Anecdotal economic field reports (Now Stickied)

[CJay8]

CJay8, my barometer is also Fedex. Fedex pickup guys are actually independent contractors in US, not employees, they are running routes as a business. My Fedex guy (25 y.o.) in the past 3 years has built himself a nice business with 4 or 5 employees driving trucks. He probably could retire by the time he's 30. So...my barometer is how much packaging they are doing in our area (which is an upper middle class residential area with business centers sprinkled all over). Fedex is doing very good, they had no shipping volume decreases, and some routes actually increased.

Another barometer. Mostly older and expensive homes in our area, very few new homes available (no free land). About 2.5-3 years ago a developer built a development....sorry for tautology...of stickhouse McMantions. They planned about 30 new homes. Started building maybe 15. Sold about 7-8, then halted. Then for about a year it had 0 activity on the lot, nada, nothing. Until this month. This month, 2 new homes are being built. same stuff, sticks, drywall inside, plastic wrap and shingles on the outside, two storied ceiling...I can see a heating bill being $1K month, easy. So there's still throwaway money out there.

Another local developer. Had 0 activity for about a year, they've been building townhomes. Actually, in great location IMHO, walking distance to shops and local train. Up until 1.5 years ago they've built maybe 50, or a 100. Then halted for close to a year, half the lot still undeveloped. This has changed in late February, early March, they are building like crazy again.

The other side - local commercial properties market is in shambles. I am looking for a unit.... everything is available. Office, street corners, facing the street where there was 0 availability for years - pick the one you like. Discounts or additional perks are thrown in all the time. If you want to buy commercial, now maybe the time.

Your situation sounds similar to mine. I live in upper middle class neighborhood that was in Phase 3 of development. That phase being being the most expensive homes. About 15 lots sitting empty but in the last month they've started construction on 2 new houses. Builder does not have buyers, just taking a chance. However, I've seen a lot of people looking at the houses under construction. The price is down from 2 years ago but there is some progress. I have empty lot sitting next to me that I'm thinking about buying. It was 50 grand 2 years ago, we heard he'll now take 20 grand and I'm thinking of offering him 12K cash but would go 20 possibly. Downside is I don't want to stay here so when it's time to move that lot will be an albatross. But it's investment property so sometimes you gotta say "What the f*ck."

I'm amazed that FedEx makes money in spite of itself. I've never seen such stupid business practices in all my life. But I feel better about my future here than I did at Delta airlines.

[TLM]

Man doesn't have money to bury his dying wife and the indigent graveyard is full!
- Upstate S. Carolina----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I am a poor man," Hardy said.

His monthly social security check is wiped out after their monthly bills are paid.

"That's not a whole lot of money, anybody who's on it will tell you that's not a lot of money, so you gotta do what you gotta do to make ends meet," he said.

Hardy asked to find out what options are available to him. Greenville County Coroner Parks Evans told us free burials aren't an option anymore because the county's cemetery for indigent people is full. Evans said Hardy has two options: to plan ahead to donate her body to science or ask for help from the coroner's office. Evans said by law if loved ones refuse to take responsibility for a body it is the coroner's responsibility to cremate the body.

But Hardy wants a proper burial and is praying the funeral homes he contacted will help out.

"I am looking to the Lord to help me get some things worked out," he said.

[Cebu_4_2]

228 customers, mailer sent out 126 come back untraceable, pooft gone!

Anyone else need a good printer?

Prepared for the worst but never imagined this.

[gunDriller]

I have been trying to run down a Kel Tech SUB2000 in 9mm that takes the Glock magazines, and I was out and about yesterday, so I swung by the local Cabellas.

is that the Cabellas near Olympia Wash ?

i've toured that gun section, thought it was cool, like a museum, they got so many guns.

[Silvestor]

The local Frys supermarket placed little signs on the shelves, next to prices, that identify an item as WIK (women infant kids) and EBT (foods stamps) approved. This location is in a nice part of Scottsdale Arizona.

[motorhead]

Things are slow in the Placer County area east of Sacramento. Blame it on the high taxes, a propensity to tax and spend in Sacramento and a Marxist in the Federal office. Most of the sentient humans seem to be very wary of the future economy. Some new housing construction, mostly mom and pop types building on land that they have owned for awhile, and the volume is WAY down, (less than 20%) of what I witnessed during 2000 to 2007. No big houses to be seen, mostly under 3000 s.f., still the construction is better than 2009, but that's not saying much. Lot's of commercial space available, particularly in the western portion of Placer County where there was a commercial construction boom. The only people making money on these properties are the folks renting cyclone fencing...... Hang in there.....

[BrewTech]

Local auto shops are under a light load. Can get an appointment anytime.

Yeah... this isn't a good thing for those attempting to make a living doing this work.

I've noticed we have a couple of weeks of very good business right around the time the .gov decides to return some money to its rightful owners... coincidence? I think not.

Just proves that if they would quit confiscating it in the first place, everything (economically) would be a whole lot better.

[uranian]

job centre is the number 5 most searched for term on yahoo UK.

[Rebel Yarr]

I got a couple 1963 One Dollar bills yesterday....getting old bills in change represents people raiding their or others saved up "hard times" stash. I went by Home Depot the other day - saw day laborers standing out on the curb at the entrance...usually only hang in the lot. there were plenty...

I went to Wal-Mart for some sporting stuff - on a Thursday afternoon. Place was as vacant as I ever seen it - I was surprised as it is usually packed with crazies.

Local coin store - silver was $1.25 over ugg.....

[BrewTech]

I got a couple 1963 One Dollar bills yesterday....getting old bills in change represents people raiding their or others saved up "hard times" stash.

I'm seeing the same thing... a lot higher percentage of coppers and wheaties in my change lately, but alas, still no 90%...