When I started out I lived with roommates and rented. Times were much less complicated back then and I drank a whole lot more. Even back then, i continued to drive my old pickup for a couple of years. That was financially better off then buying a new car. My first job out of college was $42K in 2004. I was able to make ends meet, party, and save. It wasn’t the same 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 that I have now. Back then I was only taxed about 15%.
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I’d tell him the same thing I’ve said repeatedly here, if he can’t afford to buy where he wants he’ll have to earn more. The ghetto isn’t the only place with affordable housing, there are other areas or someone can start in a 1 bed 1 bath condo. Who do you expect to pay for someone to live where they want?
That’s what I did and a lot of people did and still do. I don’t understand why some people think getting ahead in life and buying a home is so difficult. Everyone I know started their adult life poor or close to it, worked hard, made good decisions and got ahead.
Then why have you cited available homes in KC that are in the ghetto?
None of my friends were born with a trust fund. My dad was UPS driver. My mom was a nurse. They struggled a lot when I was growing up. My dad even busted his ass and delivered pizza after his 11 hour days at UPS. I remember growing up and going grocery shopping with mom. We only bough the yellow Always Save brand goods. My parents were always clipping coupons from the Sunday ads. They just kept going and finally started to make things better for themselves when I was a teenager. Today they are comfortably retired. I started off at the bottom of the ladder and worked my way up just like everyone else does.
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Not me, but some people would say you were just lucky.
America is the land of opportunity, if someone puts in the effort and make good choices they’ll get ahead. I think the problem is some people think just because they were born here they have a right to the things others have earned.
Okay…not lucky, just a recipient of being in the right place at the right time. When you bought your first home it was easier, even if the interest rates were higher because…drum roll please - houses were more affordable than they are today. You got to live where you wanted and didn’t need to find something 50 miles out of town that was affordable. Or you didn’t need to contemplate ghetto life, as you seem to feel others should do. Indeed - the best way to sum it up - back then the ghetto wasn’t an option. Today - you feel that’s where peole need to live if they really want a house. Oh…I think I read that you said when your son looks for a house you will help him with the down payment. did anybody help you with your down payment?
Lol…just because you were lucky AND at the right place at the right time you assume everyone did. I guess I was lucky because I showed up for work everyday, worked hard and proved to my boss I was a good worker and got promoted. My wife was lucky she studied hard to get into college and lucky she had to work all through college to pay for it and then get a master’s degree. We were also lucky both our parents didn’t believe in luck, they taught us to work hard and take responsibility for our lives and not make lame excuses.
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I know…you were born a poor black child…the son of a sharecropper who didn’t have a nickle to their name…but you pushed yourself to work 5 jobs and went without food to further your education, then went out to buy a pair of boots so you could finally pull those bootstraps.
What’s that - you were actually born into a solidly middle class home with that move on up attitude…Dad likely drove an Oldsmobile or Mercury…not entry level, but not quite the Caddy or Lincoln stage, but by God, the aspirations are there.
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You’re describing your upbringing. Did you start you’re adult life solidly in the middle class? Everyone I grew up with started adulthood earning not much above minimum wage with no assets, some even had thousands in debt starting out. Nobody I knew whined or made excuses they worked hard, improved their skills or education, found better jobs and moved into the middle class.
Why do you assume everyone had everything handed to them like you did?
I had a much easier life that Bears…I understand that he is a fan of the blues…this is his song of struggle.
