Can You Write A Check For $500?

[Preacher]

Good for you if you can but 57% (down from 63%) of us can't, which is the legacy of the worst president this country has ever known. And if you doubt that, look at what President Trump has already done about it in less than 50 days. When our new President says he "inherited a mess", this simple test answers the question...do you have $500 today?

What we found is that according to a recent Bankrate survey of 1,000 adults, 57% of Americans don’t have enough cash to cover a mere $500 unexpected expense. Turns out the CEO was right. And while that may appear dire, it is a slight improvement from 2016, when 63% of U.S. residents said they wouldn’t be able to handle such an expense.

The survey's findings have shed light on how the so-called recovery of the past 8 years has skipped about half of the US population, which literally live paycheck to paycheck, and reflects a country in which many households continue to struggle with their basic finances more than seven years after the official end to the recession.

Putting the numbers in context: despite steady job growth during the Obama administration - which have been focused on minimum wage industries - wages have been predictably slow to recover, with the typical American household still earning 2.4% below what they brought home in 1999, when income peaked. Meanwhile, costs for essentials such as housing and child care have surged faster than the rate of inflation, placing stress on household budgets and making the accumulation of wealth, i.e., savings, impossible.

The bottom line: About four out of 10 Americans said they had enough in savings to cover a surprise $500 expense. Another 21% said they would rely on a credit card, while 20% said they’d cut back on other expenses. Another 11% said they’d turn to family or friends for the money.

"The Reality Is, Half Of Americans Can’t Afford To Write A $500 Check" | Zero Hedge

I couldn't do so under Bush and couldn't under Obama and don't expect to be able to under Trump. Wife's wages have gone up and once she becomes a Nurse I expect her income to double so maybe then.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Don't worry. We liberals will still keep pounding on the topic of low wages, like we've always done.

Get a job spend less than what you have... easiest thing in the world to do

Then why doesnt everyone do it?

And what do we do with those who fail? Just let them starve?

The progressives want to take care of them, let the progressives finance them.

So in essence you are saying let them starve then, right?

 

[JimBowie1958]

Don't worry. We liberals will still keep pounding on the topic of low wages, like we've always done.

Get a job spend less than what you have... easiest thing in the world to do

Then why doesnt everyone do it?

And what do we do with those who fail? Just let them starve?

You'd be amazed at how intelligent people are.

Once they figure out that their caloric intake and a roof over their heads is dependent upon a modicum of prioritization and budgeting, they learn to budget REALLY FAST.

And no, nobody in this country will starve unless they are being kept in basements by their owners, and t he owners opt not to feed them.

OK, so the people who dont have jobs are supposed to just get a job or starve?

I have been looking for a job since February of last year. I had three calls in the spring, nothing the rest of the year. This year I have had five calls, but no person-to-person interviews. This is totally out of my hands. I have applied for software engineering jobs, cashier jobs, food service jobs, delivery jobs, Uber jobs, warehouse jobs, truck driving jobs, and more.

But no one wants to hire a 59 year old gray haired man with a bad back, two heart attacks and diabetic.

Were it not for the eternal mystery that my wife loves me, I would be destitute.

So I should happily go crawl in a corner and just die?

This is something that conservatives have this tin ear regarding the unfortunate events of life and, no, not everyone is young, healthy and able to just bounce back no matter what happens to them.

Unfortunately Democrats have either forgotten about us as well, or they just decided to make a racial gambit of sorts.

 

[Tom Horn]

Then arrest, trial, fine, and prison for those that knowingly hire illegals.

The rich LOVE illegals. They work for almost nothing increasing profits.

Sheriff Joe raided businesses here and was almost indicted for "profiling"

 

[Tom Horn]

You think they actually use those phones to find work. If they get a job they might miss a the dead beat freebies.

A large number of unemployed just put Trump in the WH....be careful about trashing fellow Americans down on their luck through no fault of their own,.

 

[Old Rocks]

Unfortunately social injustice is everywhere....
That's why people need some help from the government

Hello Esther! Here in the US we need much LESS "help" from our government...we need it to get the hell out of the way and stop meddling in our business. Government creates nothing but government jobs which create mostly paperwork without any value.

Now that is just incredibly stupid. I had one of those government jobs. Doing core drilling and running seismic line for roads on Forest Service land. And in the summer, helped on fires as needed. Now some of those roads that we core drilled for bridge footings, cuts through hills, and augered to learn the makeup of the soil that the road base would be setting on. We worked summer and winter, including a couple of days at -30 F. Some of those roads are now state highways. That was hardly paperwork without any value.

 

[Old Rocks]

You think they actually use those phones to find work. If they get a job they might miss a the dead beat freebies.

A large number of unemployed just put Trump in the WH....be careful about trashing fellow Americans down on their luck through no fault of their own,.

Nearly six million jobs in this nation going begging. I am 73, and am going to retire this summer. And leave a difficult hole for my company to fill. Not because I am that special, but because the demand for skilled millwrights, electricians, and automation people far exceeds the supply. If you think that you can remain unskilled and have a job. learn to clean toilets. Because there is little else out there.

 

[Tom Horn]

You think they actually use those phones to find work. If they get a job they might miss a the dead beat freebies.

A large number of unemployed just put Trump in the WH....be careful about trashing fellow Americans down on their luck through no fault of their own,.

Nearly six million jobs in this nation going begging. I am 73, and am going to retire this summer. And leave a difficult hole for my company to fill. Not because I am that special, but because the demand for skilled millwrights, electricians, and automation people far exceeds the supply. If you think that you can remain unskilled and have a job. learn to clean toilets. Because there is little else out there.

So under what administration were you first hired when you were younger and why didn't you work for a private contractor?

 

[Tom Horn]

Nearly six million jobs in this nation going begging. I am 73, and am going to retire this summer. And leave a difficult hole for my company to fill. Not because I am that special, but because the demand for skilled millwrights, electricians, and automation people far exceeds the supply. If you think that you can remain unskilled and have a job. learn to clean toilets. Because there is little else out there.

I didn't know haters like you lived that long. So what part of the education budget is spent on teaching the trades? You won't like the numbers from the Obama years.

 

[koshergrl]

Good for you if you can but 57% (down from 63%) of us can't, which is the legacy of the worst president this country has ever known. And if you doubt that, look at what President Trump has already done about it in less than 50 days. When our new President says he "inherited a mess", this simple test answers the question...do you have $500 today?

What we found is that according to a recent Bankrate survey of 1,000 adults, 57% of Americans don’t have enough cash to cover a mere $500 unexpected expense. Turns out the CEO was right. And while that may appear dire, it is a slight improvement from 2016, when 63% of U.S. residents said they wouldn’t be able to handle such an expense.

The survey's findings have shed light on how the so-called recovery of the past 8 years has skipped about half of the US population, which literally live paycheck to paycheck, and reflects a country in which many households continue to struggle with their basic finances more than seven years after the official end to the recession.

Putting the numbers in context: despite steady job growth during the Obama administration - which have been focused on minimum wage industries - wages have been predictably slow to recover, with the typical American household still earning 2.4% below what they brought home in 1999, when income peaked. Meanwhile, costs for essentials such as housing and child care have surged faster than the rate of inflation, placing stress on household budgets and making the accumulation of wealth, i.e., savings, impossible.

The bottom line: About four out of 10 Americans said they had enough in savings to cover a surprise $500 expense. Another 21% said they would rely on a credit card, while 20% said they’d cut back on other expenses. Another 11% said they’d turn to family or friends for the money.

"The Reality Is, Half Of Americans Can’t Afford To Write A $500 Check" | Zero Hedge

Republicans fought raising wages for working class Americans.

Why is Arizona the number two working class poor State?

Because there are a bunch of illegals there. Rich people don't want to live around them, and they hide all their income because it's income from running drugs and slaving.

Then arrest, trial, fine, and prison for those that knowingly hire illegals.

The rich LOVE illegals. They work for almost nothing increasing profits.

yawn.

 

[TheDude]

Wow, 57% cannot write a check for five bills? That's incredible, especially considering it's not a lot of money.

 

[Skull Pilot]

Good for you if you can but 57% (down from 63%) of us can't, which is the legacy of the worst president this country has ever known. And if you doubt that, look at what President Trump has already done about it in less than 50 days. When our new President says he "inherited a mess", this simple test answers the question...do you have $500 today?

What we found is that according to a recent Bankrate survey of 1,000 adults, 57% of Americans don’t have enough cash to cover a mere $500 unexpected expense. Turns out the CEO was right. And while that may appear dire, it is a slight improvement from 2016, when 63% of U.S. residents said they wouldn’t be able to handle such an expense.

The survey's findings have shed light on how the so-called recovery of the past 8 years has skipped about half of the US population, which literally live paycheck to paycheck, and reflects a country in which many households continue to struggle with their basic finances more than seven years after the official end to the recession.

Putting the numbers in context: despite steady job growth during the Obama administration - which have been focused on minimum wage industries - wages have been predictably slow to recover, with the typical American household still earning 2.4% below what they brought home in 1999, when income peaked. Meanwhile, costs for essentials such as housing and child care have surged faster than the rate of inflation, placing stress on household budgets and making the accumulation of wealth, i.e., savings, impossible.

The bottom line: About four out of 10 Americans said they had enough in savings to cover a surprise $500 expense. Another 21% said they would rely on a credit card, while 20% said they’d cut back on other expenses. Another 11% said they’d turn to family or friends for the money.

"The Reality Is, Half Of Americans Can’t Afford To Write A $500 Check" | Zero Hedge

Republicans fought raising wages for working class Americans.

Why is Arizona the number two working class poor State?

I said it before I'll say it again

If you spend more than you make and never save a dime it's your own fault no one else's

Do American workers have a dime to save?

of course they do

 

[JimBowie1958]

Ok.so most Americans can't handle a $500 emergency, but the republicans will replace obamaCare with medical savings accounts ! Lol!!

That is a very good observation, Timmy, but you are simply using it as a political talking point.

This is a very real concern about the replacement of the ACA. It seems to be another tin-eared GOP response to the poor, as if these people get back enough taxes to utilize these things effectively. Having grown up poor, I know that this is a flawed concept for Republicans.

There simply must be some kind of voucher for medical insurance at the bare minimum. While tax credits and medical savings accounts are great for those with incomes, for the unemployed poor there is no income to begin with!

This version of the ACA Replacement is simply DoA.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Wow, 57% cannot write a check for five bills? That's incredible, especially considering it's not a lot of money.

I understand why you say that, but please understand what I am now telling you.

A $500 addition to most people budget would blow them into poverty.

 

[koshergrl]

Wow, 57% cannot write a check for five bills? That's incredible, especially considering it's not a lot of money.

I understand why you say that, but please understand what I am now telling you.

A $500 addition to most people budget would blow them into poverty.

See, that's the problem.

Yes, if you want to earn money and provide for yourself in the future, you have to work hard and go without.

That is a given that has been a given since the dawn of man. It is only the last 50 years or so that people got the stupid idea that they can live beyond their means, and others will fill in the gaps.

That isn't the way it's supposed to work. If you have no skills, if you're young and not from a wealthy family, guess what? You're going to work your ass off and not have much to show for it. You probably shouldn't have a shitload of kids during this period of time...which is why our ancestors WAITED to have sex until they were MARRIED, and they didn't get MARRIED until they could provide their partner and any subsequent children with adequate HOUSING.

Or they lived at home with their own family.

They didn't move around the countryside, bounce from job to job, do drugs, sleep in, buy themselves fancy technological toys, expensive clothing, or haircuts and nails. And they didn't have a right to expect others to buy those things for them.

They grew gardens, and had a couple of sets of clothes, and worked their ASSES off for a few dollars a year, they didn't eat out every day, their daily menu was incredibly boring and consisted of a few staples for the most part. That's the way of the world. America is no different. The only difference is that, traditionally, the government wouldn't obstruct those who are willing to work even HARDER for even LESS from moving up, if they played their cards right.

The idea that everybody at the age of 18 has the *right* to income that will provide them with a nice home and all the perks is completely alien to what has always been the reality of the world, and the US. As is the idea that people who want to make, sell, build things should be stomped upon lest they outpace their less industrious neighbors.

 

[JimBowie1958]

Yes, if you want to earn money and provide for yourself in the future, you have to work hard and go without.

That is a given that has been a given since the dawn of man. It is only the last 50 years or so that people got the stupid idea that they can live beyond their means, and others will fill in the gaps.

That isn't the way it's supposed to work. If you have no skills, if you're young and not from a wealthy family, guess what? You're going to work your ass off and not have much to show for it. You probably shouldn't have a shitload of kids during this period of time...which is why our ancestors WAITED to have sex until they were MARRIED, and they didn't get MARRIED until they could provide their partner and any subsequent children with adequate HOUSING.

Or they lived at home with their own family.

The idea that everybody at the age of 18 has the *right* to income that will provide them with a nice home and all the perks is completely alien to what has always been the reality of the world.

So if young healthy people, many right out of college are going to have to work their asses off and scrimp by to get ahead, then what about average people who do not excel by definition? You do realize that we all cant be young and exceptional, right?

And what of those of us who are below marginal? How about people that have health problems but want to work but no one will hire them for reasons related to health insurance costs? What about people who have other issues like ADD or gawd forbid they made mistaks as a young adult and now have a felony record following them around?

The rest of us "unfit to live" are just supposed to accept our fates and die? You really dont get it Koshergirl, but in a Republic with a DEMOCRATIC PROCESS FOR MOST OFFICIALS, that is a sure loser of a sales pitch to vote for your candidates because you are espousing an inhumane ideology.

NO, I wont stand aside and watch people starve and continue to vote for policies that get people thrown into the streets.

We are not just a nation, we are a community of people who care for one another and take care of each other when we are down on our luck. We will not vote people into power who are willing to send us out into the cold to die when our best years are gone.

And your take on how people have had to live to get by is completely incorrect. Most people in this country have had middle class lives right from the start. The urbanization of our population in the lst two thirds of the 20th century has caused some difficulties in keeping the American Dream alive, but it has worked thus far.

But there are other countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway who do much better economically than we do. We could learn a lot from them.

 

[Tom Horn]

But there are other countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway who do much better economically than we do. We could learn a lot from them.

That's true but those countries pay zip for their own defense or help other countries after disasters. At least our new healthcare bill gets rid of the death-panels the Scandinavians and most of the EU use.....When I start drooling I told them to just float me down the Salt River in my kayak.

 

[koshergrl]

Yes, if you want to earn money and provide for yourself in the future, you have to work hard and go without.

That is a given that has been a given since the dawn of man. It is only the last 50 years or so that people got the stupid idea that they can live beyond their means, and others will fill in the gaps.

That isn't the way it's supposed to work. If you have no skills, if you're young and not from a wealthy family, guess what? You're going to work your ass off and not have much to show for it. You probably shouldn't have a shitload of kids during this period of time...which is why our ancestors WAITED to have sex until they were MARRIED, and they didn't get MARRIED until they could provide their partner and any subsequent children with adequate HOUSING.

Or they lived at home with their own family.

The idea that everybody at the age of 18 has the *right* to income that will provide them with a nice home and all the perks is completely alien to what has always been the reality of the world.

So if young healthy people, many right out of college are going to have to work their asses off and scrimp by to get ahead, then what about average people who do not excel by definition? You do realize that we all cant be young and exceptional, right?

And what of those of us who are below marginal? How about people that have health problems but want to work but no one will hire them for reasons related to health insurance costs? What about people who have other issues like ADD or gawd forbid they made mistaks as a young adult and now have a felony record following them around?

The rest of us "unfit to live" are just supposed to accept our fates and die? You really dont get it Koshergirl, but in a Republic with a DEMOCRATIC PROCESS FOR MOST OFFICIALS, that is a sure loser of a sales pitch to vote for your candidates because you are espousing an inhumane ideology.

NO, I wont stand aside and watch people starve and continue to vote for policies that get people thrown into the streets.

We are not just a nation, we are a community of people who care for one another and take care of each other when we are down on our luck. We will not vote people into power who are willing to send us out into the cold to die when our best years are gone.

And your take on how people have had to live to get by is completely incorrect. Most people in this country have had middle class lives right from the start. The urbanization of our population in the lst two thirds of the 20th century has caused some difficulties in keeping the American Dream alive, but it has worked thus far.

But there are other countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway who do much better economically than we do. We could learn a lot from them.

People who are not exceptional arent' entitled to an EXCEPTIONAL LIFESTYLE.

And no those countries are not "doing much better economically than we do". That's a myth.

 

[koshergrl]

But there are other countries like Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Iceland and Norway who do much better economically than we do. We could learn a lot from them.

That's true but those countries pay zip for their own defense or help other countries after disasters. At least our new healthcare bill gets rid of the death-panels the Scandinavians and most of the EU use.....When I start drooling I told them to just float me down the Salt River in my kayak.

They don't have a better lifestyle than we do, and they aren't wealthier than we are. That's just progressive hype.

 

[JimBowie1958]

People who are not exceptional arent' entitled to an EXCEPTIONAL LIFESTYLE.
And no those countries are not "doing much better economically than we do". That's a myth.

Being able to eat, put a roof over your head and provide for your children is an exceptional life style to you?

Dear gawd, lady, you are not doing well in this discussion and you cant even see it.