Adventure riding & the recession

[Laxi]

Peasant!

hehe I go to restaurants and ask them if theve got instant, love the reaction it gets

As of two hours ago, I'm unemployed
Mid week riding is gunna happen big time, (just have to take a bit of garden hose, and a screwdriver to siphon hwy patrol cars to save on fuel)

good to see you'll get some value from the NZP for 1ce, a hint though, the best time to get them wwould be when there parked outside maca's, you know they'll be there a while

Yup, the recession has caused me to use my bike to get to work, which saves me $40 per week in fuel

did you need an excuse???



I guess im lucky, no sign of slowing down yet, and as a backup my old boss back in aus rang me 2 weeks ago wanting to know when id be back, he's got 30mths worth of contracts signed, should have been back by now but just found out got another kid on the way so wont be going anywhere for a few months now

[MXNUT]

Two record months in a row... roll on adventures

My industry is looking down the barrel of growth due to the current gubberment's desire to increase infrastructure spending as a means of stimulating the economy. Whether this will be a reality or not remains to be seen (I'm a little doubtful at present but it is good for me in the mean time). Also I'm lucky enough that in my specialist field there is a large shortage of people. There are regular efforts to get Poms in my field out here to fill positions and in turn the Ausi's are often over here trying to get kiwis to "leave home".

Sorry to be positive when many of you are doing it hard but this recession so far is a good thing for my wife and I - lower mortgage rates being a key contributor. We are looking to pay of significantly more principle on our mortgage due to lower interest rates. We are also considering another significant expenditure in the next few months if all goes to plan. Knowing my luck all will probably not go to plan but one can only hope.

I'll stop being such a positive prick now. I have to admit it is very sobering reading the previous posts on how difficult life has become for some. It provides some context for me and makes me appreciate where I am in life.

Cheers R

So far so good for us.

My work is doing very well. We've just had three very good months, January sales were a record, and we are crazy busy. Having said that, we are part of a public company and some of the other entities that are part/fully owned by our company (some in Oz), are not doing so well and have had to restructure, reduce staff, take salary cuts etc, so the overall result of our public company is not so great.

Hubby works for an earthmoving firm. One of their bigger clients recently went down the gurgler owing substantial $. However hub's firm seem to be still ticking over and very busy at times, so haven't had to reduce staff as yet.

Well it's safe to say someone hasn't told my bike about the recession, It cost me $450 on parts just the other week! And they took two weeks to arrive and then they had the wrong parts!

Luckily for me though work is going well and my department is having a bumper year. Sorry to be a positive prick like my brother. Didn't realise the country was in such a sorry state.

John

Good to see there are still a few of you out there keeping the economy going while the rest of us are in a hibernating spend mode

[Paladin]

Got to spend 4 hours in WINZ today - Ugh! Talk about hoops and some - geez, please let one of these damn jobs I applied for pan out SOON!
Still at least there is something called Enterprise Allowance that is available to help me finish getting my Forex Training Company off the ground - there may be light at the end of the proverbial tunnel methinks! I sure hope so, I hate bein skint and have never had to apply for benefit in my life before - although they seem to be pretty good at recognising this recession thang is affecting alot of folks and are sympatheic, altho maybe thats just cos they can see I REALLY wanna work and not the average sponger they maybe see!

Here's a sick joke for ya - just cos my kids only spend officially 40% of their time with me, my ex gets all the benefit for the kids - i get ZILCH even though I have them for the minimum 3 nights per week as recognised by the Inland Revenue! That's just WRONG!

[Padmei]

I'm sure that something will come up soon paladin.

Make the most of your time & invent a totally unique & useless farkle for a motorcycle. The catchment area is so wide you're bound to make a fortune from those that have to have everything.

[Paladin]

I'm sure that something will come up soon paladin.

Make the most of your time & invent a totally unique & useless farkle for a motorcycle. The catchment area is so wide you're bound to make a fortune from those that have to have everything.

I think Joe(Junkmanjoe) is already after cornering the market for anything metal that needs fabricating!

Now what else?..........

[junkmanjoe]

yea mate.

prices to build sadle bag racks, have ranged from,$250. up to $375 a set.

get this.

i brought the steel for $23.00 make my furkn own ones, borrow my bros mig for the day, cost a tui brick. ( 2 doz )

[Woodman]

Somethin will come up Paladin, it always does.

I remember in a previous recession when I was living in Greymouth, I used to go into the labour department (winz now), every week and ask about the jobs on the wall, and they always said no there was nothing available even though they were posted there. Then one day after 6 months of being on the dole i went in and the lady looked at her file and realised I had been coming in for 6 months and got me a job the next day.
Apparently after 6 months you are classed as long term unemployed and to keep this figure down they wouldn't even try in the first 6 months. (wankers).
Problem was a lot of guys lost heart and never went back after a while.

To be honest I had a ball fishing, riding me gxser and playing footy, and as long as the club kept paying for me beer I was as happy as a sandboy.

[Paladin]

Somethin will come up Paladin, it always does.

I remember in a previous recession when I was living in Greymouth, I used to go into the labour department (winz now), every week and ask about the jobs on the wall, and they always said no there was nothing available even though they were posted there. Then one day after 6 months of being on the dole i went in and the lady looked at her file and realised I had been coming in for 6 months and got me a job the next day.
Apparently after 6 months you are classed as long term unemployed and to keep this figure down they wouldn't even try in the first 6 months. (wankers).
Problem was a lot of guys lost heart and never went back after a while.

To be honest I had a ball fishing, riding me gxser and playing footy, and as long as the club kept paying for me beer I was as happy as a sandboy.

The joy of havin the DR to play on is definitely what's keeping me sane and cheerful I can tell you!


That 6 month thing makes sense - shame they can play that game really.

[Crisis management]

There are jobs out there, I'm just not sure I want the one I got!

As I have been sitting in front of a PC for the last 15 years I thought this (no work, no income) was a great opportunity to get something outdoors to do (the money would help as well...). Seeing as I live next door to where the new Mangere bridge and roadworks are being built I trotted off down there and asked if they needed any bald, skinny, white men. After the laughter had died down the kind people at Fletcher Construction made me an offer I couldn't refuse:

1. Turn up at 7.00am (I didn't know there was a time called 7.00am until last week)
2. Climb about 2 Km up a scaffold on a bridge pier in wind and rain with a bunch dodgy islanders (actually very friendly, it's just that we don't communicate very well...I'm learning the nuances of "bro" at present).
3. Spend 10 hours wandering around being yelled at by a semi psycopathic Irish foreman variously thumping bits of reinforcing steel and wading in new concrete.
4. Go home completely knackered at 5 or 6 (dependant on what needs thumping apparently) and fall asleep immediately.
5. Get paid peanuts for the enjoyment.

I have a sneaking suspiscion they're running a sweep to see how long I will last, there is far too much solicitous enguiry as to my level of enjoyment with this undertaking.

However, this little character building exercise has its upside:

I now realise that using my brain is a major part of the enjoyment I gain from work and not using it really hurts.
Working outdoors when it hails sucks.
There is a cure for procrastinating about getting a job and this is it!

Right, off to find a better job before this one kills me.

[tri boy]

Good on you Ian A bit of manual labour will get the muscles pumping.
Sadly, my muscles have no interest in such activities these days. Tried working in a concrete form working gang for about a month a few years back. Sod that. Thats what 120kg muscle bound twenty somethings are for.
If it weighs more than a loaded chilly bin, get a forklift

I'm still sulking, and tinkering on bikes over copious coffees, but kanny will kick my arse soon, and force me to get serious.

[warewolf]

Got to spend 4 hours in WINZ today

I sympathise. My case manager (who is excellent, 2 thumbs up) said, 'bring the stuff back, just hand it in at the front desk'. So I bring the stuff in to the front desk, the first response was 'you can't do that', then in response to my obvious reply, 'you shouldn't have been told that, it's wrong' then 'do you have an interview?' (No, they want this stuff first, then they'll book the interview once they've processed it) followed eventually by, 'well they're not here today, I'll just put these in their tray'. Du-uh. The silliness of dealing with govt depts has started already. This on top of a 'receptionist' that does actual work: all the ppl waiting in line to announce their arrival for a meeting, hand in forms, collect blank forms etc wait and wait and wait because no-one is available to direct traffic.

I've been told to go to the Richmond office because they handle mainly retirees who don't put up with any such crap.

My wife commented that WINZ et al will probably have to sharpen up their act, with a potential influx of clients aware of proper business processes and customer service.

just cos my kids only spend officially 40% of their time with me, my ex gets all the benefit for the kids

In my opinion, the system is geared towards the mothers because there's so many lousy fathers; and the good fathers get screwed over just in case and/or to make up for the bad ones they can't catch. I have a friend in a similar position; his ex is clever enough to not let him have equal care, so that he has to pay her. But the best thing is that junior still considers Dad's place as home.

If it weighs more than a loaded chilly bin, get a forklift

A properly loaded chilly bin should require a forklift.

[Kokopelli]

T
However, this little character building exercise has its upside:

I now realise that using my brain is a major part of the enjoyment I gain from work and not using it really hurts.

Well done for taking on a job like this, especially during this time of the year. it won't get any easier with winter coming. Keep using your brain and see what you can learn from these guys, it might come in handy.

The good people at Fletcher might find you a more appropriate job after a while. Clearly they want to see what you're made of at the moment.

Which line of work were you in before?

Reading stories like yours has made me appreciate my own job a lot more.

[young1]

I get the feeling another Kawhia Bach o/nighter is about due.
Cheap as chips, and a bloody relaxed weekend on gravel roads.
Plus there needs to be a rematch in the scrabble competition.
After MX nuts ride, but before winter.
They will have pry my rotting throttle hand of my bikes before a recession stops me riding and having fun.

Kawhia sounds good Brent, count Leanne and I in!

Recession - I find myself in a job where I get the feeling that they are trying to get rid of me, consequently am not enjoying it at all at the moment. I am very lucky as I have a new Partner who has told me that if I do leave she will support me. In the meantime we are watching what we spend money on. I refinanced the mortgage two weeks ago to get a better interest rate (yes it did cost a few thousand dollars but I like the knowledge that if I do lose my job that my mortgage payments are much lower).

My 990 will stay. My DR400 has an oil leak from the front sprocket which I need to get fixed (you mechanics out there is that a biggy?) and I might sell it. I only rode it once last year and have only done one trail ride on it this year (the second would have been today except for that leak!) With a new Partner we now have an extra car so if things do turn to custard my Impreza might have to go.

To help save any of you a few dollars, if you need accomodation in New Plymouth for a few nights you are more than welcome to come and stay with us.

[Paladin]

Finally some good news today, had appointment at WINZ and got to have an unscheduled meeting with the person who handles the Enterprise Allowance Scheme - went thru where i was at and she fast tracked me thru 4 weeks worth of red tape b*llsh*t in 15 minutes so i can get on the EA asap and get my partially setup Forex Training biz off the ground as quick as poss!

Hoorah!

[NordieBoy]

and get my partially setup Forex Training biz off the ground as quick as poss!

Teaching people to drink Aussie beer?