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Why we face a personal economic disaster

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    Why we face a personal economic disaster

    I have seen threads on why we filed, but I wonder if anyone has made a list of changes over the past 30 years that has added to people filing? Some of mine would be:

    First off is the decline in incomes in the terms of purchasing power for the middle and lower class per the labor departments own numbers.
    Second would be the expenses of todays life. You HAVE to have car insurance and the cost of it did not go down once everyone HAD to have it like the insurance companies promised when they lobbied this thru congress. TV is no longer free for most people. Most people HAVE to have the internet, think that isn't true? Try keeping up with banking, buying, getting discounts, applying for jobs. Many jobs require a cell phone in the case of my hubby his job pays less and he MUST have a cell phone, text messaging, internet access, laptop, and GPS. All items WE pay for at the convienence of the company. These all are items you almost have to have to work now days. Health insurance also tops the bill, your employer use to pay for it as well as a pension for your retirement. Today, they pay part, but you pay a lot too as well as the costs in deducatbles/copays/out of pocket has gone up a lot faster than incomes.
    I believe a lot of us got on credit as a way to pay for our cars and homes and furniture because we could not save enough to pay for these items without credit, and every few years the length of time you financed went up like on cars from 3 to 5 years.

    Can others add to this list???

    #2
    The cost of:
    healthcare insurance, medication
    access to a lawyer when you need one
    accountant to help fill out your taxes
    life ins
    disability ins
    home ins
    increased taxes and penalties
    food costs
    education
    just living and it doesn't ever end

    Comment


      #3
      Outsourcing of USA jobs.
      Colleges & Universities.
      Filed 11/24/09, Riding Through Mortgage
      341 on 1/11/10 (easy), Confirmed 4/26/10
      $150 for 36 months (22 of 36 made)

      Comment


        #4
        this one probably less common: people with lawyers getting huge judgments against you when you owe nothing.
        filed ch7 May 09
        341 june 09
        discharged, closed Aug 09

        Comment


          #5
          Knowing the difference between "wants" and "needs" is a big issue. How much of the stuff did any of use put on CC were "wants" and not "needs"?
          I also told my DH last night, that I can remember thinking "We have a $50K line of credit with Citi in case of an emergency?" CC are not emergency money.
          Filed Chapter 7: 7/3/09
          341 Hearing: 8/6/09 - Went Smoothly!
          Discharged: 11/30/2009
          Closed: 12/16/2009

          Comment


            #6
            Originally posted by 2manybills View Post
            Knowing the difference between "wants" and "needs" is a big issue. How much of the stuff did any of use put on CC were "wants" and not "needs"?
            I also told my DH last night, that I can remember thinking "We have a $50K line of credit with Citi in case of an emergency?" CC are not emergency money.
            Oh gosh, I remember thinking the same thing...that the CC's are there in case of emergency. Now granted we did use them many times FOR EMERGENCIES, but we should have been stashing away cash for those emergencies vs. always thinking that we could use CC's. Because it caught up to us.
            Last edited by JEM; 12-01-2009, 08:38 AM. Reason: typo

            Comment


              #7
              1. Technology allows movement of goods where they can be made cheaper and shipped over here. That's why jobs are in China where before they were in Mexico and before that they were in the USA. Nobody "sent jobs" overseas. We all allowed this to happen because we want cheap stuff.
              2. Women left the home and entered the workforce. This increased the number of workers driving down wages. Associated cost of daycare, quick serve meals and added benefits increased overall costs in the economy.
              3. Government subsidizing tuition pushed up costs causing more people to go to college cheaping the value of a college degree. Now to get ahead of the rest a masters is required further pushing up costs.
              4. People who were very poor have been given money from the government taken by the people who have money, this is a cost that weaves into our structure.
              5. Medical insurance has evolved where the person using the service could care less the cost, increasing the overall cost.
              6. Litigation in all forms adds a cost to the society that was never there to that extent.
              7. Advertising, which itself is a cost, is everywhere increasing demand for goods that people really don't want, services we rely on that we used to do ourselves (restaurants, car repair, sewing etc.) We don't know how to do home repairs, car repairs etc. we don't have time since both husband and wife work at half the price they did 30 years ago when only one worked.
              8. Retail used to not be 24/7 365. In the past if you wanted to shop you better get it done before nights or Sunday because the stores were closed. Now, the same stuff is being purchased but the stores need to pay for one more day of expenses and the late night hours to accomadate the same number of sales.

              This is not a donkey or elepahant root cause. We have all voted for this through our actions so we need to live with the consequences. On the other hand there are many benefits as well from all the above. Bottom line is those who adapt best are better off.

              Comment


                #8
                Originally posted by 2manybills;354532... [B
                CC are not emergency money[/B].

                So true! I think that many of us forgot this important fact. We moved from a savings society to a credit society in a very short time span....
                Filed CH 7 9/30/2008
                Discharged Jan 5, 2009! Closed Jan 18, 2009

                I am not an attorney. None of my advice is legal advice in any way..

                Comment


                  #9
                  Great point. I remember going to Kmart as a kid and my mom used to put suff on layaway. Then came Bankamerica Card and Master Charge and things changed. Suddenly everyone was buying like crazy and employers were hiring like crazy to keep up with demand. This is classic demand pull inflation followed by cost push inflation since the wages had to go up to compete for workers, causing immigrants to come over to get a job.

                  Comment


                    #10
                    Originally posted by Kansas1960 View Post
                    Great point. I remember going to Kmart as a kid and my mom used to put stuff on layaway.
                    I'm seeing more and more businesses offering layaway. That's a good thing.
                    All information contained in this post is for informational and amusement purposes only.
                    Bankruptcy is a process, not an event.......

                    Comment


                      #11
                      I think it's summed up rather easily. The Pursuit of Happyness. Unfortunately, the American dream of 2.3 children, the house with the white picket fence, and a car, has turned into...

                      • (2) Jet Skis
                      • (1) Vacation Home in Vail/Breckenridge
                      • (1) Vacation Home in Florida
                      • (1) McMansion for your Primary Residence
                      • (2) or more acres of land surrounding your McMansion
                      • (1) assorted "services" to maintain your home (landscaping, pool "boy", housekeeper(s), nannies, etc)
                      • (1) 40-50ft "yacht"
                      • (2) SUVs of a luxury brand (Lexus, Escalade, Navigator, etc)
                      • (4) Vacations per year (not including your Vail residence)
                      • $100K "available" in credit lines on your American Express, MasterCard, VISA
                      • $250K HELOC
                      • (0) number of times you cook at home (hint: you eat out always)
                      • (0) number of children because we're too busy living our lives (you have to see the movie Idiocracy to see the problem with that.


                      Blame the times if you like, but it all comes down to envy, greed, lust, gluttony and sloth. I was always impressed with a multi-millionaire friend of mine. Unassuming. Always shopped at the Salvation Army Thrift. If he did tip a service provider, it was 10% or less. Drove a 10-year old Honda Accord. Didn't drink or have any addiction problems. You would never know of his wealth by just meeting him. You probably wouldn't give him the time of day if he asked politely for it!

                      I have another young wealthy friend with $1MM in an investment bank, $500K in 401(k), and about $100K in cash. Always looks for sales. Hardly ever "finances" anything, and won't even go on a $2K vacation to Disneyworld, because it costs too much. I wish this would rub off on me!

                      The outsourcing of US jobs happened... because, frankly, we were too busy spending our money.
                      Chapter 7 (No Asset/Non-Consumer) Filed (Pro Se) 7/08 (converted from Chapter 13 - 2/10)
                      Status: (Auto) Discharged and Closed! 5/10
                      Visit My BKForum Blog: justbroke's Blog

                      Any advice provided is not legal advice, but simply the musings of a fellow bankrupt.

                      Comment


                        #12
                        Kansas1960 and Justbroke just sum it all. Adding to Kansas1960 is the union. There a pro's and con's but mostly it driven the business to a country where union is non-existent. Adding to Justbroke, Lust of the eyes as the Bible says, having stuff where it's not a need but a want. Trying to keep up with the Jones....

                        After discharge I would follow justbroke's friend and grandma's advice of FRUGAL 101.
                        File BK7: Jan 4, 2010
                        Reschedule 341: Mar 16 2010
                        Discharged: Apr 22 2010
                        Closed: May 6, 2010

                        Comment


                          #13
                          Watched a rerun of Grapes of Wrath last night. Makes you really appreciate what you have and hate big business! Does make you want to save every penny you earn.
                          If credit was not extended our economy would just have died and become 3rd world 35 years ago instead of it happening now. Life is indeed short so I'm not sure if socking away millions of dollars really serves anything other than to stroke some sort of sense of self gratification of having more money than your neighbor. There needs to be a balance. Having alot of money and being terminally ill and knowing you didn't live life is not good either.

                          Comment


                            #14
                            Ah, dakota112, but you forget what it's really old about! I'll leave you with these two sayings...
                            • What do men with money and power want? More money and power!
                            • He who dies with the most... wins! (Danny Devito's character in Other People's Money answering a question asking him what's the purpose of all the wealth)
                            Chapter 7 (No Asset/Non-Consumer) Filed (Pro Se) 7/08 (converted from Chapter 13 - 2/10)
                            Status: (Auto) Discharged and Closed! 5/10
                            Visit My BKForum Blog: justbroke's Blog

                            Any advice provided is not legal advice, but simply the musings of a fellow bankrupt.

                            Comment


                              #15
                              He who dies with the most... wins! (Danny Devito's character in Other People's Money answering a question asking him what's the purpose of all the wealth)[/LIST][/QUOTE]

                              Good one JB! Until you're trying to move it all out of your foreclosed on house! Ha Ha!
                              Filed Chapter 7: 7/3/09
                              341 Hearing: 8/6/09 - Went Smoothly!
                              Discharged: 11/30/2009
                              Closed: 12/16/2009

                              Comment

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