Gross income? Why not net income?

[fltoo]

But how much is that exactly? Just like the BK examples I saw, it would be nice to see actual incomes that people make and spend in that state. Most people I know make between $30-50k.

You asked Cali for her "exact" salary. Then you said it would be nice to see other people's "actual" salaries.

[debtmonster]

You asked Cali for her "exact" salary. Then you said it would be nice to see other people's "actual" salaries.

You are jumping to conclusions all for nothing. Please stop being paranoid. It's getting old.

[landofpoor]

There's no PERSONAL information. The for job part, that was only for the people making $200k+ and wondering how they pulled that off. I wanna make $200k, too. I wouldn't be going BK if I was!! I'd be DEBT FREE making $200k and living large on CASH.

lol you still wouldnt because youd be buying more bowflex equipment to pump yourself up.Far as the banning of ip addresses they should have banned yours after like the 5th post

[debtmonster]

lol you still wouldnt because youd be buying more bowflex equipment to pump yourself up.Far as the banning of ip addresses they should have banned yours after like the 5th post

You are a very sad individual. Please go away for the umteenth time and stop harassing me. I've asked you enough times already to stop.

[landofpoor]

We all know who the sad person is by looking over your posts

[debtmonster]

We all know who the sad person is by looking over your posts

Is that all you can do is sit there and post insults to people? That's not what I sit here and all all day. You have a really sad attitude, dude. Like I said, GET A LIFE.

[Cali]

I think you both need to take it off the boards, because I for one am tired of reading it.

DM, if you want to make good money, get the job that pays that. We could write a full detailed post about how we got where we are, but that wouldn't do you any good because the same outcome isn't guaranteed for you.

[WorkingItOut]

DM,
No one can tell you exactly how to make $200k because there is no one set formula for doing so. Even a field that's known to make people rich, like medicine, has people in it that aren't making much money.

Many fields offer large salaries but only for a select few who work their way up to the top. And working your way up can often take years and years and lots of hard work. Not everyone gets there. And those that do get there aren't usually just handed that money on a silver platter. They work hard, they play the game, they study others in their field who've been successful and then emulate them. Every career path is different and can end with different results. Some people just get lucky, but most people achieve goals because they set specific goals and then do what it takes to make them. Just saying you want to make a lot of money is not setting a goal.

What is your career field? And what is your education level? If we knew those things, we might be able to point you in the right direction.

[debtmonster]

I work in the IT field doing web programming. Apparently there's no $200k to be made there.

I am working on my degree right now, but from what I've been seeing, that won't be enough.

I really think I am better off dead instead of trying to fight the inevitable.

[scubaman]

DM
I barely have a 10th grade education and I make 78k a year. I have had many setbacks in my life but have been determined to succeed. This BK and IRS situation i'm in is another setback, However I am dealing with this as I have dealt with everything in my life, as an opportunity. I can either jump off a bridge or I can figure out by reading, getting advise and asking for help how to manage this mess I'm in. I am 54 years and have worked in the silicon valley for 24 years which is very competitive and you need to have a BS just to be an admin. or mail person. I have been homeless, a drug addict and suicidal in my life and have been able to work at 1 company in silicon valley for 13 years and my job I have now for 11 years. HARD WORK DM and no easy handouts. I'm the one that worked overtime and weekends and would take on new projects because I wanted to be more than what I felt I was and not by achieving more finances but more stability and integrity. It has paid off, however I made 1 big mistake and that is to trust people to give you the right information without checking out their background. Such as my stock broker (lehmans), Backdating of stock options (the company i work for) and then a margin lone that I received a margin call because the stock dropped from $75 to $ 15 dollars in a week. So my learning experience is not the end result but how am I going to take this experience and grow from it. I lost over $500,000 dollars plus some. I cried for awhile and got back up brushed myself off and am now moving forward. I am not going to let this situation make me a victim, I refuse. I am going to learn from this and that is my lesson. Not how much MONEY am I going to end up with in the end, how many toys etc.

Another point the reason I have a 10th grade education is because my family crashed and burned when I was a teenager and I had no choise but to quit school and get a job. There was nothing I could do. This was in the early 70's. This has stayed with me my whole life and I never feel like I need to apoligize to anyone for my lack of education.

So my point to you is no matter if you have a higher education or no education you can succeed if you really want to. But if you think that someone can really write the guidelines for you for life you are needing to look for more than a new career but maybe some help in figuring out who you are first and then seeing what you would really like to do - then maybe the money will follow but until then if you don't work on yourself it won't matter if you have money or not you won't be happy.

Good luck and hope this helps.

[wonkettegirl]

Oh for Pete's sakes, DM, drop the drama-queen act! What do you mean by "the inevitable," that you'll never make 250k a year? Big effin' deal - VERY few Americans make that much money, and yet, somehow, they are satisfied with their lives!

Here's the biggest surprise: people who are living within their means tend to be teh happiest people out there, regardless (almost) of what their "means" are. Of course it would be nicer to live a 250k/year lifestyle than a 45k/yr lifestyle - better toys, nicer vacations, fewer stresses IF you are within your means.

If you are making a middle-class income, it's not a matter of making more $$, in my opinion. It's a matter of living within your means. At a middle class income, your basics are covered, and everything else is gravy. Learn to use less gravy, and learn to SAVE for a few big splurges in your life. Those splurges will mean SO much more to you when you do.

Are you learning ANYTHING from the bkrupcy process besides "I must make more $$?" Because frankly, reading this board has taught me the EXACT opposite: unless you change the way you approach life, and approach STUFF, more $$ is never enough.

[debtmonster]

Oh for Pete's sakes, DM, drop the drama-queen act! What do you mean by "the inevitable," that you'll never make 250k a year? Big effin' deal - VERY few Americans make that much money, and yet, somehow, they are satisfied with their lives!

Here's the biggest surprise: people who are living within their means tend to be teh happiest people out there, regardless (almost) of what their "means" are. Of course it would be nicer to live a 250k/year lifestyle than a 45k/yr lifestyle - better toys, nicer vacations, fewer stresses IF you are within your means.

If you are making a middle-class income, it's not a matter of making more $$, in my opinion. It's a matter of living within your means. At a middle class income, your basics are covered, and everything else is gravy. Learn to use less gravy, and learn to SAVE for a few big splurges in your life. Those splurges will mean SO much more to you when you do.

Are you learning ANYTHING from the bkrupcy process besides "I must make more $$?" Because frankly, reading this board has taught me the EXACT opposite: unless you change the way you approach life, and approach STUFF, more $$ is never enough.

Stop comparing me to others. I don't care about others. All I care is that I make $500k/yr. The more I read stuff like this, the more I just want to go rack up debt. Actually, I think I should. I don't think $360k is enough. After reading your replies, I want to see what I can do now to get the debt to be closer to $750k. I'll have to go get hurt and do some nasty, long hospital stays and maybe I'll work on getting sued. If I am going to go out, I want to go out WITH A BANG!! With the economy being the way it is and the way I am more and more depressed, you guys make me want to go $5 million in the hole before I file Chapter 7. $360k is CHUMP CHANGE to file a BK on.

Your insults and posts depress me further. I am so happy I have racked up this debt. I now want to rack up much, much more. I want to see about filing Chapter 7 every 7 years and flush a million dollars down the toilet each and every time. That would be so sweet. That would make me feel so much better. I think that's what I need to do. Going into debt will be my new therapy. Thanks guys for all of your down-lifting posts. I'll keep printouts on my wall to remind me why I need to keep digging myself deeper in the hole. When I finally die, I'll have all of those printouts around for the cops to see so they can piece together my suicide.

[Hoos Crazy]

Having represented hundreds of people in filing for bankruptcy, I get that huge debts can be overwhelming and very depressing. I have a lot of empathy for my clients and know how hard it can be for them.

That said, I think that Dr. Phil would give you a verbal kick in the pants and tell you to stop feeling sorry for yourself.

I know lots of very successful people (some financially successful, others successful in different ways) - and not one of them has any time to sit around feeling sorry for himself. Success starts with an attitude that absolutely nothing is going to stop you from achieving your dreams.

Finally, change your focus from making a lot of money to living within your means. The truth is that I have tons of very wealthy people coming in to see me about filing bankruptcy. For most people, more income just means more spending. If you can break out of the consumerism that controls our society and be happy with who you are and what you do, then you will not be stressed by the financial side of things.

I wish you all the best in dealing with your situation. I hope that you take my comments in a positive way. I don't mean to be critical - but sometimes we all need people to be honest with us.

[debtmonster]

Having represented hundreds of people in filing for bankruptcy, I get that huge debts can be overwhelming and very depressing. I have a lot of empathy for my clients and know how hard it can be for them.

That said, I think that Dr. Phil would give you a verbal kick in the pants and tell you to stop feeling sorry for yourself.

I know lots of very successful people (some financially successful, others successful in different ways) - and not one of them has any time to sit around feeling sorry for himself. Success starts with an attitude that absolutely nothing is going to stop you from achieving your dreams.

Finally, change your focus from making a lot of money to living within your means. The truth is that I have tons of very wealthy people coming in to see me about filing bankruptcy. For most people, more income just means more spending. If you can break out of the consumerism that controls our society and be happy with who you are and what you do, then you will not be stressed by the financial side of things.

I wish you all the best in dealing with your situation. I hope that you take my comments in a positive way. I don't mean to be critical - but sometimes we all need people to be honest with us.

Thanks for your chime in, but I want to be wealthy without credit.

It's just going to suck trying to live on $2,000/mo. or less. You can't do that in today's society. Look at all of the people paying what I gross in rent alone.

[hereforinfo]

I know LOTS of educated people and most of them barely make over $40k.

Pretty much everyone I know with a college degree is making over 6 figures, except for a couple of friends who are teachers. Many are in IT. None of them whined and complained along the way. All of them take responsibility for their own situations. You seem to be lacking that ability.