Wal-Mart workers plan Black Friday walkout

[Kristy]

That's exactly what it is.

[tbone888]

I couldnt care less what figures people in this thread are pulling out of their ass.....You can live off of simple retail wages, and quite well. Ive seen it first hand.

Both my parents had nothing more than a HS education (one didnt finish HS). My mother worked for retail giant and dad worked as a tech. Neither were ever in supervisor positions and both made what many here are calling "wages impossible to live on".

They put 2 kids through 4 years of college, bought real estate and ended up with 7 figures of wealth (a couple times over) by the time of retirement.

How you say? They ALWAYS lived below their means. After paying off their 1st car, they never had a car payment again. They bought groceries on sale and prepared meals at home from scratch. They cut their own hair (no $200 salon trips here).

When the household shrunk to 3 (my sister went off to college), we lived off my mother's income and invested my father's income. Thats right...THREE people living off wages from a retail giant!!

[jhale667]

You're honestly going to compare the economic situation your parents flourished under to today's? Get real.

[tbone888]

They saved/invested all their money post 50 years of age...in other words, a little over 10-15 years ago It can be done today just easily as then...i know. It all comes down to whether you want do do it.

[FORD]

They saved/invested all their money post 50 years of age...in other words, a little over 10-15 years ago It can be done today just easily as then...i know. It all comes down to whether you want do do it.

It's not nearly as easy now, because wages have not kept up with rising costs. Hell, in the early 70s, you could buy a decent house for less than $20,000 and own 2 cars (neither of which were new) and do it all with only one person working. My mom never had a full time job after I was born. So yeah, it was possible back then. Not so much after 32 years of supply side fictional bullshit dragging down wages and driving up costs of everything.

[jhale667]

They saved/invested all their money post 50 years of age...in other words, a little over 10-15 years ago It can be done today just easily as then...i know. It all comes down to whether you want do do it.

Since FORD already debunked that bullshit...

It's not nearly as easy now, because wages have not kept up with rising costs. Hell, in the early 70s, you could buy a decent house for less than $20,000 and own 2 cars (neither of which were new) and do it all with only one person working. My mom never had a full time job after I was born. So yeah, it was possible back then. Not so much after 32 years of supply side fictional bullshit dragging down wages and driving up costs of everything.

I'm just reiterating - you're full of it.

[tbone888]

Excuses...

[ELVIS]

No dude, they need three big screen tv's, four smart phone accounts, A PC and two laptops, an internet and satellite account, two suv's, a small car and a boat...

[Dr. Love]

It's not nearly as easy now, because wages have not kept up with rising costs. Hell, in the early 70s, you could buy a decent house for less than $20,000 and own 2 cars (neither of which were new) and do it all with only one person working. My mom never had a full time job after I was born. So yeah, it was possible back then. Not so much after 32 years of supply side fictional bullshit dragging down wages and driving up costs of everything.

Ford, 20k from the 70s is about 120k in today's money.

The problem is consumer debt and discipline. People now are completely irresponsible with money and credit.

[ZahZoo]

You're honestly going to compare the economic situation your parents flourished under to today's? Get real.

Ya know I got to thinking after posting how I got by in my younger days on low wages... Some things convert fairly closely when you adjust for inflation and the value of a dollar back then to today. Energy/fuel and food costs are about the same. Housing is slightly higher as are transportation costs.

But the thing that jumps out today that I didn't have back then... internet connectivity, cable TV, and cell phone costs. I've eliminated mine now... but a lot of people today are floating a lot of debt on credit cards, cars, boats, etc. If you have young kids... daycare costs are killer. I think those costs right there tip the scale from getting by on a lower wage ($8-12 per hour) today. If you could live without all that... you could survive... doubtful you'd ever get ahead though.

[FORD]

Ford, 20k from the 70s is about 120k in today's money.

Yes and no....

Obviously the price of a house has inflated that much, or probably worse. I don't remember exactly what my parents sold the house for when they moved about 10 years ago, but it was probably more than that.

The problem is that wages have not kept up to scale. Which is why you don't have single "breadwinners" in a family. And yeah, some people go overboard on credit, and others get caught in debt for other reasons (student loans, medical expenses, whatever) so that all factors in to the national picture. But there are millions of Americans out there who did everything responsibly to the best of their ability, and still got fucked by this Reverse-Robin Hood bullshit of the last 32 years.

[tbone888]

Housing in many places are lower than 10 years ago.

I was talking to a friend's 20 something kid the other day..bitching he couldnt get by today, all the while checking his Apple I-whatthefuckever.

Told him i knew his dad and if he was really serious....ask to move in with his parents for a few years with the understanding that he would basically save every penny he made. Ditch the cell phone, stop eating out, pack a lunch etc and get down to business. He could easily save 60k in a few years. Put it down on a duplex and live in one side. Done right, one can basically live rent free. Thats just a start. Carry the good saving habits forward.

[jhale667]

Didn't realize Mitt Wrongney was posting here..."move back in with your parents!"



And ENOUGH with the "get rid of your cell, internet, cable"... it's 2012 FFS. Like you're going to get a BETTER job than the one you have without an internet connection...

[tbone888]

Exactly the attitude i was expecting. Again...excuses.

[ELVIS]

Tacoboy lives in a fantasy...