Forums > Social Discussion > Warm Winter Weather = Bad Economy

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PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
Okay, so I was talking with PWB today.

On the whole we've had a pretty warm winter here. Not nearly as much snow on the average whole as usual. Not as many temps here in the sub-zero F's as usual. No ice storms thusfar, which are usually a huge factor in our winter woahs (though a WICKED wind storm took it's place).
I love winter, so it sucks a bit for me. If I wanted Seattle weather, I'd move to Seattle. wink

However, our neighbor plows driveways during the winter. He hasn't been going out as much. Which lead us to the economy discussion.

People who contract snow removal services for the season have to prepay with no refund. They are losing their shirts this winter.
Snow services that charge per event are losing their shirts, not enough events to charge for.
Contractors who usually charge for the damage caused by the storms, not getting that business this year.
Mechanics and tow companies who make tonnes of cash from people who slide off the road, no money.
Heating repairs..not as much. We haven't had to seriously crank the heat.

These people are unable to do the things they would normally do with the money so there is a trickle over effect into everything...and I feel it at work.
It's crazy.
It sucks.

It makes me wonder what kind of summer this will be.
Huh.

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK


MikeGinnyGOLD Member
HOP Mad Doctor
13,925 posts
Location: San Francisco, CA, USA


Posted:
Of course, it evens out. Lower heating bills, lower plowing bills.

Yeah, sucks for those in the "Winter Industry" (for lack of a better term), but the rest of us make out like bandits.

-Mike

Certified Mad Doctor and HoP High Priest of Nutella



A buckuht n a hooze! -Valura


JayKittyGOLD Member
Mission: Ignition
534 posts
Location: Central New Jersey, USA


Posted:
My father owns his own business which I've been helping with since I was a wee little teen... as opposed to a bigger teen.

We rely on the cold weather for stuff to happen, frozen and burst pipes and that kind of thing. We go in a dry stuff down because mold is bad. Of course the winter has been hard because it's been warm, but because it's been so warm, people run their heaters without checking to see if they're working properly. There's still business out there, because we've done a lot of "puff back" clean ups this season. That's when your furnace burps soot all through your vents and throughout the house. No fun.

Don't mind me, just passing through.


ben-ja-menGOLD Member
just lost .... evil init
2,474 posts
Location: Adelaide, Australia


Posted:
arnt there government subsides for such businesses ? when we have droughts in oz and theres poor seasons crops n stuff the government subsides the famers

Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourself, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous and talented? Who are you NOT to be?


GeoffonTour04SILVER Member
enthusiast
360 posts
Location: Oxford, United Kingdom


Posted:
This winter has been unusually warm & dry. With all the media attention on natural disasters & religious disagreements I'm hoping this year's gonna be a bit more self reflective in the international sense (if that makes any, I've been up all night). Dunno I think it's gonna be a year when everyone's got so many problems (collectively, ie climate, threats of war everywhere, birdflu etc) a load of the old ones won't seem so bad any more.

newgabeSILVER Member
what goes around comes around. unless you're into stalls.
4,030 posts
Location: Bali, Australia


Posted:
Crikey, people are complaining cos the winter isn't nasty enough? I would have thought all those people who aren't spending money on burst this and frozen that and slid off something else would be able to spend it on something else a bit more productive... or save it up for our new post oil-peak 'cheap and easy is over' reality...

.....Can't juggle balls but I sure as hell can juggle details....


jeff(fake)Scientist of Fortune
1,189 posts
Location: Edinburgh


Posted:
A warm winter is also good for the bugs so agriculture suffers.

According to Heisenberg's Uncertainty Principle of Quantum Dynamics, we may already be making love right now...


PeleBRONZE Member
the henna lady
6,193 posts
Location: WNY, USA


Posted:
It absolutely will this summer Jeff. Plus we rely heavily on spring run off from melting snow in alot of the agri sense so, that's going to be interesting as well.

Forgot to mention the multitudes of ski resorts not doing so hot. They are making snow, sure but the temps here are still making it ushy and from what friends have told me (since I don't ski, I slide on my butt) it is still bad skiing.

Our area has alot of winter industry, and summer industry that thrives when winters are bad.

Newgabe, not always. Alot of times moneys for that come from "emergency savings" that people have, and that doesn't really get spent until an emergency hits OR they will go for some kind of loan for some of the bigger stuff. A friend I know who works at the bank said their loans dept. has been slow.

Jay, that's good for you and yer pop. Our guy at work says they have been wicked slow when they are normally hopping. Though the temp dipped the past few days, maybe he's working now. smile

Ben, not usually for little mom and pop shops. For some of the bigger ones yeah. Definately for farmers in drought but not really for plow services and the like because they are not immenity business...meaning we can live without them. They are too small of blips on the radar screen for the gov't to care. If it were the case the gov't would be handing out moneys hand over fist, and we all know how they hate to give a penny!

Geoffen, I hope you are right. I know that because of the abnormal temps everywhere here in the US, and with California being the worst polluter state, there has been a "green team" created on the state level. Headed by Arnold Schwarzeneggar actually. They have allocated additional fundage to look into how to stop adding to the greenhouse effect in Cali. Now if the rest of the states can follow, after feeling the pinch of this winter, it might actually happen...here at least.

Pele
Higher, higher burning fire...making music like a choir
"Oooh look! A pub!" -exclaimed after recovering from a stupid fall
"And for the decadence of art, nothing beats a roaring fire." -TMK


NYCNYC
9,232 posts
Location: NYC, NY, USA


Posted:
I was just talking to my mechanic who said that business was absolutely horrible this winter. Then again, the city has saved millions if not billions on various winter related wear and tear as well as snow removal and such.

But from what I understand of an 'economy' it works best when money is moving. So if a warm winter means more folks have more money to spend on other things, it only helps if they actually spend it. If everyone is just sticking that money under their matresses then yes, the economy is hurting.

I just wonder if lower fuel bills, low snow removal, low car maintenance bills means other 'luxury' industries are benifiting due to people having more disposable income.

I'm sure business in my neighborhood is WAY up since more tourists are heading out to shop more often in the warmer weather.

Of course, this is totally ironic that I'm typing this when I'm home on a snowday. biggrin

Well, shall we go?
Yes, let's go.
[They do not move.]



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