'Next Friday, I'll Be Living In My Car'

[aGameOfThrones]

For the past 13 years, I've mostly been doing facility management in several locations across the state. After the position turned into more of a sales role, they laid me off. Since then, I've been looking to find any type of work. I've applied for food stamps, and I'm waiting for that. I'm mostly eating soup from a food pantry.

I've been on several interviews -- second, third, fourth interviews -- and just haven't been able to land a job for whatever reason. I definitely have the qualifications and the experience. Last week, I had a job offer that I thought was secure, and we were talking my work schedule. They decided to call me back and go with an assistant rather than a manager.

For a number of applications, I've dumbed down my resume. I don't even go with a resume sometimes, just because I don't want them to know that I'm educated and have a master's degree. It shoots me in the foot. They don't want me because they don't think I'm going to stay. I don't blame them. I was making six figures at $60-70 an hour. Now, I'm looking for a $10 an hour job.

If I don't land a job this week or the unemployment bill doesn't pass, I'm going to have to move out of my apartment. I haven't paid rent since March. I've been telling my landlord that this unemployment bill is going to pass, and then I'll pay them rent. Well, she's watching as much as I'm watching and it doesn't look like it's going to pass. Next Friday, I'll be living in my car.

I've already talked to them a bit to tell them I may be moving. Of course they don't want it, but I may have no other choice. Today, I'm going to go interview for a dishwasher job. If it doesn't pay me enough to cover my rent and some gas, then I'll have to move to my relatives in Los Angeles. That's just reality.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/04/08/vincent-oviedo-working-poor_n_5112085.html?ncid=txtlnkusaolp00000592

[Brian4Liberty]

I usually don't go to the HuffPo. After reading the comments, I remember why. What a bunch of ignorant morons over there. They really believe that the Democrats aren't part of the problem, and that this is all the work of the evil Koch brothers. False left/right in full force over there.

[oyarde]

OK , guy has been making $60 to 70 an hour for 13 yrs and it is Congress and Boehner's fault he cannot pay his rent .Must be a Huff Pooh article . Pathetic, he is 44 , by that age I had managed to get by , on less than he has been making , never lived in my car . Nor would I have whined about living in my car and would have been happy to be out of the rain. This is why Amerika sucks , chock full of pussies . Some of them need to find somewhere else to be to free up opportunity for people who could do better on $60 an hour .

[mad cow]

At some point before obtaining a masters,this dude should have been required to take and pass
"The world doesn't owe me a living" 101.

[Austrian Econ Disciple]

How can someone who was making 100k+ a year for nearly 2 decades, not survive a year or two of unemployment? Hey buddy, next time don't spend your money like it's a never ending trough and expect others to come bail you out. You made your own poor ass decisions - live with it.

[oyarde]

How can someone who was making 100k+ a year for nearly 2 decades, not survive a year or two of unemployment? Hey buddy, next time don't spend your money like it's a never ending trough and expect others to come bail you out. You made your own poor ass decisions - live with it.

He should have had a place pd for , and enough put back on to live for several yrs if need be.His problem , not a problem of others . Hell , when I was young I spent some money on beer and Ladies , LOL , rest of it I just wasted. Still managed to save , would not have expected others to pay my way if I had not . I have made it through some tough times , know many others who have , the people I know who have had to wade through hard times did it so on much less than this guy and much less than I. I respect them , this guy , not .

[Ender]

How can someone who was making 100k+ a year for nearly 2 decades, not survive a year or two of unemployment? Hey buddy, next time don't spend your money like it's a never ending trough and expect others to come bail you out. You made your own poor ass decisions - live with it.

A lot of assuming here.

No one knows anything about this man except that he was doing well, lost his job, is searching continually for a job and may be on the streets soon. He is currently hoping that something happens to prevent him from being homeless.

I deal with great people in this position quite frequently and my response is: "There for the grace of God go I." Unexpected bad times can hit no matter how well you think you have planned.

Maybe YOU are perfect with money but, in the real world, I know very few who are.

[Acala]

A lot of assuming here.

No one knows anything about this man except that he was doing well, lost his job, is searching continually for a job and may be on the streets soon. He is currently hoping that something happens to prevent him from being homeless.

I deal with great people in this position quite frequently and my response is: "There for the grace of God go I." Unexpected bad times can hit no matter how well you think you have planned.

Maybe YOU are perfect with money but, in the real world, I know very few who are.
Compassion is in order. However, one bad break is rarely enough to put someone on the street. While it is certainly possible to lose a job in a screwed up economy, and it is not hard to ignore the need to put away something for a rainy day, in order to end up homeless you must also have alienated the support structure most of us have. I am not a particularly friendly or gregarious person (I'm an INTJ, after all) and don't have a large circle of friends but if I were rendered destitute by the cruel hand of fortune, I know several people who would take me in at least temporarily - both family and friends. I am confident I could couch-surf for a year or more.

Certainly there are cases of people who truly have been rendered destitute and have no place to turn through no fault of their own. But for every one of them there are a hundred who have put themselves in that position through a long series of bad choices. Still no reason to lack compassion, but one needs to be on guard against facilitating people's bad choices when what they really need is to hit bottom and change their attitude. Sometimes the compassionate answer is "no".

[AuH20]

Borrow more from China, so the status quo can continue. That seems to be the standard theme, whether we're talking about the ruthless investment banks or the average guy on the street. At some point, we have to say NO and throw off the artificial guilt trip. These stories are all about manipulating emotions. That's not to say that we can't take initative to help this guy out, but the SOP is not the way.

[EBounding]

I'm not clicking the link, but I assume the point of the article is to push UI renewal. But even if it's renewed, what's this guy going to do when it runs out again? His fundamental problem is that he's supposedly overeducated and has absolutely no savings. How is government going to fix that problem?

[angelatc]

I was making six figures at $60-70 an hour.

Just more proof that Democrats are really bad with money.

If I had ever come close to making that much I would not be renting, and I like to think I would have been smart enough to pay cash for something. Oh wait! We were, and we did. But there were 4 of us living off that, and it wasn't quite that much.

Having said that, there is some truth to what he says. The job market really does seem tough.

[Warrior_of_Freedom]

i would have more sympathy if he owned a house and he was going to get kicked out for not paying his extortion fees (property 'tax') It's crazy the way a lot of people live now by renting a home. Not too much different than indentured servitude, just instead you work for someone else and give a % of your money to the person you're renting the home from .

[oyarde]

Just more proof that Democrats are really bad with money.

If I had ever come close to making that much I would not be renting, and I like to think I would have been smart enough to pay cash for something. Oh wait! We were, and we did. But there were 4 of us living off that, and it wasn't quite that much.

Having said that, there is some truth to what he says. The job market really does seem tough.

I agree the job market sucks , but he had an opportunity to not find himself in this state.I will save any sympathy for those who did not .

[Ender]

i would have more sympathy if he owned a house and he was going to get kicked out for not paying his extortion fees (property 'tax') It's crazy the way a lot of people live now by renting a home. Not too much different than indentured servitude, just instead you work for someone else and give a % of your money to the person you're renting the home from .

Nobody "owns" a house. Just stop paying the "extortion fee" and the real owner will show up.

As for renting, instead of owning, many times a rental facilities manager is given living quarters as part of the deal- so I can see why he might not own. There is also some disputation about whether it is actually better to rent or buy in the present economic situation.

[PaulConventionWV]

They called him back and wanted him to be an assistant manager rather than a manager? Great, why didn't he take it?

[silverhandorder]

Not being able to find a job is 100% his fault. No matter how bad the market is, if you are worth 60$ an hour you should be able to find a job.

Those people still need help but not in the form of getting more money given to them. Clearly he can't do well with just being given money. They need to start from bottom up, even in his age.

edit:


They called him back and wanted him to be an assistant manager rather than a manager? Great, why didn't he take it?

Not to mention manager spots are usually locked down in companies. The best you can do is assistant until you prove your self. You really must know your stuff to be able to get manager position. Usually a company willing to offer a manager position can not find anyone internally to handle the problems.

[PaulConventionWV]

Nobody "owns" a house. Just stop paying the "extortion fee" and the real owner will show up.

As for renting, instead of owning, many times a rental facilities manager is given living quarters as part of the deal- so I can see why he might not own. There is also some disputation about whether it is actually better to rent or buy in the present economic situation.

I think you know what people mean when they say "own." In any case, "owning" a house is still much better than renting one. You simply can't argue that renting is advantageous unless you just move so damned much that you can't lay your head on the same bed every night.

[kcchiefs6465]

They called him back and wanted him to be an assistant manager rather than a manager? Great, why didn't he take it?
I was confused on this part as well.

Perhaps he meant that they went with the assistant to be the manager (promoted from within)? It definitely isn't worded properly or if it does mean what I first thought it meant, and you think it means, the guy needs to shut the fuck up.

I just assumed that him saying he was looking for anything, even a ten dollar an hour job, would mean that he would take the assistant manager position if offered it. Maybe not, though.

[Ender]

I was confused on this part as well.

Perhaps he meant that they went with the assistant to be the manager (promoted from within)? It definitely isn't worded properly or if it does mean what I first thought it meant, and you think it means, the guy needs to shut the fuck up.

I just assumed that him saying he was looking for anything, even a ten dollar an hour job, would mean that he would take the assistant manager position if offered it. Maybe not, though.

Perhaps he meant that they went with the assistant to be the manager (promoted from within)

That's the way I read it.

[angelatc]

Nobody "owns" a house. Just stop paying the "extortion fee" and the real owner will show up.

As for renting, instead of owning, many times a rental facilities manager is given living quarters as part of the deal- so I can see why he might not own. There is also some disputation about whether it is actually better to rent or buy in the present economic situation.


If he owned his home outright, he would likely not be facing eviction yet. He might be in arrears on his taxes, but usually they have programs available to help delinquent homeowners at least postpone foreclosure. He might be living without electricity, cable and even running water, but he would still have shelter.

[angelatc]

I agree the job market sucks , but he had an opportunity to not find himself in this state.I will save any sympathy for those who did not .

I'm usually the harsh one, but not knowing how old he is....I've always been far more frugal than the people around me. But I was raised that way. Without knowing how old this guy is, I can cut him some slack. Heck, my husband was this guy when I met him. He still is if I don't keep a grip on the cash.

Young people are stupid, and the kids that come from multiple generations of being entirely dependent on others for everything really have no clue. I can relate to the learning curve, as long as that's what it is.

[aGameOfThrones]

I'm usually the harsh one, but not knowing how old he is....I've always been far more frugal than the people around me. But I was raised that way. Without knowing how old this guy is, I can cut him some slack. Heck, my husband was this guy when I met him. He still is if I don't keep a grip on the cash.

Young people are stupid, and the kids that come from multiple generations of being entirely dependent on others for everything really have no clue. I can relate to the learning curve, as long as that's what it is.

..



Vincent Oviedo, 44, said he lost his job as an executive for a facility management company in June 2013 and has had difficulty finding work since then. He fell behind on rent, he said, after losing unemployment insurance benefits, which Congress allowed to expire in December. Facing eviction, he said his only choices are to either live in his car to stay near his children in Santa Cruz, Calif., or to move in with relatives in Los Angeles.

[John F Kennedy III]

Compassion is in order. However, one bad break is rarely enough to put someone on the street. While it is certainly possible to lose a job in a screwed up economy, and it is not hard to ignore the need to put away something for a rainy day, in order to end up homeless you must also have alienated the support structure most of us have. I am not a particularly friendly or gregarious person (I'm an INTJ, after all) and don't have a large circle of friends but if I were rendered destitute by the cruel hand of fortune, I know several people who would take me in at least temporarily - both family and friends. I am confident I could couch-surf for a year or more.

Certainly there are cases of people who truly have been rendered destitute and have no place to turn through no fault of their own. But for every one of them there are a hundred who have put themselves in that position through a long series of bad choices. Still no reason to lack compassion, but one needs to be on guard against facilitating people's bad choices when what they really need is to hit bottom and change their attitude. Sometimes the compassionate answer is "no".

INTJ FTW!

[VIDEODROME]

If he is staying in this car to be near his kids, maybe this implies he is divorced. A marriage gone south and divorce could derail anyone's financial life. If he did have money it's gone to lawyers and alimony.

I'd say the message from this article is to just say the economy is still upside down. I can relate because I finished my Associates in IT Security and could not get any job so far though I'm still talking to a recruiter. I also had a lot of difficulty getting any job on my own. I'm staying with relatives and a friend of my cousin got me a job at a Thrift Store for $8 an hour.

I guess the main point I'd like to make is the job hunt process itself is really ridiculous and you're always guessing what Human Resources is looking for. Many times, Human Resources or Staffing Firms are not well informed on the positions they're filling. An enthusiastic applicant who throws industry jargon at them will just confuse them and they won't be hired.

I dunno. Maybe someday if I successfully bridge the gap between what college gave me and what people in industry are really looking for, I could try to shed light on this from my own experience.

[Lucille]

Last week, I had a job offer that I thought was secure, and we were talking my work schedule. They decided to call me back and go with an assistant rather than a manager.

What? The guy can't even write a coherent sentence.


Today, I'm going to go interview for a dishwasher job. If it doesn't pay me enough to cover my rent and some gas, then I'll have to move to my relatives in Los Angeles.

Is his family going to make him live in his car on their property then?

No wonder he can't get a job. He sounds like a real dumbass.

[aGameOfThrones]

If he is staying in this car to be near his kids, maybe this implies he is divorced. A marriage gone south and divorce could derail anyone's financial life. If he did have money it's gone to lawyers and alimony.

I'd say the message from this article is to just say the economy is still upside down. I can relate because I finished my Associates in IT Security and could not get any job so far though I'm still talking to a recruiter. I also had a lot of difficulty getting any job on my own. I'm staying with relatives and a friend of my cousin got me a job at a Thrift Store for $8 an hour.

I guess the main point I'd like to make is the job hunt process itself is really ridiculous and you're always guessing what Human Resources is looking for. Many times, Human Resources or Staffing Firms are not well informed on the positions they're filling. An enthusiastic applicant who throws industry jargon at them will just confuse them and they won't be hired.

I dunno. Maybe someday if I successfully bridge the gap between what college gave me and what people in industry are really looking for, I could try to shed light on this from my own experience.
..


My options are to either live in my car and stay close to my kids or move back to my relatives and not see my kids until I don't know when. I have three children -- ages 4, 7 and 14. I take them to catechisms and to the YMCA. I'm very active with them and their education as much as I can be, both before and after my divorce.

[angelatc]

If he is staying in this car to be near his kids, maybe this implies he is divorced. A marriage gone south and divorce could derail anyone's financial life. If he did have money it's gone to lawyers and alimony.


Then maybe he should have worked a little harder on keeping his family together.

[kcchiefs6465]

Then maybe he should have worked a little harder on keeping his family together.
Lmao.

And she?

ETA: http://www.ronpaulforums.com/showthread.php?449323-The-myth-of-the-impartial-juror

This thread made me think of you.

[kahless]

What? The guy can't even write a coherent sentence.



Is his family going to make him live in his car on their property then?

No wonder he can't get a job. He sounds like a real dumbass.

Good job in perpetuating the stereotype Conservatives and Libertarians receive as not being compassionate to those whom have fallen under hard times.


Then maybe he should have worked a little harder on keeping his family together.

Right, it is never the womans fault. A woman never decides to end a relationship no matter how hard the man tries. :rolleyes:


This thread is beginning to feel like it is the 2012 South Carolina Republican debate. All we need is someone to scream, "let him die".

[angelatc]

Lmao.

And she?

Sure that's a possibility. And on these forums, it is certainly always assumed to be 100% the fault of the gold digging women and their cash collecting children. (ETA: Right on cue, first post after this one.....)

If I had my way, there wouldn't be any divorces unless both parties agreed to it.


That's how contracts are supposed to work. I suspect that it would be the men that would howl the loudest if that were to happen, much like I anticipate again getting a fair amount of testosterone induced venom for even daring suggest such a radical concept.

But for the most part, I have no sympathy for couples who couldn't hold it together when there are kids involved.

[Feeding the Abscess]

How much was/is he paying in vaginamony and 'child' support?

[Lucille]

Good job in perpetuating the stereotype Conservatives and Libertarians receive as not being compassionate to those whom have fallen under hard times.

Not for this guy, I don't. He's a big government dumbass. Obviously he doesn't understand how his own ideology has lead to this shit economy.

Where's the compassion for the taxpayer who supports the FSA (rich and poor) and this massive government he loves so much?

[dannno]

I wonder if he's divorced and his wife has the house?


Oops, beat me to it.


How much was/is he paying in vaginamony and 'child' support?

[angelatc]

Not for this guy, I don't. He's a big government dumbass. Obviously he doesn't understand how his own ideology has lead to this shit economy.

Where's the compassion for the taxpayer who supports the FSA (rich and poor) and this massive government he loves so much?

This guy needs a huge dose of reality to help him get past his big government tendencies. Which in this case is that he worked and worked, made good money and no doubt contributed literally thousands and thousands to his beloved liberal safety net, only to find out that his class is the first that is abandoned when the going gets tough.

Of course, the liberals will say that this isn't their fault - obviously if the GOP would just give them everything they want, then nobody would ever fail.

[Danke]

Not saying he is not, but do we know is political persuasions?

[kahless]

Not for this guy, I don't. He's a big government dumbass. Obviously he doesn't understand how his own ideology has lead to this shit economy.

Where's the compassion for the taxpayer who supports the FSA (rich and poor) and this massive government he loves so much?

That is an awful lot to gather about him simply from that article other than he is collecting unemployment. If he was making $60-$70 per hour the feds took about $30k from him each year so I am not going to fault the man for trying to get some of that money back from unemployment.

However maybe the rules of the society we currently live in is all he knows like most people in this country and it is up to this movement to educate people otherwise. Kicking poor people when they are down rather than educate them is bad politics.

btw - There may also be other government limiting factors such as licensing and a slew of labor regulations that prevent this man from performing his trade on his own. So we have government and society voting to steal this man's money in prior tax years and limiting his work options.

[Lucille]

Not saying he is not, but do we know is political persuasions?

I clicked on his name and read his article history at PuffHo.


That is an awful lot to gather about him simply from that article other than he is collecting unemployment. If he was making $60-$70 per hour the feds took about $30k from him each year so I am not going to fault the man for trying to get some of that money back from unemployment.

Maybe the rules of the society we currently live in is all he knows like most people in this country and it is up to this movement to educate people otherwise. Kicking poor people when they are down rather than educate them is bad politics.

btw - There may also be other government limiting factors such as licensing and a slew of labor regulations that prevent this man from performing his trade on his own. So you may government and society voting to steal this mans money and limiting his work options.

I kicked him, not because he's down, but because he can't write a decent article, and because he's a dumbass prog who's getting what he wanted, good and hard.

I mean, the title is a lie! Unless, of course, his relatives are going to make him live in his car in their driveway or backyard.

And what about that job offer? Did he turn it down after "they decided to call and go with an assistant rather than a manager." What does that mean? Did they offer him the assistant job? If not, did he then ask to apply for that assistant job? I don't know. (And "they decided to call?" LOL)

[kahless]

I clicked on his name and read his article history at PuffHo.



I kicked him, not because he's down, but because he can't write a decent article, and because he's a dumbass prog who's getting what he wanted, good and hard.

The person that posted the article and article history is not the same person the article is about.

[Lucille]

The person that posted the article and article history is not the same person the article is about.

My mistake!

Vincent Oviedo

[Danke]

I clicked on his name and read his article history at PuffHo.



I did too. Can you point to the part I missed on his politics?

[Lucille]

I did too. Can you point to the part I missed on his politics?

See above! I made a mistake.

Dollars to donuts he's a prog though.

[angelatc]

See above! I made a mistake.

Dollars to donuts he's a prog though.

Yeah. I think crying about the unemployment handout period not getting extended is a big clue. I haven't seen any Republican bloggers calling for the extension. I do not usually like to drone on and on about my personal life, but if the bill were to be extended, we would benefit from it.

But just because I could write a tear-jerker blog post including medical problems, children that still live at home, old cars, the state of Michigan in general, getting old, and a myriad of other things doesn't mean I'm going to. Because here's the deal: I think the economy will recover quicker when unemployment benefits start expiring. I want a damned job, and that's not going to happen until the economy starts picking up again.

Remember the 99ers? They were all the place a few years ago crying because 99 weeks of jobless benefits were not enough. They didn't get their extension, and unemployment rates started to fall. This is more of that.

ANd the same people were here on the forums, telling us we were cruel and heartless because we believed that 99 weeks was enough.

[Ender]

Yeah. I think crying about the unemployment handout period not getting extended is a big clue. I haven't seen any Republican bloggers calling for the extension. I do not usually like to drone on and on about my personal life, but if the bill were to be extended, we would benefit from it.

But just because I could write a tear-jerker blog post including medical problems, children that still live at home, old cars, the state of Michigan in general, getting old, and a myriad of other things doesn't mean I'm going to. Because here's the deal: I think the economy will recover quicker when unemployment benefits start expiring. I want a damned job, and that's not going to happen until the economy starts picking up again.

Remember the 99ers? They were all the place a few years ago crying because 99 weeks of jobless benefits were not enough. They didn't get their extension, and unemployment rates started to fall. This is more of that.

ANd the same people were here on the forums, telling us we were cruel and heartless because we believed that 99 weeks was enough.

The way I read it, the dude wants a job much more than he wants government help- but he'll take it if it means staying off the streets.

If anyone here is on medicaid, social security, pays income taxes, etc.; they are part of the problem. The answer is to completely get rid of fed interference, restore property rights, and become a free nation again.

Until then, it is just a bunch of name-calling about who's supporting what gov program when EVERYONE is involved in these issues.


(BTW- this is just my musings and not directed you, angelatc- or anyone else.)

[UWDude]

But for the most part, I have no sympathy for couples who couldn't hold it together when there are kids involved.

LoL

see you next thursday

[angelatc]

The way I read it, the dude wants a job much more than he wants government help- but he'll take it if it means staying off the streets.

If anyone here is on medicaid, social security, pays income taxes, etc.; they are part of the problem. The answer is to completely get rid of fed interference, restore property rights, and become a free nation again.

Until then, it is just a bunch of name-calling about who's supporting what gov program when EVERYONE is involved in these issues.


(BTW- this is just my musings and not directed you, angelatc- or anyone else.)

Yeah, but the only way to transition people back to indeendence. I believe with all my heart that if the federal government evaporated tomorrow that there would be a huge ripple effect across the globe. Economies would crash, food riots and starvation, lots of side effects.

And in a year or two we would sort it all out and start to recover. But that's not ever going to win any elections. The most we can hope for is to slowly wean people off the teat. And that includes those that would likely go willingly if there was a paycheck to be had.

I don't know what this guy is going to do, but I think that he's young and strong enough to make his own work if he is forced into that position. If we don't start with men like him, who do we start with?