mrmarklin Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Oh yes we are. I lived for 2 years without running water, brown outs, spiders, cockroach city, boil all your water, etc., etc... And you know what? It was fine! I didn't actually need running water. Imagine that!You don't but your wife does! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Folk Prophet Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 You don't but your wife does!I'm going with the best debate technique I know on this one.Wrong. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mrmarklin Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 Mr Seamaster You have left off some fairly vital expenses. Not sure if you included FICA tax in your calculations. Paying for your education so you can improve this!!! You forgot some sort of health insurance. Most minimum wage jobs don't get any. I assume the 1200 you allocated was car and other insurance. And of course, you are correct in saying that your probably beater car will incur some sort of repair bill during the year sending you into credit card hell. Here in PRK I challenge you to even rent a room for $500 per month. That's not realistic. Yes here in the US we are spoiled, but that's the way we roll. Here in PRK a family of two is considered to be in poverty at a $29,420 annual income. That's slightly less that 200% of federal guidelines for the nation. So clearly some of you are deluded by the cost of living where ever you are. I realize in third world countries people live on much less, but the quality of food, housing, clothing, etc etc cannot be compared with the US lifestyle. Yeah maybe some of you don't want to lay a foundation for life when you're young, but why not> I'm a CPA and deal with successful people all the time and here's what they generally have in common: IN ORDER: 1 Education or good trade2 Own a home. In Silicon Valley this is not nothing.3 Married-never divorced4 Didn't have children until they could "afford" them. Let them be the judge of affordability. But here near Silicon Valley a decent private high school is upwards of $20K per year. Public schools are very problematic in many cases.5 Wife stays at home takes care of children6 Have enough resources to save for retirement-no one can live off social security alone. And the program was not intended for that anyway. Of course not every one conforms to this ideal. But here in PRK I would challenge you to show me a Stake President or similar church leader who hasn't done all or most of the above. Even in other parts of the country. Why? Because only these people have the time to devote to the Lord in this extreme. Most everyone else is too busy trying to earn a living to do tthese sorts of callings. I'm sure you will all know someone who didn't conform to this but in general it's very true. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Folk Prophet Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 There's no question that 20k a year is poor. But it can be done. And, keep in mind 3 things. 1. it's only a starting point (worse case) and 2. More likely it would be at least double that with husband and wife working...at least for a bit. No question it is less than ideal. We're really talking worse or the worse, bottom barrel qualification for marriage theories. But it is doable. Edit: And the third thing is..... ....shut up..... so there were only 2 things. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 31, 2014 Report Share Posted July 31, 2014 I realize in third world countries people live on much less, but the quality of food, housing, clothing, etc etc cannot be compared with the US lifestyle. This is not true. Quality of food in the Philippines is better than the US because... tat-tada... they come straight from farms and are not processed canned/frozen/boxed/preserved. Quality of housing is also better in relative social class. Labor is cheap. Houses are not cookie-cutter particle board done in 3 months type constructions. They are solid cement blocks. They build them floor by floor... not long wood poles stuck in foundation for a 2-story. You can hold a Zumba class in the 2nd floor and not feel it on the first floor. Check this out - so we gifted my brother with a router. You put the thing in the office and you go to the bedroom - no wifi signal - walls are too thick. So, I told my brother we're just going to have to wire it. My brother said - that won't work because he doesn't want to have wire running along the wall. I said, so run it inside the wall... and my brother looked at me funny... uhm... cement walls, hello... Quality of clothing. Hah hah... Most American clothing you buy off the American stores - including name brand ones - are... tat-tada... made in 3rd-World Asia... by the same people who make the clothes for Asians. What makes 3rd World countries suck is not the quality of food/housing/clothing. It's the corrupt governments that make a mockery of democracy... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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