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Everyone is complaining how expensive the state is and I do agree, but only partially.
I have only one question - since when everyone became entitled to $500K house, best school for the kid and $400 a month car lease. I cannot find this in the Constitution. Why? Because those are the personal choices that people should make if and only IF they can afford it.
Up to mid 90s people would save and then buy. People use to leave in an apartment and drive used car. Now every college kid complains that houses are too expensive.
Well, then two things for you kid:
First of all, if you really need navigation system in your Acura TL so you would know what Costco parking lot you are hanging out at and build in Bluetooth so you can chat on your Razr while you are driving, then may be all that money your parents spend on your education was a waste .
And second, it was too expensive for your parents too 30 years ago, so they lived either in an apartment or in a split-level and drove old Buick to save money for your education.
Today my employees come to me for an advice and ask what should they do – buy fixer-upper closer to work or 3500SqF colonial 3 hours away somewhere in PA. No matter what I say they all have similar answer:” but my wife really liked Jacuzzi tub in the master bedroom”. Well, then I guess you have to buy that house in PA. Just remember you ain’t gonna be the one your wife will be enjoying her time with in this Jacuzzi. You will be stuck on 78 going home and “Jersey Guys” will be your only friends for years to go.
I had one employee who”went postal” after he moved to PA. Nothing against PA, I love PA and I would move there if my work would be in PA(this is legal disclaimer just in case). This guy’s 70 miles commute one way took him out of NJ work force within a month. We had to terminate him, for the safety of our other employees.
The other guy bought somewhere in south Jersey, and his commute was 2.5 hours with no traffic. He’s wife wanted to divorce him because she was jealous of non existing lady that he spend his time with for 2.5 hours after work. He quit the job and went working for some local place 5 minutes from home.
Both guys were complaining about expensive housing and high taxes. Well, government was not the one who forced you to buy this 3500SqF Jacuzzi tub.
“Older” generation at my work that lives in nice houses lived in 2 or 3 different smaller houses before they were able to afford what they live in today. They moved up, that was old mentality
Now people complain that they cannot make mortgage payment because they had to buy PS3 on eBay for their 4year old kid, who is EXPECTING IT on Christmas.
My point is that while I do agree NJ is expensive, half of complains are based on poor financial choices and new mentality that everyone is entitled to minimum 3500SqF new colonial house, new Lexus GL and PS3.
You are really on target. I have to 99.9% agree with you. I think part of the problem in NJ (and many other areas) is that there is such a huge emphasis on having the latest, the greatest, the biggest, and the best. It's easy to lose sight of what is important. But it is still pretty expensive, especially if you have a job you love but don't earn a lot of money.
We live in an impatient culture used to instant gratification. I see it amongst posters here as well as in my daily life, even amongst my own family and friends. People want what they want and aren't willing to compromise or wait. People have a sense of entitlement in this country and tend to live beyond their means. You don't NEED a massive SUV. You don't NEED to buy new clothes every month. You don't NEED a house with a pool or a three car garage. You don't NEED to send your kids to private school (usually). You don't NEED to eat out most nights of the week, and so forth. I read so many posts, particularly on the NJ/NY forum of people feeling pressured into fitting in with the "expensive consumer culture" of the area. Well....don't. It's quite simple. Have some self-control. Unless there is a gun pointed at your head, no one is forcing you to purchase anything. Is there social pressure and peer pressure? Of course but who cares? Your neighbors and co-workers aren't the ones that will be paying off that credit card bill. You will.
My sister-in-law for example was seriously annoyed by the fact that she and my brother were unable to buy themselves a single-family home right after getting married to my brother, as some of her friends had (although ALL of these friends had help from parents whereas her parents and mine can't offer much financially and they're basically on their own). She was 24 when she got married. He was 25. She was still in grad school, only working during summers and my brother had had a full-time decent-paying job for around 2.5 years. They first lived in an apartment together, then rented a townhouse, then subletted a condo and then purchased a condo after the wedding. They are currently looking for a bigger space. They make a decent living, both have college degrees, work full-time at stable jobs, and own a large two bedroom, two bathroom condo with two big-screen TVs, three computers, a fancy sound system, and nicely-furnished, in a safe neighborhood in a very expensive metro area. In my eyes, they're doing quite well for themselves. At least they OWN a place and they own nice THINGS. So many people their age rent hovels and work as waiters or secretaries eating ramen noodles for dinner. But for her, it's like she has this notion of what she grew up with and simply not having that is driving her mad. I just don't understand it. It's like people don't expect to struggle anymore (and "struggle" in this situation is a very loose term).
I read posts on here and it just seems like people want the impossible, the big homes in the top notch school districts with the big cars and the big yard and the safe neighborhood close to the beach and the mountains, all the while having money leftover to spend, and while that's fine to want such thing, it seems like people expect this "perfect" lifestyle comes cheap. People need to keep their very real financial constraints in mind and not let a desire to live in some Stepford fairytale supersede common financial sense. Everyone has to compromise in life. New Jersey is expensive just like many parts of this country, but there's ways to make it work. Hundreds of thousands of people do. For all of the people complaining that it's impossible to make a living if you earn under six figures, there is another person who earn 30K lives in an older apartment with a roommate in a halfway decent neighborhood, drives a '95 Taurus, and who is surviving on proportionally just as much disposable income as their "wealthier" counterpart. While there are certainly many individual situations to take into account and many variables tha can greatly affect a person's status (i.e. single vs. married, childress vs. family, college educated vs. high school dropout, etc.). I feel like most people can downscale in some way.
The fact of the matter is that for the past 6 years the NYC / NJ / LI area has become a haven for the rich and the extreme consumerist culture. Middle class is really $60,000 - $120,000 a year per person. I don't know how anyone gets by on less than $60,000 a year especially anywhere in NJ north of Ocean county.
Not to mention how people look the other way as taxes keep rising, corporations & Wall Street make profits hand over fist, and there has been ZERO talk of any middle class tax cut. A piddly sales tax cut in NYC on clothing under $110 is only a gift for the credit card companies since most clothing is charged on revolving credit cards. Oh I forgot about the $300 check that everyone got back in 2001.
I guess I am the exception. I am single and make only $73,000 a year, live in a studio apartment and pay $849 a month for rent, drive a 2001 Altima with almost 50,000 miles, buy my clothes at The GAP, Macys, Banana Republic, & Nordstrom a few times a month.
Everyone else my age shops at Abercrombie, buys new sneakers & cell phones every month, drives an expensive SUV which is no more than 2 years old, spends $1,000 or more on clubs in Manhattan each weekend, buy new clothes at least every other day.
Owning is out of the question since the crappiest condo in JC Heights costs close $400,000 with HOA Fees & Taxes of at least another $400 - $600 a month together on top of PITI not to mention that the marketing is geared toward those trustafarians living in places like Park Slope, Brooklyn Heights & Dumbo who can afford to spend $600,000 or more on a crappy renovated condo in a tenement building.
{{{{I read so many posts, particularly on the NJ/NY forum of people feeling pressured into fitting in with the "expensive consumer culture" of the area. Well....don't. It's quite simple. Have some self-control. Unless there is a gun pointed at your head, no one is forcing you to purchase anything. Is there social pressure and peer pressure? Of course but who cares? Your neighbors and co-workers aren't the ones that will be paying off that credit card bill. You will.}}
Then this isn't the place to live especially on Long Island or Bergen County where most peoples life centers around going to the mall and talking about how you spent only $1,000 or $2,000 on just a few things.
And most people have been lulled into this false sense of security by the booming economy & job market where they think that they can find another job paying $30,000 more literally overnight. And that most feel inadequate if they are not making $200,000 or more.
$100,000 have become standard for most people. Now $200,000 is the new standard for single people in this region according to NY Magazine & the New York Times. People spend the equivalent of one mortgage payment on those outfits you see advertised in the NY Times Sunday Style section or in NY Magazine. You don't get into most clubs or restaurants in Manhattan unless you are dressed & look the right way and can spend $1,000 or more..
I totally agree with your two cents kyxapka.
For all of the people complaining that it's impossible to make a living if you earn under six figures, there is another person who earn 30K lives in an older apartment with a roommate in a halfway decent neighborhood, drives a '95 Taurus, and who is surviving on proportionally just as much disposable income as their "wealthier" counterpart. While there are certainly many individual situations to take into account and many variables tha can greatly affect a person's status (i.e. single vs. married, childress vs. family, college educated vs. high school dropout, etc.). I feel like most people can downscale in some way.
Yeah, but don't you think that it is a little embarrasing for an adult to be making $30,000 in todays economy?? I make close to $75,000 a year and feel like I struggle to make ends meet. During the week when I don't stay late at work to order dinner, all I can afford to eat at home is canned tuna fish and rice because everything else is so **** expensive.
Yeah, but don't you think that it is a little embarrasing for an adult to be making $30,000 in todays economy?? I make close to $75,000 a year and feel like I struggle to make ends meet. During the week when I don't stay late at work to order dinner, all I can afford to eat at home is canned tuna fish and rice because everything else is so **** expensive.
Embarrassing??? Should every teacher then be emarrassed that they decided to become teachers and not investment bankers? Your statement is actually disturbing. If you are a single adult struggling on $75,000, then that is your problem. The state of NJ has nothing to do with it. And since when did Banana Republic and Nordstrom become cheap? Do you have to shop a few times a month? How about a few times a year?
I agree with others. People don't know how to live w/in their means. And state of NJ (or any other state) has nothing to do with it!
Yeah, but don't you think that it is a little embarrasing for an adult to be making $30,000 in todays economy?? I make close to $75,000 a year and feel like I struggle to make ends meet. During the week when I don't stay late at work to order dinner, all I can afford to eat at home is canned tuna fish and rice because everything else is so **** expensive.
Nick - There are many more adults in NY/NJ area than you may think that earn the national average of between $30-$35K/year gross and they're also college educated.
Embarrassing??? Should every teacher then be emarrassed that they decided to become teachers and not investment bankers? Your statement is actually disturbing. If you are a single adult struggling on $75,000, then that is your problem. The state of NJ has nothing to do with it. And since when did Banana Republic and Nordstrom become cheap? Do you have to shop a few times a month? How about a few times a year?
I agree with others. People don't know how to live w/in their means. And state of NJ (or any other state) has nothing to do with it!
Interesting that you brought up teachers. Teacher in NJ, Westchester & Long Island make some of the highest teacher salaries in the country and have terrific benefits. Not to mention that the answer to every education problem in this region is to spend more money without anyone ever question where exactly the money is going & how it is being spent.
How are they going to find the money in NYC to pay for these lawsuits brought by 'Campaign for Fiscal Equity' while teachers got another 7% raise even before their current contact expired.
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