Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
A lower standard of living will be the new normal for the middle class ~ an economist told me once that an upside down wineglass represents our country. The part that holds wine is the lower class, the thin stem is the middle class and the base is the upper class.
Think about it, kinda' scary, isn't it?
or it may be an economic bump in the road, with ever accelerating income opportunity going forward for the energetic..and not so good for the mediocre who were previously protected by tariffs and unions.
As Edison said, one more thing we know doesn't work.
the only thing you control is your own behavior. The personal answer to the problem of the the middle class is to get out and hustle, and to hustle smart.
If you unemployed living in a depressed area, take the hit on the house equity or credit rating and move to an area that is not depressed, if not for yourself, for your kids and their future.
If you are stuck in a job with stagnating income, upgrade your credentials or start hustling on the side with a high return pain in the *ss slum rental property or cash only service doing some dirty task others do not want or are too lazy to do. A friend who washed windows told me that welfare recipients were the most likely to buy clients.
Rewire your brain to take pleasure in miserliness and shopping at Walmart, pay off and cut up the credit cards, pay off the mortgage or rent, cook from scratch, feed chickens, cut coupons, service your own car, get moving, ...turn off the damn computer and the television.
Ask yourself why these first generation Asian immigrants come in penniless and become your boss within 5 years.
A lower standard of living will be the new normal for the middle class ~ an economist told me once that an upside down wineglass represents our country. The part that holds wine is the lower class, the thin stem is the middle class and the base is the upper class.
Think about it, kinda' scary, isn't it?
Nope, b/c 99% of the time it is b/c they chose to live outside their means. Sorry, but a $60k salary doesn't support a $250k home w/ 0% down & then the additional $10k in upgrades b/c the overpriced home to begin with didn't come with a pool or tile in the lanai.
Some hit bad bumps & got screwed. Will take years to dig out.
Never fell for the housing boom. Never believed that I needed granite, 2 sinks in the bathroom or stainless steel appliances.
Have always lived under our means. Doesn't mean that has protected us 100% nor that we haven't made dumb decisions (buying a tv w/ 24 months no interest...sorry, don't have the cash for it, don't buy it. Taking 2 years to pay off a tv (which we did) is stupid).
What people in this country expect & what reality is are two different things. I have a hard time w/ all the whining about how people can't go out to eat or buy a home. Buying a home is not a right, it is a priviledge. Life will go on if you can't buy a home. May not be fun or pretty, but if you can't afford it, you just cannot afford it.
The middle class definitely struggle and as healthcare gets more challenging, things will get even a little rougher. But saying "lower" standard of living sounds so self-pitying & self-righteous. Learn to appreciate the small things and no longer will you even care what category you fall into. (those who are homeless, are destitute, sick w/ life-ending illnessnesses, have lost children...not referring to them at all)
Have always lived under our means. Doesn't mean that has protected us 100% nor that we haven't made dumb decisions (buying a tv w/ 24 months no interest...sorry, don't have the cash for it, don't buy it. Taking 2 years to pay off a tv (which we did) is stupid).
That was a very financially savvy move. You didn't pay interest for two years and hopefully had that money somewhere where it was collecting interest.
or it may be an economic bump in the road, with ever accelerating income opportunity going forward for the energetic..and not so good for the mediocre who were previously protected by tariffs and unions.
As Edison said, one more thing we know doesn't work.
the only thing you control is your own behavior. The personal answer to the problem of the the middle class is to get out and hustle, and to hustle smart.
If you unemployed living in a depressed area, take the hit on the house equity or credit rating and move to an area that is not depressed, if not for yourself, for your kids and their future.
If you are stuck in a job with stagnating income, upgrade your credentials or start hustling on the side with a high return pain in the *ss slum rental property or cash only service doing some dirty task others do not want or are too lazy to do. A friend who washed windows told me that welfare recipients were the most likely to buy clients.
Rewire your brain to take pleasure in miserliness and shopping at Walmart, pay off and cut up the credit cards, pay off the mortgage or rent, cook from scratch, feed chickens, cut coupons, service your own car, get moving, ...turn off the damn computer and the television.
Ask yourself why these first generation Asian immigrants come in penniless and become your boss within 5 years.
I actually have often wondered how peniless Asians come to this country and wind up with their own storefront a little while later. Same with so many industrious immigrants. However, I have to take issue with your seeming "pull yourself up by your boostraps" portion of your post. Many of us have already cut the credit cards up, cancelled the cable, changed neighborhoods and still are struggling in a bad way. And its not because we wont clean windows and mow lawns, its because there are 23748758123789235 other people in Fort Myers trying to mow the same lawns and pet sit the same dogs. You can only have so many doing the same thing....
Im not sure what the point of your post is? Living in Paseo perhaps you worked your way up to a nice standard and now cant remember what struggling is like in an ocean of fish all vying for the one job in an economy rated the WORST in the USA? And we are not lazy and we are trying to be innovative and stay positive and we are doing new things, such as going back to school for a masters and to join the health care field at the PhD level. Im just saying, I see a lot of generalizing in your post. We are already sucking it up, pulling ourselves up, eating rice and beans, reading books, being grateful for what we have, etc etc etc - it is not changing the state of jobs. One thing I do agree with is that the only thing you can control is yourself and in that regard, as I already said we are going back to school.
That was a very financially savvy move. You didn't pay interest for two years and hopefully had that money somewhere where it was collecting interest.
The part that kills me is how much LCDs or LDEs or whatever the heck they are called have dropped in the past few years. What we paid for is now half of what it cost then.... But there are so few things my dh asks for & it was like watching a kid on Christmas morning when he got the surround sound setup in the mancave. I'm the CFO of the family & just am in a mindset now of its either all cash (barring home & car) or nothing. I hate the feeling of owing in case there was an emergency & all of a sudden we can't pay for our tv!!
The part that kills me is how much LCDs or LDEs or whatever the heck they are called have dropped in the past few years. What we paid for is now half of what it cost then.... But there are so few things my dh asks for & it was like watching a kid on Christmas morning when he got the surround sound setup in the mancave. I'm the CFO of the family & just am in a mindset now of its either all cash (barring home & car) or nothing. I hate the feeling of owing in case there was an emergency & all of a sudden we can't pay for our tv!!
Yes. I hear you. I was brought up by Depression-era babies that believed that if you can't pay for it, then you shouldn't by it. They are correct, but there are occasionally some exceptions. I was going to add that it would have to be an exceptional buy. If the prices have since gone down, it doesn't work.
I'm a world-class bargain shopper and know a lot about technology and sometimes, if you can pay off the bill without interest because it is a fabulous deal, then you will come out ahead.
Everyone's mileage varies.
Which brings me to the bootstrap speech. My husband and I have been able to take advantage of the economy and get ahead. It was a combination of perseverance and luck.
But I've been on the other side of the situation, where you did everything right, thought outside the box and are still left out in the rain. Sometimes it is just time that is needed for things to get better.
But that lecture benefits no one but the speaker. I've said it before, too. But some people like to keep coming back to the trough.
I can think of a few platitudes, too. You reap what you sow. Karma is a you-know-what. There but for the grace of god...
Yes. I hear you. I was brought up by Depression-era babies that believed that if you can't pay for it, then you shouldn't by it. They are correct, but there are occasionally some exceptions. I was going to add that it would have to be an exceptional buy. If the prices have since gone down, it doesn't work.
I'm a world-class bargain shopper and know a lot about technology and sometimes, if you can pay off the bill without interest because it is a fabulous deal, then you will come out ahead.
Everyone's mileage varies.
Which brings me to the bootstrap speech. My husband and I have been able to take advantage of the economy and get ahead. It was a combination of perseverance and luck.
But I've been on the other side of the situation, where you did everything right, thought outside the box and are still left out in the rain. Sometimes it is just time that is needed for things to get better.
But that lecture benefits no one but the speaker. I've said it before, too. But some people like to keep coming back to the trough.
I can think of a few platitudes, too. You reap what you sow. Karma is a you-know-what. There but for the grace of god...
I wanted to add that we have a very large homeschooling network (about 500 children) in our area that does the 3 days at home; 2 at school. It does have a strong Christian base & the foundation of the teachings do lay in the Methodist structure. They offer the music classes, language classes, art classes and extracurriculars. Buyer beware: the chuch does expect and does get it weekly tithings...
I belong to a MOPS group w/ several moms who are part of the homeschooling group. It is not a concept for my family, but they do some of the coolest things & I have to say, their kids seem very happy, welladjusted & social!
I think you may run into some difficulties finding a nonsecular group that does something of this nature. There are also charter schools but I wouldn't even touch those nor do I remotely agree with the concept of charter schools.
Have you guys thought of going a little further north like Sarasota or Tampa? Just has always seemed it has a larger demographic and some more possibilities. You probably would even have a better choice of schools. It's scary when you have little ones that need and deserve an education and you see the state of affairs in re: to education throughout this country. It can become very confusing and overwhelming.
Oh, and we did pay off the tv ahead. And we paid off my husband's car off ahead. Every time I get a few extra bucks, it goes towards education or home/car loan. But right now, seriously focusing on 6 month emergency savings. It feels awesome to just get ONE month under our belt We became credit card free last month. I feel very fortunate. Not saying some major issue will not come up, but at least for TODAY, everything is ok Sometimes that is all that can be focused on.
I actually have often wondered how peniless Asians come to this country and wind up with their own storefront a little while later. Same with so many industrious immigrants. However, I have to take issue with your seeming "pull yourself up by your boostraps" portion of your post. Many of us have already cut the credit cards up, cancelled the cable, changed neighborhoods and still are struggling in a bad way. And its not because we wont clean windows and mow lawns, its because there are 23748758123789235 other people in Fort Myers trying to mow the same lawns and pet sit the same dogs. You can only have so many doing the same thing....
Im not sure what the point of your post is? Living in Paseo perhaps you worked your way up to a nice standard and now cant remember what struggling is like in an ocean of fish all vying for the one job in an economy rated the WORST in the USA? And we are not lazy and we are trying to be innovative and stay positive and we are doing new things, such as going back to school for a masters and to join the health care field at the PhD level. Im just saying, I see a lot of generalizing in your post. We are already sucking it up, pulling ourselves up, eating rice and beans, reading books, being grateful for what we have, etc etc etc - it is not changing the state of jobs. One thing I do agree with is that the only thing you can control is yourself and in that regard, as I already said we are going back to school.
Kroeran mentioned that sometimes you need to cut your losses and move. He was speaking to your situation. Sometimes you need to go back to re-invent yourself (a.k.a. schooling etc). In your area a lot of people are hungry for work. It seems that it might make sense to move to a less competitive spot.
Re: the answer to why Asian's do so well (I'm white by the way). Answer: Culture. The culture is all about work ethic and living under your means. It's a culture that takes care of it's family and takes advantage of opportunities that were given to them. I can think of other cultures that are not doing so well and their culture follows....
121804: Around here (Knoxville), and I think nationally, there are two non-secular homeschooling groups that do get-togethers, sports, field trips. I looked into them, at one point.
Like you, I am always looking for the best education that I can afford for my child. I actually attended Catholic school when I was in my teens and highly recommend them, too, for anyone interested.
And 121804, I always end up paying things off, due to too much worry. Too bad we weren't in swFlorida at the same time. We have a lot in common.
We decided to stay up here. In fact, we are in the process of opening up a shop and my business is going well.
We will continue to visit, of course. We have a wonderful room in my MIL's house. And I can't wait for a meet-up!
A time of crisis is a time of opportunity. Sometimes, there is more money to be made than during the good times. But if there are too many people fighting for the same pie in an area it might be a good idea to consider another direction.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
But there are so few things my dh asks for & it was like watching a kid on Christmas morning when he got the surround sound setup in the mancave. I'm the CFO of the family & just am in a mindset now of its either all cash (barring home & car) or nothing. I hate the feeling of owing in case there was an emergency & all of a sudden we can't pay for our tv!!
We became credit card free last month. I feel very fortunate. Not saying some major issue will not come up, but at least for TODAY, everything is ok 
Sometimes that is all that can be focused on.
.
