Wednesday evening

iVillage Member
Registered: 09-22-1999
Wednesday evening
7
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 7:14pm

oh, no.....so I'm hearing second round layoff rumors and hoping they are not true.

Avatar for earnhardt_jr_fan
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-25-2003
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 7:55pm

I'm thinking a lot of the people living in overly large homes are doing so by robbing Peter to pay Paul. Don't get me wrong, I think there are still many people out there who can afford these homes, but I truly believe a lot of them are living way outside of their means.


I grew up in a large house. It wasn't brand new -- but it had been completely remodeled and was a very nice, large home. We had 4 HUGE bedrooms (you seriously could have split all of them into two bedrooms -- making 8 and still had decent size bedrooms.. that's how big they were!), two full bathrooms, garage, etc. I HATED cleaning that house and vowed I would NEVER, EVER, EVER own a home that large. They're a huge expense to heat and cool, so I found out early that I never wanted a home like that. To this day, I look at large homes and think "WOW! I bet it's nice inside... but a pain to heat, cool and clean!".


No jealousy here. lol.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 05-16-2007
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 9:33am

I think part of the problem also is that companies are freaking out instead of waiting it out. I understand doing what they can to cut the fat and allow ppl to retire early, but once things turn around (which they will if they'd let the laws of the market work themselves out), they will have to rehire ppl for more than what they pay now. This is an interesting article I read a few months ago that pretty much lays it out:


iVillage Member
Registered: 06-18-2004
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 10:39am

I agree about the large house thing.

Avatar for mahopac
iVillage Member
Registered: 07-24-1997
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 1:15pm

Yes, there are people who can afford to live in those houses. I don't know if all of them can, but certainly some can. My very best friend lives in one, and they can afford it very comfortably (they have a mortgage that is affordable for them, but no other debt and plenty of savings). They also support their parents and make very large donations of money and time to charity. On top of that, they are the nicest, most caring, and selfless people you could hope to meet.

I don't personally want to live in a house like that, because I don't want to spend the money to furnish and heat it, and I don't want the lifestyle that goes along with it (you expect to do a lot of entertaining because you usually have the biggest house in the family). But I make no judgments about the people who do.

Remember, our society values jobs differently and in many cases inequitably. My DH used to be a social worker, which is arguably much more important than what I do. American society, however, says that what he did before becoming a SAHD was worth only $20-25,000, while what I do is worth much, much more. We are fortunate that I am happy to be the breadwinner and he's happy to be the SAHD.

Kelly

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-14-2008
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 1:23pm

Good Post!

Sorry to hear lil you have caught wind of another round of lay offs. I hope it passes you by.

Don't forget some of the people in the those houses have nothing in them. They can't afford to furnish them or maintain them if some thing goes wrong. We think we sleep poorly!

I don't think I would want a big house either, I am on board with pp as well. You just think you need to have more things for the walls and stuff to fill the closets and the heating and cooling must be horrible. I have become very aware of how much stuff I do have and I don't even need all of that in my little house! I need to make my life more simple. I don't have time to clean the house I do have, I work full time and then some. I finally have a night off tonight and I am sooo looking forward to sitting on the couch! I might do laundry and bit of wrapping but thats about it!

Take it easy!



iVillage Member
Registered: 08-02-1998
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 4:57pm
I have seen some really huge houses(3000+ sq ft) being built in our city, and some of them only have 1-2 people live in them. I figure that our house is big for the 2 of us, we don't even go to the 2nd floor that often and usually only just to retrieve/take something from the storage closet up there. And it's only a 1900 sq ft house, I raised my 3 kids in a 900 sq ft home and that was about the right size. So when I can get the upper floor sorted out I hope to rent it out to a college student or similar. Still have to get the kids to clean out their things from the bedrooms. (I know that is an exercise in futility.)They moved to their own apartments 2 & 3 years ago. lol

iVillage Member
Registered: 11-17-2007
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 5:20pm

Well I am different then you guys I miss my big house I am so sorry I let my husband and our friends talk me out of it.