50% of Americans Couldn't Come Up with $2000

[classicman]

Many have been taken care of via government programs as well. They have never learned to be self sufficient. They've never had to be. Its frightening the number of [people who have no clue about any of it. And their numbers are increasing dramatically. There is an entire subculture of those who have always existed on an income derived from someone else. They have never been independent. ]
Is it 50%? I wouldn't have thought so, but perhaps it is. The questions were probably left open-ended intentionally so as NOT to provide hard facts. That way the politicos can use the "info" and interpret it for their own benefit.

[Sundae]

I'd liek to know the amount of people polled to start with.
If that's already been addressed here I apologise.

And the area.

Maybe we should do an anonymous Cellar poll, but include restrictions such as "not including money borrowed from family, loan sharks or earned short term by illegal activity."

I'll bet over 50% would be able to.
Then again the dolescum on her have been mostly British.
And mostly me.

[Spexxvet]

Originally Posted by Sundae

Maybe we should do an anonymous Cellar poll, but include restrictions such as "not including money borrowed from family, loan sharks or earned short term by illegal activity."

I'll bet over 50% would be able to.

I agree, but I don't think this community reflects general society. For one, we can all afford a computer and internet connection.

[glatt]

How do you find a loan shark? Are they in the yellow pages? I guess I don't hang around the right type of people to know.

[classicman]

glatt: hangs with dolphins.

[infinite monkey]

*snort*

Around here, we refer to payday loan folks as loan sharks. I know few who've never had to use it.

But it's capped based on your income. It just puts you in a hole if you use it for, say MEDICAL EMERGENCIES like no teeth don't tell me having no teeth isn't an emergency unless you're unemployed or work with dead animalsand you get behinder and behinder. They just don't nail your knees to the floor.

[Pico and ME]

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

If anyone wants to borrow part of my balance (you know, just so you keep your card...really, I'm thinking of YOU) I will help you out.

PM ME!

Hmmm, maybe I can go into the loan shark business. I could lend you use of one of my credit cards for a fee....

'Cept, how to go about enforcing payment.

[infinite monkey]

eeeeek.

I'm so scared of Giant Smilie Head I'd probably poo out the money.



(Yeah, thing was, I had helped out a friend with her husband's teeth because they had no money or insurance...they make the payments, but it's in my name. OTHERWISE, I could have done all the teeth fixing I wasn't expecting to happen without having to do what I did. Stupid, probably...but trying to help gets me in all kinds of trouble. I should stay out of the helping business.)


Hey, just a general note: (ding ding ding) that's why I hate these kinds of finger-wagging statistical statements of how dumb some of us are: there are an awful lot of situations that can't be controlled or situations where we were busy trying to help someone else...something all the stats in the world doesn't take into account: the human aspect.)

[Nirvana]

We have property and livestock. We live like the "Amish" mostly but we almost own our farm outright. All assets not much cash. I have a ton of credit at Sears

[Sundae]

Originally Posted by Spexxvet

I agree, but I don't think this community reflects general society. For one, we can all afford a computer and internet connection.

That was my point.

I'm not saying the poll was deliberately skewed, but without knowing the numbers polled and the how and where, such a dramatic figure does not necessarily reflect the average.

It could only be 100 people in a small area.
Or 250 people using a public library.
Or 1000 people on a certain calling list.

[infinite monkey]

Right. Like "4 out of 5 dentists surveyed" like CWEST!

Maybe they surveyed 5 dentists: Dr Charlie West, Dr Cary West, Dr Charlene West, Dr Chaz West, and Dr Conway West.

[BigV]

Originally Posted by infinite monkey

eeeeek.

I'm so scared of Giant Smilie Head I'd probably poo out the money.


--snip

Is this you (gender changed to protect the gastronimically solvent)?

[infinite monkey]

[Fair&Balanced]

Originally Posted by classicman

Many have been taken care of via government programs as well. They have never learned to be self sufficient. They've never had to be. Its frightening the number of [people who have no clue about any of it. And their numbers are increasing dramatically. There is an entire subculture of those who have always existed on an income derived from someone else. They have never been independent. ]
Is it 50%? I wouldn't have thought so, but perhaps it is. The questions were probably left open-ended intentionally so as NOT to provide hard facts. That way the politicos can use the "info" and interpret it for their own benefit.

Whoa.

I'm not sure what you mean here, but it sounds like you are suggesting that there are millions of "welfare queens" or similar types who live off of government handouts for life and the number is growing, when in fact, most individuals and families receiving some form of social assistance (TANF, SNAP, etc) are relatively short term and the number was declining over the last 10-15 years (since welfare reform) until the recession.

On the issue of numbers maxed out on credit cards, those with the lowest income, up to $25K, have a higher rate of always paying off the balance than those making between $25-100K.

http://www.census.gov/compendia/stat...es/11s1190.pdf

I hope I am wrong about the first comments (never learned to be self-sufficient...an entire subculture...always existed on an income derived from someone else) and it was just my misunderstanding of your position.

I would suggest that probably most Americans never learn good financial management practices in a formal manner. IMO, it should be part of a high school curriculum.

[Clodfobble]

Originally Posted by Happy Monkey

Maybe some day you won't be able to get a card unless you promise to carry a balance or pay a monthly fee, but it's not here yet.

Nah, they'll just charge merchants more and more to be allowed to run transactions. You know those "rewards" cards everyone has? I learned awhile ago that the merchant is the one paying that extra reimbursement back to you, not the credit card company. It's something they have to put up with if they want to allow their customers the convenience of using credit cards.

The kids' preschool tacks on a 2% surcharge for anyone using a credit card instead of a check, plus an additional 3% if it is a rewards card.