And by the way-through this entire recession, McDonald’s has been hiring.  If it came down to my husband working there instead of getting a lousy 275/week for unemployment, then he’d go flipping those burgers in a heart beat.

For every action, there is a reaction.  If people get fired and then sit on their bums doing nothing while they wait for a job to drop into their laps, then they don’t deserve this reward the government is dropping into their laps.  They just don’t.

Believe you, me-we were VERY unlucky last year. My husband lost over 6 dollars an hour wages in three separate paycuts.  Then he lost his job. He got a new one, but it was one that did not provide a vehicle as his previous one had.  We had to come up with the exorbitant gas prices. We have four children we continued to feed (with no food stamps), and bills we simply had to pay, and we did. 

We also know many people who refinanced multiple times during the housing boom. They wasted all the money (keg parties, new big label clothing, etc.). No home improvements. No savings accounts. Just frivilous crap. Now they are getting bailed out and all that money they wasted is being shaved off their mortgage so it’s down to today’s value (which, btw, is LOWER than it was five years ago when my husband purchased this home).

Of course everyone wants a bigger, better house.  Not everyone can afford it.  People were irresponsible and living beyond their means. Now they’re getting a reward.

Frugalmoms,

There are many responsible people out there, who through no fault of their own have lost jobs or been laid off.  They would normally pay their bills on time, but due to the lack of work, cannot make ends meet.  They also do without the “extras” in order to pay their bills, but if the money is not there, it just is not there.  I applaud you for your success in keeping your mortgage paid; I only wish I could do the same.  If you were one of the “unluckier” persons, I am sure that you would appreciate the help in order to keep a roof over your children’s heads; why would you not want other people, not as fortunate as you, to get that help, also?  I have lived in my home for 8 years and never been late with a payment until my husband lost his job; my husband works construction and there is NO WORK in Florida.  He has applied for other jobs, with no success.  They are just not out there.  So, should we just become homeless?  Or accept the help?

This is really upsetting to me, as I’m sure it is to other responsible people.  My husband is the only one in our family bringing home a paycheck, and he suffered through several pay cuts last year.  We have four children.  We still manage to scrape together our mortgage money as well as our other bill money.  We don’t have any left for other things, but darn it-we take care of keeping a roof over our children’s heads first and foremost!  Where is our reward for being responsible?  Why are people being [essentially] rewarded for their irresponsibility?  I don’t like this at all.  It only reinforced to people who put themselves in a bind that they don’t ever have to be responsible for themselves and their own actions.  My parents taught me that for every action, there is a reaction.  Why don’t these people have to learn about the reaction to NOT paying their mortgage?