How is everyone coping with the business during this global economic downturn?

Tanya - posted on 02/24/2009

Yeah...I completely agree with you Melissa.

Melissa - posted on 02/23/2009

actually business is back up for us again . I think it's just a cycle, and you have to go with the flow, and hopefully have the money/stamina to ride out the hard times.

Tanya - posted on 02/23/2009

My husband owns an electrical engineering company and a chemical testing company. All three offices are busy. We need to hire more qualified staff which is great news. Terminating jobs would be horrible...I hope we don't experience it. So many families depend on our wages to support their families. I don't wish it upon anyone! Let's hope the situation gets better for everyone.

Melissa - posted on 02/09/2009

well things have gotten a lot slower that's for sure. I think everyone is holding onto their money as well. My husband has a scaffodling company and used to employ 40 guys, and now it's down to 20. he expects it to drop down to 10 employees. As well Suncor owes him a LOT of money and they haven't paid him since christmas time. BUT on the otherhand, I know that there is work out there for him, he just needs to keep looking, and I know that eventually things will pick up again. In alberta ,where we are ,we rely heavily on the oilfield business, and I'm almost 100% positive that things won't stay down for them forever.

Caroline - posted on 02/09/2009

Things are not going well for us.  As of Friday, the guy that my husband has been doing business for (he is in construction and my husband has done the tile in everything he has built)  closed his office.  I am very worried about this, because he was getting paid every week and now he is getting nothing and who knows when he will.  He has two outside jobs, but both of them together will only be about $300.  I have a feeling things are going to be worse before they get better.  We both have been applying for jobs, but neither of us have heard back from any of the places.  This really sucks!

Keri - posted on 02/05/2009

we live in ny state, we are doing good, my husband owns his own flooring business. its a bit slow but with spring around the corner it will hopefully pick up. the bills are getting paid and food is on the table, but no vacation this summer :( but hey, it could be worse...

Kelly - posted on 01/18/2009

We own a photo studio just outside Toronto, Canada. I think (hope) that really right now it's just the weather and the few weeks after Christmas that has everyone down. It's been very cold and lots of snow the past week or so.

I have a friend who has an interest in doing what your husband does. I don't think that his wife is on board yet with it!!

Hubby asked me not that long ago if I was disappointed in him, that he hasn't provided well enough. I was speechless. I am so proud of him for having the guts to do what he has done. It's not been easy, nor did we expect it to be. He feels somehow that if he had a normal job that we would be better off. I have to remind him of the times when he commuted 90 minutes to work and weekends were still taken up with photography. I worked full time and the kids were with a sitter way more than we liked. It was then that we decided I would stay home and provide a stable home life, a soft cushion of support for everyone to fall into at the end of the day. It's worked so far but there are days when I feel squirrelly lol.

I try to help out at the studio when our youngest is in school, whether it's there at the studio or doing all the other bits around town.

How old is your child? children?

Kelly - posted on 01/17/2009

So far not too bad - but its a bit slow after christmas as well. And we just got slugged with our insurance bill - $4600! My husband drives machinery for construction and landscaping. We are in australia and things in building and construction don't seem to be affected yet, I think it will take time. Our government is really trying to keep people from panicking and gave financial incentive for families to boost the economy.



What is your business?

Kelly - posted on 01/17/2009

It's not easy, that's for sure. And now with it being our slow season and after Christmas! I don't know that I have any great advice. I know for us that we do a lot of advertising through word of mouth and using our other business connections. We are thinking of doing a door-to-door flyer....lol the thought of going out in this weather is not my idea of fun.

We have definately cut back on our spending. There are some days when I wonder what else to cut out, thinking there can't possibly be anything else!!

How are you coping? What business are you in?