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Nobody needs cable, internet, cell phone or Netflix to survive.
When it comes to cable and Netflix, I agree - but internet is almost a necessity these days, especially if you're a student or job seeker. My 10 year-old niece can't even do her classwork without a computer and internet, so yeah. As for cell phones, for those of us without a landline, it's the ONLY form of phone communication. I pay $85/mo for my phone lease + service, but save $30/mo by not having a landline. Going 100% phone-free isn't really a safe option for anyone, especially if you live alone, so it makes sense to do cell-only if you get a decent rate.
Somebody else mentioned using the library for internet, which obviously as a librarian myself, I agree is a good idea. But we're not open 24 hours/day, so you're SOL if you need to work on something outside of our hours. Also, we limit the total amount of time you can use daily, which is tough if you're filling out job applications, writing term papers, etc. We can usually extend that time, but it's never guaranteed.
Not really, when you consider landlines are generally $30+ - and without the ability to use it outside of your home, or as a "portable computer." I don't even have a computer anymore, and just use my phone for most of my internet and organizational needs. So when you think of it that way, it's a pretty good deal!
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And there ARE free Internet but no one wants to use dial up
Google fiber here locally is "free" after installation costs
Yeah, because dial-up is essentially useless for most modern internet needs. We have free internet in some towns around here (like Mountain View), but I've heard it's spotty at best. Funny thing, however, is that I've seen homeless people in downtown Mtn View surfing the web from laptops on their shopping carts. I'm serious.
Regardless, I don't think cutting $50/mo from my budget (by not having a cell phone) is going to offset the $2100/mo I pay in rent... LOL. And that's the real issue most people are facing, especially where I live. Cutting little things here and there is useful, but overall kinda futile, when housing costs are too high for most people to manage.
Nobody needs cable, internet, cell phone or Netflix to survive.
Maybe you do not need the internet or a cell phone to survive, but you do need these things to take place in the modern workforce. So, yeah you'd be SOL without them.
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Originally Posted by ackmondual
I suppose you could get by without internet and cell phone if you use the local library to check your emails. Or bum off public wifi like Starbucks, and provide your own computer (tablet, Chromebook, laptop, whatever that's technically not a cell phone), but I really would prefer to have my own lines for email and phone at the very least.
If you live in a town that can afford to keep the library open for convenient hours. In my city, most of the libraries are only open 9-5. Many are closed on Sunday. And they are only open 1-2 evenings a week (at least at the branches nearby). Not so convenient if potential employers are emailing you to coordinate interviews or schedules daily.
Why? How is keeping MORE of YOUR money a bad thing? I am solid middle class and will retain about $1700 more per year based on my calculations.
Well based on the math, I will most likely end up paying more than I do now since I live in one of those states Trump wanted to screw over. And my state will keep putting way more dollars into the federal budget than we get back out. Great. So excited about this change.
you can buy a 15 year old car for <$2000 that is still safer than one made in 1977 new for $4000...
the housing cost is skewed as well, price per foot hasn't changed much, it's people wanting larger houses that drove the cost up. Location cost not being figured in
Um, but that's the whole issue for those of us in high-COL areas! You think price per foot hasn't changed much? Bullhockey. Just within the last 5-6 years, housing costs around here have gone up 40-50% on average, and that's for renting... purchasing a home is now beyond most middle-class workers' means, with median prices nearing $1M even for something small. And while it's easy to say "move somewhere else," my years of long-distance job hunting prove that's easier said than done - especially when you're struggling to get by, and therefore can't save up a year's worth of expenses to fund a jobless move. Or if you have kids in school, spouse with a local job, etc. It's like being stuck in a bottomless pit, with no rope to climb your way out.
I've been surprised by how many full-time co-workers worked two, even three, jobs. In some cases, they had kids in college, both undergraduate and graduate school. I would never have expected my parents to pay for my graduate school education, but I've met several co-workers who did this for their kids.
In other cases, they were single or didn't have children and (I assume) just wanted the extra money, perhaps to save for retirement. None were people who were particularly materialistic or seemed to have been living above their means. You don't become a librarian if you're the type of person who aspires to drive a fancy car and live in a prestigious neighborhood.
In some cases, the people didn't have many hobbies and just liked to be busy and productive. They freely chose to work. I can't remotely relate to that because I'm protective of my leisure hours.
As a teacher, I've also been working a second job for now 27 years. I don't like it, but it's just what I do. My kids are white, middle class, average, therefore NO college scholarship for them. Also, living in an urban area, we've fled to the suburbs, it's expensive. We are fiscally conservative; no cable, wife and I have no phone, eat out once a week, camping for vacations, no plane travel.
Most teachers I know also work 2 jobs, that's just the way it is. Most of mine goes to property taxes, and house payments, college expense. But...when my kids are on their way, I will cut back, and eventually retire.
My wife says I'd be bored to death without the part time job...probably correct. YES, we could live in the city, in a smaller home, and kids could attend community college...just not the way I wanted to do it.
It amazes me what people in low cost states try to tell people that live in high cost states what we need to do.
But to the answer the OP,I think it is mostly singles who have to work two jobs.
Ive been working 2 full time jobs for about 10 years now.
I do live in a high cost of living state.
Really? Just singles? I know a LOT of parents who are trying to help their kids through college that have taken on a second job.
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