The working class have been impacted by a new combination of low job availability and low gas prices this holiday season. People don’t have high gas prices to worry about anymore, but more and more have no job to drive to this time of year.
“The economy has really thrown us for a loop,” said unemployed student Evan Kolar, “gas is cheaper but a lot of people are in the same sort of pinch.” Evan had been working in landscaping to keep himself in school, but now fears that worsening conditions might not let things go as planned.
Times aren’t only getting harder for students, as employment rates have dropped in many established career-related sectors as well.
Bruce Vilente, formerly retired and now seeking work, has gotten what he calls a bad start to the holiday season this year. “It was hard enough to decide to come out of retirement, but I thought I’d find a job after 15 years of experience in my field” Bruce said. This Christmas isn’t off to a very merry start for Bruce, who has been seeking employment as a Teller Room Processor for 6 months.
Britney Geller, a student at Sierra College, has taken the same economic motivation a bit differently. “I was really worried at first, it didn’t look like I would be able to go home for Thanksgiving,” Britney said. But she was able to visit home for Thanksgiving. “When I realized I couldn’t find a second job, I decided I would have to find new ways to cut expenses to make ends meet,” Britney said.
By removing her TV subscription, gym membership, and religious Starbucks indulgences from the budget, she has found what she calls a financial “sweet spot” for the time being. Britney gives this advice to anyone else feeling the pinch, "drop the things you don't need, and all sorts of new opportunities can open up."
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