Thank you,  Zach.

Humble - yes,  never stingy nor greedy.  If I can give with what I have I will.

And when I can't, maybe another time.

Too many people from all walks of life complain too much.  

Their wasting their precious energy on rushing and worrying.

Everyone must be responsible for themselves and family.  

Thank you,  Zach.

Humble - yes,  never stingy nor greedy.  If I can give with what I have I will.

And when I can't, maybe another time.

Too many people from all walks of life complain too much.  

Their wasting their precious energy on rushing and worrying.

Everyone must be responsible for themselves and family.  

I too, grew up poor by comparison to others in my town. Was working and purchasing my own clothes and other necessaties by the time I was twelve years old. Didn't know my own father, he ran off and left my mother and myself when I was less than two years old. I too bought into the notion of getting an education and securing a good job with benefits, entitlements and rights, and that I would make it. That I would do good. This is by far one of the biggest lies told in the last half of the 20th century and still being told today. When you have a JOB you are only able to make a living, maybe. The job system is not designed for anyone to get ahead. You will be doing well if you can just keep up with Inflation, Insurance, Income Tax, Interest Rates. If you sacrafice and save enough to do a $35,000.00 remodel on your home, your county assessor will dertermine that you have TOO much money and raise the assessed value of your home by $70,000.00. Just one example. The elected, the appointed and the annointed (government breaucrats) do not want you to get ahead. They want you to be satisfied with your 40 hour/week paycheck so that you can continue to be a good citizen and pay your taxes. They convince you that, through your tax dollar building multi-million dollar playpens so that multi-million dollar athletes can play ball is a good investment for you and your community. All this does mostly is clutter the mind of the populace, keeps you off balance, a distraction. The Romans were doing this over 2000 years ago. They would build coliseums to stage charroitt races, gladiator fights and feed the Christians to the lions. This of course kept the minds of the people busy so that they would pay little attention to what those in power were or were not doing. In World War II the allies would drop "chaff" in order to confuse the German radar. It is hard for anyone to stay focused with so much confusion, mis-information, disorder and chaos. It is important to know that government(s), media (TV, newspapers, magazines) thrive on disorder and chaos. If none exists at any particular moment in time they will surely create something, usually made-up or imagined. It is not necessarilly about how much money that you make, it is about how much money that you keep. It is very, very difficult to put money aside if you have none to put aside. So, therefore it is important to get something going on on-the- side. Your 40hr./week paycheck may pay your bills but you still will not have any money. I know of no person that has ever "Made It" financially, on his/her own, that has ever spent much time watching TV, going to movies, reading garbage, going to sporting events, concerts, casinos. They learned to invest their spare time to become financially successful. In this country the possibilities limitless. Anyone can find something that will produce the results that the desire in their lives if they are willing to make the sacrafices, have dicipline and stay focused.  

Rudedog - Seattle, WA

Smart spending = No spending

Rich or Poor,   I  have the power to buy what I want.

I don't eat out.  One car is paid for long ago (and has 175,000 miles, still runs like new) and the other one I picked up at a dealership for BLUE BOOK VALUE (amazing, as it is small, sporty, 3 years old - and only has 12,000 miles on it).  I couldn't care less about that stupid singing show (or most other TV), read voraciously (from fiction to industry rags to my Spanish text), and try to learn at least three new tech skills a year (this year's agenda includes Ruby and MS SQL 2007).  Total household income in under 30k, our house was only 35k (850+ s.f., 3/1) but is falling down around our ears, we have insurance on the kids and me, but can't afford to keep it on him.   I commute 35 miles/day (29mpg, avg), he commutes 70mi/day (33mpg/avg), and we just got rid of our dog because we couldn't afford to feed him.

Don't get me wrong, I'm don't subscribe much to conspiracy theories, but I don't see the economy getting much better for quite awhile.  These price increases hurt us, a lot.  All of our grocery staples (which we buy, because packaged food tastes more like the package than food) are going up.  Six months ago, Eggs went from 98c/doz to 1.98/doz in less then two weeks (by yesterday they were down to 1.60/doz).  Milk went from $3/gal to $4/gal.  Bread from $1.25/loaf to $1.75.  Flour from 78c/bag to $1.78/bag.  Rice from 98c/bag to 1.48/bag.  Potatoes were $2.49 for 10#, now they are $3.99 to $6.99.  Even "Reduced for quick sale" beef is $4.99/lb for cuts and $2.09 for ground.  The only thing that hasn't went up - so far- is dry beans.   Oranges are $4.99 for 8# at the local SAV-A-LOT.  Apples that were 59c/# are now 1.59/#.

Guess what will go up next?  Well, taxes, of course.  Food stamp recipients can no longer feed their family.

www.afrr.us/taxes-list.html - Again...Just an opinion. If you think things aren't different now than they were, its nice to put some perspective on the situation.

Just face it! There are hurdles for every walk of life! Poor,rich,middle class; everyone has thier share of troubles.No matter how much money you make;how hard you work or what circumstance your in. There is always gonna be some sort of hurdle or obsticle for you to deal with.I got too tell you its not any one person,group or religion thats at fault ethier. This is a species issue here. Its not just about money either. You can relate this to every thing wrong in this world. From politics and religous fueding between the many different relgions accross the world,to widespread hunger across this green and blue globe of ours. This all has to do with the dominant species of this planet"humans"not working collectively as a whole to solve this planets problems.There are to many special interest groups in place keeping things the way they are. Especialy in America! There has to be a total revamp in the way our "buisness as usuall"  is conducted in our government. We need real accountability in our government! Real voices spoken! Not just a represenative making choices for us. While corperate big wigs work the American people to death; and our government spends the tax money it collects from our right to work in this country on what it feels is in our best interests.We need a 200 million HUMAN march on capital hill "aproxx. every reg. joe/jane tax payer in America" We will NOT quietly stand on the side line while our elected politians who are mostly influenced by shadow corperations. Try and solve every problem in the book outside our country by the hard work sweat and blood of everyday Americans.This country of ours is the most influential country in the world because of the individual and goal driven people that call it home.If we as a country could unite under this one effort to take our government back from the people who have tainted it. And force a collective effort to sovle OUR PROBLEMS FIRST for a change. Instead of allowing our idiotic government to make rediculous decisions for us in the idiotic notion. That THE AMERICAN PEOPLE are just to stupid,selfish or just doesn't care about anything outside of their private life.If you actualy do the simple calculation of 95 dollars X 200 million X 52 week you will glimpse into how much money our government recieves every week; and that calculation is just for a single person with no kids. That number will dramaticaly change more up then down given how much that person earns. Now tell me how is it that it seems that our country seems to get worse every year ! There is obivously enough money in the bank to correct any issue that might arrise. The problem is that we as the American people are alowing our government to make choices for the American people without being held accountable PERIOD Until that changes NOTHING WILL CHANGE! NOTHING! Gas will continue to climb food prices will continue to climb as result of gas and so.... Yea a lil off topic from the regular poor joe/jane out there but thats where it all starts humans not caring or uniting as one species to advance our species. And its all to funy to read Americans complaing bout that issue the most. When we are the one country that could inflict the most change. If we all united to take back our government. "The government can only exist by the governed!"

there are various levels of "poor".  For example- I drive an ancient car - no payments

live in a small house and shop store brand and thrift shop. Poor- yes  but able to save money  for retirement purposes  via the stock market  and tax free IRAs has been vastly fulfilling and fun. I live in an area based on status symbols of wealth and while the here and now is very annoying = I i delight in the thought of  being  rich and  old to say the least .

What do you expect from people who are constantly told by left leaning politicians that their economic plight is not their fault.  It works every time.    

I have to agree, recently I was downtown at a county bldg and next door is the welfare office - Human Services what ever its being called these days- anyways outside the front door there had to be 20 people men and women pregnant women smoking like all get out. I had to stop and look again and thought I had to quit smoking because it got to expensive(glad I diid) the government must really give these people a lot of taxpayers money if they can still buy cigarettes pay their bills and drive all over god creation in newer cars than we drive with gas at 3.50 plus a gallon, sky high insurance rates and lets not forget the FREE full coverage health insurance they get courtsey of the taxpayers.  Maybe it does pay to be poor otherwise why would generations after generations stay on welfare. Just my thoughts & just tip of the iceburg!