Occupy a bathtub already

Watch the rioting in Oakland- live!

get-out-halifax-mayor-tells-grand-parade-protesters

 

 

We have respected the protesters’ right to peaceful assembly, they have made their issues known, and now it is time for them to return the Grand Parade to the people of HRM,” Kelly says.

 

The protesters have been in the parade square downtown since the weekend of Oct. 15.

 

He said he wants the people gone so the city can clean up in time for the Atlantic Jewish Council's Dignity Day on Nov. 9 and the Remembrance Day ceremony.

 

“The Grand Parade is a public space for all of our citizens. Its occupation by one group subverts the notion of the Grand Parade as a space that exists for all,” Kelly says.

 

“We have respected the Occupy movement’s right to peaceful protest; we now urge them to respect the right of others to assemble here.”

 

Remembrance Day is the largest annual ceremonial event in HRM drawing more than 5,000 veterans, service people,and members of the public to the Grand Parade

 

http://thechronicleherald.ca/metro/27136-g...rade-protesters

 

 

I love this.

Cnbc just reported this from the IRS i believe.

 

The "1%" make 12% of the income in this country, pay 37% of the taxes. only 3% come from finance, and the top 1% from 1970-2007 has had pay go up 275% while there rest of the country hasn't gone up as much.

 

 

My thing is i'm not sure its them exploiting at all. Just they are the ones that gain the most form a company being successful and between 1970-2007 the size of the market has increased from roughly 12 trillion dollars to 63 trillion, so obviously it gives a bigger market for the same smart people to make more money from the same product.

A bit of OWS satire

A bit of OWS satire

 

 

 

I laughed out loud.... Until I got to the comments.... And realized most of the people commenting didn't get it.... Then I cried.... Then I realized that the people making those comments, VOTE.... So I ordered more ammo.

So I ordered more ammo.

 

Such irony.

 

My father is the same way.

 

He bought so much ammo that my mother bought him a PS3 and some Battlefield game because she thinks it will satisfy his urge to buy more ammo.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/blogs...eating-20111025

 

 

 

 

 

 

I dont know what else Im going to have to do, to get the point across.... THIS THREAD IS NOT OPEN FOR YOU.

 

I think were getting to the point where this thread (like this "movement") has run its course...

This thread is now closed to anybody with less than 200 posts.

 

If Obama passes his latest legislation to help ease the woes of those with insurmountable college debt, then i would say OWS has won something.....not that I agree with it at all.

If Obama passes his latest legislation to help ease the woes of those with insurmountable college debt, then i would say OWS has won something.....not that I agree with it at all.

 

 

So... Let me get this straight.... A guy who got a High School Diploma, and went to work in a steal mill, should have his taxes go for somebody who BORROWED (see, implicit in that word is that they will PAY IT BACK) money to go to an expensive liberal arts college he couldnt DREAM of affording.... Yeah.... That makes sense.

 

 

Heres the deal.... Student loans ARENT insurmountable... They SEEM like they are when you first get out of school, but lets be real.... 99% of these people will BORROW tens of thousands of dollars to buy a car and in in just a few years from now will BORROW (there's that fcuking word again) a SHITLOAD MORE to buy a house.... And they'll do both without blinking an eyelash....

 

At some point, this recession will end. All these protestors are doing, is behaving in such a way that they will be the LAST PEOPLE EMPLOYED when it does. I mean honest to god... LOOK at some of these fcuking people.... Theyve made themselves UNFUCKINGEMPLOYABLE.... Never mind the clothes, the hygiene, and the apparent religious like devotion to pot, which in and of itself would cause me to cross the street if any of them we're walking towards me, let alone offer them a fcuking job.... But now, on top of it, theyre adding a police record to it all.... SMART...

 

Bottom line. Most likely, 10 years from now, they will all be cleaned up, married, with kids, a mortgage and living the American dream...

 

 

Unless they are successful in causing some sort of communist takeover of the US, in which case, they, like millions of others, will probably be dead.

So... Let me get this straight.... A guy who got a High School Diploma, and went to work in a steal mill, should have his taxes go for somebody who BORROWED (see, implicit in that word is that they will PAY IT BACK) money to go to an expensive liberal arts college he couldnt DREAM of affording.... Yeah.... That makes sense.

 

 

Heres the deal.... Student loans ARENT insurmountable... They SEEM like they are when you first get out of school, but lets be real.... 99% of these people will BORROW tens of thousands of dollars to buy a car and in in just a few years from now will BORROW (there's that fcuking word again) a SHITLOAD MORE to buy a house.... And they'll do both without blinking an eyelash....

 

At some point, this recession will end. All these protestors are doing, is behaving in such a way that they will be the LAST PEOPLE EMPLOYED when it does. I mean honest to god... LOOK at some of these fcuking people.... Theyve made themselves UNFUCKINGEMPLOYABLE.... Never mind the clothes, the hygiene, and the apparent religious like devotion to pot, which in and of itself would cause me to cross the street if any of them we're walking towards me, let alone offer them a fcuking job.... But now, on top of it, theyre adding a police record to it all.... SMART...

 

Bottom line. Most likely, 10 years from now, they will all be cleaned up, married, with kids, a mortgage and living the American dream...

 

 

Unless they are successful in causing some sort of communist takeover of the US, in which case, they, like millions of others, will probably be dead.

 

This was exactly the kind of response i was hoping for. I have to say Erik, you have an incredible way with words in which you not only illustrate every thought I have on the issues perfectly, but do it with such a level of entertainment! hahaha

 

Whats so funny is none of them understand economics. Government steps in to make college available for "everyone." Economics steps in and in effect you have more people going to school. Higher demand, higher costs. More people go to school, everyone has a diploma. Economics steps in again.....too many diplomas, they become worthless....

 

Why people cant see this is just beyond me. I just see Obama using this as a ploy to buy the young votes.

I like it when someone majors in art history and wonders why even starbucks won't hire them.

I like it when someone majors in art history and wonders why even starbucks won't hire them.

 

Yeah, needless to say you dont see many people with engineering degrees from accreditted schools running around complaining abuot not being able to pay back loans.

Yeah, needless to say you dont see many people with engineering degrees from accreditted schools running around complaining abuot not being able to pay back loans.

 

There has been a protest for awhile now in London. It has forced St Paul's to close.

 

 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15457669

The Dean of St Paul's Cathedral, Rt Revd Graeme Paul Knowles, had repeatedly asked the protesters to leave before deciding to close its gates for the first time since World War II.

 

Demonstrators have refused several requests from church officials to move on.

 

The cathedral said it was losing up to £20,000 a day and held its Sunday services in private for the first time since 1940.

 

Meanwhile OLSX demonstrators have denied claims that several tents were unoccupied overnight.

 

The group said it has a "sign in/sign out system" in place to keep "vacancy to a minimum".

 

Earlier a City of London councillor, Matthew Richardson, claimed several empty tents were revealed by a thermal imaging camera used by City of London Police to monitor the camp.

 

This is interesting.

 

WHO ARE THE PROTESTERS?

 

BBC London gave a form to 150 of the protesters asking them about themselves. The following is a snapshot of the protest camp makeup:

 

81 out of 150 say they go home at night

69 say they are unemployed

50 say they have been to five or more demos in the past year

39 say they receive benefits

35 say they are students

 

Interesting. I haven't been to one demonstration this year. Going to school full-time, working part-time, and NOT majoring in something like Advanced Fundamentals and History of Modern Underwater Basket Weaving. I had the choice when I signed up, I was a criminal justice major - then quickly realized how specialized (and limited) that choice would leave me. All the art history and art majors, who knows what they will end up doing. I always thought the only reason why you take those classes is because you want to TEACH art history... Or get a job at an art museum...

Interesting. I haven't been to one demonstration this year. Going to school full-time, working part-time, and NOT majoring in something like Advanced Fundamentals and History of Modern Underwater Basket Weaving. I had the choice when I signed up, I was a criminal justice major - then quickly realized how specialized (and limited) that choice would leave me. All the art history and art majors, who knows what they will end up doing. I always thought the only reason why you take those classes is because you want to TEACH art history... Or get a job at an art museum...

 

Pretty much... You dont need a degree to be an artist. Its one of those things, either you're born an artist, or you arent... And if youre born an artist- expect to starve for your art. In fact, I would argue that SCHOOL is a detriment to becoming an artist.

 

My best friend is a VERY successful writer.... fcuking guy has had EVERY JOB IMAGINABLE... Hes been a plumber... A Waiter... Carpenter... We'll be on the phone talking about stuff and he'll say "Back when I was a bus driver..." and Ill interrupt him and say "When were you a fcuking busdriver?" and he'll say "Oh yeah, I drove busses for MTA for a few years..." Hes also a College drop out. I think he learned MORE about the things people want to read about working those odd jobs than if he had spent 4 years doing what college kids do- Drinking and partying....

 

 

So you get that degree, so that you can teach somebody else how to teach art. And then you have to ask yourself... "How many jobs as art professors (or english professors?) are their really?" There are what? 2 or 3 thousand colleges And universities in this country counting all the fcuking JCs? Each has an art department of 3 or 4 professors... So MAYBE 10,000 ART professorships? And they stay in those jobs FOR EVER...

 

 

I was really expecting somebody to respond to my last post "Yeah, but we ALL benefit from an educated society."

 

To which I was going to respond, "How did the guy in the steel mill benefit from some kid spending 150,000 to be an unemployed art graduate? I know some pompous art professor got to earn enough money to keep himself in Birkenstocks and tweed sport coats... But I dont know what the guy in the Mill got from that."

 

 

BTW- You "haven't been to one demonstration this year". I haven't been to one demonstration this lifetime. And I represent the VAST majority of people in this country.

BTW- You "haven't been to one demonstration this year". I haven't been to one demonstration this lifetime. And I represent the VAST majority of people in this country.

 

I was really expecting somebody to respond to my last post "Yeah, but we ALL benefit from an educated society."

 

 

BTW- You "haven't been to one demonstration this year". I haven't been to one demonstration this lifetime. And I represent the VAST majority of people in this country.

 

We do benefit greatly from an educated society. Crime goes down (domestic and civil), involvement in politics (knowing what is actually happening) goes up... Education advances us further. I stopped going to college for the degree a year ago - I know the jobs I want may not require one, but it helps. That, and I was taught the value of an education long ago - and it's a personal goal to finish. I'm paying for it, not you the taxpayer. Expanding my mind and changing the way I think has fundamentally made me a better person. I can only hope others could experience the same. Unfortunately, many go to college and only put forth 25% of their effort - getting that or LESS back in return. So we see a bunch of people who "graduated" but come out only marginally better off than they were four years ago (if they graduate in four years)!

 

And let me clarify: I've never been to a demonstration, either. I think they're a waste of time. Large amounts of people in one concentrated area never leads to good things. Whatever good they may have in mind (surely there are reasonable people out there protesting), is overshadowed by the vast amount of idiots who are screaming "down with capitalism."

We do benefit greatly from an educated society. Crime goes down (domestic and civil), involvement in politics (knowing what is actually happening) goes up... Education advances us further. I stopped going to college for the degree a year ago - I know the jobs I want may not require one, but it helps. That, and I was taught the value of an education long ago - and it's a personal goal to finish. I'm paying for it, not you the taxpayer. Expanding my mind and changing the way I think has fundamentally made me a better person. I can only hope others could experience the same. Unfortunately, many go to college and only put forth 25% of their effort - getting that or LESS back in return. So we see a bunch of people who "graduated" but come out only marginally better off than they were four years ago (if they graduate in four years)!

 

You paid for your education. GOOD! But... The protestors could say the same thing... .They "paid" for their education by taking out loans. Loans they now want ME to pay back. Sorry. I paid back my student loans. I paid my wife's student loans as well. And nobody helped us...

 

An education for the sake of education is fine, if youre paying for it.... However, the PRIMARY purpose for education is to learn marketable skills that you can then exchange for a paycheck. If somebody gets a degree in ART, or some other major which is more of a HOBBY than a career, DONT ASK ME TO PAY FOR IT.

 

I guess the problem I have with it all is the fact that if they get their way, I AM THE BIG IDIOT.

 

I PAID MY STUDENT LOANS BACK. (nobody is offering to refund THAT money).

I BOUGHT A HOUSE I CAN AFFORD (Nobody is proposing to help me pay MY mortgage).

I DON'T HAVE CREDIT CARD DEBT. (Nobody is proposing to give me a break for that).

I DON'T RUSH OUT AND BUY A LOT OF SHIT I CANT AFFORD BECAUSE IT FEELS GOOD.

I WORK MY ASS OFF. And I don't complain a goddamned bit, because I've what seen poverty REALLY looks like.... I've KNOWN tight times myself...

 

My parents taught me NOT to live beyond my means... NOT to steal... To pay my debts... NOT to envy the success of others.... They taught me to take a shower every day and to use a toilet.... To save for a rainy day... To live life with honor.... And they taught me, NOBODY OWES ME ANYTHING. If I dont have something I need (or more likely WANT), its MY FAULT if I cant afford it- NOBODY ELSE'S.

 

 

So I guess that just makes me a dumbass- I should have just been leaching off the tit of the world all these years, and then demanded that somebody else pick up the tab.

 

And before I get some bullshit about being "lucky", Im the one that who couldnt fcuking read or write. Everything I have, I WORKED MY ASS OFF FOR. I STRUGGLED, AND FOUGHT, AND EVERY TIME SOMEBODY TOLD ME I COULDN'T DO SOMETHING, I DID IT JUST TO SPITE THEM!

 

Thats how Ive lived my life... Thats how Ill live what remains of it.. And its what I'll teach my son.

You paid for your education. GOOD! But... The protestors could say the same thing... .They "paid" for their education by taking out loans. Loans they now want ME to pay back. Sorry. I paid back my student loans. I paid my wife's student loans as well. And nobody helped us...

 

An education for the sake of education is fine, if youre paying for it.... However, the PRIMARY purpose for education is to learn marketable skills that you can then exchange for a paycheck. If somebody gets a degree in ART, or some other major which is more of a HOBBY than a career, DONT ASK ME TO PAY FOR IT.

 

I guess the problem I have with it all is the fact that if they get their way, I AM THE BIG IDIOT.

 

I PAID MY STUDENT LOANS BACK. (nobody is offering to refund THAT money).

I BOUGHT A HOUSE I CAN AFFORD (Nobody is proposing to help me pay MY mortgage).

I DON'T HAVE CREDIT CARD DEBT. (Nobody is proposing to give me a break for that).

I DON'T RUSH OUT AND BUY A LOT OF SHIT I CANT AFFORD BECAUSE IT FEELS GOOD.

I WORK MY ASS OFF. And I don't complain a goddamned bit, because I've what seen poverty REALLY looks like.... I've KNOWN tight times myself...

 

My parents taught me NOT to live beyond my means... NOT to steal... To pay my debts... NOT to envy the success of others.... They taught me to take a shower every day and to use a toilet.... To save for a rainy day... To live life with honor.... And they taught me, NOBODY OWES ME ANYTHING. If I dont have something I need (or more likely WANT), its MY FAULT if I cant afford it- NOBODY ELSE'S.

 

 

So I guess that just makes me a dumbass- I should have just been leaching off the tit of the world all these years, and then demanded that somebody else pick up the tab.

 

And before I get some bullshit about being "lucky", Im the one that who couldnt fcuking read or write. Everything I have, I WORKED MY ASS OFF FOR. I STRUGGLED, AND FOUGHT, AND EVERY TIME SOMEBODY TOLD ME I COULDN'T DO SOMETHING, I DID IT JUST TO SPITE THEM!

 

Thats how Ive lived my life... Thats how Ill live what remains of it.. And its what I'll teach my son.

 

I feel very similar.

 

I have seen some of my old classmates bitching and moaning and "joining in" about this whole occupy thing. They complain about debt, they complain they can't afford anything. I can think of a few pristine examples:

 

- One I went to school with went to school for art. He then changed his mind and decided to go back for theatrical type stuff. He didn't like that so he went back AGAIN only to find out his true calling was setting up the "behind the scenes" stuff for movies. All in all he is how ... god only knows how far in debt. He complains that college is expensive and how "the man" is horrible and all they want is money. He has credit cards, debt of mass proportions.

 

- Another is my own sister. her and her husband went to school... changed their majors SEVERAL times with no real goals in mind. They finally in recent years "figured it out" - got their degree and now found out they hate the job and hate what they do, and changed occupations and can't find good paying jobs... But now... They both have enough debt in their college loans together that they could EASILY have put that money towards a mortgage and have a house. They both then financed cars. They both ran up credit cards. Her attitude towards debt is basically "you only live once!" but then when this whole thing happened it was "Life isn't fair! I can't afford things! Yeah! Let's protest!" We put ourselves in debt, we bought things we didn't need, life owes us and you know what? I hate this! Rawwrrrrr!

 

I've chosen a far more simple path. I paid my ONE card I had off when I was young, before I was even divorced. I paid off my loans as well before then. I set goals for myself. I talked to my sister about this when she made a huge stink about it... her words? "Not everyone can be like you. You have money and nice things. You got lucky, so whatever." WHAAAAAT?

 

My goals...

 

- Be debt free before I buy a house

- No more credit cards, or if I have one, keep the balance at ZERO. If I want something it will be paid with MY MONEY. I will not pay someone for something I can't have if the money is not here NOW.

- If I go to school, attempt to pay for the tuition up front to minimize what I must pay back and any debts must be paid off asap

- If I go to school I will go ONLY if I have a GOAL IN MIND. NOT JUST TO GO, this way it will BENEFIT my CAREER GOAL in mind.

- I will always find a way to invest money, save money and be safe with my money. The man who cannot respect a penny does not deserve a dollar.

 

I found a good job that pays well, I paid off my debts, I paid off my card and finally bought a house. I live within my means, I have cash flow to put in savings, money to back me up and keep enough in there that I can live off of that money for a VERY long time. I have retirement accounts and watch my ass on my investments, I try to wisely invest my money... I do my own maintenance on my cars which saves a huge amount of money, but not only that, it's a PASSION of mine so I enjoy it at the same time.

 

All the while I look back at the people I know who say all this stuff is "unfair" when people think they should just have their debts abolished and I go.... "So we made different life choices and you are just now finding out life is unfair... how is this MY problem? I made different choices, I even 'told you so' and now that you find out it doesn't work like you wanted... it needs to change?"

 

There was a time I was in debt up to my EYEBALLS. I had just moved out, I was 18, decided that I deserved a nice car, nice things and so I put it all on loans and cards... At the end of the month I can recall a time when I had $20 to my name and it was the most nerve crunching thing I could imagine. I was so stressed. One day I woke up and realized I was product of my own choices, I MADE these decisions. I PUT MYSELF in the position. I DID NOT do anything that people FORCED me to do, I simply went with the flow. Everyone else was doing it... Why can't I? OH SHIT you mean... this is how people get away with this? THIS is how it feels? Nope fcuk THIS! I'm not going to live this way - that's when I set my goals to become debt free and find a career and learn to invest my money and change things around... years later I've completed my goals, I always set new ones, I change things and you know what? LIFE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

 

I'm no richie rich. But I know how to manage my money, I understand how to invest my time and money and I learn from my mistakes. It's been progressively better every single year for me. I look back at much of the advice people here have given me, lessons I've learned from my own experiences..

 

You don't have to make millions or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to enjoy things in life, you just need to not be selfish, make wise decisions and realize that you need to EARN those things, they are not simply HANDED to you and that living within your means is not a bad thing. If anything it will make you all the more wise.

 

Which makes me wonder... why are there several of my classmates that seem to think otherwise? It's strange to see my peers act in such a way, I don't recall them being so selfish.

I feel very similar.

 

I have seen some of my old classmates bitching and moaning and "joining in" about this whole occupy thing. They complain about debt, they complain they can't afford anything. I can think of a few pristine examples:

 

- One I went to school with went to school for art. He then changed his mind and decided to go back for theatrical type stuff. He didn't like that so he went back AGAIN only to find out his true calling was setting up the "behind the scenes" stuff for movies. All in all he is how ... god only knows how far in debt. He complains that college is expensive and how "the man" is horrible and all they want is money. He has credit cards, debt of mass proportions.

 

- Another is my own sister. her and her husband went to school... changed their majors SEVERAL times with no real goals in mind. They finally in recent years "figured it out" - got their degree and now found out they hate the job and hate what they do, and changed occupations and can't find good paying jobs... But now... They both have enough debt in their college loans together that they could EASILY have put that money towards a mortgage and have a house. They both then financed cars. They both ran up credit cards. Her attitude towards debt is basically "you only live once!" but then when this whole thing happened it was "Life isn't fair! I can't afford things! Yeah! Let's protest!" We put ourselves in debt, we bought things we didn't need, life owes us and you know what? I hate this! Rawwrrrrr!

 

I've chosen a far more simple path. I paid my ONE card I had off when I was young, before I was even divorced. I paid off my loans as well before then. I set goals for myself. I talked to my sister about this when she made a huge stink about it... her words? "Not everyone can be like you. You have money and nice things. You got lucky, so whatever." WHAAAAAT?

 

My goals...

 

- Be debt free before I buy a house

- No more credit cards, or if I have one, keep the balance at ZERO. If I want something it will be paid with MY MONEY. I will not pay someone for something I can't have if the money is not here NOW.

- If I go to school, attempt to pay for the tuition up front to minimize what I must pay back and any debts must be paid off asap

- If I go to school I will go ONLY if I have a GOAL IN MIND. NOT JUST TO GO, this way it will BENEFIT my CAREER GOAL in mind.

- I will always find a way to invest money, save money and be safe with my money. The man who cannot respect a penny does not deserve a dollar.

 

I found a good job that pays well, I paid off my debts, I paid off my card and finally bought a house. I live within my means, I have cash flow to put in savings, money to back me up and keep enough in there that I can live off of that money for a VERY long time. I have retirement accounts and watch my ass on my investments, I try to wisely invest my money... I do my own maintenance on my cars which saves a huge amount of money, but not only that, it's a PASSION of mine so I enjoy it at the same time.

 

All the while I look back at the people I know who say all this stuff is "unfair" when people think they should just have their debts abolished and I go.... "So we made different life choices and you are just now finding out life is unfair... how is this MY problem? I made different choices, I even 'told you so' and now that you find out it doesn't work like you wanted... it needs to change?"

 

There was a time I was in debt up to my EYEBALLS. I had just moved out, I was 18, decided that I deserved a nice car, nice things and so I put it all on loans and cards... At the end of the month I can recall a time when I had $20 to my name and it was the most nerve crunching thing I could imagine. I was so stressed. One day I woke up and realized I was product of my own choices, I MADE these decisions. I PUT MYSELF in the position. I DID NOT do anything that people FORCED me to do, I simply went with the flow. Everyone else was doing it... Why can't I? OH SHIT you mean... this is how people get away with this? THIS is how it feels? Nope fcuk THIS! I'm not going to live this way - that's when I set my goals to become debt free and find a career and learn to invest my money and change things around... years later I've completed my goals, I always set new ones, I change things and you know what? LIFE IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT!

 

I'm no richie rich. But I know how to manage my money, I understand how to invest my time and money and I learn from my mistakes. It's been progressively better every single year for me. I look back at much of the advice people here have given me, lessons I've learned from my own experiences..

 

You don't have to make millions or hundreds of thousands of dollars a year to enjoy things in life, you just need to not be selfish, make wise decisions and realize that you need to EARN those things, they are not simply HANDED to you and that living within your means is not a bad thing. If anything it will make you all the more wise.

 

Which makes me wonder... why are there several of my classmates that seem to think otherwise? It's strange to see my peers act in such a way, I don't recall them being so selfish.

 

I think you bring up a good point... There are so many kids- I would go so far as saying MOST... They are graduating from High School at 17 or 18, and then go to college... Because... Well... Thats what you do after you graduate High School. They have NO IDEA what they want to do. Why should they?

 

Then, they get through college after five or six years. They still have NO IDEA what they want to do, so they go to grad school. They still have no real experience in the outside world.

 

As I get older, I see how stupid the general population really is. It amazes me more and more every day.

 

I am just now learning for myself everything Erik is posting. Not because my parents taught me it unfortunately, but because I have learned it and lived it myself.

 

Live far under your means early, so you can live like nobody else later in life.

 

What does that mean for me?

 

-No credit card debt

-No student loans

-No car loans

-No Satellite TV

-No $20,000 vacations

-No new furniture every 3 years

 

Have NO revolving debt fixed or variable until you pay off your house. I will be putting ALL disposable income towards that goal shortly, and guess what. My 30 year loan that I am 1 year into will be paid in 3-4 years. I will have 0 debt other than taxes. Could I go buy a Lamborghini now. Sure, but that would make me just like everyone else. Working to live. Living beyond my means.

 

Think about the paradigm change in life 99% of Americans would have if they think this way. Non reliant on Social Security for retirement. Have no debt. Buys what they can afford to pay cash for. Lease only as a business writeoff.

 

 

Imagine if these hippies would put down the b0ng and come to this realization. How much better would the US be?

 

As I get older, I see how stupid the general population really is. It amazes me more and more every day.

 

I am just now learning for myself everything Erik is posting. Not because my parents taught me it unfortunately, but because I have learned it and lived it myself.

 

Live far under your means early, so you can live like nobody else later in life.

 

What does that mean for me?

 

-No credit card debt

-No student loans

-No car loans

-No Satellite TV

-No $20,000 vacations

-No new furniture every 3 years

 

Have NO revolving debt fixed or variable until you pay off your house. I will be putting ALL disposable income towards that goal shortly, and guess what. My 30 year loan that I am 1 year into will be paid in 3-4 years. I will have 0 debt other than taxes. Could I go buy a Lamborghini now. Sure, but that would make me just like everyone else. Working to live. Living beyond my means.

 

Think about the paradigm change in life 99% of Americans would have if they think this way. Non reliant on Social Security for retirement. Have no debt. Buys what they can afford to pay cash for. Lease only as a business writeoff.

 

 

Imagine if these hippies would put down the b0ng and come to this realization. How much better would the US be?

 

 

Ill reiterate on e of the big ones... One of the great lessons of life I learned... And if youre a lambopower member, this advice alone pays for the price of admission...

 

DONT HAVE CREDIT CARD DEBT.

 

There isnt an investment out there that pays a GUARANTEED 17% return. If I could find one, I would be ALL OVER IT...

 

KEEPING A ZERO BALANCE ON CREDIT CARDS IS LIKE HAVING A 17% return on whatever amount you might have put on them. Guaranteed. Thats 17% of your money you get to keep by NOT USING THEM.

That is one rule my parents gave me, and I didn't follow out of college. I have told this story several times here, but there was a point that my wife and I were almost up to $35000 in credit card debt several years ago. I have 0 credit card debt now, and had to work my ass off to learn that lesson. It's not fun spending $1000+ dollars a month to get yourself out of a hole you dug yourself into. Shit that's a mortgage on a small house in some states.

 

Listen to Erik and I when we tell you DON'T DO IT. Put that $1000 a month into a mutual fund or stocks instead. I would be a lot better off if I listened to my parents on that one.

 

Now I make more than my parents, and I give them financial advice for their screw ups.