My Etsy Shop

Sunday, January 31, 2010

Schemes and Dreams...

Just finished penning a submission to our best national newspaper, The Globe and Mail..they asked for submissions about what retirees, those about to retire, and those planning their retirement were going through.
Like the rest of the world, Canada is going through some severe financial spasms, not the least of which are bankrupt businesses absconding with, or unable to pay, pensions.
This is mostly about the private sector, and I thank all the gods that I was working for a municipality that not only has a strong Union, and thus a guaranteed pension fund, but a wonderful arragement, so that concievably, when the fund does well, we can get a bit of a raise...but we are guaranteed that our pensions will never be reduced, which is a very good thing.
Still, I live in the most expensive province in the country (Canada), so my little pension is struggling to be my everything financially...

All of us who are selling crafters (or at least trying to be) are cognizant of the difficulties attempting to make a living creates-the initial expenses far outweigh the profits, if any, and breaking even would be a thrill at this point. The downturn in the economy might preclude spending on non-essentials like crafts-hence my decision to stick with hats and scarves, since in many climates, they are a necessity.
Of course, you retort, I make jewelry also-aha, you are correct...but now simply assemble parts for inexpensive non-precious stone-or-metal jewelry, which many more can afford, and really, a bit of bling is good for the soul...and, by the way, on Etsy, at least, jewelry is still a huge seller.

If my submission to the paper is used in print, I'll put a link in my blog. I would also love to hear from readers from countries other than Canada - what is going on in their lives re the retirement, pension, or crafting issues..really! I try and read all kinds of newspapers online for a sense of what is going on in the world, but it's impersonal. I would find it fascinating to hear about what others are going through re these issues-so feel free!

2 comments:

  1. We will be retiring soon too. Don't have a damn thing saved, but do have a pension. And my husband will still be young enough to get another job and work that too. So we should have pension income and a job income.

    PussDAddy

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  2. Puss, you and I are lucky we have pension situations..and that your husband is young enough to do something else as well...
    It's not that i don't want to work, actually, I do, i just define that differently than a 9 to 5...

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