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Then the stupid tax payer gets mad. After they slam all the other departments other than Public Safety, services get cut yet they still have to raise taxes to support the salaries and pensions of Public Safety. So the public will again demand goverment make cuts, which will fall on all the other departments EXCEPT where the biggest expenses occur, in Public Safety. Then the cycle begins again. The general public have to realize, most of these cops and firefighters are going to make the big bucks and, there is a good chance, will go out on disability(around 50ish) with a very very generous pension with medical.
You must work in the public sector becauase this is EXACTLY how it plays out!!!!
I've seen this coming for over 10 years and kept hoping things would turn around, but no dice.
What makes this scenario even worse is that all the other employees compare themselves to police/fire. If police/fire get exhorbitant raises, they want them, too. The unions also promote this kind of mentality to get more money. Ultimately, it backfires because police/fire will always get the lion's share and the other unions will be left holding the bag. Unions are so corrupt and dumb . Intelligent/uncorrupt unions would speak out against excessive raises for police/fire because they'd know that they'd be left holding that bag down the line. But that never happens.
I think the real question should be WHY people who make 70K and above still struggle a bit. That's good money and I'm sure you work hard for it. It's a shame what this country is about nowadays. 70K and above should be more then enough to live comfortably. I guess it also depends on what part of the country your in.
C'mon. The OP lives in TX. Even the most expensive parts of TX aren't that bad.
What's ironice considering we live in an economy made up by 70% consumption is that most of you in this thread who are savers would have never made any of your money if the other people didn't spend beyond their means. That's the ****ed up thing about the American economy. My father in law is as frugal and as wealthy as they come. But without everyone else spending around him he'd have never accumulated the wealth from stocks and bonds etc. that he has. So yes it's great to save. But just remember if everyone saved no one would make any money. That's capitalism for ya!
We're hardly in danger of everyone saving. Boy, do I wish we had that problem in America!!!
BTW, I disagree with most of your thesis. If more people saved and/or limited their borrowing, THERE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN A HOUSING BUBBLE AND RESULTANT STOCK MARKET CRASH!
If people saved more and consumed less, our trade deficit would be lower, which would help our economic growth rate in the long run, which would also help the stock market, etc. Our economy would also be more stable. Bank bailouts and government stimulus to prop up the economy would not have been needed (or at least not needed nearly to the extent they are now). That means the government would be running smaller deficits, yet another good thing.
And in a nation of savers, the debt that is issued by the government is more likely to be held by the citizens, which also makes for a more stable economy. This is why Italy and Japan...2 countries with a lot of government debt, have not gone the way of Greece & Ireland. Their citizens own most of the government debt. Not the case in the US, where half of our government debt is owned by foreigners.
Yes, it is possible to be a country that saves too much. America will never be in danger of that...at least not in my lifetime.
unseen (OP) lives in Collin County, north of Dallas -it's full of suburbs where people are really into conspicuous consumption. Andhe doesn't even live in the worst towns, like West Plano or Frisco, where it's really out of control. I live in the East Dallas area which has a lot of old money in the Lakewood section also people with some money and no money. I grew up with the old money types and they don't show off. It's considered crass and rude. In our area, there are a lot of bohemians and artsy types who really do not care how much you have, what you drive or where you live. They laugh at the Collin County suburbanites and call them "CoCos".
Seriously if he's having that much trouble worrying that people are calling him cheap and trying to keep up with their spendthrift ways, he should consider moving. The North Oak Cliff area is another part of Dallas filled with young, cool people who don't give a rat's azz what you make and frown upon stupid spending.
Seriously if he's having that much trouble worrying that people are calling him cheap and trying to keep up with their spendthrift ways, he should consider moving. The North Oak Cliff area is another part of Dallas filled with young, cool people who don't give a rat's azz what you make and frown upon stupid spending.
Good point. One way to reduce temptation is to put yourself in a better environment (in this case, one where people are not as into conspicuous consumption). But the OP owns a house, so that would not be a cheap or easy think for him to do at this point, so probably not a realistic option at this point.
Ultimately, though, I think you need to be motivated to not want to be at the whims of the employment market.
Good point. One way to reduce temptation is to put yourself in a better environment (in this case, one where people are not as into conspicuous consumption).
Right there!
A lot of folks say that I just bought a house in an area that's going downhill. When I look around me, I don't see that. I stuck to my budget so I could afford to live on one income if one us loses our jobs (the hubby and I) and stay away from the areas that will tempt me to spend.
Right there!
A lot of folks say that I just bought a house in an area that's going downhill. When I look around me, I don't see that. I stuck to my budget so I could afford to live on one income if one us loses our jobs (the hubby and I) and stay away from the areas that will tempt me to spend.
There are always people to help you spend YOUR money
When I bought my first home at 22 on my own... I was so proud... it was a rental and very run-down... it was the worst home in the neighborhood... so much so that my Grandparents advised me to walk away
It was a great leaning experience, my neighbors were thrilled to help me in making improvements and I still have that home today as a rental.
I bought what I could afford and built equity fixing it up... I started by hauling away years of accumulated trash and chopping the weeds...
In some ways... I like that home the best... it got me into a much better financial situation and I made lifelong friends.
There are always people to help you spend YOUR money
When I bought my first home at 22 on my own... I was so proud... it was a rental and very run-down... it was the worst home in the neighborhood... so much so that my Grandparents advised me to walk away
It was a great leaning experience, my neighbors were thrilled to help me in making improvements and I still have that home today as a rental.
I bought what I could afford and built equity fixing it up... I started by hauling away years of accumulated trash and chopping the weeds...
In some ways... I like that home the best... it got me into a much better financial situation and I made lifelong friends.
My husband can always help me spend money; there is always some gadget he is wanting but in due time.
Your rental sounds like a gem, it sounds like it holds a special place in your heart.
You could be around people who have more money or you could be around people who are deeply in debt. Either way, you should learn to live on much less than you make and save for emergencies.
Right there!
A lot of folks say that I just bought a house in an area that's going downhill. When I look around me, I don't see that. I stuck to my budget so I could afford to live on one income if one us loses our jobs (the hubby and I) and stay away from the areas that will tempt me to spend.
Yes, and the more expensive neighborhoods also tend to have more expensive stores, including grocery stores. That's fine if you can truly afford it, but a lot of people can't.
There really is a lot more to home ownership than the payment. If you're stretching to make the payment, you'll probably also be streching to shop in the neighborhood stores, and you'll feel bad when you're always seeing the neibhors buying stuff and upgrading their houses when you can't reallly afford to do the same.
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The general public have to realize, most of these cops and firefighters are going to make the big bucks and, there is a good chance, will go out on disability(around 50ish) with a very very generous pension with medical.
