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I'm not familiar with Clackamas, but that does seem pretty high, and I have no idea of what that would have cost in 1988. Of course, that's a castle compared to the 10' X 50' 2-bedroom trailer house I grew up in, but that was the mid 60's. I had no cell phone or wi-fi in 1988 either.
 
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I had no cell phone or wi-fi in 1988 either.
That's kind of my point with those expenses specifically. There are additional costs of living now that didn't exist then. Just like comparing the cost of living before indoor plumbing and electricity. Of course I can live that same lifestyle without those expenses, but not if I want to function in modern society.
 
How much was the average cell phone bill, car insurance, and wifi payment in 1988? How many people actually paid out of pocket for health insurance, and how does that reflected throughout basic calculation accounting for inflation? The purchasing power of $30k would be worth about $80k if you're only accounting for inflation based on consumer goods, not life-expenses. How many $30k houses from 1988 are actually worth $80k today?
People didn't have WiFi, cell phones and in a lot of cases long distance service. People made due with a lot less consumer goods than today, at least my parents did. It wasn't all rosy for folks back then either and I remember 1988. Houses were expensive, new cars were expensive. We never had a new car when I was a kid. I've owned several. My kid just bought a new car.
 
People didn't have WiFi, cell phones and in a lot of cases long distance service. People made due with a lot less consumer goods than today, at least my parents did. It wasn't all rosy for folks back then either and I remember 1988. Houses were expensive, new cars were expensive. We never had a new car when I was a kid. I've owned several. My kid just bought a new car.
That's awesome. I'll be super proud when my kids get there too.
 
That's kind of my point with those expenses specifically. There are additional costs of living now that didn't exist then. Just like comparing the cost of living before indoor plumbing and electricity. Of course I can live that same lifestyle without those expenses, but not if I want to function in modern society.
Gotcha! And agree with this.

This seems to be an increasingly common economic state that people live in with no hope of a better future.
I see this too. People who grew up in the Depression era (I'm not that old) see where we are today and think people really have it made compared to how tough they had it. They see "luxuries" like indoor plumbing. Unfortunately, people are prone to compare themselves to the Jonses, so even with a better standard of living than 50 years ago, it can seem hopeless if others have things they don't and never will.

The best retirement plan I can have is a half decent life insurance policy and an early punch-out.
This scares me the most. When I see people passing a logging truck on a sharp corner with a double yellow line, I have to think they really don't care all that much. :(
 
Unfortunately, people are prone to compare themselves to the Jonses
I do as much as I can to avoid doing this. I've had a picture painted my whole life of living in my own home, and regardless of what other people do or don't have, I've had to accept the fact that it's unobtainable to purchase a sufficient home for myself, my wife and 4 children on a roughly $45k income. I've also been told by many people we don't deserve to make that much to begin with. Overall, I'm just speaking to this issue of discontent from my personal perspective. Maybe I take wifi and cell phones for granted and I should live without them to be "more successful", but it sure would make communications with the schools difficult, and my children's online homework would be neglected. I guess having these amenities has increased the standard of living, as you say and I very well may take those for granted. I'd just like to see a standard of living exist where a job that pays 150% of minimum wage could pay for a house and feed a family. Some folks might take those things for granted.
 
How much was the average cell phone bill, car insurance, and wifi payment in 1988? How many people actually paid out of pocket for health insurance, and how does that reflected throughout basic calculation accounting for inflation? The purchasing power of $30k would be worth about $80k if you're only accounting for inflation based on consumer goods, not life-expenses. How many $30k houses from 1988 are actually worth $80k today?
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Why does @arakboss wake up at 3 o'clock in the morning and post some cr*p that gets 8,000 replies and a Bazillion Likes on 6 pages in one day, and I post something and nobody responds?

o_O
 

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