and Steel" at the library?

When my job goes, (if) with the new bankruptcy law passed, I will lose EVERYTHING and still have to pay them every cent and every fee on top of that they can "legally" squish through our "law"makers.

In other words, I'll be in a position where I'd envy a vegetable and long for death, the only friend I'd have - which would be far away indeed.

There are no jobs out there that pay nearly as much. I can't even get an interview. Retail is out of the question because of the 'profiling' tests they somehow legally get away with and not even look at my job history that shows I'm a damn good person, the computer is full of silicon shit...

I thought a business was supposed to take the bad with the good. It seems big business wants to make sure that bad isn't bad for them.

[Insider]

5. Go Amish

fresh air, livestock, carriage rides.

[Heddi]

6. well this is what we did

Hubby and I went from $50k combined income before taxes to $28k single income before taxes, and we're still making it. (note, this wasn't due to loss of job, however, I went to school full time and he's just starting school full-time. We'll both be in school for the next 2+ years as well)

Cable---well, we originally had Digital cable. $50 a month. FUCK THAT. Went to basic (no prem. channels) for $35 a month. Felt that even though it's enjoyable watching Real World, we didn't NEED it. So we cut the cable. Now we have "expanded basic" for $10 a month---which is locals, discovery, cspan, and weatherchannel basically. Sometimes it gets really boring, but most of the time I don't even think about it. 300 channels means 300 channels of shit to choose from. We find ourselves reading and *gasp* talking more.

Internet---well, I can't do without my cable internet, so that stays.

To pay for the $50 internet bill, though, we got rid of our cellphone and now just have the landline. Got rid of CallerID, call waiting---all that extra jazz that we never even used.

Getting rid of the cell and cable cut us about $80 a month.

Never thought about getting rid of the animals (I have fish and cats, too).

Go on a cleaning spree around your house. If you've not used it or thought about it in 6 months, chances are you're not going to use it or think about it ever (Exception being highly personal things, family heirlooms, etc). Have a grarage sale. Even if you get $5 for a coffee-table that cost $400, if you don't have the room or the desire to keep the thing, why not get rid of it?

Check out your grocery bill---see what you can cut out. Do you have the option of going to Costco to buy certain things?

At costco, we get Chicken, some veggies (like lettuce & stuff) and Saran-Wrap, Ziploc Baggies and Alum. Foil. 1000 ziploc baggies is about $7 at Costco---similar Target brand would be about $10 for the same amount. Same with Saran Wrap. We got the Super-Duper Restaurant-Quality saran wrap literally about a year ago, and still have over 3/4 of the roll left. Only paid $4 for it. $4 of Saran at the store woul dhave been LONG GONE. Same with Alum. Foil.

Bulk up where you can.

How much do you get take-out or to-go? If it's routine, cut it out! Make it for special occasions. Try buying cheaper beer, or a box of wine instead of a 12-pack.

PM me if you want more $$ tips. Again---we only make $28k for the 2 of us BEFORE TAXES, but we're able to save about $10k a year for savings.... :)

Good luck, and hang in there! Seriously

[Deja Q]

8. Okay, here's more:

I'd love to get a $30k job; after taxes and with no union or mandatory retirement plan that'll be usurped by the corporate crooks, I could still survive where I am at now.

I've said that there are no JOBS out there that pay even remotely well enough and they all require ridiculous degrees to do the work (you do not need a Bachelor's degree to do what I do, and surely not for a piddling $12/hr, what I do is stressful as hell and I'm angry our corporate sodomites are ramming it up us for their own greed.)

Also, I am single. At least you've got somebody to love and talk to. Do you know what the hell a lifetime of horrible things against a person can do to that person? It's no wonder I got hooked on THINGS instead of people.

For the icing on the cake, here's another gem of a reason: I am in debt... As I've said before, the moment they pass this "reform", I'll be in a very bad position - far worse than I am now because at least, if I lost my job now, I'd have a small form of protection. (hell, I'd settle form them taking it all, cancelling out the loan. But they want it all and more. They want to play unfair.)

I want to prepare myself for an existence of doing nothing NOW instead of feeling the shock when the end does come. They will take everything. I will still owe it all. With no chance of recourse or reprieve.

There's more, but I don't want to go into any more details. I'm a fucked up guy, don't you dare doubt it for one attosecond. How I managed this long on this paltry excuse of a "society" is beyond me. The fact I'm a kind hearted liberal and not a rampaging thug is probably going to be a mystery to any historian who manages to find any trace of my involvement with the rest of humankind.

[Syncronaut Seven]

9. 2000 fixed expenses, $3,200 a month.

2004 fixed expenseses, $1,450/Mo.

Stop buying shit, learn to cook, choose one:cable or internet, don't buy black market drugs & limit alchohol to $10/wk.

Shed whatever nonessential debt you can.

If you have more than 20K debt consider chapter 7, but wait until your income drops (lost job), also delay if you're expecting major med bills.

[Syncronaut Seven]

10. PS.

Lower your expectations, I haven't worked in my field since Dec. 2000.

Strangly enough, I find my new (temporary?) vocation more enjoyable than my old one.

[Nikia]

11. What I suggest from someone of diverse economic background

First of all, do you have family around? Will they really let you starve?
Speaking of other people who would help you out, you mentioned one something about going to a gay friendly church a couple of times. Go to church. Get involved. If things get really bad, if they are a decent church, they will help you. Heck, they don't even have to be that horrible. Many churches help up low income people in different ways and their members are often taken care of first. I am not saying that you are to "use" them. As I said, be involved.
If you do not have a good support system, consider moving. At this point, apply to jobs without regard to location and tell them that you are relocatable. If you lose your job before finding another one, scope out other cities that may have lower unemployment rates or several companies that you may be interested in.
I am sorry that I don't know how far reaching the new bankrupcy laws are. Right now, I think that after you declare bankrupcty that they cannot make you pay creditors. In any case, wait until after bankruptcy to sell your personal possessions. I've heard ebay is good for that. Do your transitions in cash too.
Practice low cost living right now. Use coupons. Look for best value in everything. Never buy anything that you will not get full value out of. Look for sales. Remember the library I suggested earlier.
If you do lose your job without a new job in your field, consider other fields. If you have decent typing skills along with your computer skills, you could get an administrative assistant position. If possible, try to get such a position at a company where you might be able to be promoted into a better position. Temp agencies are good for hiring people. When you find out your termination date, go to one. Are you able to do physical labor? Have you considered entering a "trade". Heavy equipment operators, plumbers, carpenters, and pipefitters make decent money and they will be jobs that will always be around. As one of my friends said, sometimes you have to realize that you are not too good to do anything.
Remember that there are people in worse situations than you who keep on living. I know that I don't know the exactness of your situation but I've personally known people in really horrible situations that really have nothing or are very deep in debt and have young children to support too in addition to being low income.
I don't mean to sound like I'm giving you a hard time. I just think that perhaps you don't really know how things are with being poor.

[mongo]

12. Please take a deep breath

and just try to chill out for 1 minute. You're really worked up now - but you still have a job today and at least until 2005.

By your posts it seems you are only seeing a worst case scenario. There are always options.

Yeah, jobs are hard to come by. I used to be a COBOL programmer. Tell me about it. It doesn't mean you won't find one. I own a small business now. Actually around Dec last year I thought that I would probably be out of business by now. And just because I'm a corporation doesn't mean that ALL of the companies debts are also secured in my name. I'm not worried about bankruptcy. Even if the laws change you can't get blood from a turnip, and no judge is going to deprive you food in order to pay a creditor.

Life is tough. Focus on today. Try to take things one step at a time and plan for the worst, but don't expect that it will happen.

I have basically lost all the possessions in my life 2 times now. They are just things. I've been there man, don't give up. You really never know what is waiting for you when you get through this shit.

THERE ARE ALWAYS OPTIONS! What doesn't kill us makes us stronger (I really hate that saying but it is true)

Good luck. Your only addiction is to money, which is nothing but a carrot on a stick. The more you have, the more you're gonna need.

just my .02