How are you guys doing?

onlyone said:
Well, as some of you know my wife has stage 4 liver cancer. I haven’t worked as much since last year when it was diagnosed, which has taken a toll financially. I’m glad because I have been able to spend a lot of time with her. I don’t look at tomorrow, only today. The future is what we see daily with the ones we love. Nothing else really matters. Luckily we don’t have much debt but the groceries are still stupid high and fuel is crazy still.

I’ve been with FedEx for 25 years and we are so slow that they are currently closing 30 terminals and laying off hundreds of employees, but for FedEx this is just the beginning of it. Much of this isn't reported in the so called ”news”. We are the barometer for the economy. Most people have no clue what’s happening. This is much worse than 2008-9. Even then, it didn’t have near the effect on package/freight. We are headed for some really bad times unfortunately.
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I'm sorry, I didn't know about your wife...your family is in our thoughts...
 
onlyone said:
I’ve been with FedEx for 25 years and we are so slow that they are currently closing 30 terminals and laying off hundreds of employees, but for FedEx this is just the beginning of it. We are the barometer for the economy. Most people have no clue what’s happening. This is much worse than 2008-9. Even then, it didn’t have near the effect on package/freight. We are headed for some really bad times unfortunately.
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I assumed shipping industries experienced massive expansion since ‘09, just COVID changing the way many people shop had to benefit shipping. Since ‘09 Amazon blew up forcing Walmart, Tractor store, Home Depot and every other big retailer to compete for internet sales with “free” delivery.

Is it possible that the industry is just now rebounding
 
onlyone said:
Well, as some of you know my wife has stage 4 liver cancer. I haven’t worked as much since last year when it was diagnosed, which has taken a toll financially. I’m glad because I have been able to spend a lot of time with her. I don’t look at tomorrow, only today. The future is what we see daily with the ones we love. Nothing else really matters. Luckily we don’t have much debt but the groceries are still stupid high and fuel is crazy still.

I’ve been with FedEx for 25 years and we are so slow that they are currently closing 30 terminals and laying off hundreds of employees, but for FedEx this is just the beginning of it. Much of this isn't reported in the so called ”news”. We are the barometer for the economy. Most people have no clue what’s happening. This is much worse than 2008-9. Even then, it didn’t have near the effect on package/freight. We are headed for some really bad times unfortunately.
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I don’t think UPS has ever been busier from what I have seen. Once FedEx lost the Amazon contract they slowed down.
 
CalSgt said:
I assumed shipping industries experienced massive expansion since ‘09, just COVID changing the way many people shop had to benefit shipping. Since ‘09 Amazon blew up forcing Walmart, Tractor store, Home Depot and every other big retailer to compete for internet sales with “free” delivery.

Is it possible that the industry is just now rebounding
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I would agree if it was just the package side. Our freight division is the one taking the largest layoff, closure hit. The manufacturing industry is dead. In 6 months things will look much different. We were at 120-130k shipments per day. We are now in the 70s. That’s worse than we have seen.
 
OverlanderJK said:
I don’t think UPS has ever been busier from what I have seen. Once FedEx lost the Amazon contract they slowed down.
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Once UPS consolidated, leaned out and sold their freight division they evened out. The Amazon contract had nothing to do with a slow down at FedEx. FedEx chose not to do business with Amazon. Not the other way around. We are definitely trying to cut the fat but this is a severe downturn. Freight shipments don’t lie.
 
onlyone said:
Well, as some of you know my wife has stage 4 liver cancer. I haven’t worked as much since last year when it was diagnosed, which has taken a toll financially. I’m glad because I have been able to spend a lot of time with her. I don’t look at tomorrow, only today. The future is what we see daily with the ones we love. Nothing else really matters. Luckily we don’t have much debt but the groceries are still stupid high and fuel is crazy still.

I’ve been with FedEx for 25 years and we are so slow that they are currently closing 30 terminals and laying off hundreds of employees, but for FedEx this is just the beginning of it. Much of this isn't reported in the so called ”news”. We are the barometer for the economy. Most people have no clue what’s happening. This is much worse than 2008-9. Even then, it didn’t have near the effect on package/freight. We are headed for some really bad times unfortunately.
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I'm sorry to hear about your wife.

I agree, what's coming is much worse than 08. Nothing was ever fixed since then.
 
onlyone said:
Well, as some of you know my wife has stage 4 liver cancer. I haven’t worked as much since last year when it was diagnosed, which has taken a toll financially. I’m glad because I have been able to spend a lot of time with her. I don’t look at tomorrow, only today. The future is what we see daily with the ones we love. Nothing else really matters. Luckily we don’t have much debt but the groceries are still stupid high and fuel is crazy still.

I’ve been with FedEx for 25 years and we are so slow that they are currently closing 30 terminals and laying off hundreds of employees, but for FedEx this is just the beginning of it. Much of this isn't reported in the so called ”news”. We are the barometer for the economy. Most people have no clue what’s happening. This is much worse than 2008-9. Even then, it didn’t have near the effect on package/freight. We are headed for some really bad times unfortunately.
Click to expand...
I am really sorry to hear this. May you be able to spend as much time with your wife as possible.
 
onlyone said:
Well, as some of you know my wife has stage 4 liver cancer. I haven’t worked as much since last year when it was diagnosed, which has taken a toll financially. I’m glad because I have been able to spend a lot of time with her. I don’t look at tomorrow, only today. The future is what we see daily with the ones we love. Nothing else really matters. Luckily we don’t have much debt but the groceries are still stupid high and fuel is crazy still.

I’ve been with FedEx for 25 years and we are so slow that they are currently closing 30 terminals and laying off hundreds of employees, but for FedEx this is just the beginning of it. Much of this isn't reported in the so called ”news”. We are the barometer for the economy. Most people have no clue what’s happening. This is much worse than 2008-9. Even then, it didn’t have near the effect on package/freight. We are headed for some really bad times unfortunately.
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FedEx is a partial barometer, but not nearly a complete one. Last mile delivery is changing quickly and powerhouses like Amazon and WalMart can easily impact the market in a variety of ways. Last mile drone delivery is growing at a rate that I would have never thought possible even a few years ago.

Sadly, I do think there are a lot of people and a lot of professions that are on the precipice of substantial change…if not extinction. AI is changing the working world at an exponential rate, and it will ultimately replace people in many situations.

The key to survival isn’t buying more gold and bullets, it’s having the intelligence, adaptability, and work ethic to reinvent oneself in changing environments…and to always having the ability to bring something of value to the table.

But more important than any of that theory, I am truly sorry about what your wife and your family are having to endure. :(
 
onlyone said:
Well, as some of you know my wife has stage 4 liver cancer. I haven’t worked as much since last year when it was diagnosed, which has taken a toll financially. I’m glad because I have been able to spend a lot of time with her. I don’t look at tomorrow, only today. The future is what we see daily with the ones we love. Nothing else really matters. Luckily we don’t have much debt but the groceries are still stupid high and fuel is crazy still.

I’ve been with FedEx for 25 years and we are so slow that they are currently closing 30 terminals and laying off hundreds of employees, but for FedEx this is just the beginning of it. Much of this isn't reported in the so called ”news”. We are the barometer for the economy. Most people have no clue what’s happening. This is much worse than 2008-9. Even then, it didn’t have near the effect on package/freight. We are headed for some really bad times unfortunately.
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I’m sorry to hear about your wife, your family will be in our prayers.
 
My wife and I retired at a fairly young age and are doing ok. Over a couple decades in the refinery I managed to save a fair amount and get our home payed off which matters a lot. The price of gas, groceries, insurance and everything else seems to keep increasing, have had to cut back on a few things but we are doing well.
 
OverlanderJK said:
I would completely disagree but opinions are like poop shoots.
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Houses are indeed still selling. Just not as frantically as before. Prices. Are at an all time high.

Texas property taxes up 240% since 2011 because property values have gone up that much, and municipalities are still charging close to the maximum percentage that Texas allows. Dallas city employees got 30% raises!
 
I'm doing well. Been stocking up on things that would be essential if shit hit the fan. I'm trying to get into a position where we can live off-grid if needed. My wife is practicing growing vegetables in the small green house she has, although growing in this desert climate is a challenge. Fortunately, being in the business of selling alcohol is very good even when the economy is bad.
 
Doing ok so far. 1 daughter still in high school, son is out working in a stable job (but living at home, as he just turned 19 last month and going to school). Wife is a RN so her job is pretty much as good as it gets from an employment status and can work just about anywhere if shit hits the fan.

Refinanced main home when it was really low a few years and our cottage is paid off and is a livable year around home if we want to be out in the sticks.

I'm in automotive so that's always a sketchy spot to be in but nobody has asked me to take a early buyout yet. All my customers are deemed essential like John Deere, Case New Holland, Volvo / Mack trucks, Navistar, PACCAR, Cummins engines etc who were never shut down during COVID, but that can all change in a heartbeat.

I think the ATF was following me when I was stocking up on ammo for a PD hunt we did last year (had 4000 rounds of ammo delivered over a 4-5 month time span) and when I would have to sign for the UPS deliveries, the driver would be asking me what the hell I was prepping for. HAHAHAA

Actually stocking up again now as we plan on another trip in July but if the shit hits the fan, we won't go. Best thing about firearms and ammo is there is no expiration date. It will pretty much last forever. I was out this past weekend shooting 1960's military surplus 30-06 ammo in our M1 Garand's and BAR.
 
Things are up and down here. At times we are really busy then we will be really slow. Freight rates have come down from what they were last year. I have picked up at the same shipper and delivered to the same costumer about 6 weeks apart and my pay was lower the 2nd time. It's probably going to make me put off getting tires and getting my lift installed later than what I had planned on.
 
It is an uneasy time for sure. We are rolling forward and the company is at a point of growth, oddly enough, but this is rough on business funding and processing. With banks closing and requirements tightening, it makes it hard to move forward. On the home front, we are focused on investing in "safe" things. Tangible assets that hold value are not a bad place to park savings right now.
 
WJCO said:
Sign posted on a NatWest bank in UK.

View attachment 389838
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That sign is over the top, but try going to the bank and withdrawing over $2500 these days. I was turned down. They claimed they had to put an order in for them to bring in the cash to that particular branch. So I just went outside to the ATM machine (glad I always remember my PIN number) on consecutive days until I got to what I wanted.
 
Ddays said:
That sign is over the top, but try going to the bank and withdrawing over $2500 these days. I was turned down. They claimed they had to put an order in for them to bring in the cash to that particular branch. So I just went outside to the ATM machine (glad I always remember my PIN number) on consecutive days until I got to what I wanted.
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Who doesn't remember their PIN number? I know the PIN number for every card I have. I just avoid using the PIN number most places so my PIN number doesn't get stolen.
 
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