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Adjust for inflation in 1970 $4,759 was equivalent to $29,019 today while in 1971 $3,718 was equivalent to $21,720 today. In 1974 I earned $6,426 which was equivalent to $30,839 today and the interesting thing is that was the year I worked in a union factory, Concise Castings Corporation, over in Hayward.
My first job out of college in 2008 paid the same as your job in 1974. On top of it, I was a lot more in debt than you were, I'm sure.
I'm 27 and while I can't say my 20s have ALL sucked (been some highs and lows, a very squiggly line of them), overall I can agree they're pretty difficult. I'm kind of in the opposite situation as you, where I have been determined to make a go of it in a field related to my college major. I knew in my head that my major (writing) would never pay super well, but living the reality of long hours and crappy to adequate pay (I now have adequate pay, thank God) has really made it real. My line of work is something you must enjoy and be passionate about or it is not worth it, literally. I've often wondered whether I should seek another degree and another career, but decided against it because I do what I am best at and most enjoy and nothing else has really come up to me.
Add onto that just continuously learning how to live on my own and be a proper person. I just started renting an actual house, not an apartment, and now am learning on my own all the things that go along with having a house. And it sometimes gets to the point that I come home so exhausted all I want to do is sleep and ignore the chores that need done, the lawn that needs mowing, the tire that needs replaced, the purchased furniture that needs to be assembled, the bills, etc.
Oh, the bills! The student loan bills have sometimes made me question whether college was even worth it, when I could be making 4 times as much working in one of the local coal mines or oil fields that don't need a 4-year degree. There are people almost 10 years younger than me who own houses and expensive cars and whatnot.
Times like that I start to think it would have been better to "sell out", get a degree in something boring and uninspiring and rake in the dough and live comfortably. But there ARE times now and then that I remember why I started down this path. It's not easy, and I don't think it will get easier, but I think we will eventually just adjust.
20 something's have hard stressfull lives ??? Lol !!! Certainly not in the NYC or Boston area from what I see. I always see these fresh faced 20somethings at trendy restaurants bars buying clothes on Newbury street and Soho in NYC. But having a conversation with someone of that age is impossible if you can actually think for yourself and your life doesn't revolve around restaurants, buying clothes , summering in the Hamptons or Cape Cod
So many people parrot the bleeding heart BS from CNN and the General MSM about how life is hard etc... For this millenial generation and that the world should revolve around their wants and needs
My 20s were pretty good actually but I think that maybe I'm a bit mature for my age. Ever since I was a kid I can remember thinking a lot about my future and what I wanted to do for a living and how I was going to get there. My career aspirations changed a little bit over time. When I was a kid I wanted to be a doctor and as I got older I got more attracted to technology and computer software development.
College was the way to get me there so I was pretty focused and driven when it came to having a plan for what to study, etc. I was definitely not one of those people going into college saying "I have no idea what I'm interested in" and I definitely didn't graduate with any regrets of "I should have studied this other thing instead."
At the same time, I wasn't so driven and focused that I didn't stop to smell the roses and have fun. Balance is key and in reality, many times it is the imbalanced that succeed in life.
I'm happy with my life and my career is ok but I'm not a high level executive at a major software company making millions. But I also work a lot less than they do and I have always worked less than they did. Work is a big part of my life but so is my family, hobbies, meeting friends, etc. Just like in college, I studied hard but I also made a lot of friends, worked part time, went out a lot, etc. My grades suffered as a result but i still don't regret it just like now my career has suffered a bit but I don't regret all of the vacations that I have had, people that I hang out with socially, etc.
Your 30s are typically better because your career is somewhat more established (usually you are no longer entry level) so it's really the first time you can live well (no longer paycheck to paycheck).
My 40s are ok but I have so many more responsibilities now (kids, etc.) that even though I make more money, it's not as fun as it was in my 30s.
I'm hoping my 50s will be nice as kids are no longer babies so they can take more care of themselves.
I'm hoping my 60s will be full of travel, worldwide cruises, etc.
My goals to get me to a good 60s is to lose weight, stay healthy, etc. It doesn't do much good if I'm not mobile enough to actually travel the world, etc.
20 something's have hard stressfull lives ??? Lol !!! Certainly not in the NYC or Boston area from what I see. I always see these fresh faced 20somethings at trendy restaurants bars buying clothes on Newbury street and Soho in NYC. But having a conversation with someone of that age is impossible if you can actually think for yourself and your life doesn't revolve around restaurants, buying clothes , summering in the Hamptons or Cape Cod
Those are the 1% in rich, prosperous cities. Things are tough out here in most of middle America.
Those are the 1% in rich, prosperous cities. Things are tough out here in most of middle America.
why do you think they are 1% because they go out to eat and shop? They could be living on credit cards... more likely then having that many of your "1%" in the same place someone who isn't.
He didn't say they were always the "same" faces either...
In Middle America, it's even easier to live on credit
I'm a guy in my late twenties and as I'm approaching thirty, I'm realizing how god awful my twenties are.
My early twenties were the college years, but I never really had a good college experience due to commuting. With the lengthy commute and classes at all random times (plus working in my hometown too), I never got to make any good relationships and what not.
Then I had good year at 23 when I got an excellent internship at a company I loved. Best year of my 20s, but then I got laid off after a year there and was never really able to get back to that happiness level in that career, and it was a highly unstable and competitive field in the first place, so I started changing careers to something more stable while still riding the bumpy path of my current career with some periods of near homelessness in there.
And now over the past few years, I feel like life has just become this constant struggle. Like digging through a dark tunnel looking for a vein of gold but I haven't found it yet. I'm working on my second degree full-time, and working a low paying full-time internship in the new field I'm pursuing, and trying to still find time for my wife, pets, and myself. (Which there usually isn't time for). Most of my days over the past 2 years have been work, school, bare minimum of chores I can fit in, sleep. When does it get better???
Does it get better in your thirties? Did I really [bleep] up my twenties or do they suck this bad for everyone?
OP I'm 35 and aside from having my son and my bodybuilding I feel like my life has been a constant struggle too. My life goes in spurts. I have a good year or two, then a bad year or two. I was at a job for five years, left in September to take a better opportunity and more consistent work. Well it was too, money was great because the work was there. Then in February everything came to halt. I've been drawing unemployment the past few months. In the past month I've put out 14 job applications, I've gotten two interviews. One job I turned down because of pay and hours. I might have a second interview with the other, I'm waiting to hear from them. My girlfriend won't move because of her family so I can't move if I want to be in our son's life. So re-locating is not an option because our son comes first. I've reached the conclusion that some people have it harder than others. Its just the way it is. If you want to put the odds in your favor all you can do is get up every day and do the best you can, but its still no guarantee. I know this isn't the most positive advice, but its the truth
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