I'm just hitting the upper side of lower middle class, having made the awful jump from upper lower class (I assume there is more appropriate terms but that jump is quite a shock) and finally eking through that I'm having a more positive outlook. Finally getting 3 years worth of raises with a back pay bonus doesn't hurt. I'm uninsurable for life insurance as a result of my duis (something they should hammer into kids in their youth) so that cost isn't there, I have insurance for me and the kids, the old lady does too, so since we're aren't married the kids are super insured and it costs us very little since mine is fully employer paid, and assuming the naysayers are wrong, with the death of ACA it will stay that way, I was looking at the possibility of lower coverage or picking of some of the financial burden next year due to the skyrocketing rates. I've had one thing or another in collections since I was 20 (bad financial judgement doesn't mix with being a part time drunk) just got all that cleared up, owill have my last loan paid off next month so only a mortgage and a couple lightly used credit cards. Turned 39 today and this is my first birthday I wasn't petrified in almost a decade. In a position to actually build savings, with no major debt I have banks to fall back on in a distaster in the interim. I think a lot of the outlook is fully dependent upon where in life one is, what their goals are and, frankly how bad they've fucked up historically. Dumping the last shovel full in the hole you dug gives you a pretty positive outlook. If you never had a hole, it's a satisfaction you won't know, though you'll be much further ahead. Me, I'm about 10 years behind schedule. But I have 2 family vacations I can attend this year, something 5 years ago wasn't even a joker in the cards. Give me five more years, my outlook won't be as positive because of some factor or another
On Jan 13, 2017 4:25 PM, "Sterling Jacobson" <sterl...@avative.net> wrote: > Then I would have to defect to Canada… > > > > Seriously though, this is why it’s such a big issue in the USA. > > > > My middle class-hood is killing me here. > > > > *From:* Af [mailto:af-boun...@afmug.com] *On Behalf Of *Eric Kuhnke > *Sent:* Friday, January 13, 2017 3:10 PM > *To:* af@afmug.com > *Subject:* Re: [AFMUG] OT Slightly, Cost of Living > > > > $2100 a month for health insurance??? > > My wife and I pay $150 Canadian a month for both of us for the BC > provincial health insurance... Part of the federally funded system. > > I cannot even fathom the idea of paying $500, $1000 or more for health > insurance for a family of 2 people, or 2 people + children, etc. > > It's true that income taxes and other taxes are higher in Canada, but if > you consider that $2100 as a "tax" on your life and add it up to your > federal payroll deducations for US income tax, you may actually be paying a > lot more in a year than I do. No matter what income bracket you're in. > > > > On Fri, Jan 13, 2017 at 9:57 AM, Sterling Jacobson <sterl...@avative.net> > wrote: > > I'm guessing this information is like a lot of you out there. > > Except maybe my earnings because I am making about double median gross > salary for my city. > > I'm not saying I work double, but I do fulfill many roles as the only > salary employee of my startup ISP. > I don't think I can replace myself for the same cost to the company, so I > feel ok with that. > > I don't live extravagantly, but I do live comfortably. > > I have a 3100 sqr foot rambler I've lived in since 2001 with a house > payment of around $1500 a month. > > But my biggest expense is health/insurance and medical. > > I now pay about $2100 a month for my family health insurance through IHC. > I just signed up for a good Dental Gold plan at $100 a month for my > family, but since it's not company I have to wait 6-12 months for a lot of > the benefits :( > The insurance deductibles are I think around $6000 a year and I have > medications that eat up most of that. > > I just upped my life and disability insurance on myself and my wife to > make sure things don't go bad if I die, that's around $550 a month. > > I think I spend about $1000 a month on eating, groceries and movies/date > nights, at least that's what I came up to in December so that might be a > bit off. > > I've got real estate I'm still trying to sell, but it's not the panica > everyone says it is, lol! > > I just feel like finances don't go as far as they used to a few years ago. > > I'm not sparking a political debate, just wanted to see if everyone see > things in a similar light? > > Or am I just doing the wrong things? > > >
