Job hunting status....

Well, the job hunt progression is going slowly.  Today my husband met with another recruiter.    He confirmed what we already know.... that there is a lot of competition out there for what my husband is looking for.  In fact he mentioned that the most recent posting he filled ( in an area that my husband would be qualified for and interested in), they interviewed five candidates and 4 of the 5 were all equally qualified for the job.   He said any one of them would have been a good fit, but the employer obviously just chose the one which he thought would fit into their environment the best.  

Knowing this makes it apparent that charisma and communication skills are obviously what are going to get you the job.   Especially in a saturated market.  How’s that for pressure.

We had a little bit of good news though, and that is that my husband’s job is extended officially til the end of November.  This is the portion I can share:

  “This email is to provide you with written notice that your employment will be extended to November 30, 2014.”

  It is sure painful waiting for that letter to come through each month (supposedly supposed to come on the 15^th..but didn’t come until the 21^st) confirming that we will be employed one extra month, but once it comes it is nice to have a sigh of relief!  Even more relieving will be when we get the phone call offering my husband full time employment.:)  My hope is that 'they' have some empathy and don't end it all before Christmas...but business is business.

So current status job status:

One job he interviewed for a month ago, but the company hasn’t moved forward. One job applied for yesterday that he found on www.indeed.com, and one visit with a recruiter.

How big is your world?

My eleven year old daughter recently completed an assignment at school where students were to write an essay on which they would rather be, rich or famous.  They wrote their essays and then were assigned to draw a picture to capture which ever they chose.  I remember looking at alarm at my daughters drawing to see closets full of clothing, jewels, mansions, bedrooms, banks full of money and all of the lovely colourful and glittery things that one could purchase with money.   I discreetly asked her if she was going to include a drawing of her helping anyone in need if she had all that money, and she may have corrected her drawing on my behalf.  In her defense, she did say that it was hard to draw a picture of doing something nice for others.:) 

 It was a good lesson to me that even though I am trying to teach my kids to think of others, sometimes we really need to help make the world a little larger than they see it.   Living in comfortable suburbian areas affords little opportunity for my kids to see people that do without.  The once a year drive we do into the city where they see a homeless person or three on the street must not sink in quite as deeply as I think it does.  I know it was just  a casual assignment, but it has furthered my for resolve that I can do my part to better teach my kids how they can play a part in helping those in need. 

 

Its beginning to look a lot like Christmas....

This is just a friendly reminder that Christmas is coming soon.  Yes...I know it’s only October 16, but whether you are facing potential unemployment (like we are), or just want to really enjoy the season, starting to prepare now is a great idea.

I love Christmas, and I love the reason for the season.  However, Christmas brings with it a whole lot of conflicting feelings as well.  For instance, the whole money thing.  According to the Bank of Montreal, holiday spending was forecasted at $1810 for last year (2013).  Wow.

 http://newsroom.bmo.com/press-releases/2013-bmo-holiday-spending-outlook-consumers-plan--tsx-bmo-201311060909354001

I like everyone else want to provide my family with wonderful gifts, to show my love for them, and to plain and simply see looks of surprise and feelings of happiness on Christmas morning.   But should it really cost that much for an average family to buy those feelings.

I can remember growing up and having some very simple Christmas.  They were beautiful and I have fond memories of them , however, we didn’t have the resources for many gifts.    Sometimes my mom would just wrap up random things from in the house so that we had more to unwrap at Christmas.  It sure was exciting to see all those packages sparkling under the Christmas tree from all the colourful lights and tinsel.  Sometimes my large gift for the year was a book of Bible stories, or a stuffed brown bear with a bow on it (I still have that bear).:)  One year we even received a hamper.  As a kid, I thought that was one of the most exciting things ever.

I can also recall one year that a friend called on Christmas day and asked what I got.  I remember feeling slightly inadequate and unsure of what to say as she listed off the stereo, clothing, music, and jewellery that she received,   and just skirted around the answer. 

 However, I think that the experience of receiving little, and less than others can be truly character building.  In fact, its what helps me to remember those who are less fortunate each year and all the time.   I want my children to know what it is to really want something, and I also want them to know what it means to go without something....just because.  That sounds a little scroogey....but honestly in a world where the average 6 and 7 year old are asking for ipads and iphones, you want them to know the joy that comes from waiting and dreaming and hoping.  You also want them to be willing to sacrifice something that they have to help someone who has less feel the joy that they will have because they have nothing. 

The battle of wanting to give to my children, and also wanting them to give of what they have is one that I still struggle with.  But one thing that helps is getting my shopping done early in the year.  That way, when the Season starts (in NovemberJ), I can focus my attentions onto relationships, people, memories and creating opportunities for our family to serve others.  The battle always rages in my mind, but at least I don’t have to fight the war in the Mall.:)

Job Hunting in Alberta 2014 version...

We started off 2014, with the knowledge that my husband’s job was going to end within the year.   As a result, we have been diligently searching online, networking, contacting recruiters, buying a new suit and praying.  Unfortunately for us, he has yet to secure a job....(pickings have been few and far between)...however, lucky for us, his job has been extended until this current point.... although his job is currently contract in nature, it looks like it will hold out until the end of November.   We have felt extreme gratitude that it has lasted this long, and that we still have benefits for our family.   

However, the knowledge that we likely could be unemployed during the holiday season is hardly something to look forward to.  (Okay...maybe having my husband home full time for a while is a kind of appealing, but the no income is less than desirable.) 

The situation has been fairly stressful, but we are lucky in that we do have an emergency fund, as well as the fact that our monthly mortgage is a lot less than it would be to rent an apartment.

Because my husbands job is ending due to the company going into bankruptcy, we are in a position that my husband would be able to get unemployment insurance until he is able to secure a job.   I also could and would find employment during that time, although, then we need to make sure we have childcare available each time he has a job interview, meets with recruiters etc.  Either way...we have options, which is a blessing. 

I remember years ago moving to Southern Alberta  (almost 18 years ago) with no employment and desperately trying to find a job. It took a little bit of time, however, during that time I took a month long course from the Government, on job finding and resume building.  I remember learning there that looking for a job is a full time job.  We were taught that you needed to put in eight hour days, networking, finding, hunting, honing your interview skills (we did videos) and cold calling companies.  A lot has changed since then, but the desired end result is the same.

I thought it would be interesting to see the difference in job finding in 2014 in Alberta today, and starting from now will record to see how long it takes my husband to find a job.  Obviously, he has a full time job and can’t put in an eight hour day job hunting....but he does have a wife....who although I’m busy, am fully vested in him getting employment as soon as possible.

I will record the process we take.  Starting with LINKED IN.  I am still pretty unsure what purpose Linked in really has and how beneficial it actually is.  My husband is currently on there with his current resume....however...the profile picture he uses is one taken by a staff member when linked in first came out.  To say it hardly looks professional is an understatement.... in fact he may be a little warped looking.  Our goal for this week will be change his picture to something a little more professional looking to see if that makes any difference.

A job hunting we will go.......

Making mistakes with RESP's in Canada - unsweet lullabies

I came across this article today...and her story could be  my story.  Same company and same experience.

 http://bc.ctvnews.ca/mobile/mom-disappointed-in-high-fees-for-daughter-s-resp-1.1574303#

Just after having my second child I was contacted by a neighbor involved with the Welome Wagon.  It seemed harmless enough, however, not long after I started getting multiple phone calls a day from people wanting me to meet with them about RESP's.   For the longest time, I told them I wasn't interested, but to contact me later.  However, it seemed like I was still getting a lot of phone calls.  Sleep deprived and wanting to be the best mom that I could be,  I finally decided to meet with one of the men that continually followed up...on my "maybe laters".  My husband and I signed up thinking we were doing a great thing for our children, and although we didn't have a lot to invest, we put what we could.  Now almost 7 years later, it makes me want to cry to see how much they are charging.  I'm also a little fearful that once my kids are old enough to go to school they will find themselves in a predicament where they are not able to pull their money out because their program or school that they choose doesn't fall into one of their fine print selections. 

Obviously we signed the papers and are locked into the contract, and unfortunately for us  they take all of their fee's up front.  It makes me sad to know that money we worked so hard to save for our kids is lost to us. 

Would love to know if anyone else has similar experiences.  My advice to new parents who are going to start an RESP is to do it...but whatever you do....RESEARCH RESEARCH RESEARCH.   Find out start up fee's.  Don't just go in blindly....or sleep deprived.  Waking up just might shock you.

What are you willing to give?

My parents were immigrants to Canada, and their story is one of love, hard work, determination, sacrifice.  However, their journey wasn’t easy and there were many times in their lives where they lived with very little.   Despite working so hard, there were times that they could have found themselves easily asking for and qualifying for government assistance to help them feed their family of 5, but they had that stubborn personal pride that made them simply make due with less and try to survive on what they had.

Growing up, my dad told me a story about how at one point in his career he decided he wanted to go into business for himself.  He had had enough of factory working and was ready to go out on his own.  What he lacked was the startup money that he required to begin that business.  He wasn’t able to get a bank loan, and so he humbly went to a couple acquaintances/friends that he knew to see if they would lend him the money.  He asked one and was refused, and then asked another.  This gentleman lived in more humble circumstances, yet lived well within his means and had savings.  He was willing to hand over $10,000 to my dad with a promissory note that it would be paid back in full during an allotted time.  It was paid back in full, because that was the kind of people my parents were.

I love hearing about how willing that man was to help out and take a chance on my dad.  That he would put great faith and trust in a hardworking father who was trying his best to make ends meet.   I would love to say that the $10,000 led to my parents becoming millionaires and living the dream.  Instead, he and my mom were able to run a seasonal family business from home for over 25 years...one that was an amazing amount of difficult work, but brought joy and happiness and beauty to others around them.  Money was still tight a lot of times, but they were able to live their dream.

This experience makes me wonder today, if a friend came and asked me if they could borrow that amount of money, how generous I would be.  I certainly have that amount in savings in the bank.  And really, compared to how much money that would have been 25 years ago, it is relatively little.   But still it is a lot.   Would I be willing to help someone out so they could improve their circumstances, with really no personal guarantee that I would get it back.
Sometimes I feel that as a society (and I include me in that category) we have become so obsessed with personal gain.  I certainly have gotten caught in the trap.  I want to have enough so that our needs are met with enough to spare.  Our goals are to save for the future, so that we can have the most comfortable life possible when we retire. So that we can have nice homes, cars, clothes and possessions, which let’s be honest, is what we use as a ruler to judge how successful a person today actually is.  In fact we often want to spend time with those people because they have the most toys and sometimes seem to be the ones having the most fun.

Maybe we aren’t being asked for a sum of $10,000 to help someone out, but can we spare something to share with someone at a food bank.  Can we open our eyes to see beyond the comforts that we live in to find someone who might be having problems paying their bills, clothing their family or finding food to eat.   Can we do that when its not Christmas time?

This past weekend my sister told me about how last week a man had asked my dad for some help doing some fairly hard labor.  At the end of the day, he asked my dad how much he owed him, to which my dad replied, “don’t worry about it.  In return, just go and do something nice for someone else.”  

 Both of these stories are simple ones, that won’t ever be in the evening news, there won’t be a book written about them, and others who pass them on the streets will walk past  without a second thought.   However, that is what I think makes up success, real character and true wealth.  Being able to give of one’s self, even if does require personal sacrifice and work, and even if it isn’t seen by others.

I am thankful for those who are willing to sacrifice what they have in order to help improve the lives of others and make them a little brighter.  Can we give, even when it hurts a little?

Back at it......

Blogging is definitely not for the faint of heart.:) Kudos to those who are able to do this every day.  Having a blog about personal finances remains a tug of war for me.   When I first began writing, I started to research. I read blogs and read books, and suddenly I felt myself focusing towards it and thinking about it a lot.  And truth be told, I don't want to be focused on money...in fact, that's the whole purpose of this blog, is to find ways to have enough so that finances aren't the first and foremost thought on your mind.

So, honestly, I enjoyed the breather of the summer...I took a break.  Well, not really because there are a few things still staring at me in the face that are requiring me to think about money.
First, my husband, although still employed currently, is still looking for employment (as we have actively done for the last 8 months to no avail).  Fortunately for us, his job has yet to end, although the company was going to shut down a couple of months ago.   We are lucky in that he will be able to go on UI until he finds something else...but unlucky in that surviving on what you get on UI, will be challenging.

Second...the never ending dental dilemnas!!!!! Seriously...I can not believe how many difficulties myself and family have had with dental.  (And by the way...we do brush and floss on a daily basis).  Bad tooth genetics I guess.  Regardless, paying for the services needed is so stressful, and I say that coming from a home with a fairly good income.  I cannot even imagine what someone does who may not have a good benefit plan or none at all or is a senior etc.  
I am currently sitting on trying to decide on whether to get an implant, and about a $800 dollar dental bill for my youngest who is having some teeth issues due to health problems (and that is with benefits.)  At present, I am fortunate to have the resources to pay for it...but its painful...especially when you try so hard to save money in other areas, to watch it go toward something you cant even choose. 

My sister was recently telling me about something she heard on the radio.  Apparently they are trying to increase the minimum wage in the States, and she was listening to someone who said that they interviewed people in Seattle that were on minimum wage and asked what they would do if they had a higher wage, and many of them said that they would get their teeth fixed.  Wow.  Puts things into perspective a little bit.

 I always think that if I ever ended up with extra resources that is what one of my areas of help would like to be in - to help people that need assistance getting dental work done.

Blogging about being wealthy - to me means having balance.  To be able to have rich relationships with others - and to have time to spend developing memories with those people, and enough time, energy and resources to help others.  The quest for seeking wealth is often there because we think that if we have enough resources, we can buy the things that we seek after...good health, beauty, friends, clothing, food and shelter, happiness and peace of mind, faith.