what bad economy

[LDB]

OK, we're in an economic time that isn't all peaches and cream. We need to be frugal and conserving and save anywhere we can. We need to limit spending on non-essentials. That said, the numbers are in from black Friday. Sales this year were up 3% over last year which was up 8% over prior year which was up 3% over prior year which was up 6% over prior year. Starting back in 2004 and using that as the baseline, 2008 is 21.45% higher in sales than 2004. While some will say 3% isn't that much of an increase for this year, especially after an 8% gain last year, that's still a positive result. Considering the doom and gloom outlook of many, that's an excellent result.

 

[davekc]

We are up over the previous year, but I am also mindful that we had to make some changes to get to that increase. Some may not have the ability, knowledge, or experience to orchestrate a change in a turbulent time. Too many times, folks personal agenda and other things get in the way of making a change in a timely manner.
Those results are usually found right here in the EO truck for sale classifieds or the finance/bank repo lot.

 

[Mike99]

OK, we're in an economic time that isn't all peaches and cream. We need to be frugal and conserving and save anywhere we can. We need to limit spending on non-essentials. That said, the numbers are in from black Friday. Sales this year were up 3% over last year which was up 8% over prior year which was up 3% over prior year which was up 6% over prior year. Starting back in 2004 and using that as the baseline, 2008 is 21.45% higher in sales than 2004. While some will say 3% isn't that much of an increase for this year, especially after an 8% gain last year, that's still a positive result. Considering the doom and gloom outlook of many, that's an excellent result.

OK.So what's your point????We have a good economy????????Man ,I think your blind or def...

 

[LDB]

My point is that rather than believing those who are nothing but doom and gloom and therefore giving up to instead look at and realize that things are not as good as they have been or could be but not the end of the world some are suggesting. Look at things with open eyes and mind. Act responsibly but stay positive.

 

[pjjjjj]

OK.So what's your point????We have a good economy????????Man ,I think your blind or def...

Keep in mind the media report what they want. If most of the stuff they're reporting is doom and gloom, it can lead people to have a certain attitude and make decisions they may not have made. Like putting off that purchase they were going to make, for example. Like selling their house for less than perhaps they could've sold it for, becuz they were led to believe they were lucky to sell it at all. The attitude grows into a tangible reality and things get even worse than they might have. What do they call that.. self fulfilling prophecy?

 

[dodgeboy]

Keep in mind that consumers on black friday got all of their christmas shopping done for about half the price. The major retailers were letting merchandise go at a loss this year just to stimulate consumer spending. Yeah, there is no doubt that a lot of people got some great deals on friday, but i'm afraid it will come at the expense of the employees who work for the retail chains. I personally do not see anyone going out to buy more christmas presents in the near future; simply because they already got such a great deal from retailers on black friday.

 

[chefdennis]

Good post Leo! If i had listend to all of those that told me that the economy was bad and that all van drivers are starving including people onnthis bord, i wouldn't be doing this today and I'd not be making enough money to support a family on.

Now this business does NOT need to support me at all, but it certainly is paying me enough to support my family if it had to.

No one is saying the economy is great or even good, BUT, you are in control of you own situation, Yes the company controls the loads you get from the loads they get, but making adjustments to live within what we have is the key to any economic situation.

We have all heard the saying about the news media, "if it bleeds, it leads!", yea they run with whatever they feel will sell, and "doom and gloom" sells, just like blood and guts. I don't read print news (newspapers) anymore then i have to. I don't watch much TV (haven't for yrs) so most of my news comes from online scources, and not the MSM sites either. Yea i hear its bad, but not to the point that our liberal msm want us to believe. Its bad, but if you adjust, you can make it.

As with a drug addict, they are told to recover they need to change, "people, places, and things!" Maybe if we changed who, where and what we get our news from, we will look at things a bit more positive.

Personally i'd hate to work with half of you guys that "pizz and moan" about how bad things are and that you are not making it anymore, that negative crap carries over into every aspect of your life!! how many of you are enjoying the day in whatever comes your way?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Its been about a year or so and the regular American has been squeezing thier personal spending...that coupled with the lower price of gas has put a couple hundred bucks a month back into the consumers pockets....things are slowly getting straighten around...it will I am confident go upward from here....

 

[TeamCaffee]

We have talked with a few people who are in the process of losing their house and I just sit there with my mouth open not believing what they are saying. First it is the presidents fault and then the banks fault. Then in the next sentance we hear about their bowling leagues, their clubs they belong to and with one women she was out bar hopping with her friends. These people we met never once cut back on their personal lives when they realized income was lower then what they were spending. I have a hard time with that being the president and the banks fault. I guess really how dare the bank want to be paid!

Our consummer prices are up on what we purchase. When fuel was at its highest this past year we cut back on our activities. We keep a pretty tight budget and when what we are spending gets close to what we are making we stop spending.

_______________________________________________________________________
Personally i'd hate to work with half of you guys that "pizz and moan" about how bad things are and that you are not making it anymore, that negative crap carries over into every aspect of your life!! how many of you are enjoying the day in whatever comes your way?
_______________________________________________________________________

I love that comment! When we start talking to negative Nellies we run for the hills. There are so many good things and positive things out here why waste time on the negative? So what we tighten our belts to make ends meet it is not the end of the world.

Being negative is a disease that is very contagious we do not want to catch. We all have our problems, some can be solved by changing a behavior, some you need to change your environment, and others you have to decide to work with the problem and do the best you can.
We love the industry we are in and the freedom we have and not a day goes by that we do not remember that!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

Linda...your absolutely right AGAIN....imagine that?

Since JuJu and I have been in this biz a lot has changed and a lot has stayed the same...we've managed to eek out a living, bills are paid, roof over head, food in the fridge. One learns a lot of tricks in this biz after awhile and it makes a big difference IF one adheres to the discipline of money mangement. After 8 years are standard of living has actually gotten better...

And I still refuse to spend $220 bucks for a tire on this van!!!*LOL*

 

[Mike99]

This black Friday show us how poor we are.People wake up at 2 AM and kill each other to buy some cheep merchandise...Do this black Friday in Norway .Denmark or Sweden and see how many people are gonna wake up at 2 AM and stay in line in cold weather to buy a camera or a laptop....Unfortunately things are bad in USA....

 

[OntarioVanMan]

This black Friday show us how poor we are.People wake up at 2 AM and kill each other to buy some cheep merchandise...Do this black Friday in Norway .Denmark or Sweden and see how many people are gonna wake up at 2 AM and stay in line in cold weather to buy a camera or a laptop....Unfortunately things are bad in USA....

How many of them woke up for a stupid Garmin or TomTom just to find thier way to work or thier moms house?...some still buy the stupideous things....nearly every commuter has one in the dash? DOH

How many stood there for a Blue Ray when thier old DVD worked just fine and would do?

How many stood in line for them flat screen TV's when the one at home still worked?

Eliminate them from the equation....

 

[jaminjim]

They have been getting up for "bargains" for years. The real shame is that some won't get up that early to go to work.

 

[Mike99]

Yeah...take the credit cards away from them,live just cash or debit cards and see how many will remain in the line!

 

[OntarioVanMan]

There weren't too many necessities on "special".....

Not saying some people in some sectors aren't having a tough time....but some of the tough is self induced....

 

[davekc]

Many do dwell too much on the gloom and doom, but it only has a value to identify it. It certainly isn't all roses and daisies, but most of what I am seeing isn't that bad compared to previous times. Failure to acknowledge what is really gone only brings a later failure either from denial or reacting too late.
See a lot of that now.
All that does is create another opportunity for someone else.

 

[jaminjim]

Yeah...take the credit cards away from them,live just cash or debit cards and see how many will remain in the line!

My wife had to be at work at 03:30 Friday. She was surprised that seven out of ten people paid cash.

 

[OntarioVanMan]

My wife had to be at work at 03:30 Friday. She was surprised that seven out of ten people paid cash.

see...Now cash is good for the economy...if that trend was reflacted across the country...things will improve ever so slightly...retailers, corporations need cash...

 

[ATeam]

That said, the numbers are in from black Friday. Sales this year were up 3% over last year which was up 8% over prior year which was up 3% over prior year which was up 6% over prior year. Starting back in 2004 and using that as the baseline, 2008 is 21.45% higher in sales than 2004. While some will say 3% isn't that much of an increase for this year, especially after an 8% gain last year, that's still a positive result. Considering the doom and gloom outlook of many, that's an excellent result.

As an indicator in any year, Black Friday sales have more to do with media hype than economic reality. Same-store sales of a given month compared to the same month a year ago is a far more meaningful indicator.

Black Friday sales reveal revenue numbers for a given day or weekend but they do not speak of profits. If a retailer is marking down merchandise as much as 70% to draw crowds, little if any money is being made. A bunch of retail stores and retail chains have boarded up their doors and/or gone bankrupt in 2008.

Those same stores were in busness in 2007 and earlier years. That is a more significant indicator than anything meida-hyped Black Friday tells us in any year.

That said, it's not like store closings are a bad thing. There is hardly a store shortage in the U.S. It may be a false hope but I would love to see Americans respond to the economic crisis (mortgage, credit, jobs, ... pick your flavor) by rethinking their credit-dependent, freespending ways. Just maybe we don't need a Bed Bath and Beyond or Circuit City store in every mall. And just maybe we don't need a mall on every corner.

Are there any parents out there anymore that, by example, teach their kids what a savings account is before teaching them about the latest and greatest goods they can afford because the monthly payments can almost always be made?

 

[OntarioVanMan]

I remember when I was a kid...my mom bringing me to the bank to open a savings account when I got my paper route....I did the same with my kids...I was explained the theory of interest and all that boring stuff at the time and told of the importance of cash and of having a stash for "them rainy days"