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The poor are frequently told they are poor because of their cell phones. lattes, or whatever.
The biggest reason why people are poor in America is because they do not know how to maintain long term stable relationships and they bring children into these relationships in which they really aren't able to give them what they need, financially or otherwise. It's the elephant in the room no one wants to talk about.
Having kids when you aren't ready for them is the biggest wealth killer of the poor and working class.
Real life examples are handwaved away in service of the argument-dujour that "it's only the big things that count" and "it doesn't matter anyway." If changing one habit and investing that money can pay (or help pay) for a decent car in the future, or help provide a downpayment on a home or condo so the person no longer has to rent? To me that's a better use of money that might just be pizzed away. Small changes that don't really upset someone's life can help someone eventually reach a goal they might not have considered.
One of the things that I think helped me was ALWAYS keeping an eye on my recurring monthly payments. When I first bought my iPhone I just got Verizon's service because that was where I bought the phone- it ran close to $100/month in 2014. I now use Ting and my monthly bill average is under $20. (I don't use a lot of cellular data.) I dropped cable after DH died- he liked pro sports, I don't care. At the time I was paying $80/month for Google Fiber +Netflix compared to close to $200 for internet + programming from the cable company. Netflix is up $3/month since then but I don't want to think about what the cable company would be charging now. I bought MS Office outright because I don't want to pay monthly subscription fees. I don't pay credit card interest. Ever.
It adds up- but of course you also have to have the discipline to put that money into savings!
One of the things that I think helped me was ALWAYS keeping an eye on my recurring monthly payments. When I first bought my iPhone I just got Verizon's service because that was where I bought the phone- it ran close to $100/month in 2014. I now use Ting and my monthly bill average is under $20. (I don't use a lot of cellular data.) I dropped cable after DH died- he liked pro sports, I don't care. At the time I was paying $80/month for Google Fiber +Netflix compared to close to $200 for internet + programming from the cable company. Netflix is up $3/month since then but I don't want to think about what the cable company would be charging now. I bought MS Office outright because I don't want to pay monthly subscription fees. I don't pay credit card interest. Ever.
It adds up- but of course you also have to have the discipline to put that money into savings!
I've found the quality of my media & telecom services to be just as good or better, and at a much better price.
- 9 years ago I cut the cable TV cord because I just wasn't watching most of the cable channels. I get OTA channels in HD from an antenna mounted on the outside of my house. I get other content from the Internet and I can watch anywhere since everything is networked. I have a TIVO DVR with lifetime service so OTA shows get recorded. Monthly service cost: <$10
- Dropped the expensive monthly cell phone plan years ago and only use prepaid SIMs in my smartphone. I'm still using the same towers because prepaid services piggyback off of Verizon & AT&T towers. Monthly service cost: average $6 to $7
- I use VOIP through Google Voice (and Grandcentral.com before Google purchased them), with a $50 Obihai adapter I have free phone service & free long distance. Been using that for a decade or so. Fully integrated with my android cell phone. Monthly service cost: $0
- Just switched to fiber internet after my cable company announced an increase in my broadband cable plan and they refused to negotiate and basically said if I didn't like it I could go elsewhere. So I did. :-) Monthly service cost: $50
My first car was a 9 year old one owner car that only had just over 20,000 miles on it. Paid $5k cash, and drove it for 9 more years. I'd still be driving it if I hadn't have had to drive so much those last few years. Needed a new transmission and the cost along with other things exceeded the value. Thought about getting it fixed still, because otherwise liked the car, but decided against it ultimately.
Traded that last year and got a 2 year old lease trade in fully loaded (or close to it) sedan with 13,000 miles on it for just under $20k. Made a down payment for half the cost and financed the rest. I may end up paying the rest off in a year or two, mainly wanted to build credit.
I plan to drive this car too, until it's no longer economical to fix. (Hope to get at least 10 years out of it). I keep telling myself I should have got an older plainer car, but figured I can afford it now and will enjoy it longer this way.
I'm not a big spender in other areas, I don't go to movies, dinners, on vacations or out of town much. I get most of my clothes at discount stores or Goodwill. I'm still using the phone I got almost 6 years ago. So one can splurge a little bit on certain things, I guess, without killing their financial future.
Planning to drop my cell carrier and go prepaid. I don't need unlimited talk and text, so could save half the monthly cost there. If only I could get rid of my health insurance!
I'm connected with an old BF on FaceBook. He's a car salesman and posts pictures of his smiling customers next to their new rides every time he makes a sale (I assume he gets permission first). I think he's doing very well from the frequency of the photos.
His most recent sale was to a woman standing proudly next to her new Ford Escape (sticker price $24,000). It's parked in front of a mobile home, presumably hers.
I've been retired for almost 2 years and in May, moved to Germany to stay here for a year or two. Although I lived in Germany for many years in the 1970s while stationed here with the US Army, I never traveled much in Europe outside of Germany and a couple of next door countries. During all of my working years, I never took long vacations and only visited Europe a couple of times on short trips.
I sold my car in Tucson and picked a city here in Germany with good local transportation (Leipzig). I ride my bicycle and walk a lot, and streetcars get me around pretty good too. Trains can take me on a trip in any direction out of town. I see car sharing lots in almost every part of the city. These are becoming pretty popular here, because a big percentage of households don't own a car. For short trips or local errands where you need people hauling or "extra stuff" carrying capacity, it is a good deal. Much better than rental cars, which are mainly for a full day or multiple days at a time.
Anyone here have experience with car sharing services? I am probably going to sign up just to have them as another option.
- I use VOIP through Google Voice (and Grandcentral.com before Google purchased them), with a $50 Obihai adapter I have free phone service & free long distance. Been using that for a decade or so. Fully integrated with my android cell phone. Monthly service cost: $0
We use GV as well, makes it painless to call US or text for free when overseas using wifi. Works with both cell phone and laptop.
We use GV as well, makes it painless to call US or text for free when overseas using wifi. Works with both cell phone and laptop.
It's simply awesome. I can pick up a call on my cordless phones at the house or my cell phone or through my computer or on any device. It's the only phone number I use.
Great thread and great for me because I am on the verge of getting a car. I need used for now and something that is sustainable and practical. I have Honda CRV 99 now and it is a miracle. It has been well kept and it is great to have the SUV space but I need bigger.
I would love to have an older sebring convertible in FLA but more practical is the SUV. I had a Honda civic and now I am used to SUV and being bigger up higher. There are so many SUVs now that I want larger. However some of them are so big and I am petite.
So yes with jonathanlb I value a new car. My sis got her used little cooper convertible from 3000 miles away and never had a problem. You can find some great deals. I have a friend who buys from auctions and great wholesale prices and hardly used. However I am skeptical of problems.
Money is not an issue. Practicality is what is important for me.
Thanks for the read.
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