re: American middle class families must really not be saving any money.

quote:

---

The typical plant operator makes $200K a year?

---

The ones that like overtime do. Typical, no.

There's a lot of generational wealth that people don't admit to.

Examples:

Close friend is a low-paid social worker and his wife works for the Girl Scouts. Their child goes to a private school that they shouldn't be able to afford. Because they are my long-time friends, I happen to know they pay for it with an inheritance.


Close friend (different from above) got married, their wedding gift from parents was a house. Yes a whole fricking house. Here's your house! They don't have a mortgage. But you bet they have private school and very nice vehicles on middle class household income.


There's also millions of people, millions, who have slip and fall lawsuit settlements, who should be set for life, but instead spend it all on shiny shine.

There's many reasons that people who present as "middle class" have things that middle class "shouldn't" have, logically.

Ways to build wealth are to live below your means and get out of debt. It’s hard and takes a lot of determination and commitment.

quote:

---

There's a lot of generational wealth that people don't admit to.

---

quote:

---

I think there’s a lot more family help than there ever was.

---

I came here to post this. Most of my friends and wife's friends, have their parents contributing some if not all to household costs. Instead of passing on estate after death, the parents have decided to contribute in the day-to-day especially with education/private school.

What I cant stomach, is when parents pay for private school, groceries, etc. Then the grown kids finance new boat, RV, boob job, etc.

(no message)

quote:

---

plant operator living at the plant is close to $200k

---

You call that living?

quote:

---

A plant operator if he lives at the plant might make $130K

---

Lol. You must not know any plant baws.

quote:

---

Pet peeve. Who manages the kid's schedules? Them, or the parents? fricking nuts. Wives choose to get girls, especially in dance, enrolled in 6 days a week of dance, etc., so that $1400 a month in classes, fees, uniforms, etc. just evaporates, but you have have to play Uber, so you quit? F off.

---

I hear you, but that isn't us. My oldest plays travel softball I'm the head coach. They practice twice a week, and on tournament weeks it's 2 practices and 1 day of games.

My middle does karate, 2 days a week.

That's 5 days a week right out the gate and we only allow our kids to do one activity.

Multiple kids, multiple activities, we are lucky for one day with nothing after school. Be realistic.

quote:

---

that’s basically lower middle class now

---

In a city like New Orleans? Yes.

In smaller cities and towns? Definitely not.

Dad once told someone "If I have 75 cents left in my checking account at my death....I've made an error somewhere. I've always known NOT to depend on ANYONE to get me what I want ir need. People need to do the same.