Are we headed towards a recession? Going to make it hard to spend on a luxury like pro cuddles.
Not being an economist. I couldn't say.
Make friends with enthusiasts! 😃
~ Sunset Snuggles
I’m not an economist either so I can’t say about a recession.
However, I do follow supply chain issues very closely for my work and I have a bad feeling we are going to see more bare shelves in the near future than we are currently seeing. I hope I am wrong but some industry reports I follow have me concerned.
@JohnR1972 I would take your first hand knowledge over our Treasure Secretary anyday.
@Midnight01, I would take @JohnR1972's knowledge over most other things, any day! The dude is legit! 😎
@Midnight01 Yep.
China is beginning to reopen some of their cities but even if they all open it will take a few months to catch up. Aggravating the problem is the fact that a container shortage still remains after the world’s second largest manufacturer of containers went under during the pandemic and countries shut down at various times leaving containers stranded. If the prime rate goes up, and oil prices do not come down, and the supply chain is still hobbled you are in for a treat—a full blown recession. I am one of those who lived through the 70s recession. It will suck mightily. Cuddle pros will see the pinch I am sure if this occurs.
The economy is in deep trouble and there's not much the FED can do. We are in a period of severe stagflation while the stock market continues to limp on. Once the FED inevitably raises rates significantly and unemployment increases consumers will be forced to sell more of their assets for cash and be even more hesitant to spend on luxury goods and like a snowball effect the economy will get much much worse.
I think @FunCartel pretty much summed it up. My financial guy has advised me to be as conservative as possible stating those same reasons.
We'll still be doing group cuddles in Denver, in hopes to help offset the costs associated with cuddling pros. I was just telling the other facilitator that I'd be happy to work ourselves out of our roles, if people are actively getting their touch needs met at group events!
This is a very confusing time. Several leading indicators are pointing in opposite directions. Inflation, supply shortages, and consumer confidence are all pointing toward a looming recession. On the other hand, the jobless rate still dropping, and the total number of jobs still increasing both point away from a recession.
At this point in time, it's anybody's guess.
Then we need to find Anybody and get his/her guess.
@Midnight01 I can't but think about anything but the Warren Buffet advice here - which is to invest in yourself. In the Berkshire Hathaway annual shareholders meeting in 2022, he said this: "whatever abilities you have can't be taken away from you. They can't actually be inflated away from you. The best investment by far is anything that develops yourself, and it's not taxed at all."
I'd argue that for me, hiring pros directly contributes to my well being, and it develops me emotionally. As such, It's a solid investment in myself. I'm going to keep doing it.
@CuddlesByDeep - Benjamin Franklin once said something very similar - “an investment in your head pays the best dividends”.
I am 100% with you - money in the bank is nice but inflation erodes it away and stocks fluctuate in value. But self improvement (health, skills, emotional well being, etc) is something that we can control to a greater extent than the economy, taxes, inflation, etc.
Oh I think we’re headed for much worse than a recession.
@CuddlesByDeep @JohnR1972 I think you guys are on to something here. We should be working on and doing those things we can control and enjoy.
@justjennn I agree that group cuddles are a fantastic way to get cuddle needs met in times like this. I posted on another thread a blurred pic from an event I just hosted - it was a full house, these things are catching on! However I still will want to go hire a pro, the individual attention and ability to sit and simply receive for a set amount of time are invaluable to me.
I think @MountainCuddles is right. As said above, invest in yourself. If you haven't been circling your wagons, it's time to start. It wouldn't hurt to cultivate a taste for the cheaper healthy foods and learn how to cook if you don't already.
@MountainCuddles Explain why you think it will get much worse than a recession? Or is this a guess on your part? While there is a good chance we see a recession there are a few signs that we will not. But you are tossing out a doomsday prediction based on….? And @achetocuddle what makes you think he is right? Saying someone is right without causes or reasons is how tribalism starts…blindly following. If there is sound reasoning and facts I am all ears. Otherwise the prediction of much worse is run-of-the-mill fear mongering.
Cuddling is not a luxury. It's more essential than steak or shrimp. I will work extra hours to afford it.
@UCpaaHVg6u0 amen to that
Recession is predicted for next year by pretty much every economist. Save your Pennie’s and buy more non-perishables and if you have room in your freezer for meat, stock-up as well. Toilet paper and paper towels too, everything is still going up and will continue.
@Ironman294 Good ideas.
@Ironman294 so, so true. I stockpiled non-perishables this past month and moved some money into much more conservative investments. Looking at some land (no building) soon on vacation as prices start to plummet on real estate. Waiting for the screams from the general public when their 401k’s lose their value like Meatloaf on a Karen Carpenter diet.
Are we headed towards a recession? @Midnight01
We are 100% under a recession, we’ve actually been there for quite some time now …. it is sad that they don’t say it for political reasons … it’s like trying their best to avoid saying the inevitable (because the obvious will happen - markets will crash / layoffs will trend - unemployment- the list goes on …. Also the headlines mentioning we’re at 8.6% inflation is laughable , we are beyond that.
We desperately need to go back to the gold standard like as soon as yesterday & stop this reckless printing of money & irresponsible spending.
As far as being able to afford on a luxury like a pro … I’m willing to bet that If you’re a repeat customer & you’ve shown respect / made them feel comfortable in your presence / & you were clean & a decent human being, most pros will take your situation into consideration & work with you, I’m willing to bet that out of 10 pros 7 will.
We’re definitely not in a good place in the US with $5 a gallon gas, a struggling bear market, prolonged inflation, and so on.
@cuddles_ndream I wish we would and could go back to the gold standard and yes this is a partially uninformed opinion . Other than that I basically agree. And for sure there are some pros here who will want to work with good clients in that situation if they are able.
@achetocuddle thank you 🌌 🙏🏻 I would love to post some videos of Dr. Ron Paul warning us for many many years that we should (at bare minimum) Audit the fed / that we should immediately get rid of the federal reserve and go back to the gold standard, he was warning us that not doing so will lead to what is happening today, & it is happening … I know it’ll be a bit irresponsible for me to make this political , & I know I shouldn’t … I feel strongly about this … but I guess I’ll stop here unless I’m asked a specific question.
It's pretty scary. I'm just trying to survive well enough to not have to pull any stocks until things look a little better. In the meantime, I won't look at my balance in order to keep myself from falling into a depression. 😆 I am very thankful for whatever support I can muster in exchange for sharing my heart. I don't take it lightly. 💜
@MrMarkAndrew Struggling bear market? I was just up in Yellowstone and saw a grizzly, he looked to be doing fine. 😉😁🐻