Comments on: What’s your child’s standard of living like? http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/ Thu, 17 Dec 2009 12:51:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Stephanie @ PoorerThanYou http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/comment-page-1/#comment-15086 Stephanie @ PoorerThanYou Fri, 15 Jun 2007 16:39:20 +0000 http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/#comment-15086 College may further complicate the problem. My college offers free cable and high speed internet (actually, REALLY high speed, one of the fastest in the US) in every dorm room and all of the on-campus apartments. And everyone had iPods and cell phones - I felt a little cheap when I got my iPod shuffle because it wasn't one the flashier ones. And anyone without a cell phone is considered "that weird person that's difficult to get a hold of" and is often left out of social activities just because we have trouble tracking them down. In other words, kids can leave the nest, and then it only gets worse. And then after college we have to pay for all these things ourselves? Eek! College may further complicate the problem. My college offers free cable and high speed internet (actually, REALLY high speed, one of the fastest in the US) in every dorm room and all of the on-campus apartments. And everyone had iPods and cell phones – I felt a little cheap when I got my iPod shuffle because it wasn’t one the flashier ones. And anyone without a cell phone is considered “that weird person that’s difficult to get a hold of” and is often left out of social activities just because we have trouble tracking them down.

In other words, kids can leave the nest, and then it only gets worse. And then after college we have to pay for all these things ourselves? Eek!

]]> By: MoonBunny http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/comment-page-1/#comment-14897 MoonBunny Mon, 11 Jun 2007 11:48:32 +0000 http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/#comment-14897 When you mention many of these items, you have to keep in mind that not only are they common now, but many people need them for their jobs. Here is a breaddown of what my family had: -- Internet -- beginning with dial up, later to high speed. Through it, I got involved with online journalism and then, later on, actual journalism work, along with Web design and other layout design. -- satellite cable -- unnecessary, I say. -- cell phones for all family members, beginning when I was about 15 or 16. How necessary this is is arguable. Because so many people have cell phones, they took out pay phones, and some businesses refuse to let you use their phones. One of my friends was in an accident in the middle of no where, and because her cell phone worked, she was able to get help. (It was a rollover accident.) -- iPod. This is a one-time purchase, so I don't see the long-term issues money-wise. If anything, it saves money because you charge it through the cpu or wall rather than constantly purchasing new batteries. I didn't get one until last year, in my junior year of college. Anyway, the point is that now I live on my own, but because I'm a journalist, I have to have high-speed Internet constantly and also a cell phone (I don't use a home phone) so I am accessible anywhere. Cable I do without. Fancy clothes I do without, and I was raised buying thrift. I think kids who have more luxurious tastes (all designer clothing, frequent clothing shoppers, only highest brand food, etc.) are the ones who will see serious issues. When you mention many of these items, you have to keep in mind that not only are they common now, but many people need them for their jobs. Here is a breaddown of what my family had:
– Internet — beginning with dial up, later to high speed. Through it, I got involved with online journalism and then, later on, actual journalism work, along with Web design and other layout design.
– satellite cable — unnecessary, I say.
– cell phones for all family members, beginning when I was about 15 or 16. How necessary this is is arguable. Because so many people have cell phones, they took out pay phones, and some businesses refuse to let you use their phones. One of my friends was in an accident in the middle of no where, and because her cell phone worked, she was able to get help. (It was a rollover accident.)
– iPod. This is a one-time purchase, so I don’t see the long-term issues money-wise. If anything, it saves money because you charge it through the cpu or wall rather than constantly purchasing new batteries. I didn’t get one until last year, in my junior year of college.

Anyway, the point is that now I live on my own, but because I’m a journalist, I have to have high-speed Internet constantly and also a cell phone (I don’t use a home phone) so I am accessible anywhere. Cable I do without. Fancy clothes I do without, and I was raised buying thrift. I think kids who have more luxurious tastes (all designer clothing, frequent clothing shoppers, only highest brand food, etc.) are the ones who will see serious issues.

]]> By: Paula http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/comment-page-1/#comment-14770 Paula Fri, 08 Jun 2007 22:42:10 +0000 http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/#comment-14770 Hard choices! I just moved, and as I'm yet again turning on the cable, cell phones, etc., I'm stunned at how insidiously these computing and communication services have camped "on top of" the true necessities in an ordinary budget. I dumped the regular landline phone service and minimized the cable selection, at least, but I have no young children to tell me how uncool I am. I most definitely DO NOT envy young parents today. If you try to withhold these things from your children, the kids will quickly discover the 100 channels and picture phones their friends have. When did we cross over from thousands of years of human struggle against scarcity to today's problems of glut? Across the board, it really is all much now--too big, too pricey. Consider the huge SUVs, sprawling houses, and thousands of excess calories Americans now regard as "normal" commuting, housing, and eating. No wonder there's now such a thing as voluntary simplicity and a cottage industry helping people deal with "clutter". Hard choices!

I just moved, and as I’m yet again turning on the cable, cell phones, etc., I’m stunned at how insidiously these computing and communication services have camped “on top of” the true necessities in an ordinary budget. I dumped the regular landline phone service and minimized the cable selection, at least, but I have no young children to tell me how uncool I am.

I most definitely DO NOT envy young parents today. If you try to withhold these things from your children, the kids will quickly discover the 100 channels and picture phones their friends have.

When did we cross over from thousands of years of human struggle against scarcity to today’s problems of glut? Across the board, it really is all much now–too big, too pricey. Consider the huge SUVs, sprawling houses, and thousands of excess calories Americans now regard as “normal” commuting, housing, and eating.

No wonder there’s now such a thing as voluntary simplicity and a cottage industry helping people deal with “clutter”.

]]> By: Tread http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/comment-page-1/#comment-14757 Tread Fri, 08 Jun 2007 18:51:58 +0000 http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/#comment-14757 This is something that worries Darling and me quite a bit, and we don't even have kids yet! Actually, I think it might be reversed: we'll be raising our children with what will be considered a very low standard of living. I'm worried that our lack of cell phones, televisions (DVR?), and i-pods (what are i-tunes?) will have us raising technological Neanderthals. This is something that worries Darling and me quite a bit, and we don’t even have kids yet! Actually, I think it might be reversed: we’ll be raising our children with what will be considered a very low standard of living. I’m worried that our lack of cell phones, televisions (DVR?), and i-pods (what are i-tunes?) will have us raising technological Neanderthals.

]]> By: broknowrchlatr http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/comment-page-1/#comment-14749 broknowrchlatr Fri, 08 Jun 2007 15:59:05 +0000 http://www.bluntmoney.com/whats-your-childs-standard-of-living-like/#comment-14749 My kids' standard of living is probably too high. We have 100+ channels and they get to watch about 2 hours a day. We have DVR and my 3 year old daughter gets very frustrated when stuck watching commercials. We have medium-speed internet and she gets 15-30 mintues a day on educational sites. We always have fully stocked kitchen and go on 2 vacations a year. They have many more toys than they need (relatives fault, they are the youngest of the generation). We do go cheap on the cloths and don't eat out much. But, we have a house that is above a typical starter home and I am going to get my dream home on about 5 years. It will definately be considdered "High middle class". My kids’ standard of living is probably too high. We have 100+ channels and they get to watch about 2 hours a day. We have DVR and my 3 year old daughter gets very frustrated when stuck watching commercials. We have medium-speed internet and she gets 15-30 mintues a day on educational sites.

We always have fully stocked kitchen and go on 2 vacations a year. They have many more toys than they need (relatives fault, they are the youngest of the generation).

We do go cheap on the cloths and don’t eat out much. But, we have a house that is above a typical starter home and I am going to get my dream home on about 5 years. It will definately be considdered “High middle class”.

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