Sure. No one budgets perfectly. But what I'm arguing is that it is laughable to think that the current income gab between the decades isn't a resource management issue on part of the general citizens but rather due to several economic factors that have stagnated wage growth for 90% of people. And that difference is so overwhelmingly significant that all other factors combined x10 doesn't even touch it.
Certainly economic factors have an impact... not disputing that fact.
However, i would still say that budgeting is the
main factor! Vision writing is the second most important thing... and circumstances is third.
When I was in need, we made it work with food stamps, WIC coupons, and government cheese, canned pork and canned peanut butter that bent the spoon when you tried to put the oil back with the ground peanuts. (But I had a budget - $3 a week for clothing, $3 a week for entertainment, $3 a week for dental, $3 a week for savings - paying bills first (electric, rent etc)
for a family of 5 (and sometimes 6 when I raised by wife's sister or my brother.)
No potato chips, no soft drinks, ice-cream was a treat - no pop-tarts, no candy. My wife sewed to make shorts, we made our own deserts and entertainment was the beach or a park (free).
Plenty of chicken and eggs and tuna fish. Plenty of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, cheese sandwiches, soups. French fries from fresh potatoes instead of potato chips in the bag.
Do that for 45 years, and YES you are in a sweet spot.
Next time you go to the grocery store, look at how much people buy more expensive processed foods.
We are at a near all time low for smoking in this country so it seems a non-issue to blame cigarette use. Though I would have to have more specifics on how long it takes a person to go from 30k a year to 100k a year. I would just wager a general guess and say a job change was the major factor. I have significant doubts that your average client simply ate pbj and ramen noodles sober every night for 5 years and now make 70k a year from dividends. So I'm guessing it had something to do with budgeting better and eventually getting training for better jobs that then grant them a better income.
Sorry, I didn't mean to say that a person went from 30 to 100K in a year. I meant to convey the thought that I have counseled people making 30 K and 100K.
But whether 5 figure or 6 figure, the basics were the same. No budget, credit card use and unbridled purchasing.
And if that is the case do you think that our current economy is more or less fixed at its current state? And by that I mean do you think that "everyone" could do this and get money or is it only so long as the majority stay in poverty? Can we make the average income in the united states 100k in today's dollars adjusted for inflation? Or will we always have mcdonalds workers, retail workers, ditch diggers, ect. The wealth opportunities are finite in our current system. Yes someone can become rich. But the % of poor people will remain largely the same.
With economic growth comes economic opportunities. Current economy fluctuates - like the ant, you save during the abundance so that you have in lack. Most people spend in the time of abundance and then find themselves in lack.
Most of my life, I was no more than $30K a year. Two children went to 4 year college - total cost $6,000. One went to two years - total cost $0. Planning and dedication were essential.
A famous Henry Ford quote, “Whether you think you can, or you think you can’t – you’re right,”
If you think "the wealth opportunities are finite" - then you are right. If you think "the wealth opportunities are infinite - then you are right.
When was the last time you saw "budgeting" at the high-school level? When was the last time you saw "discover the purpose of your future" along with "create your future vision" as an instruction?
You can earn $50,000 a year (at the end of your life) and still be rich. You can also have $10,000,000 and your marriage is a mess and your children are lost.
You equate success and wealth in terms of dollars. I have a Jesus perspective, "
AMPC Luke 12:15 And He said to them, Guard yourselves and keep free from all covetousness (the immoderate desire for wealth, the greedy longing to have more);
for a man’s life does not consist in and is not derived from possessing overflowing abundance or that which is over and above his needs.
Why?
