I think I am pretty lucky compared to a lot of other people in this country. My house is valued higher than my loan (but I can’t sell it), we have health insurance (unfortunately expensive COBRA), my husband has a job (contract that can end at any moment), I have a healthy, beautiful baby boy (that I need to feed and clothe) and I live in a vibrant city (that is extremely expensive). In Seattle, it felt like we weren’t going to be touched by the downturn in the economy but over the past few months, I am starting to feel it. It is in the air. I can’t stop worrying that bad luck is going to come knock at my door and everything that is held together by thin string will fall apart. Maybe its the pessimist in me but I can’t seem to relax. I have been trying to find a job for almost 3 months now and no luck! We are paying for J to be in daycare to save his spot, we can’t afford it but if we lose the spot, will be on a 6 to 9 month waiting list for an opening when I do get a job!! We are a month or two away from being “out of money” and I feel so helpless.
I am trying to think about things in a calm, realistic way. Would we really be out of money? We would be able to pull money out of our 401(k) to pay the mortgage and actually be able to stay afloat for a while. Is that smart to do? NO, but, neither is foreclosure if you can prevent it. We are young and have plenty of time to recover. I just wouldn’t be able to tell my financial planner. She’d kill me. We’ll be ok. The economy will turn around. I’ll find a job. We’ll be able to pay the mortgage. Yep. Sure. You betcha.
I have stopped reading articles and watching videos on how crappy our economy is. Getting obsessively involved won’t help the situation. There is a part of me that feels everyone really doesn’t get how bad we are and how bad it could get. Are we in denial? Most of us didn’t live during the Great Depression. Tough times to many of my friends mean they can’t get a new purse and have to go out to dinner less. Actually, many of my friends aren’t even that affected!! It’s so bizarre.
I hope that we survive this storm and that citizens of our country will come out being smarter with money, appreciating the things we have and never taking anything for granted. I don’t want to see what this place will look like if we don’t.
Baby Goggles 