Half Of US Can't Come Up With $400

by metatron 14 Replies latest jw friends

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  LisaRose

  I have a son in the "working poor" category. He is of well above average intelligence., but refused all offers of help getting some kind of education, was unemployed or underemployed for most of his twenties. He is working now as a meat cutter, but still barely scraping by. They live paycheck to paycheck. I see them spending on fast food and things like that, nothing horrible, but also not necessities. They spent $50 at the thrift store for stupid things they didn't need. It seems like no big deal, but those things add up, they don't have the luxury of wasting money. My husband and I have given them two cars in the last few years, the last my husband put new tires on, plus it cost us $500 to drive it to where they live. They think we are rich, so no big deal. We are comfortable, but only because we worked hard, pushed to get ahead job wise and knew the difference between needs and wants.

  Meanwhile his sister studied on her own and passed the Microsoft system engineer certification. She made the most of a few lucky breaks and has a great job, and has far more saved for retirement that most people twice her age. Even with a good job that did not happen by accident. You have to budget and learn the beauty of delayed gratification.

  The reasons for poverty are complicated, there are no easy answers. Some people manage to rise above their circumstances, some people can't make it with every opportunity given to them. For success you have to want it, believe you can achieve it, have the tools to get it, and work hard.
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  finally awake

  I grew up poor, or lower middle class at best. I watched my mom struggle and juggle and have to borrow money for basics at times. I *knew* no one else was going to take care of me, so I had better get good grades and go to college and get a good job. I agree that there is an element of luck - I stumbled into a very secure, very well paying government job with a defined benefit pension. I will be able to retire at 59 with a pension equal to 58% of my final salary for the rest of my life.
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  WTWizard

  While I was a jokehovian, I had trouble with money. That improved once I left that cancer, and these days I can come up with enough money for a few rounds of silver, or a roll or two of silver quarters. Which will help me when things get really tough and the dollar becomes toilet paper.

  As for those pledge forms, I wonder what the jokehovian witlesses are going to do when things get even worse. As bad as it is now, these are the good old days. The jokehovians need to do all they can to save everything they can. If they have a few extra toilet papers, they need to be investing in silver coins. Did they pledge three toilet papers a month? What value are they getting from that? That is a silver dime per month--those Roosevelt dimes dated near 1964 are easy to come by in XF condition because so many were yanked from circulation in AU or XF condition. If they pledge 7 toilet papers a month, they could have bought a Washington silver quarter--again, close to 1964, and they are easy to find in XF to AU condition. By dodging a 12 toilet paper donation, they can buy a 1964 Kennedy half dollar, or a Franklin half dollar with a late date that is easy to find in XF condition.

  This might not be that much. But, in 8 months, saving enough for 8 silver quarters will be better than nothing. Many people, when the dollar becomes toilet paper, will have just that--nothing. No, eight quarters will not last that long. But, it could buy you just enough time to figure out how to earn silver (or gold). Otherwise, you will be among the millions that will not be able to come up with anything of value, let alone what amounts to slightly more than enough to buy two rolls of silver quarters.
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  Simon

  It's amazing what a few simple tricks can do to help reduce spending and increase saving.

  We face a daily bombardment of advertising and tricks designed to part you from your money and make you think that you need to buy something and feel bad if you don't.

  When you see something you want, just wait. How long you wait depends on the price. Make it 1 day per $100 or something else based on your income / outgoings.

  If you stick to this simple plan then you don't get tempted to make impulse purchases and the initial euphoria of buying something new will often give in to the joy of having the money still in your account.

  If you are thinking of buying some new electronic gadget then find the draw you have full of the old crappy ones gathering dust and remember how you once craved those and now haven't used them for years. Would you rather have those devices still or the $$$ you spent on them?

  Also worth remembering is to price something in future potential cost. So, the iPad you want isn't really $500 right now, it's $1,500 in x years of investment.

  Of course these things don't work if you're trully stretched and struggling to cope but then discretionary spending isn't your issue.
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  Simon

  Also, don't spend money on labour saving devices or services and then more money on exercise equipment or gym memberships - do some chores, mow the lawn or whatever and you'll save money as well as feeling better.

  Do activities that don't cost a lot such as hiking ... just not to the mall.