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Cost of living?

Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:30 pm
Posted by aib799
Member since Jul 2014
564 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:30 pm
I continue to hear about how the government needs to work to bring the cost of living down. While I can agree the costs are too high for a lot of things I don’t get the argument that people are suffering because of it. Everywhere I look I see people continuing to make large purchases and spending money pretty freely.

Maybe it is just me, but in the relatively poor area of Louisiana that I live, everyone seems to be doing just fine.
Posted by kingbob
Sorrento, LA
Member since Nov 2010
70058 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:32 pm to
A lot of purchases aren’t things that can necessarily be delayed. When food gets more expensive, I don’t stop buying food. I might switch my habits up some to save money, but I still buy food.
Posted by Zach
Gizmonic Institute
Member since May 2005
117275 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:33 pm to
I remember when poor people were skinny. Today, poor people are obese.
Posted by OysterPoBoy
City of St. George
Member since Jul 2013
44233 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:36 pm to
quote:

Today, poor people are obese.


And drive nice cars.
Posted by Brosef Stalin
Member since Dec 2011
42035 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:37 pm to
LINK

quote:

Americans ended 2025 more in debt than ever before.

Credit card balances hit a fresh high in the fourth quarter, rising by $44 billion to $1.28 trillion, according to a new report on household debt by the Federal Reserve Bank of New York released Tuesday. That’s a 5.5% jump from a year earlier.

possibly related
Posted by Dire Wolf
bawcomville
Member since Sep 2008
40185 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:39 pm to
quote:

A lot of purchases aren’t things that can necessarily be delayed


the big ticket items that being delayed are homes and having children
Posted by Miketheseventh
Member since Dec 2017
6952 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:39 pm to
quote:

And drive nice cars.

Usually a Lexus
Posted by aib799
Member since Jul 2014
564 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:42 pm to
quote:

the big ticket items that being delayed are homes and having children


Not where I live. Plenty of support from the government to have kids.
Posted by theliontamer
Baton Rouge
Member since Nov 2015
1932 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:44 pm to
It's mainly the people that keep up with the Joneses and finance the absolute maximum cars and housing they can afford. No shite ya felt inflation bad because you had no disposable income to begin with.
Posted by Dire Wolf
bawcomville
Member since Sep 2008
40185 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:47 pm to
quote:

Not where I live. Plenty of support from the government to have kids.


Posted by BigGreenTiger
Member since Mar 2022
744 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:48 pm to
quote:

Not where I live. Plenty of support from the government to have kids.


you live in an area infested with govt leeches? are you one?
This post was edited on 3/19/26 at 3:49 pm
Posted by aib799
Member since Jul 2014
564 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:52 pm to
quote:

you live in an area infested with govt leeches? are you one?


No I have been blessed to maintain a good job and be able to provide more than what is needed for my family of 6.

But you could describe large portions of my state as an area infested as you say.
Posted by SallysHuman
Lady Palmetto Bug
Member since Jan 2025
19747 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:52 pm to
quote:

Dire Wolf


Let's discuss your charts.

From 2002-2025 the average age has been 30s.

The 90s were mid 20s.

The earlier half of the 20th century was younger 20s.

What else could be a factor? How about expanding higher education, delayed workforce entry, later age marital rates?

Buying a home is traditionally what one does after getting a solid job and getting married... as those get delayed, so does the NEED for purchasing a home.

Posted by Clames
Member since Oct 2010
19388 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:56 pm to
quote:

Maybe it is just me, but in the relatively poor area of Louisiana that I live, everyone seems to be doing just fine.



We have the fattest, laziest, wealthiest poors in the world.


People need to start learning how to live within their means again.
Posted by BigGreenTiger
Member since Mar 2022
744 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 3:56 pm to
quote:

But you could describe large portions of my state as an area infested as you say.


ah yes, i thinkg 99% of the posters on this board can say the same for their states.
Posted by dalefla
Central FL
Member since Jul 2024
3976 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 4:00 pm to
quote:

you live in an area infested with govt leeches? are you one?


Leeches have Id or they couldn't leech. So why is voter ID such a controversial issue.
Posted by WeeWee
Member since Aug 2012
45270 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 4:02 pm to
quote:

Cost of living


Is high but lower than it would be if Harris had been elect.
Posted by theballguy
Un-PC for either side
Member since Oct 2011
35939 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 4:05 pm to
I haven't seen people actually hurting because of the economy since the early 80's. It's just made up bs.

If you don't make enough, you need to make yourself more valuable. Not hard to do at all these days.
Posted by Crimson Wraith
Member since Jan 2014
29873 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 4:09 pm to
Spend less than you earn.

Posted by meansonny
ATL
Member since Sep 2012
26425 posts
Posted on 3/19/26 at 4:09 pm to
quote:


Let's discuss your charts.


The entire survey is bullshite.

The NAR completes the survey with a mailer.
The data that comes back from the mail is included in the chart.
Redfin uses an electronic survey and they have the age at 35.

How old do you have to be to respond to a mailer from NAR?

Lastly, the increase in age is roughly 2-8 years on both charts (over extended amount of years).
This isn't wild swings (show a chart starting from birth to age 78 and you see a very slow, moderate increase over time).

The 2 biggest changes in homeownership are as follows:
A long time ago, 1 income families were often competing against 1 income families for homes.
Now, it is 2 income families competing against 2 income families (with a few multigenerational 3 and 4 income families in the mix).

Homes used to be 1200 square foot buildings on 1+ acre lots. Wealth was determine by the amount of land that you own.
Now, homes easily exceed 2600 square feet. Im seeing cheaply built starter homes at or above 3000 square feet. Builders are catering to the biggest footprint on the tiniest parcel possible.

When people are getting married later and being forced to buy 2600+ square foot homes, it is going to be a lot more 25-35 year olds in that first time homebuyer marker than in the past.
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