re: Is everyone just rich today

Yea, its easy to be middle class in America these days, but most of them fall victim to keeping up with the Jones'.

Average household income in the country is like what $70k? I am by no means in the 1% category, but I don't know personally any households that only make that amount. But my friends and associates all went to college and had kids after getting married, so maybe that influences the income stability of the people I know.

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I feel poor on TD.

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Me too. Between 20% of my check going to child support, taxes in general, rising cost of everything else…I find myself wanting to stay off of social media. Seeing acquaintances constantly living their best life scuba diving in the Caribbean or wandering through Central Park while they sip their coffee…yeah. I get jealous a lot. That’s my own damn fault.

I made a poor career choice and didn’t have good enough vision in terms of where our economy would be. And my wife was a whore. My problem is in the mirror. I was hoping to at least be comfortably middle class, but that ain’t happening.

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Has to be exaggerating.

I buy 93/7 or 96/4 and its no more than $8.99

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Had been hearing about the rising beef prices, but we loaded up on the packs of 93/7 in early November and I haven't bought any since. Pretty sure I made burgers yesterday with my last 2 packs, so I guess I'll find out in about soon

These threads are always hilarious to me.

To the OP, agreed in that I have no idea where the money is coming from for the majority of these folks.

And then without fail, the thread ends up turning into at least 90% of folks talking about how far ahead they are of the working public in their money management etc. and have 0 debt

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Is everyone just rich today

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Well this is the OT…

Impressive. We are cut from similar cloth. I have a house mortgage, though. We have 3 years left on a 15-year mortgage. I do own a 2nd home that we bought with cash. But have not had a car loan in 30 years, nor paid a dime in credit card interest. Not enough have learned the very first habit towards financial freedom. Spend less than you make!

I "retired" at 55. Good luck to you.

My across the street neighbor has been a mystery to me. He works for a fire extinguisher/fire system company. He does installations and routine maintenance/inspections. Blue collar job that I'd guess pays less than $100K a year. She is a financial analyst for one of the big oil companies. I would guess she's at $165K a year or there about.

They have one son, so child costs are not super high.

They live in the biggest floor plan in our neighborhood. They have an 2022 F-250, a 2020 Chevy Suburban, a 2024 Silverado, they put in a pool a few years ago. They have a nice toy hauler trailer RV thing, a big flat bed trailer, several motorcycles, a really nice side by side, and a new four wheeler.

I could never figure out how they afford all that stuff.

Then one day I was talking the guy and he mentioned he was trying to sell the toy hauler but he has WAY upside down on it. He also mentioned he was late on a payment on the side by side.

That's when it hit me, they are in debt up to their assholes.

That's how most people are "rich".

I don't have nearly as much "stuff", but everything I have is paid for.

I have a mortgage, and two car notes on used cars. My wife's little 2019 Audi Q3 will be paid off in February. Other than that, we just have regular credit card balances that we pay off each month.

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On TD? Yes. Average household income on TD is 350k

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I get the joke.

That said .... The average household income on TD probably is much higher than the national average. A large majority of the people on this site are college educated, white collar professionals.