USA inhabitants are squeezed to death, financially (The 'Federal' 'reserve' system)

Angry And Afraid
by xysea
Wed Jan 23, 2008 at 07:21:29 AM PST

Yes, I am angry. And afraid. And sick that people will be getting rebate checks when I am struggling so hard just to make ends meet.

I am nauseous because even though we all pay taxes, only some of us will be getting help (no matter how misguided). The rest of us will be left to twist in the wind, and hopefully not have our ships completely unmoored.

I don't know what to do, and it scares me.
xysea's diary :: ::

I used to have a savings account. Honest. It had some money in it; but as things got more expensive, I tried a lot of different tactics to keep from having to touch the money in there. (Hint: None of them worked.)

We cut a lot of meat out of our diet, because meat is expensive. No chips, junk food or convenience foods. Our grocery bill is the same as what it used to be, only we're getting a lot less for our money.

Our gas bill is higher; where we moved to is a better, less crime ridden neighborhood, but it is further out of town.

We have tried keeping socks and hoodies on at home, so we can reduce the energy bill. They've raised our rates three years in a row; we are paying more and getting less heat and energy for it.

We had our healthcare deductible and premium raised, and our benefits drop. Again, more expense with less actual product.

We moved to a place that's better, more affordable overall. That's the only ray of sunshine in an otherwise bleak picture.

We are being squeezed to death, financially. I don't know how much more I can take.

And I've watched my retirement and educational savings dwindle (457, 529 plans respectively), and I have no one to rely on, no one to help me.
I've watched my cash savings dwindle, because of necessary expenses; car repairs, moving expenses, healthcare costs. We are reaching critical mass.

I can't afford a new car payment. I can't afford the loan.

No wage increase for me last review. They're freezing all hiring now at work. I am thankful I have a job, but feel like one problem - a car repair, a health problem, will put me under for the last time. Wages are stagnant; I don't get child support I am entitled to, nor any subsidies. I make too much for assistance, but not enough for Bush's $800.

I am terrified to even take out a credit card, because I'm unsure I'd have the resources to pay it back and don't want a default. Payday loan places cause more trouble than the price of their 'help'.

So, what does someone like me do? I wake up at night, usually around 2am or 3am, and just pray that we'll be okay this month, next 6 months, next year. I see shows like 'Cribs', and hear stories of elaborate Hollywood and CEO parties, and wonder about the disconnect.

It feels so unfair. I am responsible. I try to work hard; I hold a job, have for years. I pay taxes, too, like everyone else: Payroll tax, Medicare tax, FICA, Federal taxes of all kinds.

I get a good bit of it back, sure, those years when I don't claim it in my check each payday. I'm a single head of household. But people I know who pay just a little bit more in tax than me are going to get their $800 and I'm going to get squat. Not only that, but I will have delayed filing due to the Congress/AMT screwup, so I'll be keeping my fingers crossed that I can keep the car running and keep working until then.

Maybe I can, maybe I can't. I don't know. The fact that my savings has taken such a hard hit is alarming; I can't continue this way forever. I looked into getting a second job, but the cost of child care is exorbitant on the weekends. It would take most of my salary at a Wal-Mart or a Target to pay for it so I could work. That, plus gas cost, makes a second job completely pointless; there would be nothing left. No OT available on the job, right now, because they are trying to keep wage expenses down.

I want to enjoy my life. I worked hard to get out of the ghetto, but I seem to watch my dreams evaporate each day. No matter how much I earn, I am still always the last to be considered by politicians in Washington, DC. To them, the reality of me is inconvenient - it's easier to believe I just don't exist. They do a very good job of it, too.

Today is not a great day for me. The only thing that helps is that I know I'm not alone in my suffering.