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One-Third of Americans Making $250,000 Live Paycheck-to-Paycheck, Survey Finds

32,304 Views | 201 Replies | Last: 4 mo ago by redassfella2024
YouBet
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BubbleBoyB said:

I wish my wife would read this thread...
Ironically, COVID helped with mine. She realized she didn't need to buy a new dress and shoes every f'ing week. What's the point when you are in lounge clothes every day for a year and a half. Thankfully, the new habit is still mostly intact.
Phat32
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YouBet said:

BubbleBoyB said:

I wish my wife would read this thread...
Ironically, COVID helped with mine. She realized she didn't need to buy a new dress and shoes every f'ing week. What's the point when you are in lounge clothes every day for a year and a half. Thankfully, the new habit is still mostly intact.
Teach my wife please.
Cyp0111
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it does to an extent depend on what city you live in, what your profession is and where in that city you work. Do you have kids in daycare etc.

I'm not saying $250K isn't a great number but, to be honest, it goes quickly in one of the bigger cities.
Jet Black
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Cyp0111 said:

it does to an extent depend on what city you live in, what your profession is and where in that city you work. Do you have kids in daycare etc.

I'm not saying $250K isn't a great number but, to be honest, it goes quickly in one of the bigger cities.


It really shouldn't unless someone is a complete moron with money.
Cyp0111
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Again, depending on where you live, agree. However, live in one of the big cities right now, buy a house and other costs plus 401K , kids college savings, a trip or two and you get there quickly.
TxTarpon
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This is so true.
Very scary as well.
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Phat32
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Almost everyone is financing cars, right?

They have gotten obscenely expensive. Features have kept up with prices for the most part, but a nice family SUV can run $80K+.
texagbeliever
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Good point on autos. Right now the chip shortage is keeping supply locked up but at some point I feel like one auto manufacturer needs to try to lock up the cheap but A/C works, stero works and will reliably get you from A to B market. It is a shame that market is under-served and with used cars skyrocketing now desperately lacking.
permabull
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Jet Black said:

Cyp0111 said:

it does to an extent depend on what city you live in, what your profession is and where in that city you work. Do you have kids in daycare etc.

I'm not saying $250K isn't a great number but, to be honest, it goes quickly in one of the bigger cities.


It really shouldn't unless someone is a complete moron with money.


I agree .. no excuses for anyone earning that much and struggling. If you are earning 3x plus the median income and struggling it's because you thought you deserved to live in a certain neighborhood, drive a certain car, join a certain club, etc. You are struggling because of the choices you made not because you don't earn enough.
Jet Black
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hypeiv said:

Jet Black said:

Cyp0111 said:

it does to an extent depend on what city you live in, what your profession is and where in that city you work. Do you have kids in daycare etc.

I'm not saying $250K isn't a great number but, to be honest, it goes quickly in one of the bigger cities.


It really shouldn't unless someone is a complete moron with money.


I agree .. no excuses for anyone earning that much and struggling. If you are earning 3x plus the median income and struggling it's because you thought you deserved to live in a certain neighborhood, drive a certain car, join a certain club, etc. You are struggling because of the choices you made not because you don't earn enough.


Agree. Even with a wife and a couple of kids that should be more than enough.
Pahdz
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Blame the government (what else is new). Don't they mandate all the expensive "safety" tech?
texagbeliever
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Pahdz said:

Blame the government (what else is new). Don't they mandate all the expensive "safety" tech?


Fair point. The Left's war on middle/lower class just like decarbonization.The fuel standards also are a part of it too im sure.
ChoppinDs40
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A booming economy the last decade+ has led to considerable lifestyle creep for well, educated professionals in upper middle class households.

Cheap debt, low inflation, rising wages, cheap energy and relatively "stable" geopolitics led to a great 10+ years, relatively speaking.

This is the first time people are actually having to say "yeah we don't need that" in some time. Housing going crazy, food, travel, gas, diesel, electricity, cars, everything. It's ratcheted HARD in just a few months. It's going to be a rough 12 months for a lot of industries.

The worldwide economy is reeling and swinging from wave after wave of disruptions. Sadly, the **** in Ukraine and likely a China firing up in Taiwan is only going to make this worse.

Time to batten the hatches for a lot of people, financially.
CapCity12thMan
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my favorite story to tell is the couple we were discussing public vs private school with (our kids are in private) on our way out of a restaurant, and they said "we just can't afford private school" as they clicked the remote to unlock the doors on their 7 series BMW.

true story
Cyp0111
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My kids are private, it takes sacrifices elsewhere if that is something you want to do.
YouBet
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CapCity12thMan said:

my favorite story to tell is the couple we were discussing public vs private school with (our kids are in private) on our way out of a restaurant, and they said "we just can't afford private school" as they clicked the remote to unlock the doors on their 7 series BMW.

true story


Lol.
CapCity12thMan
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tons of things I want, that would be fun and perhaps seemingly make life more enjoyable, yes. Having been fortunate to attend private school my whole life (with my dad being on a school teacher salary), and wanting my kids to have the same opportunities as I did - it's a no brainer. It's expensive. Really expensive. We both work. A lot.

I think in other threads similar to this one I made the comment that a lot of this money people seem to have there is always backstory - e.g. family owns land/house(s) and the children "pay them back" or something like that. I know a family that lived in a family house on some land while their new house took 3 years to build. Mortgage free for 3 years...think about that. I know other people our age and what they do for a living, yet they take 3-4 trips per year (hawaii, europe, australia) - expensive ones, have country club memberships, etc. Come to find out those trips are paid for by the grandparents. It's stuff like this you don't get full context on when evaluating yourself against others financially.
Cyp0111
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Lol, I have many friends that don't pay for vacations which given where most go is $20k+ per year, others have school covered.
Phat32
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Comparison is the thief of joy.
Flashdiaz
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depends who you're comparing to
Sea Speed
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Phat32 said:

Comparison is the thief of joy.


I like this. Also, when I see people out and about driving massive trucks pulling 6 figure boats, always shopping and buying new junk, I always always assume they are up to their eyeballs in debt. Always.
Jet Black
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Lots of folks get help from family or whoever. I don't really have a problem with it.
permabull
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Flashdiaz said:

depends who you're comparing to


Good point .. I still live in the same house as when my salary was half what it is now. I like that I am no longer stretched to the limit and don't really want to move up. I'd rather be the big fish in a tiny pond.
JohnLA762
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The irony in all of it is people making much less than 250k a year are making a ton of money off of the ones living pay check to pay check.

At this point, I'm all for people spending all their money. Be the anomaly in this country and finish the race with abundant resources!
CC09LawAg
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Unfortunately, those idiots will look up one day when they're 65 and look at your abundance and decide they need some of it because it isn't fair that you have more.
utah, get me two
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26 yr old here. I don't make anywhere close to this amount but I know lots of people that make 30k-70k and live like they just won the lottery. I have zero idea how these people aren't in crippling debt. Hell I hate having a $100 charge on my CC. New cars, expensive vacations, new electronics and clothes
YouBet
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utah, get me two said:

26 yr old here. I don't make anywhere close to this amount but I know lots of people that make 30k-70k and live like they just won the lottery. I have zero idea how these people aren't in crippling debt. Hell I hate having a $100 charge on my CC. New cars, expensive vacations, new electronics and clothes
They are. They are playing the CC churn game. My old team (all younger folks) became experts at mastering the scenarios of opening new cards, maximizing points, moving debt, etc. There are entire websites dedicated to it and spreadsheets templates built to navigate it.

I was always a little in awe of how much they were engrossed in all of it.
utah, get me two
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I churn as well, but I only come out ahead because I'm not spending on crap I don't need. I'm talking about people buying luxury items on average salary
Sea Speed
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Again, assume everyone you see with new toys and what not is up to their eyeballs in debt. Just look at how few people have a savings account. It is almost guaranteed that they are drowning in it.
Diggity
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do you really know a lot of people making $30K at this point? that would be pretty darn depressing,
utah, get me two
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Yes, I'm not going to go intro specifics but they work for small businesses
Diggity
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They need to find better work.
Aggie09Derek
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Small businesses doing sales and major upside via commissions?

Receptionist at a small office in a small town?

Small OnlyFans business?
utah, get me two
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Admin in small business, while their boss makes 800k gross a year
Aggie09Derek
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If truly valued and bring something to the that helps the business they should ask for a raise. If not he will find someone else that will take $30k and be happy.


Edit: yes, sexist and assumed a male boss. Whoops.
 
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