Is it just me or do the majority of us struggle for money and live pay check to paycheck?

Question

I guess Christmas really has me down this year. I was just wondering if everyone out there struggles to make ends meet. We live pay paycheck to paycheck and wonder if there is anything better out there.Does anyone else out there struggle just to make ends meet. We dont even have any savings and I dont know how it is possible to save anything the way the world is these days.

Answer 1

No, it isn't just you. We live the same way, paycheck to paycheck, no savings, no health insurance even.
But we're Ok, and I have to remind myself that over half the world's population lives on way less than we do, some live without electricity or even enough to eat. So by their standards, we are quite rich and I am grateful for a home, and food, even if I can't buy things I would like to.

Answer 2

I would set up a budge and set up and emergency account. Also, avoid credit cards at ALL costs! No matter how much people tell you that it's okay to have one, it really isn't. It is very hard to keep that credit card in check. Also, if you haven't already, I would try to stay out of owning a home with the market how it is. Also, again, if you haven't already, hold off on having children until you have stable jobs and home. Budget and common sense is the main thing to do. Try to limit on extra spending (like going out for food or fun) until maybe the end of the week or month. Save up for that time out but get what you need to have done, done. If you have money left over, then you can go out. You could also talk to some free advisers about budget planning.

Answer 3

This is a tough one. I am not sure what the percentages are but i do think many live pay check to pay check.
I suggest you spend some time evaluating your expenses first. Go back 4 months and note down how much money you spent on certain things, for each month, best would be to use an excel spreadsheet. for eg. Car payments, Rent, eating out, insurance, phone bills, cellphone bills etc... as granular as you can get. Then start addressing each one of them top down (sort by amount). you will be surprised to learn how much of those expenses are un-necessary.
There are a few things where you can actually save money by looking for better deals, like car insurance, better phone plans, cut down gas usage by car pooling etc...
hope this helps and you have an excellent Christmas.

Answer 4

Yes, lots of people struggle daily to pay their bills and just keep up. While some seem to have lots of possessions and complain about money all the time, many are not in that situation at all.

Consider this: one of the political parties in this nation believes that the wealthy and property owners should pay a lower tax rate than the wage earners. They feel that the working slobs should be lucky to have their low-wage job. They feel workers should stop complaining and get back to work or just start their own small business.

A typical worker is in the 32.5% tax bracket. They pay a marginal rate of 25% in federal taxes and another 7.5% in Social Security and Medicare taxes. Meanwhile, the super rich pay a marginal rate of 15% -- the capital gains tax rate.

Flat taxes proposed by that certain party would be even worse. Dick Armey proposed a flat tax that you could pay using a post card. If you do a google search, you'll find that the only things he considered taxable were wages, tips , and pensions (things you get from working hard). All other forms of wealth increase -- stocks, investment returns, capital gains -- were not considered income and escaped income tax.


Moral of the story: keep voting for that certain political party and you are sure to benefit from their tax policies.


They have us complaining over what percent to set the flat tax -- let's say 17% -- and that sounds a lot better than the 25% marginal rate you pay today. While we spend all our energy debating the tax rate percentage, they quietly change the definition of income subject to the tax. Any significant change to the tax structure of this country won't change the amount collected. It will simply shift the burden fruther away from corporations and the wealthy onto the middle and working class.

Before you supply sider folks start arguing that the wealthy create jobs and prosperity, consider what would happen if there were no laborers in your factories to perform the actual work. Ideas are great but don['t get you anywhere without some poor slob to execute them.

For further insights, go to google video or You Tube and search for "Money as Debt."

Answer 5

I would agree with you if it was still last year. I felt the same way then. Now, I've gotten rid of everything I can't fit in my 2002 Honda Civic and become a drifter. I have little money but virtually no expenses ($520/mo fixed - car payment, car insurance, cell phone and health insurance).

I do odd jobs and contract work so that I can travel, eat and drink. I have nice clothes and shower in gyms and budget hotel rooms. It's a great life really and I realized I have about as much money as I did when I had to commute to work and buy clothes for work and dry cleaning and cable and internet and gas and high rent (1200/mo for a one bedroom) and on and on and on...you know all of that **** people think that they need so that they can "live".

Now I have no debt and nowhere to be! Good luck with your situation and remember that often times you don't need to make more money if you can learn to not need more things.

Answer 6

I am in the same boat. I am a single mom and I work full time. We get by alright, but don't have a lot of the extras most families have, including cable tv. If I took on a second job I would never see my daughter, as I am already gone from home 11 hours per day (with travel) five days a week.

Answer 7

We were in that same situation. However I was not working at the time. So I decided to start my own Financial Services Business and now we make enough to get by each month. The secret is that we sat down with a Financial advisor and they did a free financial plan for us that showed us what we need for retirement, life insurance (which I had none) and how soon we can get out of debt. We are now going to be debt free in 19 years including our home and are saving for retirement. Seek out a Primerica Financial Services Business in your local area if your in canada, the u.s or spain. This is what we now do for a living and boy it has changed our lives and way of thinking of how we spend our money. It's Free to sit down and talk with them so give it shot.

Answer 8

I don't know if you have kids. If you have, it's definitely hard to survive even in a dual-income family with the couple working for a livelihood. In addition to rising costs of goods, the standard of living is increasing way faster than the increase of our monthly salary. We may just get 1 or at most 2 increments a year with just a maximum of a couple of hundreds but prices of everything from necessities to luxury items just boom and send us fighting for survival. I think you're not alone. Many people are, even if they're living in the states.

Answer 9

Life is a every day struggle for us to just stay
even.Now that gas is over $ 3.25 a gal.food goes
up along with everything else,in clouding day care.
Your wages stay the same,or they lay you off
because they say they can't afford to pay you.
I do have savings,i put my pennies in a coffee
can.I probly have $ 3.00 in it.

Hang in there kid,things might get worse.

Answer 10

Your not alone my family lives this way don't get me wrong we have things but I mean material versus savings is a big difference.
I would love to be able to save but between having to travel to get to work (gas prices) and how high all the bills are getting hiked.
Seems this is the new way of life that is why the United States has such a high suicide rate!
Because instead of the U.S. trying to make life easier for us to live they keep stealing our money for things we don't even ask for!