re: Poll: Six-figure earners feel they’re in ‘survival mode’

Its their spending, not their income, but costs are stupid.

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I’ll go out on a limb and say people making $100k shouldn’t have kids

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Are you aware what the average income in this country is?

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Because $200k is the new $100k

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Most definitely agree with this. Wife and I when we were starting out in the early 2000’s had a combined income just above 100k and we comfortably afforded a house note along with two car notes while saving money. Fast forward to today and we make maybe 20% more but with three kids we barely save. Hell it costs damn bear $1000 a month to live in a home I own outright between property taxes and insurance. We would need to be making $200-225k to live like we did 20 years ago on $100-110k

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Do it. Put together a grocery list that isn't beans and rice for a family of 5 for 2 full weeks, 300 dollars.

Everyone wants to point the finger in these threads but is far from realistic. So feed a family of 5 for 300 for 2 weeks. Then do it repeatedly.

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I don't need to because i already do it. I have a family of 5. I guess the next question is where do you buy your groceries? $300 at Walmart gets you plenty

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Would most folks really be better off moving from NYC to Brewton Alabama with slightly cheaper living expenses in that exploding Brewton job market with stellar wages and benefits?

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This has been the case since industrialization began in the U.S. It is nothing new. What is new is that net migration has reversed from a 200 year trend of rural to urban, most of it domestic. Only international migration continues to have a higher rate in urban areas. This puts the "jobs" theory into question.

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What is relatively new is that Brewton, Alabama had a large paper mill, a textile mill, a lumber mill and a large brick factory among other smaller factories until the 1990s.

Now there's just the paper mill left and it's cut back workforce by 33% and benefits by even more.

Most of that money saved on manufacturing jobs now circulates in NYC and other big cities instead of those local economies. That means a ton more work for everyone from tradespeople to shop and restaurant owners where the money is being redirected.


Furthermore, the lack of good jobs with good wages has meant the main "migration" into Brewton Alabama is still more Mexicans and Guatemalans but without the professionals and people with some capital and energy to start small businesses that you see in NYC.

Yeah you are doing well if you can cook dinner for under $5 a portion these days. Feeding a family of five with three teenagers I need to cook 10-15 servings at every meal if I want leftovers.

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All priced on Walmart pickup order this morning:


2lbs 80/20 Ground Beef - $13.72
2 yellow onions - $1.40
4 bell peppers - $5.92
2 cans great value diced tomatoes - $1.94
2 sweet potatoes - $1.44
1 48oz carton great value beef broth - $1.98

$27.72 after tax not including any spices

And we get by on this because our kids aren't older and eating larger portions. You're up to $41.58 for 3 meals of a chili when our kids become pre-teen & teen ages.

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You have to average $1.42 per person, per meal to meet WigSplitta's "$300 per 2 weeks grocery" benchmark.

150 per week, that's 21 meals.
$150/21 = $7.14 per meal
$7.14/5 people = $1.42 per person per meal

Let's look at your bulk chili

$41.58 / (6 people * 3 nights) = $2.31 per meal

Even if you multiply it by (5/6) to get the cost for a family of 5, that's $1.93 per person per meal, or 35% higher than the $1.42 it takes to stay under $300. And this is a bulk meal cooked with Walmart ingredients, without spices, with the intention of it lasting 3 days and no one getting second servings.

I think this estimate for take home is $750 too high unless the 401k is maybe 3%. It’s basically break even for the expenses you list.

You’re only making 20% more two decades later? Just 2% a year would be over 40% overall increase