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Agreed. I only expect to be earning a salary of $30,000 or so once I snag my Bachelor's of Science Degree in Accounting in 2009. Perhaps that will edge up somewhat when I complete the CPA exam as well, have my MBA, and invest in some real estate on the side, but I still would be more than happy to "peak" at around $70,000 per year. The allure of suburban McMansions and BMWs just isn't for me, even though they're proliferating in the Scranton hillsides at an alarming rate with all of the NYC transplants. Give me a sturdy older Victorian that needs a bit of TLC in the Hill Section of Scranton and a Toyota Prius, and I'm a happy camper. The emphasis the accounting majors here at King's College place upon the almighty dollar is sickening. Whenever a former graduate of our school comes to speak to current students, questions about starting salaries, current salaries, etc. almost always seem to creep up afterwards. As long as I can afford Kraft macaroni & cheese and Pop Tarts I'm set for life! Anything would be an improvement from working for Lowe's, where I spend my holidays getting yelled at by customers who have nothing better to say besides "Bah Humbug!" LOL!
This nation is built around plastic right now, and the credit companies are laughing all the way to the bank. I believe I read somewhere recently that the typical American family now has $8,000 in credit card debt! Considering Scranton/Wilkes-Barre's median household income is among the lowest in the state, the dominance of luxury SUVs and tract housing on the periphery indicates to me that FAR too many people are "living beyond their means." Why? Who cares if your next-door neighbor, who is a plastic surgeon, just bought a Jaguar? If you work as a legal secretary and can only afford a Honda Civic, then so be it. If anyone judged you solely by your material assets, then they're not the types of people you want to associate yourselves with! Life is too short to be so worried about "outdoing the Jones's next-door," and when you're six feet under it all means nothing anyways! I'd rather give away much of my fortune to leave a legacy of philanthropy in the city of Scranton as opposed to leaving only an empty suburban McMansion behind in my wake.
Haha yes those victorians are nice aren't they. I like the VW Polo BlueMotion available in Europe now with 72 mpg on a diesel. We need that kind of car in the US -- something cool and fun to drive, nice looking, not just an overpriced dumpy hybrid car. I hate hybrids -- it is a joke that we are so far behind on technology that Europeans can produce so easily -- look at all the nice French cars - the Peugeots, Citroens, Renault and other countries -- Seat, Vauxhall, Skoda, hell the Ford Mondeo -- we need that kind of car in the US. As of now I think I would buy a new VW Jetta TDI or a Touareg TDI. Mercedes is coming out with a BlueTec Diesel -- I like the C240s also too.
Theres something to be said with an older house with character in one of those neighborhoods you can walk to many things from.
Wow $30,000 -- that must be a very bad job. I know someone at Kings College too and it is very good to have an emphasis on practical training. People want to make back what they have to pay to come to a school. However, a fixation on it is not a good idea either. Well it would be nice to meet more people like you Scranton, Pop Tarts and Kraft Macaroni and Cheese sound like a good combo.
It is becoming very, very clear that you and I simply have vastly different notions on how to go through life and what one ought to expect from it ... but then again, what do I know, I work in the arts make less that 45k a year, I like my apartment even though it is small, and grew up happily in a 1300 sq foot home with six people and 1.5 bathrooms. Do I want a bit more, sure, who doesn't, but I quite frankly appreciate what I have, and my current lot in life. In my opinion (for me at least), life is good. I'm content, you clearly are not.
Great points! I was just taken aback reading through some of the posts and looking and the fixation on money and consumerism. If you think shallow, what you get out of life will be shallow.
Volunteer in your community. Go for a walk and really look around. Life is not about money and acquiring things. Life is about enjoying what God/nature has given us. Laugh with a friend!
When things seem down, refocus. Helping others will always make you more fundamentally happy than will buying a fancy car. If you stop focusing on what you want financially, you'll be really surprised at all of the good luck that will come your way. Everything is a lesson. Be present in your lesson and life will eventually give you what you need.
I don't live in a norm that is super-money focused. Thank goodness! I know what I said above sounds really cheesy, but that's the cultural norm where I live. We don't have fancy things so we do look to nature, family, and friends for inspiration.
Great points! I was just taken aback reading through some of the posts and looking and the fixation on money and consumerism. If you think shallow, what you get out of life will be shallow.
Volunteer in your community. Go for a walk and really look around. Life is not about money and acquiring things. Life is about enjoying what God/nature has given us. Laugh with a friend!
When things seem down, refocus. Helping others will always make you more fundamentally happy than will buying a fancy car. If you stop focusing on what you want financially, you'll be really surprised at all of the good luck that will come your way. Everything is a lesson. Be present in your lesson and life will eventually give you what you need.
I don't live in a norm that is super-money focused. Thank goodness! I know what I said above sounds really cheesy, but that's the cultural norm where I live. We don't have fancy things so we do look to nature, family, and friends for inspiration.
Yeah sounds like a good plan. I'd like to meet more inspiring people like you. Thats why I've chosen mid law or some corporate job i'm not going to be focusing to death on the money aspects of everything. Its about being happy too. I have two summer camp job offers right now and one pays a bit less but would be a lot more fun. I tried to get them to match the offer but they wouldn't go up all the way. I think I'll take the latter.
Yeah sounds like a good plan. I'd like to meet more inspiring people like you. Thats why I've chosen mid law or some corporate job i'm not going to be focusing to death on the money aspects of everything. Its about being happy too. I have two summer camp job offers right now and one pays a bit less but would be a lot more fun. I tried to get them to match the offer but they wouldn't go up all the way. I think I'll take the latter.
I recall "Long Day's Journey Into Night"...James Tyrone, old and bitter. He gave up his stage career to be in a long running comedy show...made lots of money.
And, at the end of his life, he's asking himself:
"What the Hell was it I wanted to buy, anyway?"
Not me.
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The allure of suburban McMansions and BMWs just isn't for me, even though they're proliferating in the Scranton hillsides at an alarming rate with all of the NYC transplants. Give me a sturdy older Victorian that needs a bit of TLC in the Hill Section of Scranton and a Toyota Prius, and I'm a happy camper. 
The emphasis the accounting majors here at King's College place upon the almighty dollar is sickening. Whenever a former graduate of our school comes to speak to current students, questions about starting salaries, current salaries, etc. almost always seem to creep up afterwards. 
As long as I can afford Kraft macaroni & cheese and Pop Tarts I'm set for life! 
Anything would be an improvement from working for Lowe's, where I spend my holidays getting yelled at by customers who have nothing better to say besides "Bah Humbug!" 
LOL!
The 'burbs....
