Comments on: Middle Class Feeling The Financial Squeeze

Study: More Middle-Class Americans Say They Aren't Better Off Than They Were 5 Years Ago

[bikermomx2]

I''m married with 2 kids and we both work. We manage our money, money doesn''t manage us. We are smart about all of our purchases. We are by no means ''wealthy'' but know what it means to live within our means. We have had several ''emergencies'' over the years both job loss (huband out of job for 2 years after 9/11) and medical (both children are special needs with varying medical needs). But because we manage our money we are fine. We live in a nice house with a 4.75% fixed mortgage for 15 years all 3 of our cars are paid for and we have no credit card debt. If we can do it, then so can anyone else! It''s about priorities and being smart with your money. My husband profession has pretty much been outsourced to India and his wages has dropped around 35% but we''ve still been just fine! And we are happy!!

[concorde5]

Navpro.......Correct. Illegal immigrants are taking some middle class jobs but that pales in comparison to the number of middle class jobs that are being outsourced.

Our politicians have sold us out to the highest bidder.

[simpsonman19]

I know that''s all true and emergencies do happen, that''s why I''m trying my best to stay out of debt and save as much as I can so I will have some sort of cushion later on in life. And if stuff happens and I wind up in debt, at least it won''t be adding to what I already have. So I think the younger people out there like me need to be more disiplined with their finances so they won''t get into trouble or at least to minimize the effect of financial hardship.

[Gary Kempf]

by simpsonman19

What your saying is true of a lot of people, Do have kids? are you married? These two equations added to the picture add to the fact of medical emergency''s. home ownership, appliance breakdowns. This doesn''t excuse poor planning. Sometimes these expenses can''t be absorbed by savings. Until the Sh*t Happens Cycle hits you as a father, husband. I am not talking of buying things just to have them... You haven''t experienced the full facts of understanding yet.

[simpsonman19]

That and her monthely expenses can''t be that much higher than mine so we''ll be saving even more. That and spliting the rent in a bigger place would also be less than what I''m paying now 1,015. So we could get a place for about 2,000 a month and would still be paying less than I am now.

[simpsonman19]

Why would it matter if I''m married? If my wife makes the same as me that''ll double our income.

[lovegetpeace]

Hey simpsonman19,
After you get marriaged, please post your balance sheet.

[lovegetpeace]

Folks,
It amazing how Americans scream about Undocumented Aliens taking jobs such as house cleaning, landscaping, farming, construction, janitorial and many others that American do not want. However, Americans are quiet when high-pay, high-tech and professional jobs that American do want and need are outsourced and insourced.

Last year, I lost my job of 12 years with the same corporation because it was outsourced to India. I found another lower paying job just to pay the bills.

Consequently, my children do not want to study for college/university since these professional jobs are disappearing. God bless Idiot America.

[hungry1968]

Middle Class Feeling The Financial Squeeze, Study: More Middle-Class Americans Say They Aren''t Better Off Than They Were 5 Years Ago




This is breaking news? Anytime we have a republican president, the middle class gets boned.

Where in the hell have they been?

[simpsonman19]

I know that there are some people out there who can''t help feel the squeeze, whether by job loss or sky rocketing interest rate from they''re mortage which they were ill-informed of. But there are still others who just buy buy buy and then start complaining when they can''t pay the rest of their bills cause the credit cards are *gasp* asking for that money?! I''m 23 and make about 33k a year and live in a nice apartment in a nice neighborhood in the city and I get by fine. The only debt I have is student loans. No credit card debt I''m happy to say. Never been in it, never will. I, unlike most people, don''t buy into the materialism hype. I just buy what I need and splurge every now and then. Staying debt free isn''t hard people, so stop your whinning, you got into this yourself!

[trillion1]

Get rid of entrenched incumbents.

[Gary Kempf]

Our problem is not illegal immigration. Immigrants are cleaning houses and doing landscaping and farming. Those are not middle class jobs.

Our problem is outsourcing of HIGH PAYING jobs to China, Thailand, Indonesia, etc.



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Posted by concorde5 at 11:15 AM : Apr 10, 2008
+ report abuse

That is not true entirely, they have taken over construction jobs, which were most definitely skilled middle class jobs, they have moved into once unionizes janitorial jobs. breaking the union and forcing the pay back down to minimum wage. These are only two situations I know of off the top of my head. I am sure there are more.

[stn_sage]

...the 53 percent of adults in the country who define themselves as "middle class," with household incomes ranging from below $40,000 to more than $100,000.

Notice the 53% figure is based on a ''self-defined'' parameter. Since when is ''below $40,000'' middle-class?

Personally, in the current wage-price-cost structure, with family members, I don''t think you''re talking middle-class unless you''re earning at least $80,000 per year. I think official govt calculators also set the figure higher than 40.

And, if this is the case, the middle class is a quickly shrinking segment of the income distribution.
The result being, it''s getting smaller and smaller as prices keep going up and up! Not good!

[concorde5]

Our problem is not illegal immigration. Immigrants are cleaning houses and doing landscaping and farming. Those are not middle class jobs.

Our problem is outsourcing of HIGH PAYING jobs to China, Thailand, Indonesia, etc.

[dotindixie]

A return to the tax tables of the ''50s and ''60''s would be the best solution for the national debt.

"to whom much is given, much is expected''. Elvis Presley paid 90% taxes and lived well. We have people making millions and paying little taxes...remember Warren Buffet''s story about how he paid a lower tax rate than some of his employees?

Forgive me, but I think Hillary Clinton is the only Presidential contender who will try to fix this, and she ain''t gonna win because of America''s gross stupidity.

[drivelphobe]

The vanishing middle class better start screaming about the illegals in this country and put a stop to anchor babies, sanctuary cities, the hiring of illegals and the massive entitlements the arrogant political leaders so freely dole out. This has got to stop, but I guess until the wallet is hit, these middle class won''t get motivated to start speaking out to their congress people, council people, the Whitehouse and anyone in the chain. The illegals have to be deported and our borders to Mexico closed.
No more of this outrageous rape of the citizenry!

[concorde5]

American workers should not have to compete with people in third world countries making two dollars a day.

This new Columbian trade agreement that Bush wants to enact is representative of the problem. Columbia charges up to 35% tarrifs on American goods that are imported to that country.

We charge NO tarrifs on Columbian goods that are imported into the US.

Why don''t we charge tarrifs on goods imported into the US that will level the playing field. Then americans are competing fairly with the rest of the world.

Bush is so quick to threaten every country that is no threat to us, but the countries that represent a true threat, like China, he gives an nod and wink.

As long as americans are competing on a level playing field, we will do well. The deck is stacked against us and our politicians do absolutely NOTHING about it.

It''s time for a change.

Obama 08!!

[lochlan-2009]

"More Middle-Class Americans Say They Aren''t Better Off Than They Were 5 Years Ago"

NO sh*t. I guess it would help if we had some, even a little, representation in D.C..


Impeach Bush/Cheney, and I mean put them in prison.

[concorde5]

The problem is stagnant wages for the middle class and the poor. Wages haven''t kept up with inflation.

Who is to blame? Big corporations and politicans. They both have conspired to rob the american people so they can line their own pockets.

With the loss of manufacturing jobs, a College degree has become worth much less than it used to be. In the past, high paying factory jobs kept upward pressure on salaries for people with degrees. Now that there are no high paying factory jobs, people with college degrees have seen their wages stagnate and even reverse in many cases.

We should have sent all those factory jobs to Mexico and maybe we wouldn''t have the illegal immigration problem we now have. But corporate fat cats had to send the jobs to China to ensure that we will have a steady supply of cheap labor in the form of illegal immigrants.

It''s a shame we have been sold out by our politicians.

It''s time for a change.

Obama 08!!!!!

[tomar0317]

Securely loacked in the middle range of the "Middle Class" I have gone backwards. Our yearly review and merit increases don''t keep up with cost of living increases or my companies making me pay more for my share of benefits. For doing such a great job, my emplyers sure doesn''t show it.