Daddytron

When I was a kid, we lived in a nice house, had an in-ground swimming pool, my parents traveled every year, took my brother and I on a trip to Disney world and 3 Caribbean cruises all before I turned 16. My mom was a homemaker and my dad worked hard at a modest wage. Now days, I look back and wonder... Interest rates for mortgages are the lowest they will ever be, everything is made in China and as inexpensive as it will ever be. Why is it that my wife and I make in the $95,000 a year mark, and live in an average house and struggle to give my kids the kind of life that I remember growing up?
How are my kids ever going to make it?

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Over budget and behind schedule...
That's how I roll :)

nealtw

If you haven't noticed there is a war on the middle class. Wages haven't kept up with inflation for the last 30 years. Then you have to count the toys that we think we have to have like a tv in every room and a phone in every pocket.

rick1953fowler

Times are tough man. I can relate.

mudmixer

The dollar is not worth much anywhere in the world now and we are falling behind in education (#17 and falling) and economy.

About 15 years ago, when I traveled through Europe extensively, the Euro was about $0.80 and now it is about $1.50 U$ just to buy one. - That is a big shift, especially since oil costs are pegged to the worthless dollar, energy costs in the U.S. are higher than elsewhere since other companies do not use dollars, but use their more valuable currency that is uniformly converted.

None of the toys and TVs are made in the U.S. China is probably the world's largest auto producer (and market), but does not export cars because of the their domestic demand. The top imports into China are Mercedes and BMW. India refuses to import goods into the U.S. because it is better to consume them domestically, even though they have a small 4 door AC sedan that can be bought for under $3000, but the production is limited even though the producer (TATA) could buy GM, but chose to buy Jaguar and Rover from Ford (to avoid the bail-out complexity) for many billions in CASH. Renault (French) bought Volvo heavy trucks and are going to make them in the Mack plant in PA. The Volvo car production and name may have been sold to a Chinese company.

It is a complex situation.

Dick

Underdog

Look at where it goes and who all gets you to pay them every month.
I used to have a phone at home and return my calls at night. I'd have to go to the gas staion to use the pay phone occasionally but I didn't know any different.
TV was free.
Then my dad got a pager for the business.
What used to cost me $25.00 a month has morphed into...
Land line for long distance and other reasons so I can't give it up,
Two cell phones, 4 when the kids were home,
Internet connection, fast too,
Television costs money now, who woulda thunk,
Yellow page ad,
But the yellow page ad don't cut it so there's the...
Website,
Domain name,
Search engine support,

From $25.00 a month to... care to guess?

But at least I can call the customer from his front porch if he's in the shower.
Oh yeah, and I can play solitaire any dang time that I want. Couldn't do that before.

Jasone

When I was child every one in the area live like a family but now time changes no one has time for anyone. Everyone is only running for money and forgot the value of people in their life.

inspectorD

You forgot the new computer, printer ,cartriges and every other new Ipadiddle they come out with in a month. Oh yeah...and all these batteries cost cha-ching every time they change out tool designs.
Oh well. Time to go feed the horse, and grease the buggy.

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Just My
Made in the

Underdog

I stand corrected... you make my argument very well.

mudmixer

inspectorD -

Now you also have to "pony" up for an orange triangle for the back of the buggy.

Daddytron

Makes me want to sell most of my belongings, take my ATV (that I bought to keep up with my buddy) and drive off into a bush somewhere and wherever I run out of gas, build a little cottage and live off the land... If I could just give up my fancy new truck (that I had to buy to out-do my brother) My 60" HDTV (just so i could have the biggest) my Xbox 360 and all my fancy power tools (all DeWalt of course... cheap tools would work for the most part, but why buy cheap twice when you can buy expensive once, right?). I suppose I'm stuck being a slave to the machine of big business, jacking up prices on EVERYTHING, cause people will keep buying, and if they can't afford it, just finance it.

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Over budget and behind schedule...
That's how I roll :)