Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
You werent even at the median household income at 40k, in fact, depending on when you hit that, you werent even at the median earnings for a full time working male.
Who gives a flying $#@%? I felt I had everything I needed. A house, a car, a dog, a wife, never went hungry, and plenty of time off to enjoy the finer things in life. Quick Google search shows average male income of $41k in 2009 (if I am reading it right) and 4 years out of college I was hitting it. Cancel that internet phone, get rid of the car payment, and drop the $150/month cable package. I lived in your area and had no problems saving and making ends meet.
Who gives a flying $#@%? I felt I had everything I needed. A house, a car, a dog, a wife, never went hungry, and plenty of time off to enjoy the finer things in life. Quick Google search shows average male income of $41k in 2009 (if I am reading it right) and 4 years out of college I was hitting it. Cancel that internet phone, get rid of the car payment, and drop the $150/month cable package. I lived in your area and had no problems saving and making ends meet.
Lets see, I have a 10 year old car that hasnt had a payment in 5 years, which has extensive paint damage, and a broken window. I dont have cable, and havent in years, I have a basic cell phone package (250 minutes, unlimited text), but I dont have a land line. I eat out less then 3 times a year, keep the thermostat on 58 in the winter, and 80 in the summer, and I hadnt bought a single new piece of clothing in almost 10 years, until my job started bitching at me because my clothes were ragged, and 6 sizes too big.
How much do you have in savings? $100k? More? How old are you?
Im 28 almost 29, and I have about $16000 in savings, if you include the $500 I have in two stock positions. It took me almost 6 years, living in my parents house Im renting for about half the market rate of a one bedroom apartment, and having almost nothing extra beyond the very basics, to be able to accomplish that. Then again, Ive only been making more then 30k for almost 3 years.
If I was forced to pay market rate for housing, I would probably have less then $50 net a month after all expenses (currently). I would need a roommate or two in order to afford a one bedroom apartment in a safe section of town.
Im sorry, thats simply not a life any body should have to live if they are gainfully employed, especially after investing huge amounts of money to be gainfully employed. We have people who own so many houses that they cant even remember them all to count them if asked.
I think you need to realize that having a room mate to start out isn't a bad thing. A lot of people I know making much more than you have room mates. There's no shame in that. I have a crashpad now that has 17 beds in it in a 2 bedroom apartment in Washington DC. Several people live there full time (no, not me, I have a stick built house)...one guy is doing it as he doesn't make much money as an airline ramp agent but is learning Forex trading. He's pumping all his money into the Forex account.
Even so I don't see how you have so little money. I lived in your area, made the same money, am the same age, and have almost 10x the $$ in the bank. Like I said, excuses. No help from parents, or anyone.
We have people who own so many houses that they cant even remember them all to count them if asked.
What the he!! are you talking about? How many people do you know who own more houses than they can remember?
That's like a Jay Leno bit I saw many years ago, when he was talking cars with a guest (wish I could remember who it was!). The guest was picking Jay's brain about what kind of car he should buy. He was considering buying a Ferrari, but "everybody has one of those." After Jay picked his jaw up off the floor, he came back at the guy, saying something along the lines of "You have got to be kidding me! Everyone does not have a Ferrari. The streets of Muncie, Indiana are not filled with Ferraris!"
Your statement strikes me as similarly naive and ridiculous, but I'll give you points for the outrageous hyperbole. Now, go ask for a raise.
Last edited by formercalifornian; 03-18-2010 at 11:27 AM..
Even so I don't see how you have so little money. I lived in your area, made the same money, am the same age, and have almost 10x the $$ in the bank. Like I said, excuses. No help from parents, or anyone.
I am going to call bull****.
In 6 years I have made about 140-150k TOTAL, thats before I lost something like 15% of it in taxes.
So, we will say Ive made about 120k in 6 years after taxes.
So, literally, what you are saying is that I should have been able to live on 20k for 6 years, or $277.78 a month.
Or, maybe you are insinuating that I should have lived on 100k for 6 years ($1,388.89, which would barely pay my rent, car insurance and utilities) and been able to turn 20k in to 160k in 6 years. So, not only would I had to have completely destroyed the average market returns, including making money while about 90% of all funds lost money, but also live on just enough money to not eat, pay for gas in my car, clothes, or really, much of anything outside of my rent, car insurance and utilities. Good thing mommy and daddy paid for my degree, or Id surely be ****ed huh?
John McCain knows exactly how many houses he owns, but he was caught off-guard in an interview and didn't have a pat answer that would prevent him from looking like a rich jerk. It's was bad interview prep, that's all. Nonetheless, the vast majority of the country either rents or owns one house. Most people aren't any better off than you are, and some are much worse off. I have to say, I'm pretty impressed with your savings. Now, stop whining and go ask for that raise.
Last edited by formercalifornian; 03-18-2010 at 12:18 PM..
John McCain knows exactly how many houses he owns, but he was caught off-guard in an interview and didn't have a pat answer that would prevent him from looking like a rich jerk.
Yeah, right ok. How could you possibly forget how many houses you owned at ANY point? Why do you need to be "prepped" about how many assets you have, or which to disclose?
Quote:
Originally Posted by formercalifornian
Nonetheless, the vast majority of the country either rents or owns one house.
When did I claim otherwise?
Quote:
Originally Posted by formercalifornian
Most people aren't any better off than you are, and some are much worse off.
When did I claim otherwise? The thing is, I dont care if Im not living at a level some people are, I care that both them AND I are forced to live at that level as a direct result of somebody else having more houses then they can count.
Let me put it this way. There are three people, one has nothing, one a moldy piece of bread, and one a loaf of bread. Should the guy with the moldy bread be happy that he has a substandard meal, simply because he could have less, or should he be pissed that there is a guy starving next to him, and he has a substandard meal, while the guy who has the loaf, who cant even use most of it, has that loaf?
That is the biggest problem with Americans, they will gladly be pissed on, because hey, they could have been getting **** on.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
