Your Rut or Recovery Stories

Two years after the financial collapse, some are in a recovery, others are stuck in a rut. So, what are you seeing in your own life and in your community?

Explore the map below to see the stories fellow It's A Free Country readers are submitting. Or explore the story archive, videos, slideshow, and more. Want to only see results from a particular category? Filter them using the drop down menu.

>> And if you want to add your story to the Rut/Recovery project, do so here.

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Rut/Recovery Slideshow

364 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217
My cousins own a restaurant/bakery in Boerum Hill in Brooklyn. They have had a really rough year or two. They sell a lot of pies, etc, for Thanksgiving and she always makes beautifully decorated cookies that look like turkeys. Last year, she had to give them all away - people will buy a pie, but wouldn't waste money on something like a $4.50 cookie that is just an extra. This year, she sold more than half of the turkey cookies. I call it the Turkey Cookie Index. An economic indicator that people are more willing and able to buy a little something extra that they don't really need this year.
This story comes from my mother, who is a perennial recipient of mail-order catalogues. This holiday season she has noticed a proliferation of goods embossed with a version of the 1939 poster issued by the British Government as Hitler's Luftwaffe geared up for attacks on the U.K.. The slogan: "Keep Calm and Carry On" was designed to assuage the fears of an understandably nervous public. That it would re-appear today is not surprising given The Great Recession. But the message of uplift, to me anyway, is also pernicious because it asks us to part with our money (to purchase the totebag or handtowel - see .jpg) in spite of a real need for fiscal responsibility.
3706 Park Avenue, Weehawken, NJ 07086
We here in Weehawken are seeing a small business exodus! I am the owner of a restaurant that has been here for nearly a decade, but watching 4 business on my block close in the past few months makes me very nervous! Myself, my employees and my loyal guests are all very scared that our town is moving out, never to return, and we will have to be next to go!
Ridgewood, NJ
I fix computers and people need computers no matter what. My customers would rather fix a broken computer than spend the money to buy new. It's still a throw away society but perhaps we are not throwing away so quickly with high ticket items.
36 Hawthorne Place, Apt 4u Montclair, NJ 07042
My husband and I are in our mid 20's, recent graduates, newly married and living in the metro area. This is certainly an interesting time to be laying foundations. While we're so incredibly lucky to both have decent (though by no means ideal)jobs and live in a relatively nice area, the turn in the economy has forced us to reevaluate our expectations for the future, dream a little more conservatively and plan a lot more practically. There's certainly no place for starry-eyed youthful optimism these days. The necessary pragmatism of the times is, instead, a real test of character: applying for job after job, accepting the non-use of your degree, scaling down your dreams, learning to value people and heart and integrity instead of a high-profile lifestyle. The stuff this economy is made of has a way of revealing the stuff we're made of.

December 02, 2010 03:19:30 PM
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Billy

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Caller to the Brian Lehrer Show on 12/2/10

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Rut

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My New Normal

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"I noticed the subways in particular are very dirty and the rides are more crammed with people so I think the MTA needs to step it up. Also on my block in particular the spate of smash and grabs on the cars on the street and the police are not really patrolling, they put out these flyers instead of really doing anything."

December 02, 2010 03:17:44 PM
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Rebecca

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Caller to the Brian Lehrer Show, on 12/2/10

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It's Complicated

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Government Services

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"Our residents have definitely seen a change in some services, but overall we've been able to maintain the most important services by being flexible and by having our unions understand and come to the table, and both police and fire, to their tribute and to our administration's tribute, agreed to two years of no increases, in order to avoid layoffs in our most important public safety."

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Morristown, NJ

December 02, 2010 12:23:49 PM
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Paula Frazier

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paula@paularestaurant.com

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Rut

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How's Business

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We here in Weehawken are seeing a small business exodus! I am the owner of a restaurant that has been here for nearly a decade, but watching 4 business on my block close in the past few months makes me very nervous! Myself, my employees and my loyal guests are all very scared that our town is moving out, never to return, and we will have to be next to go!

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3706 Park Avenue, Weehawken, NJ 07086

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December 02, 2010 11:45:52 AM
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Joe Caputo

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Rut

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My New Normal

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Art Director for 20+ years in NYC. Under threat of impending budget cuts and job loss I made move to a NJ publisher in 2005 with a 30% pay cut. Lost contract with Atlantic Health Services in 2007 due to advertising revenue dip. Laid off in May 2008. Collected 99 weeks of UEI while job hunting. Had 2 interviews the whole time.
Have managed to find freelance totaling approx. 1/3 of my previous salary...working from home. Meanwhile...my home town, Green Brook NJ has cancelled clean-up week and fall branch pickups due to budget issues.

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Green Brook, NJ 08812

December 02, 2010 11:43:42 AM
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Darnell

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The rent is too damn high in East Harlem

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Rut

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Housing/Rent

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Where's the promised low income housing for Harlem? The new developments start at an income of $65k plus. Families in Harlem do not average this amount. The only people benefiting are the affluent migrating from downtown. The only luck the working poor have is playing the City lottery.

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159 E 103rd street, new york, ny.,10029

December 01, 2010 02:48:43 PM
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Libby Kessman

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Cheap Food

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It's Complicated

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My New Normal

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I've become expert at checking out the loss leaders at groceries and stocking up on items that are real bargains. Since food is so expensive, I don't see this behavior changing anytime soon, as it's helping me save a lot of money. I've also become frugal in other ways: going to free or cheap events (some of which offer free food), using the library for DVDs (cancelled my Netflix subscription) and books, and just generally tightening the belt in many ways.

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West 108th Street

December 01, 2010 01:52:33 PM
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Amy Hamlin

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"Keep Calm and Carry On"

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It's Complicated

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How's Business

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This story comes from my mother, who is a perennial recipient of mail-order catalogues. This holiday season she has noticed a proliferation of goods embossed with a version of the 1939 poster issued by the British Government as Hitler's Luftwaffe geared up for attacks on the U.K.. The slogan: "Keep Calm and Carry On" was designed to assuage the fears of an understandably nervous public. That it would re-appear today is not surprising given The Great Recession. But the message of uplift, to me anyway, is also pernicious because it asks us to part with our money (to purchase the totebag or handtowel - see .jpg) in spite of a real need for fiscal responsibility.

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December 01, 2010 01:30:38 PM
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Sandra

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Astoria semi-recovery

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It's Complicated

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How's Business

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I live off Steinway St. in Astoria, a street known for shopping, and mostly clothing stores. In the last couple of years, independent stores have been closing, leaving mostly chain stores and a lot of empty storefronts. In the last few months, I've noticed the storefronts are reopening--but the new shops are all food stores (bakeries, smoothie places, even an organic grocery), which is odd for Steinway. My guess is that people are still buying necessities like food but not spending on more discretionary items.

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Steinway Street, Astoria, Queens, NY

December 01, 2010 12:16:11 PM
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John P. D.

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One of many jobless new grads

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Rut

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Employment

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New grad radiation therapist, horrible job market nationwide. Huge oversupply of new grads, mostly fault of the schools pump out too many grads. Even experienced talent have a hard time to finding work. Smaller hospitals closing or consolidating means net loss of jobs. I suspect that patient numbers are down because of lack of insurance. Forgoing early detection and preventative care will lead to more advanced cases.

Considering getting out of healthcare, it's in turmoil with govt reform. Expect reimbursements to be cut, more work for less pay. Don't do healthcare if you want to make a living. You don't get compensated for the TLC you have to put into the job.

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Broadway, Brooklyn, NY

December 01, 2010 12:16:09 PM
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Matthew

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It's On You Now

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It's Complicated

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My New Normal

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I was laid-off from a good paying job in advertising in November 2007, just at the very beginning of the mortgage crisis. My wife and I had just bought an apartment (yeek!) and we were about to have a baby (double yeek!). I struggled to find another full-time job, taking any freelance work I could find. Regardless of money, navigating the health insurance wilderness was no easy task, though we were able to pay-out-of-pocket into a plan through Freelancer's Union. Many waves of layoffs were taking place all around me. After several months, I decided that if we were to live with this level of uncertainty, I might as well strike out on my own and form my own business. I invested in some video equipment, and I began my own web design and video production business. It seemed insane at the time, and fall 2008 was extremely difficult-- but three years later, I'm still working, and while my profits are small, my business has grown. We've made many changes-- we eat many more meals at home, I work from home, gift-giving is curtailed from multiple gifts to one or two, our vacations have been limited to visits to friends and family-- but slowly we seem to be stabilizing.

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811 Cortelyou Road, Brooklyn, NY 11218

December 01, 2010 12:06:52 PM
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Uncle Marty

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Rut

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Employment

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Our household income is 50% of what it was 3 years ago when we bought our coop ... which is underwater ... on which the bank has offered to refinance (for a cost of $3000) to reduce our payment by $100 ..... 2 1/2 yr to break even ... Thanks .... We are in retail ... fewer hours and extended work days ... food and fuel are way more expensive ....

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94-31 57th avenue, elmhurst, ny 11373

December 01, 2010 12:00:16 PM
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rob smith

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Rut

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My New Normal

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My family used to purchase gifts for everyone in the family. Then we changed to buying the kids gifts and had a grab-bag for the adults. This year we're just getting the kids gifts.

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long beach, ny

December 01, 2010 11:59:20 AM
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Tommy C

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Trash

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It's Complicated

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Government Services

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The trash used to be picked up every Tuesday and Friday in my town like clockwork in the past. But over this year if a Tuesday or Friday is a day before or day after a holiday the trash does not get picked up like on Black Friday. This also occurs with the town’s recycling and leave pickups, which can be dangerous on rainy days like today.

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330 Ludlow Ave. Spring Lake NJ 07762

December 01, 2010 11:53:38 AM
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Louis

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Down Fall

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Rut

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Employment

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I graduated in June with a M.S. in Conflict Analysis and Resolution. After six months, I found a job as a Barista. I am sitting on almost $140,000 in debt and no one will take on an entry-level candidate. The only advice I keep hearing is, "Good luck. Hang in there."

December 01, 2010 11:53:24 AM
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Lauren

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Graduate Student Life

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It's Complicated

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Employment

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I'm an ABD grad student in a public school who finds freelancing for magazines more lucrative and reliable than adjuncting for my school and other local schools!!

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144 Spencer Street, Brooklyn, NY

December 01, 2010 11:51:24 AM
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Josy Erne

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Rut

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How's Business

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I own a small PR firm, and business is FAR worse than last year. Not only have some clients gone out of business, but potential clients are offering fees that we turned down as untenably low 12-15 years ago! It's bleak.

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Manhattan, NY

December 01, 2010 11:49:53 AM
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lisa

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It's Complicated

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My New Normal

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This is an aside: realized yesterday that all the economists interviewed about the recession have jobs. "We didn't know it was so bad," they say "the numbers didn't say". Interview those who are unemployed, they will likely have different input!

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new york, new york

December 01, 2010 11:15:47 AM
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Jennifer Zarcone

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The Turkey Cookie Index

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Recovery

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How's Business

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My cousins own a restaurant/bakery in Boerum Hill in Brooklyn. They have had a really rough year or two. They sell a lot of pies, etc, for Thanksgiving and she always makes beautifully decorated cookies that look like turkeys. Last year, she had to give them all away - people will buy a pie, but wouldn't waste money on something like a $4.50 cookie that is just an extra. This year, she sold more than half of the turkey cookies. I call it the Turkey Cookie Index. An economic indicator that people are more willing and able to buy a little something extra that they don't really need this year.

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364 Atlantic Avenue Brooklyn, NY 11217

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November 30, 2010 10:49:50 PM
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Michael Summerfield

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No Fundamental Fiscal Change

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Rut

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How's Business

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Until the Obama administration recognizes that the Fed has done all it can with monetary policy and that initiatives in fiscal policy are now required, we are in a rut. That doesn't mean we need to extend tax cuts for the rich or provide more additonal stimulus to for public works! It means we need to provide incentives for new business formation, research and development and retrain housing and construction workers in skills in other fields [the housing market will take a long time to recover]. The government needs to reduce military spending [see Cato Institute study], commit to energy independence at all costs and provide real tort reform to lower healthcare costs. Abandon the Federal pension program and move to 401k contributions, drop Congress’ health care and pension plans so they are on par with the rest of America. To help the consumer dig out of the hole, bring back tax deductions for credit card debt [along with a sunset clause] since financial firms won’t provide a break for their 29.9% rates though they are paying only 0.25% funding cost and give a tax break to those who cannot refinance their mortgages due to credit issues. We’ve bailed out Wall Street – but how about us consumers? Until we are healthy, this economy is going nowhere and we have been all but ignored!

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115 Continental Rd., Cornwall, NY 12518

November 30, 2010 10:38:34 PM
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Jay

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Superfluous Americans

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It's Complicated

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Employment

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Working at a law firm that handles major corporate restructurings and chapter 11 bankruptcies, I've had a fairly secure position from which to witness this economic recovery. The stimulus stopped the bleeding, and the recovery is in full swing.

The problem is that much of the country is not included in the recovery. We constructed an economy that excludes certain portions of the population. From decaying inner cities to never-developed portions of Appalachia, millions of Americans are literally unemployable. After the recession, millions more workers are now superfluous.

This recession, triggered by Wall Street recklessness, has exposed the effects of decades of neglect. Entire industries have cratered. Our infrastructure is collapsing. Schools are not preparing students for a 21st century economy. College leaves millions saddled with debt. “Middle class,” which once meant a life of economic security, now means living in a constant state of anxiety.

Don’t blame President Obama, or even George Bush (though he didn’t help). This crisis is 50 years in the making. But investors should be pleased; corporations are raking in record profits. The United States adopted corporate values as its own, and now the economy is doing just fine without many of us.

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Manhattan, NYC