Enduring Life | Link your notes

Finally, the year is coming to an end; from Australia to the U.S. we are all celebrating the culmination of this long yet hard year. To some it has been good, but for the most it has been a year to reflect and take charge and look for alternatives in order to survive. Some people have opted not to celebrate the New Year because the economic situation of the world. It is my opinion that we should look back and learn from the mistakes, improve and come out triumphant. I Understand people lost many things this year, but hold your head up high, celebrate today, because tomorrow is an uncertainty.
Where are you going to be? At home with friends and family, or out in the streets?
Well, whatever you do, please have a great time, and Happy 2009 New Year.

There is a chance of getting a second opportunity of getting that stimulus check that the government promised the American people last year.
According to an article in the Wall Street Journal on November 12 2008 “Taxpayers Get Second Chance at Stimulus” you might be eligible to receive that promised money.
Apparently if your income was affected this past year, you might have fallen into the eligible bracket to receive compensation.
I will encourage you to find a Tax services that will look for these things for you; as far as the article states, the top selling software for do it yourself taxes “Turbo tax” will let you know if you qualify. I personally have filled my taxes using this software, but I encounter some technicality that I wanted to clarify, but during tax season, some tax services are just too occupied to focus on just one person.
Fortunately I found this Accountant services named Acevedo and Associates LLP last year, they took the time to sit down with me and explain all the necessary information. I was extremely satisfied with their service, that I have recommended them by word of mouth to anyone I know, and I am sure they are getting the same respect end service that I receive. I will ask them if I eligible to receive some of that stimulus money this year. Please do the same.

This is the story of many Americans by the end of 2008,

We got up early morning on a weekday, got ready to work, leave the house and arrive at your work place. At the moment everything seemed to be working well. But something did not feel right, just then you get called by your boss along with all your co-workers, the big man says a couple of devastating words and now everyone is on the chopping block. You look to your left and to your right, and you start thinking, I work hard, I come in early and I leave late, I have done more than what I'm asked to do, I should be fine. But it is all a raffle, your life is at the mercy of your boss, and the decision has been predetermined already. You are getting laid off.

So now what? At the moment, major companies are laying off left and right, people have not been able to find more jobs in their respective field because there is little work to give, and if you find one, what guarantees you that you can have the security of not going through the "lay off" process again? The truth is, no one can guarantee it. According to a survey on CNN.com "Hiring holds Steady", most of the employers will try to keep the same manpower for the first quarter of the year, and only 16% out of 31,800 employers will be hiring. All we can do is try to find a job, get a few weeks in of work and hopefully you will stay there until things go back to what they used to be. One thing that you must be ready for is that you are now competing for a minimum wage against thousands of people.

I've seen many people file for unemployment, applying for job fairs and looking for assistance from government agencies such as work force 1 (South Florida), and even reducing all of their cost in order to make ends meet. If you are a student, you might consider a student loan, and finish your career sooner than you had planned.

This is my question for those who have been through this before, or are going through this at the moment, what can someone do to maintain a family? Is there light at the end of the tunnel? When can things go back to normal?

If you share my feelings? or if you have any comments to add, please take a moment to share your opinion.