re: What do you consider middle class?

quote:

---

It's absolutely flooring how many people are making 75k and driving around in 50k vehicles

---

Yep. There wife has only a $300/purse too. Same ones screaming the system is holding them down and how it was so much better when their father grew up.

Maybe I picked the right industry, I dunno but my wages are not stagnated and neither are anyone elses in engineering working in industry in South LA.

When I left to go to college in 2001 the chemical engineers around lake Charles started at less than 50k usually. But let's call it 50k. Now they are starting at 80k min and usually higher. That's a 60% growth in starting salary alone.

Barely keeping up with cost of living my arse. Cost of living does not go up 3% year after year for 20 straight years, sorry it just doesn't.

For the other idiot engineer that keeps making idiot statements about Amazon, they paid the low tax because they played the long game and carried the debt over. Have you ever looked at the PM Amazon is working on? But sure go ahead and raise their taxes, they will make the same PM and you will pay $2-3 dollars more on every item.

But hey they are paying their fair share now.

quote:

---

if $70/month for a phone is too much, I doubt it

---

It's not about too much.

You should read 777's posts.

Eta....and yeah, there's a decent chance it is better.

quote:

---

When I left to go to college in 2001 the chemical engineers around lake Charles started at less than 50k usually. But let's call it 50k. Now they are starting at 80k min and usually higher. That's a 60% growth in starting salary alone.

---

That is a 2.38% yearly ROR. Do you think inflation is more or less than 2.38% for 20 years?

quote:

---

How often are we seeing raises unless you change jobs? Companies have dumped pensions which, if you're old enough to remember, were a major employee benefit. Cost of living increases? Hahaha....yeah...not happening. Manufacturing, where it exists, can no longer carry your family into a solid middle/upper-middle standing. College is expensive as shite, unless you're poor or rich.

---

Its Like you live in an alternative universe.

Who isnt getting raises today?

There's a shitload of good paying jobs that have replaced the mfg we lost, chief. Mining, oil, tech, health care...

Opportunity is endless.

quote:

---

Republicans look out for the rich. Democrats look out for the poor/lower. Meanwhile, those of us in the middle don't see shite and haven't seen shite for decades.

---

"The Rich" are the single best creators of economic opportunity in existence.

They create all the jobs which allows for upward mobility. The Government doesn't create jobs and neither do the poor.

You may hate this fact and you may envy their wealth, but that doesn't change anything.

quote:

---

As opposed to buying last year's model for hundreds less

---

I finally just replaced my iPhone 6 (that I won in a raffle) with an iPhone X I got on sale.

quote:

---

She drives a 9 yr old car that's paid for.

---

Mine is 15 and I'm keeping it 5 more years. Btw....not a pos

All the while folks trade in rigs constantly never getting rid of that payment....just to keep up with the Joneses.

quote:

---

$200k house isn't really a thing most places, but he's pretty good otherwise

---

Please tell me where in the south this is not an option?

Are you going to live in the nice burbs of Atlanta? Nope. Are you going to live in a nice place around Nashville?? Nope but if you only make 100k a year well you shouldn't be trying to live in those places.

But look on Zillow, mountain park is listed as a top suburb of Atlanta...median home price is $209k. Not gonna be the biggest and best...but you make 100k as a family....you don't deserve the best. North decatur....$237 median. Poncey-Highland $262.

You can find places, might be on the lower end of the spectrum in some places....but it's doable. LINK


Yes you will have to sacrifice space to love in a good school district. Yes you will be on the bottom side of median household. But shite even places like Brentwood...median income is barely above 100k.

So many on here are so fricking out of touch with reality it's insane.

quote:

---

What are you talking about? The cost of living and inflation are outpacing wage growth.

---

Since 2017 wage growth has never been less than about 3.5%, inflation has never been more than 2.3%. Seems counter to your base assertion.

quote:

---

People are in so much debt. Between student loans, credit cards, and medical bills

---

US household debt to income has been dropping for the better part of a decade now. Also of note, the percentage of rich grew more than the percentage of poor.

quote:

---

The middle class is as small as it's ever been.

---

Not quite but close. Last report had it at 52%, 51% in 2011 was the lowest it had been. It’s been relatively steady since then. I believe 61% in 1970 was the peak.

quote:

---

The middle is the absolute worse place to be in America. You get fricked by the rich who don't pay their fair share

---

Define fair share? That term always gets me. Why is it fair and who is it fair to? How much of your stuff do I get to decide should be the governments stuff?

While I’m not saying the middle class doesn’t carry a disproportionate burden, I don’t think it’s as significant as advertised and I’m always amazed at how many people fall for the class warfare scheme. “All those people in the other wealth classes are screwing me and the people like me, it’s not fair I tell you.” Or so says every single wealth class out there.

How would you define small town middle class for just one person?