On Running on empty: Workers face future with few benefits

Posted on December 22 at 10 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

I Drive only American cars. Yes I am sure there might be parts on some that were not made in America. We have 2 Tahoes, and yes we pay extra for the gas, but we love them. One is a 1999 lest anyone think that I can have 2 new Tahoes. And No I do not work at GM. No one is buying cars now because the government has everyone running scared. The difference is the Japanese and German governments subsidize their automakers.

And the US Senate and House of Representatives made a Mockery of the Working Class in America. Handing over 700 Billion dollars to the White Collar Banking Industry without a question, then balking at the idea of LENDING the money to the Automakers, who have made their money literally on the backs of US autoworkers.

Shame on them, and shame on anyone who thinks that it is OK for a Senator to dictate what we as working Americans should get per hour for our work. Shame on them for thinking they should decide how the Automakers should run their businesses, when they allow AIG Billions of dollars and their executives go off to a $400,000 retreat.

Shame on the Congress for being judgmental from their high horses, waving their fingers at the UAW and saying how dare you want to send your kids to college, buy a house, go on vacation, how Dare you want to secure your future. You are just the working class, how dare you wish for something that WE as WHITE COLLARED WORKERS are only entitled to. Why you do not deserve that you are not in our class, you are workers, you are producers, we have the brains, you do the work......
HOW DARE THEY, HOW DARE THEY USE THE positions that they were elected to by WE THE PEOPLE, and SPIT on the very people which elected them.

When will someone amongst them stand up and say NO MORE, when will we say NO MORE!

On Running on empty: Workers face future with few benefits

Posted on December 22 at 9:18 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Read this article, it was in the Washington post. Noting how the reluctance to help the automakers reeks of class bias. I could not agree more.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/con...

On Pawnshops, quick loans gaining popularity

Posted on December 22 at 9:15 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Read what happened to me....at the pawn shop
http://www.biggerstage.blogspot.com/

On Pawnshops, quick loans gaining popularity

Posted on December 22 at 9:07 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Well I have not been on for a few days but I see that Hannah has taken off with my commentary on how to spend $90,000. As Hannah had been discussing how someone who made $135,000/year did not have money to pay the mortgage I thought that I would provide an example of expenses. Those are not my expenses, if you read the whole thing you would note that I have had $3400 in car repairs. I also have a daughter in college which costs money unless you are in a very low income level. Anyway, I digress. And to YADA, he most certainly is not. And I know this from my own personal experience. And finally it is NECESSITIES!!!

On Pawnshops, quick loans gaining popularity

Posted on December 18 at 3:42 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Let's see take home $90,000 ....
6000 401 k
600 LIFE INSURANCE
2500 YEAR CAR AND HOME INSURANCE
3600 YEAR CAR PAYMENT
2500 YEAR ELECTRIC AND GAS
5000 YEAR REAL ESTATE TAXES
20000 YEAR MORTGAGE
500 YEAR WATER BILL
2000 YEAR CABLE AND PHONE BILL
1500 YEAR CELL PHONE BILL
3000 YEAR GAS AUTO
7500 YEAR GROCERIES(INCLUDING TOILETRIES, FOOD ETC)
3000 YEAR CLOTHING, BIRTHDAYS, CHRISTMAS(5 PEOPLE 3 GROWING KIDS THIS IS PROBABLY WAY LOW)
7500 YEAR MEDICAL INSURANCE COPAYS PRESCRIPTION
6000 YEAR CHARITIBLE CONTRIBUTIONS(CHURCH, SCHOOL FUNDRAISERS, DONATIONS TO GOODWILL,GS COOKIES, SHALL I GO ON)
6000 YEAR STUDENT LOANS
4000 YEAR BRACES(ONE OF THE KIDS HAS TO BE IN BRACES)
500 YEAR GLASSES(INSURANCE RARELY COVERS)
2000 YEAR AUTO MAINTENANCE(UNLESS YOU ARE LIKE ME AND HAVE HAD 2 CARS IN 2 WEEKS COST 3400 IN REPAIRS)
1000 ENTERTAINMENT(SO $200 PERSON PER YEAR WHICH IS NOTHING)
500 YEAR PET COSTS(MOST PEOPLE HAVE PETS, FOOD, VET BILL ETC. THIS IS PROBABLY LOW)
With all that, there is no vacation, no savings, no 529 plan for the kids, no new vacuum when the old one breaks down,
there is left about $75 a week for school lunches, school fees, babysitters for a night out, vacation around the world,
haircuts for 5, and finally
Haircolor for the gray hair that you have because you make $135,000 a year and you can not pay your mortgage on time!

YOU BETTER GO OUT AND GET A PAYDAY LOAN!

On Pawnshops, quick loans gaining popularity

Posted on December 16 at 4:53 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Mikki and Hannah,
These times are different. However people were still getting payday loans and selling things prior to these tough economic times. I was always taught that I need a place to live first so to pay the rent or the mortgage first. Electricity next, and so on. It seems today that many younger people have the "let's have fun first and wait for the consequences later" attitudes.
The payday loan places, love them or hate them are legal (they are not buying stolen or questionable items, you know the value of what you are getting, it is all in writing). Like I said before they are in my opinion legal Loan sharks, but they are legal. If someone hates them enough, work to get tighter regulations on the interest etc.

I am on a large soapbox against the pawn shops that buy things that are not the person' item to sell, or give pennies on the dollar on things with much more value. If we did the math a pawn sale on 10% of an items value is far more than the interest and fees on the payday loan. And you know what you are getting on the payday loans.(Title loans I would throw into the pawn category).

People don't have money, yet the cable bill gets paid first. People don't have money but there is a big screen TV in the living room. People that use these quick loans and pawn sales are not writing on here. But you can bet that most of them have a computer and the internet. No money, let's go to a movie. No money, let's go to McDonalds.

For years I have drove around Janesville and my husband would say.."Who is building all of these huge houses"
People who can not afford them.
The economy did not happen in the last 3 months, it has been happening over the last generation of Buy now pay later.
20 somethings(in general not all so no one is offended) want to come out of school and have $50,000 year jobs and not actually have to work. Work more than forty hours a week? Are you kidding, that is too much.
All play and no work make prime candidates for Pawn shops and payday loans.

On Pawnshops, quick loans gaining popularity

Posted on December 16 at 10:07 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

Anyone that wishes regulations be passed on pawnbrokers in Janesville please write the city council at
citycouncil@ci.janesville.wi.us
and request electronic reporting

On Pawnshops, quick loans gaining popularity

Posted on December 16 at 9:28 a.m. ( Suggest removal )

kiowamohican,
Very true, very true that people need to take responsibility for themselves. but, as has been stated before when people are desperate, they do desperate things. E-bay is dirt cheap to post and sell on. Craig's list is free. You can be sure that the cigarettes are still bought, and the cell phone is on, but the rent is not paid. The "I want something now, no matter how I get it" generation is here, it is now. And unfortunately Mr. Erdman and others like him are very happy to take your stuff and your money for pennies on the Dollar. They keep slips which can "get lost", or be very time consuming to find.

Janesville needs to do what other cities have done, they need to make mandatory electronic reporting.

Especially now, especially with GM closing. People will be getting pawn loans which is not where the problem is. It is when they sell the item. Why would anyone sell an item to a Pawn shop? Desperation, no money, need to fence it, need the cash. Warm(Hot) whatever, the police will never see it until they start with regulations.

On Pawnshops, quick loans gaining popularity

Posted on December 15 at 10:58 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

coindealer6219,
That might be because you are a coin dealer, and not someone desperate for cash. Professional,Ha! until the police show up and ask if he bought something from someone and he says no.....but down the road when detectives get involved, then he says oh yes, but so and so had a valid ID. Not my fault, I sold it already too bad for you. Or how about when he buys a brand new piece of electronics, say a Plasma TV or a New Wii in the box. Do you think he should be a little suspicious that someone would take pennies on the dollar for these things instead of returning them to the store? Do you think he might wonder what the 18 year old kid is doing with the $10,000 ring, or the 19 year old kid is selling his new plasma tv? Come on....,,Fair to you sure and professional. You know coins...But when he gets the Plasma for $200 or the Heirloom ring for $150, He knows how to prey on the people who are desperate, whether they do not have jobs and need extra cash, or they have stolen something and have to "Fence" it. Nothing more than a moral criminal.

On Pawnshops, quick loans gaining popularity

Posted on December 15 at 5:20 p.m. ( Suggest removal )

Mikki, I could not agree more that we need lending laws and limits on interest rates charged. Oh, and the credit card $39 charge for late fee and bank charge for Overdraft check of$35 is usurious as well. (especially when they pay a $3.00 check and charge over draft.
The Payday or quick loans are legalized loan sharking! which I guess if you attach a shingle and hang your name out, and follow the laws of the state as they are, is legal. So the only difference between the payday loans or quick cash places is they are not out with Baseball bats breaking someone's legs for not paying. Well good for you! How proud! Oh, and the credit card $39 charge for late fee and bank charge for Overdraft check of$35 is usurious as well. (especially when they pay a $3.00 check and charge over draft.