-=Political Opinions=-

[jlem]

I am in the military. My wife is a stay at home mom. We have 2 cars 3 kids and a kick ass Aquarium .. We don't buy the latest things and we don't eat out everyday. We give our 10% to the church and We have a SMALL house on base that is free. My paychecks are $900.00 every 2 weeks after taxes and a little chunk into savings. I have no credit card debt and owe $10,000 on my wifes SUV. I have a retirement plan on top of my possible military retirment. I have a heafty chunk of change in savings for when I do buy a house. I am not bragging but I am giving an example of how you do not have to make tons if you don't need to live like a king.
I have friends that make more than me, both parents work and they are over their heads in debt and that is what drives me nuts. I can make it on very little by not having to have anything. If I made $50,000 dollars a year I would freak out because of all of the extra money. I was watching a show where a couple was in horrible debt. This guys house was really nice and all of his furnature was leather, big screen tv and a really nice pool. He had dept collectors calling daily and most of his debt was credit cards. People need to be more resonsable with their money and live in their means untill they can get that next step. I believe that the majority of america sruggles because they have to have Surround sound with their 42 inch TV and not because they don't make enough money. Everyone wants to be rich in there 20s these days and America has never been like that. It takes time to build up a nice nest egg and most people could if they didn't have to have the nicest stuff from day one.

 

[jlem]

Originally posted by TangMan99
Life is not fair and 90% of what you achieve in it is directly up to you and 10% is luck. Even if someone gives you all the opportunity in the world and handouts, unless you have the motiviation to keep in alive and move forward with it, it won't last.
So is the American Dream still alive? I guess that depends on where you are looking at it from. I believe it is very much alive, but it's not a gift to be handed to someone. It has to be earned. Not everyone will achieve it, but at least we live in a country where you have a chance to try at it as hard as you would like to achieve it.
My .02 cents.
I am going to delete all of my long post and put a reference to your statement.

 

[tangman99]

Originally posted by jlem
I am in the military. My wife is a stay at home mom. We have 2 cars 3 kids and a kick ass Aquarium .. We don't buy the latest things and we don't eat out everyday. We give our 10% to the church and We have a SMALL house on base that is free. My paychecks are $900.00 every 2 weeks after taxes and a little chunk into savings. I have no credit card debt and owe $10,000 on my wifes SUV. I have a retirement plan on top of my possible military retirment. I have a heafty chunk of change in savings for when I do buy a house. I am not bragging but I am giving an example of how you do not have to make tons if you don't need to live like a king.

jlem,
It's sound like you are doing it right. You are probably a little younger than me (I'm 38) and smarter than I was when I was your age. I did not start pulling all together until I was around 30. I had the credit cards making payments then also, but now I don't carry a monthly balance. I actually use an American express Blue card for everything and pay it off every month. I get cash back for using it so it is another way to make your money work for you.
You are a perfect example of what I said about wealth. It's not what you make, it's what you keep. I'll bet my money you do just fine in life.

 

[krowleey]

jlem we have agreed all along but i must say that if you did not live on the base or was making 900 every two weeks like alot of ppl make not in the military your wife wouldnt be staying at home bro, the fact that you get free rent is HUGE for savings your talking most of your paycheck for that, not to mention you get to shop on base for your food ect while the rest of us do not, three kids? you should be spending 600 bucks a month for food ect in the civilian world or damn close to it. making 1,800 a month take home in the civialian world you wouldnt have no SUV. or savings with a family your size, i have one and he costs be alot as it is. we made 56k last year and had my wifes brother and sister living with us at the time, we spent it all on living, well i spent a little on my tank hehe but now they are in the military makes life so much easier.

 

[jlem]

If I lived off base I would make an extra thousand, which would more than pay for the house I live in now, and shopping on base does not save a whole lot of money. The only way that you save on base is big ticket items because tax is free and base price matches. Also buying food at the supercenters is usaully cheaper than base. I do have job security and am learning good work ethics, but the money is in no ways wonderfull. I do work a whole lot over 40 hours a week but that is the path that I chose on my own and that is what bugs me with America. People pick their own paths, not the goverment. The Goverment does not say that you have to be poor or that you have to buy that 65 inch plasma screen TV when you are 22 years old. The Goverment doesn't make 18 year old kids get married and have 3 kids while they have a mininum wage job. The Goverment does not say to get in to credit card bebt at 18 and never get out from under it. We ourselves do that to ourselves. If we want the Goverment to force us to succed then we have to give up our rights to live our own lives which would really suck. . I am living comfortable because I know how to live within my means which most people don't do. there are millionars that are going broke which really confuses me.
I agree that if you want a financially comfortably life then the military is the way to go. You can't afford much but you can afford enough and not worry about starving. You do leave home for long periods and these days you might get shot at, heck even the navy squadrons are over in Afganiston so no service is exempt from possible peril nowadays.
I have loved this thread but I am tired of it so see you all in other threads and other topics. :santa:

 

[tony detroit]

In michigan
3 kids
SUV and another car and insurance
Decent 4 bedroom house in a good neighborhood.
Stay at home wife
The working party would have to make 6 figures or more.

 

[dicemanj]

Tony, that is way off, I live in Columbus ohio, and I know that Michigan does not have a higher cost of living. I do not make 100K a year, I have 3 daughters, 1, 5, and 6.5. My wife does stay at home with my kids, but she does watch a couple of other kids to supplement our income. We live in a 3400SF house in one of the best school disctricts in the state. We have a 99 dodge caravan and a 2002 chevy s10, we contribute to 401k, co. stock purchase plan, and to a few other monthly mutual funds. the only debt we have is our house.
I have to make sacrifices on some things, but it does not take 100k. If that is what people think it takes, and can't do it, they need to adjust there standard of living. Plus, if you can't afford that, don't have 3 kids, don't get an SUV. It just doesn't make sense.
I also know single parants that make less than this and still manage to get buy.
I know you have a good job and take care of yourself just fine, but everyone does not need to live the same lifestyle.

 

[tony detroit]

How much do you have invested for their tuition fund?
Loss of job savings?
Believe me when I say things like that, I have no reason to lie to you. Houses, taxes and insurance are much more than they are in Ohio. A 4 bedroom house in a good neighborhood would cost you 350+, property taxes 5K +, and then all your other epenses. I know multiple people that live in Ohio, and work in Michigan. Everything is cheaper in Ohio, my grandparents live there, I'm in Wheelersburg every 3 months or so. Go to Toledo occasionally too. Single apartments here are start around 700. Chicago is even worse than here.

 

[dicemanj]

Tony, I also have family and friends that live in Michigan from their opnions in is cheaper to live in Mich. One person that worked for me actually move to East Lansing and said his house is cheaper than the one he had in Cols. Toledo is differnt than columbus
Maybe your standards higher than the gerneral public.
Chicago, yes higher cost of living, Michigan, no chance of significant dif.
I am all set for retirement, weddings, and college. I am a financial analyst and accountant manager for Mutual, and Hedge funds.
maybe it is money management.
Tony, I like chatting with you and hearing your views

 

[tony detroit]

Originally posted by dicemanj
Tony, I like chatting with you and hearing your views
Thank you.
I respect everyone's opinion. Whether or not I agree with it, I still listen to it, and try to reason with it.
good nite to you-
T

 

[toni]

I've just been reading alot of the post and Tangman I am especially impressed with what you had to say. People need to understand that they have more control over their lives and well being than they want to admit.
I have recently been watching some memorial day specials on the WWII Monument and what our grandfathers contributed to make this country what it is today. Life today is so much better than it ever was in the past. I think sometimes we take alot of what is given to us for granted and it is very sad. Recently I was in Washington DC and I think one of the carvings on the Korean Memorial is so very true, "Freedom is not Free!!" While their are prices we have to pay the reward is so much greater.
No matter what there will always be those who complain and argue that the government does this wrong or that wrong but truly we are very fortunate to be living under the government we do. Look at North Korea right now. There are countries all over the world that are so much worse. This helps to put more things in to perspective on what a great country we reside in.

 

[tangman99]

Originally posted by Toni
I've just been reading alot of the post and Tangman I am especially impressed with what you had to say. People need to understand that they have more control over their lives and well being than they want to admit.
Thanks Toni. I usually avoid posting in political discussions because they usually get out of hand and no ones opinions are usually changed, but this one was interesting and being handled in a mature manner. Like Tony, I respect everyone's opinion and a lot of it boils down to what part of the world you are standing in determines how much daylight you see at a particular moment in time.
Good discussion guys. Thanks for keeping it civilized.