Manage Your Life

Sunday, November 29, 2009

I am freaked out about the economy. Are you?

By Nataly Kogan from Work It, Mom!

Getty Images

Getty Images

My grandparents called me the other day to ask what they should do with the bit of money they have in the bank. At first I wasn't sure what they were asking, but then my grandma clarified that because I am a financial whiz (really? I guess all those years I spent in the mysterious-to-them world of venture capital somehow means that I know how to weather the current financial storm) she wants my opinion about whether they should pull their savings out and keep them home.

I calmly explained that their deposits are protected by the government, up to $100,000, and that they shouldn't worry. After I hung up the phone I was pretty proud of myself for not letting on about how FREAKED OUT I AM ABOUT THE ECONOMY.

There, I said it. The fake financial whiz that I am, the current slump/slowdown/recession/Wall Street implosion is causing me serious heartburn. We recently bought a new house, with a nicely sized mortgage, and our monthly budget is tight as is, while I pursue my entrepreneurial dream (read: not making lots of money). Seeing our investments lose value, daily, and trying to figure out whether the investors in my entrepreneurial dream will be too affected by their falling portfolios to keep supporting us is extremely stressful and, at times, seriously interferes with my mood. I do try to remind myself that we're young, we can weather this storm, our investment portfolios will be fine in the long run, and somehow we'll figure this out, but this perspective is tough to maintain.

I know I am not alone. A lot of our conversations with friends have circled around to jobs (how secure everyone's is and what is the backup plan), mortgages (those friends with adjustable rates are nervous), investments, and other related, and quite depressing, topics. And you can't turn on news without hearing about the economy and interviews with people who are stressed by it.

Are you more stressed because of the poor economy and general financial chaos?

Nataly Kogan is the co-founder and CEO of Workitmom.com, an online community and helpful resource for working moms.

Check out Nataly's recent posts on the Work It, Mom! Blog:


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From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 13
  • Sunnyone's Avatar
    Posted by Sunnyone Wed Sep 24, 2008 11:27am PDT

    Yes I'm stressed, not as much as for my self but my son. He just bought a house, car and now this! I'm loosing on my 401K, everyone is, at least my house in paid for. I'm having to help him and his family with groceries. I know everyone is hurting.

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  • Brenda M's Avatar
    Posted by Brenda M Wed Sep 24, 2008 8:00pm PDT

    I am having my first baby n recently finish with most of my school debt. but i am not working only my husband! I remenber since I grew up in los angeles california, the high school forced to take a financial class (since most of us came from extremlly poor families!), wich taught me not to live above my means, n because of it most of my funiture is second hand n cash paid, my truck is paid of, I just bought a really old honda civic that does have a monthly payment but leaves me with more money in my pockets beause of gas prices. I dont go out to eat as much n I buy used clothes. I know If I keep on doing this n praying I will be ok!

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  • grandma's Avatar
    Posted by grandma Thu Sep 25, 2008 12:02am PDT

    Who wouldn't be freaked out about the economy? Living from paycheck to paycheck. Not going anywhere unless ya have to. The gas prices. I don't see why the government doesn't take that $700 billion and give it back to all of us taxpayers. I would think that that would help jumpstart the economy. What did the government think we would do with that stimulus check? It was a nice gesture but it hardly made a dent in the economy situation. What are your views?

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  • WilliamM's Avatar
    Posted by WilliamM Thu Sep 25, 2008 1:57am PDT

    Who wouldn't be freaked out? Me. :D

    I have lived long enough to have experienced a number of previous "financial crises" and recessions. I have read enough history to be cognizant of many more which the country weathered before that without the world coming to an end. And I have had enough education in the field of economics to realize why it won't this time, either---barring monumental stupidity in high places ( like the money supply contraction by the Fed which caused the Great Depression ).

    And like Warren Buffet, I am finding this a wonderful time to find investment bargains. Pretty much the opposite of freaked out, in other words.

    Relax. Have a glass of wine. This too will pass.

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  • __A_YAHOO_USER__'s Avatar
    Posted by __A_YAHOO_USER__ Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:40am PDT

    I'am stressed ,its getting to hard ,they keep uping everything and we are not getting raises to accomodate all the greed in this country,taxes way out of control,gas,oil which WE do not have a drop of yet ,they say we MAKE TOO MUCH MONEY ,electric has gone up,SO HEAP CANT HELP ME EVEN THOUGH I DID PAY INTO THEIR SYSTEM,CAUSE I WORK,NOBODY IS HELPING WITH BREAKS ,EVEN WITH FOOD PRICES..MY GOD WE ARE GETTING HUNGRY AND THERE ARE A LOT OF GROCERIES HERE ,WE JUST CANT AFFORD EM..AH MILK ,I SAID I'LL SWITCH BACK TO THE DAYS I WAS A KID -POWDERED MILK...OH YES THAT EVEN CLIMBED...ONE LARGE BOX IS NOW 12.OO BIG BITE OUT OF THE BUDGET,,,,ITS LIKE THEY HAVE EVRY ANGLE COVERED ,,THERE IS NO WINNING .BUT WE ALL DO KNOW THAT THE GOV'S

    AND PRESIDENTS FAMILY ARE LIVING WELL AND WILL NEVER GO THROUGH WHAT THE AVERAGE AMERICAN IS .HAS ANYBODY EVER WONDERED WHY THERE SALARIES ARE AS HIGH AS THEY ARE?DOES ANYBODY REALLY BELEIVE THEY ARE JUSTIFIED?

    WHY DO THEY NEED DESIGNERS CLOTHES,DESIGNER TOYS,HOMES.WHY IS THERE HEALTH BENEFITS BETTER THAN OURS ,WHY DO THERE KIDS GET BETTER EDUCATION ,WHY DOES THEIR OWN CHILDREN OR ANY FAMILY MEMEBER NOT GO INTO WAR LIKE OUR SONS AND DAUGHTERS DO....

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  • Habanero♥™'s Avatar
    Posted by Habanero♥™ Thu Sep 25, 2008 6:58am PDT

    Due to our current financial situation in the U.S.A. and the lack of a major pay increase in the last 12 months I have had to cut back on:

    $2400 on groceries

    $3300 on quitting smoking NOT A BAD THING

    $1440 on gas

    $1920 on brown bagging lunch

    $1000 on eating only home cooked meals

    $1340 on giving up soda, processed juices, "energy drinks", and "vitamin waters".

    $11,400 Savings ******That is my raise to myself with very little pleasure********.

    Learned to freeze meals, organize my errands so I am not going in different directions (food shopping, banking, bill paying, etc.)

    Eat at home and brown bagging really add up

    Cut back on driving or running out for something I really do not need. Make the kids take the bus.

    These savings have allowed me to keep eating healthy farm-fresh foods, keep taking my herbs and vitamins and avoid doctors visits.

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  • WilliamM's Avatar
    Posted by WilliamM Fri Sep 26, 2008 4:01am PDT

    Sunshines-

    The same can be said of thousands of actors, singers, and sports stars. Are any of them really worth the astonishing sums they are paid? ( I mean "worth" in the moral sense, rather than the economic one, where of course the answer is "yes", little though it may seem so to those of us who actually have to work hard for much, much less. )

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  • creamofqueens@yahoo.com's Avatar
    Posted by creamofqueens@yahoo.com Sat Sep 27, 2008 8:15pm PDT

    Of course, I am more than freaked out about this economy...never in all my life did I ever think I would feel more poor than I do now. Not that I'm not grateful for what we do have, it's just since I live on a fixed income and can no longer physically work, It's hard to stretch that last dollar when you receive a check only once a month and have to pay a rent almost as much as your check. then there's the other necessities, food, gas, electric, cable, car insurance and of course..THE DAMN PRICE OF GAS...THEY SHOULD ALLOW DISABLED AND VETS TO BE GIVEN AN AUTOMATIC ACCESSIBILITY TO A $600.00 FOOD ALLOWANCE TO BE USED IN ANY SUPERMARKET. OUR ELDERLY TOO SUFFER. IMAGINE BEING OLD AND DISABLED NOW AT THIS TIME OF THESE CRISIS. WE CAN'T BENEFIT LIKE THOSE WHO EARN A YEARLY INCOME AND A BI-WEEKLY CHECK. WE'R UP IN S===T'S CREEK.

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  • Kat T's Avatar
    Posted by Kat T Sun Sep 28, 2008 12:10pm PDT

    I think that everyone is hurting on some level. But the ones who are on disabilty are getting the worst of it.If your on ss and ssi, your spouse is only allowed to make so much. You make over that, and there goes the medical. Not everyone recieves the medical, just the one on disability. So, the spouse gets nada. No medical, no raises, no job over 23 hours a week. So, when everything goes up, ss and ssi stay the same, you lose. How are we expected to live???? How are we supposed to even afford the basics? Some people say americans are spoiled. I would love for them to make it on what we live on for a month.

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  • BklynBabe's Avatar
    Posted by BklynBabe Sun Sep 28, 2008 4:37pm PDT

    it's awful!

    but the sick thing, we keep on spending money....on stuff we DON'T need.

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Comments 1-10 of 13

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