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Links Day

June 23rd, 2006 at 05:32 pm

Text is Middle Class on the Precipice and Link is http://www.harvard-magazine.com/on-line/010682.html
Middle Class on the Precipice by Elizabeth Warren

Text is Bankrupt: Maxed Out in America and Link is http://americanradioworks.publicradio.org/features/bankruptcy
Bankrupt: Maxed Out in America - American RadioWorks Production

I'm going to focus on what I'm doing right. Right is rereading Your Money or Your Life. Right is keeping track of where my money goes. Right is maintaining my inexpensive, fuel-efficient ride. Right is making a plan. Right is seeking out likeminded people. Right is decluttering. Right is increasing the net worth and equity in the home.

Some Washington Firefighters' Association dude tried to convince me to give money. "Gee, I give my special needs child and living expenses higher priority. This month has been brutal for expenses and I have a limit as to how much money I can give to causes each month. That's just the cruel and abusive mother I am. See ya."

Posted in | 3 Comments »

3 Responses to “Links Day”

  1. Dido Says:
    June 23rd, 2006 at 08:58 pm 1151096324
    1151096324

    Thank you so much for the Elizabeth Warren article link! That's basically a summary of the argument she makes in her book The Two-Income Trap, but much more succinct.

    One point that she makes in the book that doesn't come out here is that much of the increased cost of "the basics," in particular housing expense, has come with suburbanization and families moving to try to get their kids into better school systems. So the cost of an "average house" has gone up...but as we've moved into the suburbs, so has the amount of space and amenities that the new average house requires. So while she dismisses the "affluenza" arguments here, I still think that some case can be made that those contribute as well...it's just that the affluenza is in housing as opposed to consumer electronics etc.

  2. PauletteGoddard Says:
    June 23rd, 2006 at 09:18 pm 1151097518
    1151097518

    That's really interesting... I've been reading James Howard Kunstler who prophesizes that the end of the suburbs is near as the world runs out of fossil fuel. Education standards will deteriorate back to an eighth grade level.

    I'd like to stay put in my progressive area and compensate for the school district and my child's leraning weaknesses through evening homeschooling. Not sure if that'd be any easier on the finances other than the gas budget!

  3. princessperky Says:
    June 24th, 2006 at 05:10 pm 1151169048
    1151169048

    personally I would love a return to '8th grade education' since in many ways that is all (if not more) than a kid graduates with, it would in general save us tons of tax money to leave it as the goal....and those who want more can go get it (just like they do now) Those that don't can get on with their lives.

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