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I make good money and own a beater volvo 240 i paid $500 for a couple of years ago. I also don't have a smart phone.
Some folks go CAR broke, some folks go HOUSE broke, some folks are frugal with their spending habits and set up 529s for their kids, build a 401k, and have other investments.
I don't look down on people for their jobs, because any job is worthwhile and worth learning from for the next thing, but a car/gadgets certainly are not an indicators to me of anything about a person.
It's true enough that someone's possessions are no indication of their worth. I am not sure that is the dispute. The point, to me, is that there is a great imbalance in what the expectations from a college degree income wise and what the reality is. Tons of people bypass college altogether and do quite well. For most of us, we lack the ingenuity and or talent to create something on our own, so we go to college or trade school to learn a craft that makes us marketable. It's just in the past 20-30 years that the cost up-front to develop a trade or craft has almost gotten prohibitively expensive, unless you fancy high student loans.
I borrowed a little money for college after my 1st two years scholly ended. I'm grateful for what I had, bc it helped my folks out. I am working hard with my 14 year old now to help her keep the great grades so she can go get a little financial help too. She will have to, bc, truth is, my income didn't meet my expectations.
I guess all those counselors and professors who raved about the great incomes we would have with our degrees were bs-ing us a little...
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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Does he have a wife who's a surgeon at the local hospital? Is he selling jewelry that he makes on e-bay? Does he pan for gold on weekends, or did he get a nice inheritance? Most of the janitorial people I am aware of are in the $18-20/hour range, but you don't know what other income he has.
Does he have a wife who's a surgeon at the local hospital? Is he selling jewelry that he makes on e-bay? Does he pan for gold on weekends, or did he get a nice inheritance? Most of the janitorial people I am aware of are in the $18-20/hour range, but you don't know what other income he has.
$18-20/hr range is better than $0/hr sitting at home for a couple of years before making $8/hr at menards or walmart while paying back student loan debts for that BA in art/art history.
People here keeps missing the point. But whatever...
Yup, it all comes pretty easy folks...you don't really have to do much or aspire very high to get luxury cars.
It's a nice sounding dream - be a janitor and get a late model M. Why not throw is some super models in bikinis while your at it? Pfft, what a crock of BS. I wonder what the building's security officer drives...a Ferrari probably. That dude is living at home with no other expenses, or his family has money, or whatever else.
Do you really think a person making janitor wages can afford a late model M otherwise? paahhhleeeeez. The point you are trying to make is being distorted by that ridiculous example.
I got one too: everyday here in Boston I see many students driving nice BMW's and other luxury cars. They don't even work, just go to school! You see!? Why work when you can just go to college and have a BMW? All you guys out there are doing it all wrong.
the point of this thread: Let me use material possessions and amount of money to prove that this janitor is doing better than my so-called "friends" with art degrees, who are not nearly as happy or fulfilled as said janitor because they do not have his stuff?
$18-20/hr range is better than $0/hr sitting at home for a couple of years before making $8/hr at menards or walmart while paying back student loan debts for that BA in art/art history.
People here keeps missing the point. But whatever...
STOP BLAMING THE DEGREE!!
People who are in this type of situation because they don't have the skills to secure a job. It's been proven over and over that ANY degree will yield better long term career prospects. Your art degree friends just don't know how to find a job or build a career.
I get your point. People are free to choose whatever life they want. Some want degrees and some don't. There are many people who live good lives without a degree. If your friends chose to get a degree, then that's the bed they've made for themselves.
I used to work with a guy who had a really nice car. He worked 3 low-wage jobs. I knew another guy who made $12 an hour and bought a brand new Mustang with all of the extras. He ended up filing for bankruptcy.
I'm working out of my field office today. The custodian just came and he is cleaning right now. He drives a Mercedes.
I keep telling people. No job is beneath us. And there are plenty of jobs that pay extremely well even though they have the stigma of having a low social status.
Young people who are reading these boards, keep in mind that college isn't for everybody. My janitor is doing way way way better than all of my friends who got an art degree combined.
It ain't called a "service economy" for nothing. My Mexican gardeners who used to take care of my yard for 30 dollars a trip just 5 years ago (cash only of course) now want 120 dollars. Its like paying a motel maid the same and as tool and die maker.
On the other hand, skilled labor is now being hired in factories et al for way less then just 10 years ago. I'm talking people who have to make decisions based on math skills, logic, and intuition.
It's part of the Marxist dream of egalitarianism. A "cool calm and collected" retard should be just as affluent as a sweating brainiac - of course, exclusive of government employees, who learn how to climb the ladder. Go to Europe sometime. You'll see what I'm talking about.
Last edited by Mittelschmirz; 02-28-2014 at 04:57 PM..
It ain't called a "service economy" for nothing. My Mexican gardeners who used to take care of my yard for 30 dollars a trip just 5 years ago (cash only of course) now want 120 dollars. Its like paying a motel maid the same and as tool and die maker.
On the other hand, skilled labor is now being hired in factories et al for way less then just 10 years ago. I'm talking people who have to make decisions based on math skills, logic, and intuition.
It's part of the Marxist dream of egalitarianism. A "cool calm and collected" retard should be just as affluent as a sweating brainiac - of course, exclusive of government employees, who learn how to climb the ladder. Go to Europe sometime. You'll see what I'm talking about.
It's not Marxist, it's capitalist.
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