The stimulus package might have some provisions in it for A) interest payments on auto loans, and B) sales tax on purchasing a new car. Will this affect your decision of when to buy a new vehicle if they make it through?

I am engaged to a woman who has a child from a previous relationship and she can’t work (is on social security disability due to having fetal alcohol syndrome, she can barely read and write simple words or drive, but other then that you wouldn’t know she has a problem). Anyway, if we get married, she and her son lose their medicaid, food stamps, and social security disability. All told, it will be about a $1200 hit to our budget if we get married, and on my current income alone, it wouldn’t be enough to support all 2 of us, which is why I’m looking for something that pays better.

So should I tell the interviewer that I’m looking for a job with better pay to support my family? If I say that, I feel like i’m telling the interviewer i’d just jump ship at the next opportunity that paid more, so it’s not a good answer.

Another reason I’d like to leave is that I work for state government, and there isn’t much emphasis on technology spending here. Our budget is small so there’s not much spending for new computers, servers, etc. Most of the computers here were purchased in 2003 with new building funds when we moved to another building as part of a bond spending package.

So should I tell the interviewer that I’m looking to leave because my employer doesn’t spend much on IT, and I have initiatives and new projects I’d like to do here, but our financial resources are limited so I can’t do much of what I’d like to improve the work flow of the agency? I feel like if I say that, then the interviewer would feel like soon after hiring me, I’d want to spend a bunch of money on new equipment, and every company is always looking to save where they can, but the bottom line is you have to spend money on computer technology to improve your infrastructure.

Or, should I tell the interviewer that there is no room for advancement? Which is true, there’s only about 150 employees here spread across 4 divisions, and each of those divisions has 5 sections or so. 150/4/5 = 7.5 people per section, so each section usually has 1 supervisor who reports to their division head. So there’s just no room here to become a supervisor. I still feel that is not the right answer to give the interviewer because they may think that all I care about is becoming a manager, when I just want to work my hardest to improve the company.

Should I tell the interviewer I’m done everything I can to improve the agency’s computing resources and I’m finished here and ready to help another company improve their infrastructure? I feel this isn’t the right answer because it sounds like I’ll jump ship every few years after I fix a company’s computer problems.

In case you need history: I am 33 with no dependents, have zero debt (not even a car payment), a modest but steady income/secure job, 6mths of emergency savings, Thrift Savings Plan through my govt job, another long term non-retirement investment fund.

@ Elisabeth: I don’t think people are objecting to conflicting opinions, I think they are commenting on the tone that was used, it was very ‘snide’ (there are other words but I’m not going to use them). I feel, as I’m sure others do, that if you can’t express your opinions in a courteous manner (Trent always does) then you may want to keep them to yourself. None of us want to listen to someone who obviously doesn’t have anything relevant to add to the ‘conversation’, why should we? I’ll listen to a well reasoned argument I don’t agree with any day over one that doesn’t add to the discussion, even if I agree with it (which in this case I do not).

I know it’s a Christian sentiment but all other belief systems have a similar one; treat others the way you want to be treated – shouldn’t that apply to online discussions as well? Just because you aren’t looking at the person, doesn’t mean you can be a jerk.
-M

I agree with your critics who think it’s poor form to change a post after people have commented on it to remove all evidence of whatever people found objectionable. But that doesn’t mean you can’t correct your mistakes. I like how this blog does it:

http://greatergreaterwashington.org/post.cgi?id=1646

One thing I love about Simple Dollar is that’s it’s more than *just* finance; I find it helping me on general efficiency. But in reviewing THE POWER OF LESS, you said, “Remember, a five minute interruption actually eats much more than five minutes, as you also lose time in refocusing on the big task at hand.”

As a writer, I know this is true. Getting back to the state called “flow” can take some time, and I’m frequently convinced that what I write after an interruption is inferior to what I would have written before.

However, for medical reasons I am unable to sit for too long at one stretch. I have a program loaded on my computer that dings and flashes at me when it’s time to get up and stretch, currently set to twenty minute intervals; a shorter interval is too little, but longer leaves me stiff. While this helps my physical condition, it plays hob with my productivity. Even a break of a few minutes to walk around and stretch seems to break the flow.

I’m sixty, but people decades younger can have similar problems. Any suggestions for getting the flow back, or to keep from losing it? Thanks in advance.

I’ve been reading your blog for quite some time. Love the blog, but definitely miss the days where you would comment and add to the discussion.

And you care what people think because … ??

I’ve gotten free and very cheap help from lawyers in 2 different states about 2 different matters recently. We just moved to a new state, and with two different residences the laws are different in each state. Look at your state’s local bar association website and keep searching it until you find a link for free or discounted services.

I paid $50 for a half hour consultation in WA and $0! for a 1/2 hour consultation in IA. Other states probably have similar services (or at least recommendations for lawyers in the area for which you need advice).

As previously mentioned, be prepared well in advance of your meeting. Have all your documents with you, bring a list of all your questions and bring a pen and paper to write down their answers so you can refer to it later. Email all your documents and questions ahead of time to the lawyer if possible, so they will be prepared to help you.

@Gayle comment #24: whether to do a deed in lou, or just do a foreclosure might only be the choice of the mortgage companie(s)?? Deed in Lou is supposed to be slightly better. Keep in mind there is a difference between the deed to the house and the money owed on the loan, and an action taken to handle one does not assume the other is also taken care of. Your lawyer should be able to give you details. A better choice for protecting their credit would be to sell the house (if possible) even a *short sale* (where the house is sold for less than what is owed on the loan) is better for your credit (and maybe their emotional well being?). Make sure to use a realtor who has EXPERIENCE with short sales (ditto with the lawyer). Good luck!!