Ok,
so i understandably realize, that this is probably quite a sore topic with many, so hey if you don't really enjoy my thoughts... move on down the line... :)
Remember back in the day when anything would go wrong people would inevitably say something to the effect of blaming "el nino". I have never seen a tropical storm wreak as much physical, emotional and financial damage as "el nino". It ended up becoming a joke of a blanket excuse when things went wrong. Well ladies and gents i am pleased to introduce you to the latest of blanket statements that i personally find to be a sad joke. Are you ready for this one?? here it goes.......
"Oh, well its the economy"
So, everyone knows that i work in the field of finance, so i see all kinds of people each and every day with their own needs, problems and desires. NEVER in my life have i heard so many people blaming the "Economy" for their financial troubles. NOW before anyone shows up at my door with pitchforks and torches, hear me out. I am NOT talking about foreclosures, or repos or anything like that. I am just talking about plain and simple consumer spending. I am seeing TONS more customers these days who have all overdrawn their accounts. They of course DEMAND that we reverse these fees. I am more than willing to look into their issues, but %99.99 of the time they are due to poor budgeting or improper spending and not bank error. When i question the customer as to why their accounts are in the states that they are currently in most people say "well with the economy the way it is..." and leave it at that. I'm sorry, is that some sort of code word? I almost half expect someone to wink at me as they say it like i understand the "code". Nope, sorry didn't get that memo. First off, complete your sentences please. Second, if that really is your issue i.e. you are out of a job etc... ok that happens, but don't just overdraw your account and then get mad at ME for your own irresponsibility. Sadly though, most people aren't out of a job, they are just using that as a tactic to get sympathy. Sorry folks, if you really are in dire straits eating out at fast food places and going to the movies etc are NOT a sign of you "trying to make ends meet". (yes i do go through their transaction history). If you really are trying to make ends meet here is an idea.... SPEND WITHIN YOUR NEW BUDGET LIMITS! Its a strange and almost foreign concept i see, but if you are low on funds, shouldn't you just stick to groceries and gas to get to work and some bills... Debt is a beast, and we should all be doing our best to either avoid it or stay as minimalistic as possible. I just for the life of me cant understand how people can be so nonchalant with their spending, and expect someone to be there to pick up the pieces. I'm sorry but that's not what a bank is for, if you aren't responsible enough to handle your own finances, then perhaps you should either a) hire someone to do them for you since you obviously have no sense of spending savvy or b) maybe just keep cash under your mattress, then when its out..sucks to be you. I'm just sayin.
3 comments:
I'm gonna stick my head under the guillotine and say, I see where you're coming from. There are certainly some things that can truly be linked to the issues with the economy - unemployment, problems in the housing market, people who can't get credit so they can't close on their house, bank failures, stocks plummeting (don't get me started on our 401K), that sort of thing.
But we've been watching people across the country spending WAY more than they can afford and doing it for years. That sort of thing is going to catch up with people. Eventually everyone's either going to have to learn to rein in their spending or "the economy" (notice the quotes) is going to bury them alive!
So... my $.02, there are real, honest-to-goodness problems out there than can actually be linked to the economy. And there are problems that are matters of personal irresponsibility. But I really don't think those people who are determined to blame the second type of thing on the first type of thing aren't going to be convinced that anything is their fault.
(Was that a long enough reply? I could keep rambling on and on and on...)
Love it. Both your post and Sarah's comments. It's just sad that so many of the responsible people have to suffer for the actions of those people who are completely irresponsible and expect others to take up the slack for them. It's ridiculous, but I guess that's how the world works, huh?
Here here! :)
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