Wow, this economic crisis nailed my family

HailHailVitalogyHailHailVitalogy Posts: 5,430
edited October 2008 in All Encompassing Trip
I came home for the first time since August last night...and....its bad. My mom lost all my college savings, lost all her assets, they cant afford anything right now, they are thinkin about selling my moms car to make rent for the next few months so they can save up....My grandma lost 400,000$, and she just retired a year ago and shes supporting my uncle

Now the next step is looking into a college loan which is the LAST thing we need to do in this time
2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
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  • RygarRygar Posts: 8,689
    Sorry to hear, that sucks.
    Do you all drive BMWs?
  • That's really shit :( but how did they lose so much money? I thought most banks have money insured up to a certain amount... or did they invest elsewhere?
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  • GraySaturdayGraySaturday Posts: 2,878
    Yikes.. thats sad.

    My brother is going to college next year, and with the rising costs of college tuition and the horrible economy, my parents can only offer him the same amount towards college as they did for me, but that is only going to cover maybe half of the cost for him, where as it covered all of it for me. It's a little unnerving to think about how with the rising costs of education, students have to seriously consider the major they pick if they have student loans. Hard to pay off a 100k student loan if you're going into education, for example. There was an interesting article in Money magazine last month on that.

    I certainly don't envy people entering college these days. Not that I am too far removed, but it seems like I got in at the tail end of college being reasonably affordable. I consider myself lucky because I am able to go to graduate school on full loans because I don't have previous loans. However, if I had racked up 50k in undergrad and then wanted to go get a masters for another 30-50k, I would never be able to pay that off in education.

    Ugh. makes me sad. I feel bad for everyone at these times.. it seems it will get better before it gets worse.
  • I came home for the first time since August last night...and....its bad. My mom lost all my college savings, lost all her assets, they cant afford anything right now, they are thinkin about selling my moms car to make rent for the next few months so they can save up....My grandma lost 400,000$, and she just retired a year ago and shes supporting my uncle

    Now the next step is looking into a college loan which is the LAST thing we need to do in this time

    Grandma must be rich. If she just lost 400,000 and the stock market only crashed 40 percent (being liberal here), she still has 600,000 to go...

    Boo hoo...

    What kind of college savings? Did she invest all in stocks?? Whoopss... I hear yea.. I did the same but did luckily buy bonds as well. Thats why you have to diversify. I wish you luck! The stocks will rebound slowly, but they will..
  • know1know1 Posts: 6,794
    jbalicki10 wrote:
    Grandma must be rich. If she just lost 400,000 and the stock market only crashed 40 percent (being liberal here), she still has 600,000 to go...

    Boo hoo...

    What kind of college savings? Did she invest all in stocks?? Whoopss... I hear yea.. I did the same but did luckily buy bonds as well. Thats why you have to diversify. I wish you luck! The stocks will rebound slowly, but they will..

    I know what you're saying, but a $Million for retirement isn't that much in these times. If you have that much when you retire, you can't exactly just live however you want to nowadays.

    The bigger issue to me is why was Grandma's money not in something "safe" like a money market account. If it lost that much, it was in risky stocks and that's a bad thing if you're counting on it to live even when the economy is stable or doing well.
    The only people we should try to get even with...
    ...are those who've helped us.

    Right 'round the corner could be bigger than ourselves.
  • acoustic guyacoustic guy Posts: 3,770
    Sorry to hear that. That is really hard to swallow.
    It will get worse if you vote for Obama. Opps! Wrong room :)
    Get em a Body Bag Yeeeeeaaaaa!
    Sweep the Leg Johnny.
  • chadwickchadwick up my ass Posts: 21,157
    I came home for the first time since August last night...and....its bad. My mom lost all my college savings, lost all her assets, they cant afford anything right now, they are thinkin about selling my moms car to make rent for the next few months so they can save up....My grandma lost 400,000$, and she just retired a year ago and shes supporting my uncle

    Now the next step is looking into a college loan which is the LAST thing we need to do in this time

    that is a drag, a real drag.
    i always thought putting money into the hands of big business would not always be a good idea.
    personally i'd trust a dope dealer (some life long friends) with my $400,000 before some bullshit legit bunk ass business.
    $400,000 would buy an awful lot of marijuana.
    that's just my two cents worth.

    where did your mom & grandma invest their money?

    btw, you can still attend college without your mom's college savings, but you already know that.
    that is unless you are planning on attending Harvard, Yale, Princeton, or some wildly expensive fuckin school like that.
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."

    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • LizardLizard So Cal Posts: 12,091
    Wowser!! And I thought the conventional wisdom was to put your money into safe places once you retire.

    Anyway.....I have one son in college now and another will be next year so yeah...it's gonna be real fun!
    So I'll just lie down and wait for the dream
    Where I'm not ugly and you're lookin' at me
  • know1 wrote:
    I know what you're saying, but a $Million for retirement isn't that much in these times. If you have that much when you retire, you can't exactly just live however you want to nowadays.

    The bigger issue to me is why was Grandma's money not in something "safe" like a money market account. If it lost that much, it was in risky stocks and that's a bad thing if you're counting on it to live even when the economy is stable or doing well.

    Easy greed and pushy 401k agents. You know, the ones that come by at work and give you a free pen and tell you to put it in their investment groups. Grandma probably thought she couldnt lose in a stock market that was rebounding from 9/11 and could will all her children tons of cash. 600 thousand is still alot of cash to live on. If she has a house thats already paid for. Think about it: 20 years on 30 thousand, + SS + any pensions/investments. She will do allright...
  • chadwickchadwick up my ass Posts: 21,157
    what about the grandma down the street from all of us who doesn't have any food in the house?
    i am sorry your grandma lost 400 grand, thats a tough thing to take but
    i feel more compassion for the grandma out there that has no gd food or medication that she needs.
    maybe these grandmas will freeze to death this winter because they can't afford to turn the heater on.
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."

    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • saveuplifesaveuplife Posts: 1,173
    Best thing to do in a time like this...

    1. Raise taxes on corporations
    2. Raise taxes on small businesses

    ...that will help keep business afloat!
  • meisteredermeistereder Posts: 1,577
    I can't believe how often I am hearing about people who are already RETIRED losing money on the market.

    My parents are in cash now that they are retired. Don't gamble with your nest egg if you don't have time to make it back.
    San Diego 10/25/00, Mountain View 6/1/03, Santa Barbara 10/28/03, Northwest School 3/18/05, San Diego 7/7/06, Los Angeles 7/9/06, 7/10/06, Honolulu (U2) 12/9/06, Santa Barbara (EV) 4/10/08, Los Angeles (EV) 4/12/08, Hartford 6/27/08, Mansfield 6/28/08, VH1 Rock Honors The Who 7/12/08, Seattle 9/21/09, Universal City 9/30/09, 10/1/09, 10/6/09, 10/7/09, San Diego 10/9/09, Los Angeles (EV) 7/8/11, Santa Barbara (EV) 7/9/11, Chicago 7/19/13, San Diego 11/21/13, Los Angeles 11/23/13, 11/24/13, Oakland 11/26/13, Chicago 8/22/16, Missoula 8/13/18, Boston 9/2/18, Los Angeles 2/25/22 (EV), San Diego 5/3/22, Los Angeles 5/6/22, 5/7/22, Imola 6/25/22, Los Angeles 5/21/24, [London 6/29/24], [Boston 9/15/24]
  • the wolfthe wolf Posts: 7,027
    jbalicki10 wrote:
    Grandma must be rich. If she just lost 400,000 and the stock market only crashed 40 percent (being liberal here), she still has 600,000 to go...

    Boo hoo...

    What kind of college savings? Did she invest all in stocks?? Whoopss... I hear yea.. I did the same but did luckily buy bonds as well. Thats why you have to diversify. I wish you luck! The stocks will rebound slowly, but they will..


    so what ! a million aint shit anymore. lets not forget, she probably worked all her life to get that.

    what a shitty thing to say.
    Peace, Love.


    "To question your government is not unpatriotic --
    to not question your government is unpatriotic."
    -- Sen. Chuck Hagel
  • the wolfthe wolf Posts: 7,027
    chadwick wrote:
    what about the grandma down the street from all of us who doesn't have any food in the house?
    i am sorry your grandma lost 400 grand, thats a tough thing to take but
    i feel more compassion for the grandma out there that has no gd food or medication that she needs.
    maybe she'll freeze to death this winter because she can't afford to turn the heater on.

    dude i cant believe you are saying this. its not a contest to see who is fucked the hardest.


    she and or her husband worked their entier lives probably to have that, you cant say oh well, just because someone down the street was less fortunate.

    i think all the comments about boo hoo, and what about this person are sad.
    Peace, Love.


    "To question your government is not unpatriotic --
    to not question your government is unpatriotic."
    -- Sen. Chuck Hagel
  • the wolf wrote:
    so what ! a million aint shit anymore. lets not forget, she probably worked all her life to get that.

    what a shitty thing to say.

    Read Chadwick's post:
    =========================
    what about the grandma down the street from all of us who doesn't have any food in the house?
    i am sorry your grandma lost 400 grand, thats a tough thing to take but
    i feel more compassion for the grandma out there that has no gd food or medication that she needs.
    maybe these grandmas will freeze to death this winter because they can't afford to turn the heater on.
    ===========================

    Some people are really going to hurt this winter. With less money around, people will give less to those who need it the most.
  • Black DiamondBlack Diamond Posts: 25,107
    the wolf wrote:
    dude i cant believe you are saying this. its not a contest to see who is fucked the hardest.


    she and or her husband worked their entier lives probably to have that, you cant say oh well, just because someone down the street was less fortunate.

    i think all the comments about boo hoo, and what about this person are sad.

    +1

    Are these people kidding? If this ever happens to you when you have worked all your life I hope you find a more sympathetic ear.
    GoiMTvP.gif
  • the wolfthe wolf Posts: 7,027
    jbalicki10 wrote:
    Read Chadwick's post:
    =========================
    what about the grandma down the street from all of us who doesn't have any food in the house?
    i am sorry your grandma lost 400 grand, thats a tough thing to take but
    i feel more compassion for the grandma out there that has no gd food or medication that she needs.
    maybe these grandmas will freeze to death this winter because they can't afford to turn the heater on.
    ===========================

    Some people are really going to hurt this winter. With less money around, people will give less to those who need it the most.



    i did read his post. go back and read my response. look i dont know many well off people. and im broke as fuck, but i cant hate on people losing their retirement, just because they had more to lose than others.
    thats just fucking stupid.
    Peace, Love.


    "To question your government is not unpatriotic --
    to not question your government is unpatriotic."
    -- Sen. Chuck Hagel
  • chadwickchadwick up my ass Posts: 21,157
    yet the u.s. spends how many billions of dollars each and every month
    over in Iraq on that gd stupid fucking religious/oil war?

    how about "fuck you the u.s. government."
    i truly dislike them thieving cock-smokers in DC.

    i can promise you all one thing

    dickless cheney's and gw's parents and grandparents won't be suffering.
    their grandparents are all long gone i am sure.
    but you get the drift.

    i wanna see cheney and gw eating and living on scraps.
    when they need a piece of fruit they will be denied.
    medications need refilled but the insurance is fucked
    and all of a sudden you are penniless, good luck dickheads,
    you fuckers been fuckin all of us for years.
    do you folks buy the medications you need or the food you need?
    do you pay the heat bill or the electric bill?

    i wanna see cheney and gw living in a ford pinto, homeless
    and on the mean streets of east L.A.
    or the projects in Queens or some shit..
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."

    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • saveuplifesaveuplife Posts: 1,173
    chadwick wrote:
    what about the grandma down the street from all of us who doesn't have any food in the house?
    i am sorry your grandma lost 400 grand, thats a tough thing to take but
    i feel more compassion for the grandma out there that has no gd food or medication that she needs.
    maybe these grandmas will freeze to death this winter because they can't afford to turn the heater on.

    Bring back communism,... that will solve everything!
  • chadwickchadwick up my ass Posts: 21,157
    saveuplife wrote:
    Bring back communism,... that will solve everything!

    their is always a smart ass in the bunch.
    nice work.
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."

    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • the wolf wrote:
    dude i cant believe you are saying this. its not a contest to see who is fucked the hardest.


    she and or her husband worked their entier lives probably to have that, you cant say oh well, just because someone down the street was less fortunate.

    i think all the comments about boo hoo, and what about this person are sad.

    thank you

    im not trying to make people feel bad for me or my family i just want to make people aware....most of the money was in a "safe" place but the remaining money thats left isn't going to get my grandma through 3-4 years from now, and now I have to take out a student loan that I wasn't planning on taking at all which is going to be about 500 a month once I graduate...my moms remaining money has to get her through the next few years because my step dad lost his job so shes the main provider...do you have any idea how hard it is to get a job these days?

    for you people saying "boohoo"...try working your WHOLE life, losing your significant other while raising 2 kids, traveling 2 hours each way to the city until your 67...just so you can be comfortable when you retire, and then a year into retirement, all of that was for nothing
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • 12345AGNST112345AGNST1 Posts: 4,906
    Rygar wrote:
    Sorry to hear, that sucks.
    Do you all drive BMWs?

    What does that have to do with anything? That was pretty rude.
    5/28/06, 6/27/08, 10/28/09, 5/18/10, 5/21/10
    8/7/08, 6/9/09
  • chadwickchadwick up my ass Posts: 21,157
    thank you

    im not trying to make people feel bad for me or my family i just want to make people aware....most of the money was in a "safe" place but the remaining money thats left isn't going to get my grandma through 3-4 years from now, and now I have to take out a student loan that I wasn't planning on taking at all which is going to be about 500 a month once I graduate...my moms remaining money has to get her through the next few years because my step dad lost his job so shes the main provider...do you have any idea how hard it is to get a job these days?

    for you people saying "boohoo"...try working your WHOLE life, losing your significant other while raising 2 kids, traveling 2 hours each way to the city until your 67...just so you can be comfortable when you retire, and then a year into retirement, all of that was for nothing

    which is why i said
    "fuck you u.s. government"

    i really do feel for your grandma
    the exact same thing is happening to many people right now
    frickin horrible, just horrible.
    for poetry through the ceiling. ISBN: 1 4241 8840 7

    "Hear me, my chiefs!
    I am tired; my heart is
    sick and sad. From where
    the sun stands I will fight
    no more forever."

    Chief Joseph - Nez Perce
  • RygarRygar Posts: 8,689
    What does that have to do with anything? That was pretty rude.
    No, it wasn't pretty rude.
    Did he not say they may have to sell his mother's car? I already know he drives a BMW.
    It was a question, if you find it rude, it wasn't, deal with it.
  • the wolf wrote:
    i did read his post. go back and read my response. look i dont know many well off people. and im broke as fuck, but i cant hate on people losing their retirement, just because they had more to lose than others.
    thats just fucking stupid.

    Look, the OP Grandma took a big hit on the stock because she got greedy or recieved very bad advice on 401k. She still is not broke. I don't really sympathize with her because she took a risk. She should have known the risks that were involved before taking the plunge. I took a beating as well as the rest of America. Everything now is hindsight.

    I can sympathize with the OP on his parents trying to pay for his/her college and not being able too because of the market crash. This was probably the only way they would have been able to afford college and had to take the risk. Talk about bad timing. I guess the best they can do is to take a loan out and hopefully the market will recover in 5-10 years to pay off the loans. All is not lost though.
  • Rygar wrote:
    No, it wasn't pretty rude.
    Did he not say they may have to sell his mother's car? I already know he drives a BMW.
    It was a question, if you find it rude, it wasn't, deal with it.

    I drive my DADs beamer every once in a while
    2003: Uniondale, MSG x2 | 2004: Reading | 2005: Gorge, Vancouver, Philly | 2006: East Rutherford x2, Gorge x2, Camden 1, Hartford | 2008: MSG x2, VA Beach | 2009: Philly x3 | 2010: MSG x2, Bristow | 2011: Alpine Valley x2 | 2012: MIA Philly | 2013: Wrigley, Charlottesville, Brooklyn 2 | 2014: Milan, Amsterdam 1 | 2016: MSG x2, Fenway x2, Wrigley 2 | 2018: Rome, Krakow, Berlin, Wrigley 2 | 2021: Sea Hear Now | 2022: San Diego, LA x2, MSG, Camden, Nashville, St. Louis, Denver | 2023: St. Paul 1, Chicago x2, Fort Worth x2, Austin 2 | 2024: Las Vegas 1, Seattle x2, Indy, MSG x2, Philly x2, Baltimore, Ohana 2
  • HawkshoreHawkshore Posts: 2,160
    Rygar wrote:
    No, it wasn't pretty rude.
    Did he not say they may have to sell his mother's car? I already know he drives a BMW.
    It was a question, if you find it rude, it wasn't, deal with it.


    Rygar good on you! .....you showed more backbone with that comment than any Hab since Roy! ;)
    Van 92.07.21 / Van 98.07.19 / Sea 98.07.22 / Tor 98.08.22 / Sea 00.11.06 / Van 03.05.30/ Van 05.09.02/ Gorge 06.07.22 & 23 / EV Van 08.04.02 / Tor 09.08.21 / Sea 09.09.21 & 22 / Van 09.09.25 / Van 11.09.25 / Van 13.12.04 / Pem 16.07.17 / Sea 18.08.10
  • RygarRygar Posts: 8,689
    I drive my DADs beamer every once in a while
    I remember your thread about breaking the land-speed record between DC and NYC or something ;)
  • RygarRygar Posts: 8,689
    Hawkshore wrote:
    Rygar good on you! .....you showed more backbone with that comment than any Hab since Roy! ;)
    haha, I forgot to mention it I was leaving for another thread
  • you've only lost money if you've cashed out. just wait it out. if you're not old, that is.
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