Welcome to the next installment of the

Topic of the Week

Alright, this isn't going to be a technical week - don't like it? Too bad.

I got laid off last week. I'm not looking for sympathy - it's happened to better people than me.

I've got probably $5k worth of Jeep and parts in the garage that I am seriously considering selling to help make ends meet. Sure, I've got unemployment coming that will cover the mortgage for a while. But I'm most likely going to be Mr. Mom for the next 2-3 years - a job I want, but pays diddly squat in the cash department.

So, should I sell now - before the winter building season? Or should I sell next spring - we might hit the lottery before then. Or do I hang on to it all until the bitter end?

Gimme some thought.

And I'll entertain offers for an 81 CJ8 with a strong 360, centerforce clutch, NP435/NP205. I've also got a RC60 front end that I'll finish rebuilding (new brakes, bearings and Warn Premium hubs), a rear 60, a 30 spline detriot for a 60, and some other stuff.

:eek: Sorry to hear that!!!

I'd try to hang on to it for a little while, but if things start to look pretty tight, sell it. There are always going to be Jeeps out there to buy. I wouldn't sell it right off the bat though, because in a couple months, if something good comes along, jobwise, you'll regret selling it off so soon. Least I would...

Good luck :beer:

Family first but hang on to what you got as long as you can.
What you got to sell?

Originally posted by CJ
Family first but hang on to what you got as long as you can.
What you got to sell?

And I'll entertain offers for an 81 CJ8 with a strong 360, centerforce clutch, NP435/NP205. I've also got a RC60 front end that I'll finish rebuilding (new brakes, bearings and Warn Premium hubs), a rear 60, a 30 spline detriot for a 60, and some other stuff.

Sorry to hear about your situation. Trust me, I know how you feel. Last December I got laid off and was out of work for 5 months (first time in my life). Luckily my wife helped to keep us afloat, when I couldn't.

First thing's first. Do your budget and figure out what you CAN do to cover the essentials. Mortgage (roof for the family), food, and other essentials in that order. The max you will get from unemployment is 26 weeks at $240/week (after taxes). That is pitifully thin to run a household, so give yourself some breathing room.

Next, there is a stigmata some people put on unemployment. Don't think twice about it. It's insurance money you've paid into the system all your adult life, now just happens to be your time for a withdrawl.

Next, in respect to your parts/Jeeps, sell what you need to/can, BEFORE you need the money. If you're stuck in a bind and need cash fast this may lead you to accept a lower price than if you sell it at your leisure. Avoid fire sale mentality.

Last but not least: you have skills and a rig. They may not be skills in your chosen field, but if you can make cash with labor you do at home (engine rebuilds, fabrication, vehicle maintenance, pulling folks out of bad places) it goes a long ways towards paying the bills when you put that with what unemployment pays. Make sure that folks know this is a special case, normally I would be happy to help for free, but I have to feed my kids. Your friends will be understanding and it's better putting in honest work than charity.

I'm not advocating anything illegal here ;) , but supplimental income can help stretch out the length of your unemployment bennies if you think that may be an issue.

PM me if you need a hand working the unemployment system.

Personally, I would hang on to what you got until you have to get rid of it. Who knows, you may run across another job.

Im also at risk, lay offs are this week for us...

I was thinking Id try to rent out my house for afew months to help pay for it self, till I found a job in the same town. For me a layoff means relocating for awhile, but selling a house sucks so Id try to rent it out first....

Just an idea... but putting the wife to work sounds good to me...

Maby you can ebay some stuff, if you need some fast cash, thats got em out of some binds.

Id say put every thing up for sale, but for now ask full price then later when your really tight drop your prices to really sell everything. so maby you could get double your cost on some stuff now, ya never know...

good luck.

Originally posted by JeepinIan
Personally, I would hang on to what you got until you have to get rid of it. Who knows, you may run across another job.

I'm not sure I WANT another job. I'm strongly leaning towards just keeping the kids at home and being full-time Dad.

If I go that route, I'll sell the junk, keep some of it and get back into the sport full-on in 2 years when the wife is done with her residency and making money.

If I do that, I'd keep an engine, the tranny, transfer case and front axle. I'd take my time and rebuild the engine (needs it anyway) as well as the gear boxes. I'm almost done with the axle. I could turn that for a grand in a heartbeat.

in your place, and space allowing,
I'd sell as much junk as you can emotionally part with, build a garage (or convert yours) to an actual Jeep shop and work part time out of it. incorporate yourself, and you can deduct your work space tax time and even if you get little-no buisness, you can still write-off the losses.

Sorry to hear about the layoff.

I am in a similar situation. Maybe my shit luck will make you feel better. I graduated in May with engineering undergrad and an MBA. My grades are good 3.15 eng/3.5MBA, but too bad nobody wants fresh grads. Every position I have seen wants at LEAST 5 yrs. experience. I have tried everything, finance, operations, civil engineering, construction engineering, hydraulic eng., etc. I am qualified for all that, but that doesn't mean a thing. No experience means no job.

So, I have spent the past six years in school to build up a HUGE debt with all the promises of "when you get out you'll be set." Not a chance. My loan payments start in December and if I don't have a job by then I am moving out of Buffalo and out West to find a job. There are a lot more opportunities out West than in Western NY.

I think it is great that you are considering staying home with the kids. I think that is why there are so many confused kids/teens out there rebeling and commiting crimes. There was a lack of guidance and education due to single parent homes and both parents working. It is not the parents fault, but it is too difficult to support a family financially and then come home and take of everybody too. I think it is a very noble thing to do, plus your wife will be your sugar Momma soon.

Later and good luck,
Jason

I am in a similar situation. Maybe my shit luck will make you feel better. I graduated in May with engineering undergrad and an MBA

are you out of your friggin mind?

they're dying for fresh meat in the engineering market.
I just got an email the other day from HR scum offering a $2500 bonus for suckering jerks to work here.

Originally posted by diiulio
I graduated in May with engineering undergrad and an MBA. My grades are good 3.15 eng/3.5MBA, but too bad nobody wants fresh grads.
Jason

lockheed martin:
Robert Dellamura,
E-mail:
bob.a.dellamura@lmco.com

send him your resume they have some good new jobs for new Engr. grads,

Id also lookinto a gov job,
wcpoc (http://cpolrhp.belvoir.army.mil/west/)

diiulio,

email me your resume if you are willing to move to the NYC area and want to design bridges. $2500 will buy a lot of Mo's crap.

Hey,
Thanks guys. I really appreciate all the help.
Sundowner, that would be sweet, my resume is sent.
AshmanjeepXJ, that contact is great, but Syracuse is too central NY for me. The only places that I am willing to work in NY is Buffalo or NYC. Other than that, California or Seattle will be the next phase if all else fails.

Mo,
Sorry about your dilema. If you have to get rid of stuff I'd be interested in the RC 60, but don't sell it unless you have to man. Good luck to the wife with her residency.

Ben

Originally posted by JeepinIan
Personally, I would hang on to what you got until you have to get rid of it. Who knows, you may run across another job.

Exactly.....wait at least till you NEED to sell it ;)

Originally posted by jeepboyben
Mo,
Sorry about your dilema. If you have to get rid of stuff I'd be interested in the RC 60, but don't sell it unless you have to man. Good luck to the wife with her residency.

Ben

is this Ben Bargarus (sp?) of MonkeyBars :D (that made me laugh the first time I read it) on JPOR?

I went through the same thing last year, in the middle of an axle swap, BAM no more income. I sold off spare parts, or parts I didn't need to make it run again for money. I wasn't able to necessarily buy the parts I needed, but I put it on hold until I was employed again. It sucks, but if you're like me, you have spares around that would equal a few hunnert dollars...

Sorry to hear about the job. Now take that Avatar off, it freaks me out! :flipoff2:

Bryan

The Aritar rules!!!

Originally posted by Mo


is this Ben Bargarus (sp?) of MonkeyBars :D (that made me laugh the first time I read it) on JPOR?

No, sorry different Ben.

Mo, Sorry to hear it, but I’m glad to hear you want to spend time with the kids. It’s good for the kids and you.

The way I see it, family comes first. That is the real reason my Jeep sat for over a year.

If you have debt, then sell the stuff. No debt, then only sell it if you will profit. If you have the skills to fab an axle, then the whole is worth more then the parts. You have time not money. If you could sell those 60’s 60’s60’s60’s:D to someone like me with a bit of money and no time, then you’ll have enough money to buy the parts again. Buy the parts, and bank the cash. Repeat cycle. :D

So in short:
Sell the stuff if you will profit.
Sell if you are in debt, keep your eyes on the long term.
Don’t wait tell you “must sell” and you get pennies on the dollar.

Good luck.

Damm the admin should move this to the forsale forum :flipoff2:
hehee
Damm, sorry to hear that Mo. I had the same thing happen, and had to sell some guns to pay bills. I still hate it but the family comes first.
With your contacts, and knowledge you should seriously think about setting up shop at home. I know many a guy who has paid his bills doing that and most of them are half as smart and know fewer people.

Instead of selling your junk sell you help.

Originally posted by diiulio
plus your wife will be your sugar Momma soon.


i gotta get me one of those.

i agree with the guys saying open up shop in your garage
you have the skills and it is something to teach your kids

if they learn to work on engines and stuff you wont have to worry about where they are when they are teenagers
they will most likely be in the garage turning wrenches

i wish some one would have taught me mechanics when i was young


good luck with whatever you do


jacob

thanks for the votes of confidence...

if the kids were older, I would be setting up some sort of small shop. but with a 4 1/2, 2 1/2 and a 5 month old, there aint gonna be time for a shop. :(

I am considering however offering to watch some friends kids - Mo's 4x4 parts and daycare. How's that for product bundling?

Mo's daycare hehe that rules. I can see the mini jeep corse in the backyard with 15 kids driving power wheels jeeps throgh a mud hole.

Mo's Motto "Bring em clean get em dirty"

Work the shop after hours when the wife gets home.

Originally posted by Bonestripper
Mo's daycare hehe that rules. I can see the mini jeep corse in the backyard with 15 kids driving power wheels jeeps throgh a mud hole.

Mo's Motto "Bring em clean get em dirty"

Work the shop after hours when the wife gets home.

In built my 3yr old son a powerwheels jeep, its cool, I swapped the motors to extremely larger 12volt ones, and added two lead acid high output batteries to run it at 12V it really hauls and climbs hills well for the $60 total cost, it only needs some big rubber tires now...but they were kinda costly....I have a truck style body the "big foot" powerwheels its not shiney but could be built up if you guys need parts or the whole thing...

"Brim em clean get em dirty" :D

My wife compalins about getting her soap dirty?

Mo Mr. Mom is way harder than any job you could do. I've been Mr. Mom for 3 months before and I couldn't wait to get back to my nice cushy job. I'd hold out selling stuff as long as you can I always regret it when I do it. And I think since you know so many people in the wheeling community and meet so many posers and newbies. Run a little under the table install program in your garage to help out for awhile. Just and idea and it will keep your axle changing speed on the trail up to par.

MO sure you could get a grand for the axle and some decient $$ for the rest of the parts. But the parts will never be cheaper than they are now. If you have a fairly reliable DD I say get into pizza delivery a few hours friday and saturday nights can bring in an extra $100 a week or more. I know in NC you don't have to be licensed to keep kids just registered with the state (up to 5 kids including your own). Just charge about $25 less a week than the daycares are charging, have the parents sign a contract that if they don't pick up their kids by such and such time without notification and aproval by you then you charge them so much money per hour extra. Times are gonna be tough but you should be able to make it without having to sell you parts unless absoutley nessacary.....

MO
Your kids will be greatly influenced by the time you spend with them now while they are little , forget about the job and thank god for the opportunity .I am a mr.mom and I wouldnt trade it for anything ,my relationship with my daughter improved dramaticly (very cool).I dont have my Jeep that was featured in petersons anymore ,on a limited budget I have found FSJ are hard to beat.....Priorities indeed !



Jeeps will be around .

Sorry to hear about your misfortune, Mo. I got laid off last spring when the Telecommunications industry went down the internet "industry" like the captain of a sinking ship, so I know what you're probably going through. You just gotta stay positive. In retrospect, getting layed off (along with my subsequent re-location to Northern MN) is probably the best thing that ever happened to me. I'm making more money than I was making in the 'big city' (which I loathed) and now I own my own house in the middle of the woods (with Jeep trails all around :).

If you decide to stay home with the kids, more power to ya. Makes for better adults than you get if you farm 'em out to daycare, IMHO.

Best o' luck to ya,
Jake Harsha

Been there, done that. Got caught up in the telecom slowdown and can't get back in, anywhere. Been out of work since April of last year. I have been a stay at home dad since then. I love the time I've been able to spend with my 6 and 8 year old. As for the Jeep, I let go of a few things once in a while that I would normally keep. I recommend that you keep the stuff and let it go when you need it. If you cash it in now the money might get lost between now and the time you need it. Tell your wife that the junk in the garage is your savings account.

Sell what you need to but always keep a functional 4x4 to be able to go out and wheel. Nothing is worse than not being able to go out and play.