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Would this description of a fictional family be a realistically attainable standard of living (or lifestyle) in your area? What would your circle describe this family as?
John and Heather are the parents of 3 children: Nathan, 13, Anna, 9, and Preston, 6. John is self-employed as a subcontractor in the commercial construction industry while Heather stays at home, although she earns additional income through a direct sales program. They live in a 1995-built 2,600 square foot home with a detached 3-car garage and pole building (neither included in square footage) on 10 acres, which they have a mortgage on. They also make payments on two cars (a '08 Chrysler Grand Voyager minivan and a '10 Ford F-350 crew cab large truck); the latter doubles as the father's work vehicle; three newer ATVs (totaling $18,000 in value); and a $13,000 boat they bought used. They do not make payments on, but have, a 2004 30' Class C motorhome, two four wheelers, a dirt bike, a jet ski, four classic cars in various states of restoration, and three other vehicles of trifling value (down from six), one of which is insured. Their home abuts state forest land, and there is a trail that connects their home with the trail network.
They have a small pond in their yard, where Heather and John set up a portable LCD projector and watch movies and drink whiskey and coke on summer nights.
As for hobbies, John is into restoring classic cars and attending car shows in the summer, hunting in the fall, and four-wheeling in the winter; Heather is into four-wheeling in the winter and gardening and wakeboarding in the summer. Nathan is into four-wheeling, dirt biking, and fishing. The entire family enjoys boating and camping on summer weekends at their uncle's cabin 100 miles away.
They go on a vacation about two times each year when work is slow. Last year they rented a vacation home in Puerto Morelos, Quintana Roo, Mexico for three weeks in the winter slow season and on a 3,000 mile, 2-week RV trip in the summer.
They have high-deductible health insurance. They have not started saving for their children's college education (the father is counting on Nathan going into his trade, and he works alongside him often in the summer) nor for retirement (the parents are expecting their children to support them in old age).
Sounds like country people I guess. Had them back in Iowa.
A little concerned they're sitting around drinking liquor around a pond with three kids between 6 and 13. I'd also start saving for college for crying out loud! At least throw something in a few stocks.
Sounds like country people I guess. Had them back in Iowa.
A little concerned they're sitting around drinking liquor around a pond with three kids between 6 and 13. I'd also start saving for college for crying out loud! At least throw something in a few stocks.
Agreed. They're already out of time saving for college, and assuming they're in their late 30s or early 40s at the youngest, the fact that they have nothing saved for retirement is alarming. How do they expect their kids to have the means to take care of them in old age when they don't have a dime to give the kids a good education???
I'd call these people irresponsible fools. They have nothing saved, no plan, and are in debt up to their eyeballs.
Yeah, out in the rural sections of the Tri Valley(these are generally rich yuppies or affluent empty nesters) or Eastern Contra Costa County,(closer to the demographic described by the OP) or rural Solano County(similar to Eastern CoCo).
Would this description of a fictional family be a realistically attainable standard of living (or lifestyle) in your area? What would your circle describe this family as?
My ex and his wife were the parents of 3 children: He is self-employed as a subcontractor while she stays at home, although she earns additional income through a work at home job. They live in a 1970's-built 2,600 square foot home with 2-car garage and pole building (neither included in square footage) on 10 acres, which they have a mortgage on. They also make payments on two cars (a minivan and Ford F-350 crew cab large truck); the latter doubles as the father's work vehicle; three newer ATVs (totaling $18,000 in value); and a $13,000 boat they bought used. They do not make payments on, two four wheelers, a dirt bike, a jet ski, and various other toys bought for the 'children'
They have a small pond in their yard, where they taught the children to swim and fish
They have high-deductible health insurance. They did not save for their children's college education because the children qualified for academic scholarships
That is a good description of a family that might live just south of charleston near Kanawha State Forest. There are alot of 90's style subdivisions that offer alot of land and homes around that size. Construction is doing well here, so I could see the husband finding a job pretty easy. There is the nationally reconized Hatfield/McCoy ATV trail network within an hour or so, so I could see that from this family. This could be anywhere in WV though.
Agreed. They're already out of time saving for college, and assuming they're in their late 30s or early 40s at the youngest, the fact that they have nothing saved for retirement is alarming. How do they expect their kids to have the means to take care of them in old age when they don't have a dime to give the kids a good education???
I'd call these people irresponsible fools. They have nothing saved, no plan, and are in debt up to their eyeballs.
Also very rural american to be sitting in a house and have 18 vehicles/boats sitting around in some condition or another!
So much for leaving a legacy for your family or bettering the younger generation when you don't bother planning for your own future, and then expect your children to use their earnings to foot your bill as opposed to doing something for themselves.
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