Could use a little help

[Lloyds of Lubbock]

I was contacted by someone from the forum.
I passed the info to my stepson and now it is up to him to deal with it.
It is really funny how he used to complain he could not wait to be an adult.
Now he complains he has to pay for this and that and he did not know how expensive this was and on and on.

 

[scagnt83]

I was contacted by someone from the forum.
I passed the info to my stepson and now it is up to him to deal with it.
It is really funny how he used to complain he could not wait to be an adult.
Now he complains he has to pay for this and that and he did not know how expensive this was and on and on.

He probably has a right to complain, and it shouldnt be surprising that he is surprised.

Compared to the 70s/80s/90s, essentials cost a good bit more now as a % of income. He is paying around 20%-30% more of his income on essentials than you had to when starting out.

It is much harder to get a start on your own when housing costs 60% of the average americans income vs. 30% like it was in the 70s. And thats just a single item. Perspective matters.

And yes Im aware of the inflation issues of the 70s/80s.. Im also aware of the cost of living to income ratio back then... as well as the average annual pay increases back then vs. now.

I find it very disingenuous that older generations who made this economic mess have the audacity to judge younger generations for complaining about it. They kicked the can down the road for someone else to deal with... now they expect the ones dealing with it to like it... not a realistic expectation.

 

[Allen Trent]

essentials cost a good bit more now as a % of income

While I am likely between the generations you speak of, I do believe part of the equation is also that we have changed the definition of essentials in some aspects. Size of house, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, # of TVs in a house. Number of cars in a household. The age of cars & the features in cars. Tablets, Laptops, cell phones. The travel destinations the average American has been to in their life & where they go annuslly. The size of the average closet to hold the average wardrobe & shoe collection.

The public school buildings & sports stadiums are supersized. The number of times eating at restaurants, buying single cup specialty coffee & alcohol.

Those things all cost money, but to some extent the increase in cost as a % of income is we have super sized lifestyles.

Don't get me wrong, I get your point on some items like healthcare, college, rent

Politicians on both sides of the isle can't get elected or reelected unless they kick the can down the road because everyone wants everyone else to pay for the solutions. So, we print money & artificially keep interest rates low for the 2 year election cycles & point the fingers in the direction of the other party/people & consume narratives that help support our belief that the other isn't paying their fair share or is receiving too much of our contributions (real or perceived)

 

[scagnt83]

While I am likely between the generations you speak of, I do believe part of the equation is also that we have changed the definition of essentials in some aspects. Size of house, number of bedrooms, bathrooms, # of TVs in a house. Number of cars in a household. The age of cars & the features in cars. Tablets, Laptops, cell phones. The travel destinations the average American has been to in their life & where they go annuslly. The size of the average closet to hold the average wardrobe & shoe collection.

The public school buildings & sports stadiums are supersized. The number of times eating at restaurants, buying single cup specialty coffee & alcohol.

Those things all cost money, but to some extent the increase in cost as a % of income is we have super sized lifestyles.

Don't get me wrong, I get your point on some items like healthcare, college, rent

Politicians on both sides of the isle can't get elected or reelected unless they kick the can down the road because everyone wants everyone else to pay for the solutions. So, we print money & artificially keep interest rates low for the 2 year election cycles & point the fingers in the direction of the other party/people & consume narratives that help support our belief that the other isn't paying their fair share or is receiving too much of our contributions (real or perceived)

A 1 bedroom apartment costs 2x as much as a % of income.

The median income in the US is $35k per year. Very few at that income level are buying houses or second cars or the latest $1k iPhone.

The old "thats how it is" argument with the future of our country is no longer acceptable. It is exactly why we are where we are as a country. We have let our votes become meaningless by allowing a two party system to dominate. We allow them to tell us other solutions dont have a chance, they wont work, this is the best way to do it. People vote out of fear their candidate will lose instead of based on their actual beliefs.

I agree that our country has issues with living within our means. But saying that people just "waste their money" and could afford these huge price increases if they didnt so they shouldnt complain; is ignoring 3 major things:

1. Older generations did not have to give up their luxuries just to afford to live. Did you own an 8 track? VCR? Walkman? Record player? Microwave? Answering Machine? Did your car have a/c? What about power steering or power breaks or power windows? Gateway Computer? Cable Box? Get my point? Older generations had luxuries they spent money on... just different luxuries than now. Why was it ok for people to purchase new innovations in the 60s/70s/80s/90s but not in the 2000s? And yes they were cheaper then... kind of my point! lol.

2. The current generation would not be complaining if we were paying 50% less on essentials like those who started their life in the 60s/70s/80s. And its not just the current generation. Many boomers dont have enough of a nestegg and are working hourly jobs to make ends meet... talk to them about making ends meet today vs. the 70s.

3. Those generations of the 60s/70s/80s would not be where you are now if you had paid 100% more on essentials. The term "kick the can" sounds innocent. But in this case it works out to fleecing this country of its future economic prosperity... ie... fleecing future generations of their economic prosperity when it didnt have to be that way. Interest rates, climate, education system, endless wars, declining voting turnout, the list goes on and on. I do not think history will be kind to those generations... the "move along nothing to see here" generation.

 

[Lloyds of Lubbock]

Its funny where this went.
What I meant, is he complains as an adult he is finding his parents parents paid for a lot more things than he realized and being an adult is not as much fun as he thought.
As far as judging him; I am extremely proud of him.
He was kicked out of his charter school for being lazy and not finishing assignments.
We had a number of kitchen table talks and he figured out on his own that to get where he wanted to be, it would be through education.
He graduated UCF with a 4.0 and should be finishing his masters soon, with very little college debt.

 

[Markthebroker]

Its funny where this went.
What I meant, is he complains as an adult he is finding his parents parents paid for a lot more things than he realized and being an adult is not as much fun as he thought.
As far as judging him; I am extremely proud of him.
He was kicked out of his charter school for being lazy and not finishing assignments.
We had a number of kitchen table talks and he figured out on his own that to get where he wanted to be, it would be through education.
He graduated UCF with a 4.0 and should be finishing his masters soon, with very little college debt.

The assistant to my assistant's assistant, the lowest paid person at the company, complains about how she's not getting ahead. She does the bare minimum at work, and spends two to three times what I do for her daily lunch, and drives a luxury car worth three times mine, that requires premium gas and costs twice what mine does to fix. She is simultaneously making less than me, while spending far more on luxury liabilities.

It's an even better exanple when people complain about the terrible toxic capitalist patriarchy, while taking pictures on their Iphone, and wearing Nike's.

 

[Valor]

Home insurers are concerned with who owns the home and that the name(s) is showing as the owner of the home. They are not concerned who the lender is in terms of insuring or not insuring a home. The only concern the home insurer has with a lender is if the premium is escrowed or not and having the correct mailing address of the lender.

 

[marindependent]

Home insurers are concerned with who owns the home and that the name(s) is showing as the owner of the home. They are not concerned who the lender is in terms of insuring or not insuring a home. /QUOTE]

What?