The Standard of Living for the average Middle Class Person is going down, down, down! (insurance, real estate)

[Simple Living]

Originally Posted by chambana

Less taxes? hmmm... Our govt has over 9 trillion of debt, issues bonds to pay interest only, has HUGE social security/medicare bills on the horizon...Less taxes aren't the answer.


FINALLY paying our debt down IS part of the answer

Government misspending and corruption (and being owned by special interest groups) are HUGELY to blame for money woes. Higher taxes is the American public bailing politicians out of the messes THEY'VE made.

[Lakewooder]

Originally Posted by Simple Living

I have been telling people for the last year to stop buying "stuff"; to pay off their debt as quickly as possible because bad times are coming and the only way to make it through will be to be debt-free. At least consumer debt-free. Get those credit cards paid off as quickly as possible and cancel all of those monthly subscriptions that nickel and dime you to death... magazines, movie channels, cable, eating out, going to movies, buying coffees and pastries, NetFlix, gym memberships, extra cell phone charges like internet, games, texting, etc., Stop buying video games, DVDs, CDs, books, etc., (Use the library, they're free to use.) At least narrow them down. Cancel cable altogether and just use NetFlix, if giving up television is too hard for you.

Most Americans won't do this because we don't want to go without. We don't want to be deprived and we've fallen for the media and advertising hype: "Make YOUR life better! YOU deserve the best!" We're addicted to stuff, convenience and entertainment. Microwaves aren't fast enough for us now. We're addicted to instant gratification and sacrificing these comforts is "insane" to us.

It's possible to live simply and get your debts paid off, though. I figured I'd rather "suffer" for a short time and be free from debt for the rest of my life. Then, during the hard times, it won't be so hard. I've put my plan into action and, by the end of the year, I'll be debt free and have some savings.

No, that doesn't make me any better than anyone else. I just wish people would take control of their debt and be drastic about it, instead of babying it so they don't have to hurt, suffer or go without.

Good post for any economic times. I won't give up my cable because I am a news/info junkie and watch TCM religiously. But I don't go out much!

Microwaves are too slow -- astute statement.

[Buckhead_Broker]

Originally Posted by chambana

Less taxes? hmmm... Our govt has over 9 trillion of debt, issues bonds to pay interest only, has HUGE social security/medicare bills on the horizon...Less taxes aren't the answer.


FINALLY paying our debt down IS part of the answer

Yeah, let's raise taxes on the poor and middle class - it's time they pay their fair share!

[Huckleberry3911948]

well who took my cheese?
do you think its time to change the way i do things?
just an idea.

[k374]

well, get buckle up because we are going to get much worse from here.

[John23]

I see the peak as being about 95/96 here in southern california.

Up until that point you could buy a house on a decent income. I remember sleeping over at friends houses when I was 12 in 1990, thats not that long ago. It was somewhat "normal", people could afford houses on 1 income. You didnt see alot of roommates or people crammed into houses so they could afford it.

This was before the credit explosion, people use to put a downpayment on a house...it seems so antiquated now. People didnt need home equity loans. They didnt need re-financing. You could get by on real money.

I think everything fell off a cliff after that (coinciding with Greenspans mega bubble in '96?) If it wasnt for all these loans and financing, people would be in povery right now.

-Inflation took off after that

-Media control/consolidation went up.

-Self help/pyscho babble replaced common sense

-Consecutive bubbles from Greenspan and Bernanke propped things up

I was watching the movie, MASK the other night. Filmed in Los Angeles in 1985. Sort of shocking to remember how simple life use to be. Not that long ago. How did people do it back then, they didnt need all these loans and exotic financing to get by?

[Wild Style]

John

dont fret my friend. The return to yester-year is soon at hand.

[Simple Living]

Originally Posted by Wild Style

John

dont fret my friend. The return to yester-year is soon at hand.

I long for the return to simpler times when towns and cities weren't open 24/7, but actually closed on Sundays. (Many places on Saturday, too.)

I'd love to see people return to a bartering service so everyone could afford to get what they need. The single mother babysits for credits towards the plumber fixing her toilet, whose earning credits to "pay" for the dental work he needs done so the dentist can earn credits to "pay" for babysitting services so he can take his wife out. Every service is worth a different, but fair, amount of credit, which is stored and used for bartering. I've lived in places where people did this and it was great!

Frankly, after they invented indoor plumbing, they could have just stopped with all inventions right there! We had all we needed with that!

[oakparkdude]

Originally Posted by Simple Living

Frankly, after they invented indoor plumbing, they could have just stopped with all inventions right there! We had all we needed with that!

That's right. I'd much rather do without electricity or modern medicine. Who needs to live a long life anyway?

[Simple Living]

Originally Posted by sukwoo

That's right. I'd much rather do without electricity or modern medicine. Who needs to live a long life anyway?

In my opinions, a lot of medications are toxic anyway, and full of metals. Do you realize what's in a vaccination? I'll never get another one. My diet consists of mostly raw fruits and vegetable and sprouted grains. Natural, God-made food. Since I've eaten this way, I haven't been sick at all.

Give me candle and firelight, paper and pencil and a good book any day! Folks can keep their TVs, stereos, dishwashers, microwaves, video games, and all manner of technological gadgets. The only one I have is my Mac computer. I enjoy it, but I could live without it.