Gretchen Blankenship
Gretchen and her husband Bob Blankenship
Hometown: Prescott, Ariz.
It's a good news, bad news scenario with regard to the job situation in my family. My husband was laid off from his civil engineering design position, making more than $50,000 in October 2009.
The good news -- after job hunting for more than a year, he was finally able to find employment at county offices 100 miles away. The bad news -- it's an entry level data-entry position at a pay rate equivalent to what he was making in Nebraska in 1980 -- $28K.
While we are thrilled that he now has a job with benefits, this job means moving to an area with a higher cost of living. I have an established real estate business where we live now, and I find myself having to try to build a clientele from scratch in a new location.
NEXT: Suzette Banzo
Last updated February 18 2011: 8:13 AM ET
