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People have champagne taste on a beer budget. As you noted, they don't want to settle for a traditional, reasonably priced washer and dryer. They want the $3000 front loaders with fifty-two cycles that they'll never use. At my old job I had a co-worker who complained about money yet managed to afford cigarettes and daily lattes from Starbucks.
Sixteen years ago, I spent $2800 on a front loading washer and gas dryer. I then moved to the center of the country where natural gas is cheap, and water is bloody expensive. The self-adjusting washer uses less than half the water per load of a top-loader. I think I made a wise choice.
Ok fine. Then what happens when your car breaks down ? Your water heater goes kaput ?
Then think further into the future when you hit 60 years old and retirement enters your mind.
Seems many live for today and live above their means and it's not just poor people..it's the majority of Americans.
Sigh. I'm not going to deny someone a freakin' dinner at a taco place or a vacation up north. Good god, relax.
Sixteen years ago, I spent $2800 on a front loading washer and gas dryer. I then moved to the center of the country, where natural gas is cheap, and water is bloody expensive. The self-adjusting washer uses less than half the water per load of a top-loader. I think I made a wise choice.
Wise choices cannot be made on insufficient resources. Many people cannot afford to spend $2800 on a washer and dryer and end up paying more in the long run.
Being poor is expensive and financially inefficient.
I got a better idea. All potential "parents" must post a $25K bond that they can afford to actually expand their family without governement assistance. Eliminate tax credits for children and change them to increased taxes due to them using government services.
On paper, it sounds good. And if someone gives birth without posting bond?
What might be the economic impact of a substantially declining population over the long haul?
Wise choices cannot be made on insufficient resources. Many people cannot afford to spend $2800 on a washer and dryer and end up paying more in the long run.
Being poor is expensive and financially inefficient.
I took on considerable credit card debt in order to make student loan payments. Would you prefer that I had lower credit card debt and defaulted earlier on my student loans?
Wise choices cannot be made on insufficient resources. Many people cannot afford to spend $2800 on a washer and dryer and end up paying more in the long run.
Being poor is expensive and financially inefficient.
You are right but if you search you can find that Sears still has the Layaway plan for those people that don't have $2800 in their bank account.
Those who don't like the low interest paid by banks on passbook saving should go to their local Credit Union.
In fact, investigate several credit unions, and choose the one which has shown the highest dividend payments over the years.
THAT is where my savings accounts are, and the dividends paid are usually about twice what the banks pay.
ANYBODY can have a savings account! Even the poorest person in the country can manage to put $1 per month in a piggy bank, IF THEY WANT TO! Yes, I HAVE been nearly that poor in the past, and yes, I DID have savings. I KNOW it can be done!
BUT, once that money is put aside, they have to leave it alone! They don't do that, though, as soon as it gets up to ten or twenty dollars, they spend it.
I know, because I used to do the same thing!
Sixteen years ago, I spent $2800 on a front loading washer and gas dryer. I then moved to the center of the country where natural gas is cheap, and water is bloody expensive. The self-adjusting washer uses less than half the water per load of a top-loader. I think I made a wise choice.
We don't have a gas dryer b/c we don't have a hookup and it would cost too much to run one to the laundry room. However, we do have the large capacity washer/dryer with self-adjusting water. It's great; you can also wait until you have a big load instead of doing all those little loads. Great investment; I wish we'd had one when the kids were living with us.
Quote:
Originally Posted by middle-aged mom
On paper, it sounds good. And if someone gives birth without posting bond?
What might be the economic impact of a substantially declining population over the long haul?
I don't think this "posting bond" thing would work. Pregnancy is often rather, well, spontaneous.
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