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The so called $1000.00 phone is the only life line poor people have to a better life. They'er not really phones anymore. .
I'm running a 3+ year old iPhone7, use my phone for not only what you mentioned, but for my actual business. And you know what? I have more than $400 in the bank. Apologies to all for the anecdote.
If you are gaming the system to get government paid for benefits by hiding money then of course it's cheating, if someone can't see that their moral compass is askew.
absolutely wrong. You are looking for reasons to excuse the behavior of a large number (3 out of 10) of people.
A financially-competent person would base their lifestyle on the lower end of their monthly earnings.
No anecdotes necessary.
We fail to provide the most basic financial education to children when they're thankfully not responsible for their own budget.
Right now, there's a movement in my county to require a consumer education class. Problem is, they want to replace/call it a social studies class, and a) they're trying to figure out which level of history to remove and b) they must have a certain # of social studies to graduate by law. What they need to do is call it a math requirement for those not going to college - because it's actually the math we all NEED to get by and geet ahead - and an elective for those going to college.
You make it sound so easy. The government is on the side of the people who think it is not so easy. Otherwise there wouldn't be so much money allocated to farmers, business subsidies, welfare, and there would be no bankruptcies. There would be no need for heaven or hell if it was so easy.
It's not the fault of the min. wage worker that the Military costs their family many thousands or tens of thousand per year.
the military costs us all $2K/person. whether that should be lower or not is a different debate. Please tell us the % of minimum wage folks who have a Federal income tax obligation.
Now, imagine in the class warfare scenario that the CEO's of defense companies and the 1% tell thee soldiers and officers "We're the ones who pay for your survival. Go shoot all the poor to protect us." It's not really a moral dilemma you want the military men and women answering, given we've got one sad person heer who doesn't think hiding assets is any problem.
At least you have a plan. A lot of people have no plans.
I'm right there with you. I don't buy a lot of stuff. I realize that "No" is a full and complete sentence, and I don't have that weird characteristic that makes people "feel forced" to pull out their credit cards to buy things they don't really want. (I will never, ever understand that.)
Plus, I move around a lot. When one moves around a lot, one realizes that they actually can get by without a bunch of stuff weighing them down. I can fit everything that I own into the trunk of my car, minus my pets.
Yes, if people would stop consuming so much stuff, it would reset. One of those videos, the girl paid $6 for a Red Bull drink. It was $6 because someone at the shop she went to poured it out of the can into a plastic cup for her, and added a lid and straw. Otherwise, she could have bought a Red Bull at the grocery store for 2/3 less than that. But she "needed" that drink right then and there.
Well, my parents were insanely frugal...still are. You would think they were on the edge of destitution, but that's not even close to reality. So I was raised not to go out and just buy whatever, whenever. I was raised that I had to earn every thing, and by the time I earned the money (doing extra chores), I usually didn't want the item anymore. Sometimes I still did, but not often. We didn't have "lights off" when it was dark outside, but we didn't stay up all night, either. I remember, when I was young kid in CA, our bedtime was 7:30pm, and there were plenty of nights we went to be when it was still light outside, and neighbor kids were still outside playing. Good times!
It certainly does not. Not a reason to give up trying to sock that money away, regardless. It can take some time to build it up, and one surely should not stop at a mere $400, and yes, you do sometimes have to dip into it to fix a flat tire so you can keep driving to work to keep earning money, etc. Yeah, I know very well that life doesn't stop. But neither do you. (General "you")
In the last decade, I can't even tell you how many articles I've read telling young people (20s) not to have kids. They push the "get a career instead". When I was in my 20s, everyone kept telling me that I would change my mind and want to have kids. Never wanted them, but it had nothing to do with media telling me not to have them, I just don't want to sacrifice that much time. Cause, I see parents with their little kids - just watching them makes me feel exhausted.
But for some reason, our media has been really pushing the idea of not having kids. What I'd like to know is why are they pushing that?
I'm not saying everyone is doing it, I am saying a whole lot of people are. That's very much reality, not "speculation". You just have to observe. I see a lot because I'm in stores and restaurants a lot - picking up for other people. The amount that some people spend on items that just aren't necessary, is mind blowing. I don't mean a meal out every so often, I'm mainly talking about the grocery shopping ones that I do. They definitely blow a lot of money on nonsense. The very fact that I'm doing it for them is blowing money on nonsense. It would cost them a lot less if they just did it themselves. But, whatever, it's extra money for me.
Another great post and I agree with most of what is said here ...
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It certainly does not. Not a reason to give up trying to sock that money away, regardless. It can take some time to build it up, and one surely should not stop at a mere $400, and yes, you do sometimes have to dip into it to fix a flat tire so you can keep driving to work to keep earning money, etc. Yeah, I know very well that life doesn't stop. But neither do you. (General "you")
Once the money is spent --- very difficult to pay in back to oneself. But you're right, you don't stop trying. In fact I read some where --- pay yourself first, then hit every one else. Seems like good advice.
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In the last decade, I can't even tell you how many articles I've read telling young people (20s) not to have kids. They push the "get a career instead". When I was in my 20s, everyone kept telling me that I would change my mind and want to have kids. Never wanted them, but it had nothing to do with media telling me not to have them, I just don't want to sacrifice that much time. Cause, I see parents with their little kids - just watching them makes me feel exhausted.
But for some reason, our media has been really pushing the idea of not having kids. What I'd like to know is why are they pushing that?
The economy is rigged ... one can not get the fat cat at the top out of the way so the next guy in line can become the fat cat ...
People of means want the resources for themselves and their children ... so the underline theme here is to get poor people to stop reproducing, baby bust be damned.
CDC reports reasons for decline in child birth is that a lot a people are putting off having children until after their career, then of course they still can not afford day care. This is what is going on in the developed countries --- the undeveloped countries their values are more in line with how the u.s. once was --- marry have lots of children. Still on the average, even with other countries having more than 2 children, the global average rate of children born is 2.5. 2% does not replace a society and the u.s. comes in at 1.73 ... (if it wasn't for immigration, the u.s. would have a population issue)
If the average working person is having a tough time coming up with $400.00 for an unexpected bill --- stands to reason there will be fewer and fewer births as time moves forward. This should not be happening in a developed country such as the u.s., but it is ...
You make it sound so easy. The government is on the side of the people who think it is not so easy. Otherwise there wouldn't be so much money allocated to farmers, business subsidies, welfare, and there would be no bankruptcies. There would be no need for heaven or hell if it was so easy.
there's too much wrong with this post to respond, because it seems it would go way over your head.
I will offer this - name the 1 decently-functioning government in the world that is on the side of the poor and profligate.
the military costs us all $2K/person. whether that should be lower or not is a different debate. Please tell us the % of minimum wage folks who have a Federal income tax obligation.
Now, imagine in the class warfare scenario that the CEO's of defense companies and the 1% tell thee soldiers and officers "We're the ones who pay for your survival. Go shoot all the poor to protect us." It's not really a moral dilemma you want the military men and women answering, given we've got one sad person heer who doesn't think hiding assets is any problem.
2K per person is 10K per year for a family of five. But 2K is wrong.
The words "Security State" are more suited since the Pentagon does not make Nuclear Weapons, does not provide the Vets benefits, does not pay the debt on the part which is military (much of it!).....does not pay the NSA, CIA, FBI and all the other involved in our "wars on terror".....
The true figure is closer to 1.5 Trillion per year which would be 5K per person. For many years I have asked people to prove that any number or percentage in this chart is way off - and I've never had a single taker. Are you ready to prove your 2K using these numbers direct from the government departments?
Sorry, I was wrong - closer to 1.7 Trillion. Still, 5K per person would do it.
And so, a family of 4 pays 20K just for that - and rising, of course!
You speak of defense contractors.....yep, the woman I met last week works for one. She is retiring early with full boat. Up north where I lived we knew people (well) that bought beach houses with one years bonus and yachts with another. These are the people who make some commissions off Raptor sales.
I think China spends about 5% of what we do per capita on Security and we would never dare touch them. It simply does not compute to spend 20X that and still wish for more spending (as MANY do). Me thinks if those hawks actually paid the real cost they would cut things down to size.
Maybe you are mixing up lack of frugality with irresponsible spending. If a rich person who has money to burn spends like a drunken sailor, it might be stupid, but they can afford it. However if a poor person spends money they don't have (i.e. running up credit cards, financing a new car, etc.) that is irresponsible.
One is definitely worse than the other.
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besides, those thousands they blow are propping up this horrible economy!!!!
there's too much wrong with this post to respond, because it seems it would go way over your head.
I will offer this - name the 1 decently-functioning government in the world that is on the side of the poor and profligate.
The USA may not be the best place to be broke in but its one of the best.
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