HOW DO YOU TAX AMERICANS WHO HAVE NO JOB?. KEEP OUT SOURCING JOBS COMPANIES OF AMERICA

What Frugal Dad is really saying is "don't complain." Of course there are people who are "poor" and yet try hard and don't complain. And of course there are "poor" who are lazy and just complain. Then there are those who work and complain. Some have legitimate complaints.

I feel that posts like these limit any merit to any actual economic problems we might have outside of our own control.

A couple of years ago I was complaining about not being able to own a house. I didn't understand why they were so much. Even if I worked three jobs with a college degree I wouldn't be able to save up to buy a house. I was upset and rightfully so. Now things (unless we bail people who couldn't afford houses) should correct themselves.

Working hard in a broken system would be foolish. And plus "working hard" can mean different things. Should I be punished for "working hard" for art and not for money?

I believe there are groups of people who really work hard day in and day out and have nothing to show for it.

I also believe that there are true perpetual "chronic poor" that never develop the right skills. I think the only way to rectify that is to break family cycle and educate these people.

As a student who works full time and attends school full time, I have to add one more thing to this...the people that claim that they won't go to school because they 'can't afford it'.  You can't afford *not* to! If you're low income, then you're usually eligible for grants and other financial aid from the government- and you get more if you're disabled or you have children.  I don't qualify for these, but my school is paid for by loans, which I'll end up paying back after I graduate and get a good job. There's the illusion that school is expensive.  A good, cheap state school can be about six thousand per year, and many schools are even cheaper than that.  About four years for a bachelor's degree, and let's assume that you have $24,000 in student loans.  Even for those who make too much to qualify for aid, subsidized loans are often available from the government, which means no interest until after graduation.  

But it's hard to make more than twenty thousand a year without a degree.  With a bachelor's degree, pretty much no matter what your major is, you'll start at a minimum of thirty thousand a year after college.  (many companies like insurance companies and banks will take graduates, regardless of their degree, because they'll provide the remainder of your training on the job.)  

In less than three years, you've made more than enough to compensate for the student loans, and that's assuming that you start on the low end of the salary at thirty thousand.  

So, for all those people that claim that they can't afford school- stop making excuses, and just go!  

One more note: I bought a great Focus for $1500, a 2001 with 79 thousand miles.  It gets great gas mileage and it's comfortable.  No one needs a huge expensive truck- in my own opinion, only construction workers and cattle ranchers need trucks.  Every one else can get by with a much cheaper and more fuel efficient vehicle- for those people with big trucks claiming they live in poverty, every time they drop $80 on a tank of gas tells me they're not really that poor.  

yea to Frugal Dad, I have been preaching for years to my kids and grandkids if life gives you lemons make lemonade...learn all you can all the time and if you can afford to smoke, drink, talk incessently on your cell phone or go out to lunch/ dinner , don't ask for financial help...redirect some of the waste in your spending..my personal motto is "Use it up, wear it out, make it do or do without."  My dad had a good motto too, "the best helping hand you have is at the end of your own arm."

My husband grew up ridiculously poor and put himself through college, me? Marginal, I remember when I'd get home from school and call my single parent Mom at work confused because the lights were off.! I also put myself through private college working 3 jobs (of course one was in the fabulous school cafeteria - got me lots of dates, let me tell ya!).  My first "real" job out of college (after having spent 60K+) I was making $9.60 an hour.  So I got two jobs and met my husband, we proceeded to bust our proverbial butts.  Now?  

We own two homes in the heart of the city, two gas guzzling trucks (our decision), travel when we find time, eat out every night (the 2 for 1 places are the best, especially those with $2 beer and wine), I buy shoes like they are going out of style (but only on clearance).  Why? Because WE deserve it!  Our combined income now is just shy of 200K, we dump 40% of that income into our 401Ks, money market, various stocks & some bonds, and charities (two that come directly out pre-tax), we have one credit card that we share for random daily stuff and if we can't afford to pay cash for something (or unless it has a crazy deferred interest plan) we don't buy it, we spend within our disposable income level and we pay taxes out the wazzoo.  

I applaud those that are working hard even when life throws them a curveball and don't mind helping whenever I can, but the article points specifically to the whiners unwilling to put down that $40 box of cigs, $20 case of beer, $30 worth of pizza while watching $50 worth of cable...heck for that money, take a class, pay a light bill, put it in savings.  trust me, broke SUCKS.  Do something about it. Anything!  And then you can live life to the fullest!

THE TRUTH IS YOUR ONLY 1/2 CORRECT . WE HAVE SEEN AN INCREASE IN EVERY THING FROM FUEL TO FOOD . WHEN I BOUGHT MY CURRENT HOME 10 YEARS AGO GAS WAS 98 CENTS A GAL  TODAY $3.45 AGAL MOST LIKELY MORE TOMORROW MY HOME COST $800.00 A YEAR TO HEAT NOW ITS $2400 . THE GROCERY STORE HAS BECOME A SCARY PLACE YOU CAN GET $50.00 WORTH OF GROCERIES IN AN AVERAGE SIZE PLASTIC HANDEL BAG .IVE GONE FROM BEING ABLE TO EAT STAKE TWICE A WEEK TO RICE AND BEANS AND GLAD TO HAVE IT . WAGES HAVENT GONE UP AND WITH DOWN SIZING COMPANIES ARE NOT TO WORRIED ABOUT RETAINING YOU AS THERE IS A GLUT OF GOOD HELP ON THE MARKET .IF YOUR NOT HAPPY LEAVE GOOD LUCK. SO WHEN YOU SAY WORKING POOR ARE LAZY YOU DONT HAVE A CLUE I WORK 2 JOBS . A PART TIME JOB TO AFFORD GAS SO I CAN GO TO MY FULL TIME JOB . I DONT LIVE IN MY CAR OR A CARD BOARD BOX . IM DOING MY BEST TO KEEP MY SHARE OF THE AMERICAN DREAM .

Wow...I read so many different views on this subject. Particularly, I enjoyed "terri's" remarks. I definitely have opinions and see the very people that frugal dad talks about (complaining about money while telling me about the $150 bottle of "Crown" they just bought with a cigarette hanging out of their mouth). And I have friends like "Amie" talked about as well, people that are having bad luck, situations, whatever the case may be that has warranted the state they find themselves in.  I would not call myself rich, poor, middle class or otherwise. I don't compare myself to others, I do what is necessary for my family and myself. Am I perfect? LOL! Of course not, I am always trying to see how I can improve "quality of life". Something that I learned a few years ago that surprised me, the people that are "well off"(not rich or poor but the people who have money to pay the bills and maybe a little extra to save or spend, are very humble about their situations. In my line of work, the ones who think they are better (ie some of the people commenting), or who flaunt their money (or situation to everybody else), isn't truly as good off as they would have us believe.

Amie, please don't call Frugal Dad ignorant when you obviously misread (or didn't read) the FIRST SENTENCE.  He states very clearly he isn't talking about those "poor" people with circumstances they themselves cannot control.  He is addressing people (whom I used to resemble myself) who are "poor" because of poor choices about accepting and managing debt and their own frivolous spending!  If you reread his post, I think you will see that his way of thinking lines up with exactly what you describe.  But name-calling is certainly not necessary.  Way to go Frugal Dad!  I applaud your encouragement of others to take an assessment of their own debt, spending, and savings habits and hopefully make some positive changes.  My husband and I did just that about a year after we married, and we have not only paid off most of our consumer debt and student loans, but we also have investments, some savings, and were able for my husband to quit his job when we had our first child for him to stay home with (now) the two of them. The family budget is tighter than it's ever been with formula and diapers at the top, but we have the lifestyle we want without further endebtedness.  It's all about deciding what you want, what you can live without, and then taking the positive (and sometimes small) steps to get there.  Good luck to everyone who wishes to get out of the debt-spending cycle and become a positive statistic for the USA!

FRugal DAD : Start advocating for a  mandatory basic financial education class in high school so the next generation doesn't make the uneducated mistakes our generation did.  

All poor people should join the military.  3 square meals ,free housing ,free education,travel outside of the hood.Free healthcare,steady paycheck.Free job training. Call your local recruiter today. $ 20,000 bonus' ! I did.You'll be glad you did.