Anonymous
09/30/2013 10:59
Subject: Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
Anonymous wrote:Why do you get your car washed every two weeks?
Is that typical?
Ha, I don't want my car washed at all. The point is that we help out our neighbors by letting them pick up odd jobs. And to the PP, yes, we do lunch, coffee, parking, though not all of those things every day. And I do get my hair colored once every two months.
Anonymous
09/30/2013 10:22
Subject: Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
Why do you get your car washed every two weeks?
Is that typical?
Is that typical?
Anonymous
09/30/2013 10:20
Subject: Re:Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
Anonymous wrote:I am a 100K employee with an emergency fund and a spouse who will continue to work. We have no credit card or student loan debt, a good emergency fund and also short-term savings.
Here's how I will likely spend my time and money when the government shuts down.
At first it will feel like I have even more money than usual. I won't be hitting the food trucks for lunch, or grabbing a coffee at the deli in my building. I'll pick up my dry cleaning from the neighborhood dry cleaners, but won't need to drop off a new batch of shirts and suits. I won't have to take any taxis to off-site meetings, nor will I have to tip the guys who who park my car in my regular lot on the days I drive. We'll skip our regular pizza night at our small neighborhood pizza place--this will be a good time to pull some stuff out of the deep freeze and open some of the wine we never seem to drink.
After a few days, I'll forgo the $30 drop-in aftercare fee at my child's school since I'm home anyway. It will be fun to spend some extra time together even if we can't go to the zoo. We'll also save the $15 that we normally pay the dogwalker--she's expecting that more than a few people will be cutting back on her services. At this point I'll be looking for projects, so I'll get the spreader out and overseed my own lawn rather than calling my regular lawn service, saving $300. I won't have the neighborhood guy wash my car for $20 every week; it doesn't need it and it's an easy expense to eliminate. We'll put off replacing the shed this fall; the contractor we usually use for jobs like that will be happy to do it in the spring. We'll skip our regular weekend visits to Eastern market--luxuries like fresh flowers and fancy bread can wait until I go back to work. And I'll skip my bimonthly trip to the salon and do my own haircolor and pedicure--that's $110 plus tax and tip.
At no point will I be in danger of not paying my bills or my mortgage, but I will cut back on dozens of expenses that affect other people. How much do you think the dogwalker and the parking attendant have in their emergency funds? What about all the goods and services that they won't be able to afford because I didn't pay them? I will keep our housekeeper as long as I possibly can, but I know other people will need to cut back on her services. Now multiply those effects times hundreds of thousands of employees and you'll see why a shutdown is a terrible thing for everyone. We're not all spending our money on cheap Walmart crap or designer shoes, but in our neighborhoods.
Wow, your spouse must make serious bank for you to be able to spend that much random money - car washes, lawn care, $220+ salon budget, dry cleaning, lunches & coffee out everyday at work, paid parking, fresh flowers weekly. I'm a GS-13, my spouse also works and makes more than I do, and we have our one child in a relatively less expensive in-home day care. We're saving up for a down payment right now and I don't think we'd ever reach out target if we spent like you do.
Anonymous
09/30/2013 10:17
Subject: Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
Anonymous wrote:The responses on this thread have me truly worried about the intelligence levels of federal workers.
As has been pointed out many times, the point of this thread is not about whether the shutdown is good or bad, or fair or unfair to federal workers. Op and others are in agreement that the shutdown is bad and unfair.
The issue is the number of people with six figure incomes who literally claim they cannot go without a paycheck for a few weeks because they do not have enough savings.
This thread is 10 pages long. You think federal workers are idiots because people can't stay on topic? Can you, an obviously intelligent poster, point to another 10+ page thread where every post is exactly on the topic that the OP posted?
Anonymous
09/30/2013 10:12
Subject: Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
The responses on this thread have me truly worried about the intelligence levels of federal workers.
As has been pointed out many times, the point of this thread is not about whether the shutdown is good or bad, or fair or unfair to federal workers. Op and others are in agreement that the shutdown is bad and unfair.
The issue is the number of people with six figure incomes who literally claim they cannot go without a paycheck for a few weeks because they do not have enough savings.
As has been pointed out many times, the point of this thread is not about whether the shutdown is good or bad, or fair or unfair to federal workers. Op and others are in agreement that the shutdown is bad and unfair.
The issue is the number of people with six figure incomes who literally claim they cannot go without a paycheck for a few weeks because they do not have enough savings.
Anonymous
09/30/2013 10:04
Subject: Re:Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
PP is a troll, I don't buy any of that for a second.
For instance, childcare costs are almost never optional. For us, we are in a contract for the whole school year already. I can't just decide not to pay for after care for a day or a week or a month or however long I go without my government pay check. Most people can't do that. And if you pull out entirely then someone else on the waitlist gets your spot and you can't get back in to a new contract. That is true of most daycare situations too.
That is a good example of why this is a hardship for federal employees. Our expenses are based on our income, we have done nothing wrong with respect to our job performance and many of us have been work extra hard during the sequester as more is expected of fewer staff. We've done it without complaining and many of us are dedicated to our work. We are responsible also in our financial planning and savings, and have funds to retirement and college and even for a rainy day. But we can't stop spending when the income stops, we can't stop the mortgage or child care or innumerable other expenses. That impacts us very signficantly and very negatively even if we can withstand it. We don't deserve to bear the brunt of the damage for a disfunctional Congress - who will not bear any burden themselves. And the ripple effect will injure the country as a whole. The PP who bragged about saving money by not going to the dry cleaner and not going to get her hair colored. Well guess what, when hundreds of thousands of federal workers tighten their belts like that then the spending falls in the nation and the economy slows for everyone. The the dry cleaner and the hair dresser don't have income to spend either. Shut downs cost the government $100 million a day by one estimate last week.
Federal employees understand they have been villified by the current Congress. Unfairly in my view. But for their own self interest at least the rest of you should be calling on Congress to fix the problem.
For instance, childcare costs are almost never optional. For us, we are in a contract for the whole school year already. I can't just decide not to pay for after care for a day or a week or a month or however long I go without my government pay check. Most people can't do that. And if you pull out entirely then someone else on the waitlist gets your spot and you can't get back in to a new contract. That is true of most daycare situations too.
That is a good example of why this is a hardship for federal employees. Our expenses are based on our income, we have done nothing wrong with respect to our job performance and many of us have been work extra hard during the sequester as more is expected of fewer staff. We've done it without complaining and many of us are dedicated to our work. We are responsible also in our financial planning and savings, and have funds to retirement and college and even for a rainy day. But we can't stop spending when the income stops, we can't stop the mortgage or child care or innumerable other expenses. That impacts us very signficantly and very negatively even if we can withstand it. We don't deserve to bear the brunt of the damage for a disfunctional Congress - who will not bear any burden themselves. And the ripple effect will injure the country as a whole. The PP who bragged about saving money by not going to the dry cleaner and not going to get her hair colored. Well guess what, when hundreds of thousands of federal workers tighten their belts like that then the spending falls in the nation and the economy slows for everyone. The the dry cleaner and the hair dresser don't have income to spend either. Shut downs cost the government $100 million a day by one estimate last week.
Federal employees understand they have been villified by the current Congress. Unfairly in my view. But for their own self interest at least the rest of you should be calling on Congress to fix the problem.
Anonymous
09/30/2013 10:01
Subject: Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
Then you should adjust your savings allocations.
Anonymous
09/30/2013 09:57
Subject: Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
^^This.
Also, despite the fact that we make decent money, DH and I don't have much of an emergency fund right now. That's because we are older parents with teenagers, so we have been socking money in college and retirement funds. IOW, we save much more than the average American....yet most of it is inaccessible to us in the short run.
Also, despite the fact that we make decent money, DH and I don't have much of an emergency fund right now. That's because we are older parents with teenagers, so we have been socking money in college and retirement funds. IOW, we save much more than the average American....yet most of it is inaccessible to us in the short run.
Anonymous
09/30/2013 09:38
Subject: Re:Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
I am a 100K employee with an emergency fund and a spouse who will continue to work. We have no credit card or student loan debt, a good emergency fund and also short-term savings.
Here's how I will likely spend my time and money when the government shuts down.
At first it will feel like I have even more money than usual. I won't be hitting the food trucks for lunch, or grabbing a coffee at the deli in my building. I'll pick up my dry cleaning from the neighborhood dry cleaners, but won't need to drop off a new batch of shirts and suits. I won't have to take any taxis to off-site meetings, nor will I have to tip the guys who who park my car in my regular lot on the days I drive. We'll skip our regular pizza night at our small neighborhood pizza place--this will be a good time to pull some stuff out of the deep freeze and open some of the wine we never seem to drink.
After a few days, I'll forgo the $30 drop-in aftercare fee at my child's school since I'm home anyway. It will be fun to spend some extra time together even if we can't go to the zoo. We'll also save the $15 that we normally pay the dogwalker--she's expecting that more than a few people will be cutting back on her services. At this point I'll be looking for projects, so I'll get the spreader out and overseed my own lawn rather than calling my regular lawn service, saving $300. I won't have the neighborhood guy wash my car for $20 every week; it doesn't need it and it's an easy expense to eliminate. We'll put off replacing the shed this fall; the contractor we usually use for jobs like that will be happy to do it in the spring. We'll skip our regular weekend visits to Eastern market--luxuries like fresh flowers and fancy bread can wait until I go back to work. And I'll skip my bimonthly trip to the salon and do my own haircolor and pedicure--that's $110 plus tax and tip.
At no point will I be in danger of not paying my bills or my mortgage, but I will cut back on dozens of expenses that affect other people. How much do you think the dogwalker and the parking attendant have in their emergency funds? What about all the goods and services that they won't be able to afford because I didn't pay them? I will keep our housekeeper as long as I possibly can, but I know other people will need to cut back on her services. Now multiply those effects times hundreds of thousands of employees and you'll see why a shutdown is a terrible thing for everyone. We're not all spending our money on cheap Walmart crap or designer shoes, but in our neighborhoods.
Here's how I will likely spend my time and money when the government shuts down.
At first it will feel like I have even more money than usual. I won't be hitting the food trucks for lunch, or grabbing a coffee at the deli in my building. I'll pick up my dry cleaning from the neighborhood dry cleaners, but won't need to drop off a new batch of shirts and suits. I won't have to take any taxis to off-site meetings, nor will I have to tip the guys who who park my car in my regular lot on the days I drive. We'll skip our regular pizza night at our small neighborhood pizza place--this will be a good time to pull some stuff out of the deep freeze and open some of the wine we never seem to drink.
After a few days, I'll forgo the $30 drop-in aftercare fee at my child's school since I'm home anyway. It will be fun to spend some extra time together even if we can't go to the zoo. We'll also save the $15 that we normally pay the dogwalker--she's expecting that more than a few people will be cutting back on her services. At this point I'll be looking for projects, so I'll get the spreader out and overseed my own lawn rather than calling my regular lawn service, saving $300. I won't have the neighborhood guy wash my car for $20 every week; it doesn't need it and it's an easy expense to eliminate. We'll put off replacing the shed this fall; the contractor we usually use for jobs like that will be happy to do it in the spring. We'll skip our regular weekend visits to Eastern market--luxuries like fresh flowers and fancy bread can wait until I go back to work. And I'll skip my bimonthly trip to the salon and do my own haircolor and pedicure--that's $110 plus tax and tip.
At no point will I be in danger of not paying my bills or my mortgage, but I will cut back on dozens of expenses that affect other people. How much do you think the dogwalker and the parking attendant have in their emergency funds? What about all the goods and services that they won't be able to afford because I didn't pay them? I will keep our housekeeper as long as I possibly can, but I know other people will need to cut back on her services. Now multiply those effects times hundreds of thousands of employees and you'll see why a shutdown is a terrible thing for everyone. We're not all spending our money on cheap Walmart crap or designer shoes, but in our neighborhoods.
Anonymous
09/30/2013 09:33
Subject: Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
Anonymous wrote:If your federal agency is still hiring, it's an emergency hire. All agencies are under hiring freeze.
No they are NOT.
Anonymous
09/30/2013 09:30
Subject: Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
I think OP generally has a valid point - many people, and perhaps many of us, don't properly save and are managing our finances irresponsibly. Feds are not exempt from this national trend - a freakish amount of employees aren't even putting in the 5% needed to get all their matching funds. It's irresponsible and yes, I do think dropping $60 on a happy hour get together is the perfect time to show OP's friends some tough love.
I see most people in DC living on the edge of their budget, likely teetering over the edge some months, and that propensity is the only explanation I can come up with to explain the housing market in this area. How are there really so many people who can afford to buy their first home at 700-800k while also paying for a nanny or au pair on a gov salary? These buyers must be on the upper limit of what the bank will loan out and they probably are just one paycheck away from being totally in the red. That's scary.
That's not to say people don't deserve sympathy. Life is hard sometimes and we all need some friends we can lean on but a real friend would look me in the eye and say "I'd love to meet up with you again but let's do a potluck at my place next time since HHs seem to be out of the budget for now."
I see most people in DC living on the edge of their budget, likely teetering over the edge some months, and that propensity is the only explanation I can come up with to explain the housing market in this area. How are there really so many people who can afford to buy their first home at 700-800k while also paying for a nanny or au pair on a gov salary? These buyers must be on the upper limit of what the bank will loan out and they probably are just one paycheck away from being totally in the red. That's scary.
That's not to say people don't deserve sympathy. Life is hard sometimes and we all need some friends we can lean on but a real friend would look me in the eye and say "I'd love to meet up with you again but let's do a potluck at my place next time since HHs seem to be out of the budget for now."
Anonymous
09/30/2013 09:26
Subject: Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
Anonymous wrote:If your federal agency is still hiring, it's an emergency hire. All agencies are under hiring freeze.
If your agency is not under a hiring freeze, can you list the name?
Anonymous
09/30/2013 09:14
Subject: Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
If your federal agency is still hiring, it's an emergency hire. All agencies are under hiring freeze.
Anonymous
09/30/2013 09:12
Subject: Re:Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Would you rather be like many private sector employees and unemployed. Federal employees are very lucky. Yes I'll be sad to lose some money, but I know way to many folks in the private sector who've been hit very hard in this economy not to thank my lucky stars for my fed job.
No, I am not thanking my lucky stars for my federal job. I have worked 70 hours in the past week, and this is typical of this year. I do not see my child awake on most weekdays. I am sick of workig this hard and being underpaid and underappreciated.
well then quit. there is a line of people that would love to have your job.
What part of "hiring freeze" do you not undertand? People who leave or retire are not being replaced. It's called attrition.
well do us a favor. save the government paying your salary and quit so we don't have to hear your whining.
Yup. Do you know how lucky you are to not have to worry about losing your job? If you hate it so much, quit and give the job to someone who will appreciate it.
Hiring freeze means nobody will get the job, idiot. PP would take a private sector job from someone else or remain unemployed. That's great for the economy, Einstein.
Um Federal employee here, NOT every agency is on a hiring freeze so please stop saying that.
Anonymous
09/30/2013 09:10
Subject: Re:Well paid government employees who can't afford a one or two week shutdown
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Would you rather be like many private sector employees and unemployed. Federal employees are very lucky. Yes I'll be sad to lose some money, but I know way to many folks in the private sector who've been hit very hard in this economy not to thank my lucky stars for my fed job.
No, I am not thanking my lucky stars for my federal job. I have worked 70 hours in the past week, and this is typical of this year. I do not see my child awake on most weekdays. I am sick of workig this hard and being underpaid and underappreciated.
well then quit. there is a line of people that would love to have your job.
What part of "hiring freeze" do you not undertand? People who leave or retire are not being replaced. It's called attrition.
well do us a favor. save the government paying your salary and quit so we don't have to hear your whining.
Yup. Do you know how lucky you are to not have to worry about losing your job? If you hate it so much, quit and give the job to someone who will appreciate it.
Hiring freeze means nobody will get the job, idiot. PP would take a private sector job from someone else or remain unemployed. That's great for the economy, Einstein.