What budget? Why worry? How do people do it?

[disneysteve]

I often think it should be called the Spending Board.

We used to have great discussions here about saving, budgeting, investing, retirement accounts, etc. Then, especially as the holidays would approach, more and more threads would be about spending. What stores were having what sales. Which websites had good discounts. Stuff like that. Then, even after the holidays were over, those threads didn't die down. Eventually, I found savingadvice.com where folks do talk primarily about financial issues and found myself spending less and less time here. Quite a few DISers migrated over there as well.

Perhaps DIS could split this board. Have one that is an actual Budget board for those looking for help saving money and other financial advice and another board for spending money -sales, coupons, shopping deals, etc. They really are two different things.

 

[susieq76]

I have a friend on food stamps. One day we are talking about the fact that Lowes Foods has chicken breast on bone on sale for $.49 a lb. I was telling her how much of a pain in the *** to debone it but at such a great price it was worth it.

Her response to me- "Well, I just buy the perdue portions- its sooooo much easier". Yeah, and its $4.99 a lb. That's what *I* am paying for and it does tick me off as a working member of society who pays the bills on time, only takes vacations when they are paid off first and debones the darn breast so my dollar can go further.

 

[beaucoup]

We used to have great discussions here about saving, budgeting, investing, retirement accounts, etc. Then, especially as the holidays would approach, more and more threads would be about spending. What stores were having what sales. Which websites had good discounts. Stuff like that. Then, even after the holidays were over, those threads didn't die down. Eventually, I found savingadvice.com where folks do talk primarily about financial issues and found myself spending less and less time here. Quite a few DISers migrated over there as well.

Perhaps DIS could split this board. Have one that is an actual Budget board for those looking for help saving money and other financial advice and another board for spending money -sales, coupons, shopping deals, etc. They really are two different things.

Awesome. I will have to check it out. We have some money that I need to find a better place to put than where it currently is. Thanks.

 

[Muushka]

We used to have great discussions here about saving, budgeting, investing, retirement accounts, etc. Then, especially as the holidays would approach, more and more threads would be about spending. What stores were having what sales. Which websites had good discounts. Stuff like that. Then, even after the holidays were over, those threads didn't die down. Eventually, I found savingadvice.com where folks do talk primarily about financial issues and found myself spending less and less time here. Quite a few DISers migrated over there as well.

Perhaps DIS could split this board. Have one that is an actual Budget board for those looking for help saving money and other financial advice and another board for spending money -sales, coupons, shopping deals, etc. They really are two different things.

I also visited the site. Looks like a good place to go to save money.

It does get tiresome on these boards. There seems to be 2 factions.

The ones who are tired of supporting half the country.

And the ones who tell you that you have no right to complain, and what else can you do besides pay income tax to help.

 

[Nettle]

I did take the time to read all the replies today, and can see points from all over. My own experience has been more jaded. I also see the best and the worst of people. I work with my dad selling fruit from his small local farm at several different markets. At one market, I do see the fancy phones, designer clothes and the wads of cash on people as they pay for their fruit with their farmer's WIC coupons. I think to myself it would be nice to have free money to go shop for fresh local produce with. A lot of these people haggle, or nit pick every item we have. Sometimes I just want to scream, eat the peach with the bruise, if it's good enough for me it should be good enough for you too. One guy even went to the point of asking for a free apple once, I told him I couldn't do that and then thinking for a second I found a large albeit slightly marked up one thinking maybe he hadn't eaten in a while to offer him. He looked at the apple, threw it on the table and said "I'm not going to eat this sh*t", flipped me off and stormed off. I was flabbergasted.

On the other side of the spectrum, we have a foreign homeless man that we save some of our fruit for. He is never picky and always greatful, in certain months he even brings us a large bundle of basil to 'trade' with us. He likes to pay his way, even if it is with a small gesture. This is the spirit I admire.

Do I get tired of helping the lifers on welfare, yes.. of course. I have no problem giving assistance, but I am tired of the abusers. I work hard for everything we have. I grew up on a farm without much, but I learned all about hard work and how not to be afraid of it. We canned our own food for the winter to help cut down bills, and luckily this was all before the "no kid left without a trophy" era which I think has been detrimental to our society. It made me try harder to win and gave me pride when I did.

Great thread.

 

[disneysteve]

Sometimes I just want to scream, eat the peach with the bruise, if it's good enough for me it should be good enough for you too.

This is a great point. I think this applies to everyone regardless of income, whether or not they are on any assistance, etc. Rich or poor, too many people in our society are just plain spoiled. They insist on having the best of everything, whether they can afford it or not, whether they need it or not.

I see this a bit in my daughter and it drives me nuts. She doesn't want to eat the French fry that's a little brown on the end or the apple with the small soft spot or buy the used book with the edges of the pages a bit wrinkled. I think it is our job as parents to teach our kids to take what you get and be happy you have it because there are plenty out there who don't have anything, not even bruised fruit or used books.

 

[beaucoup]

Put me over the edge yesterday when I learned there is an app for smartphones to check your food stamp balance, so you don't need to waste minutes calling the state to find it out.

OMG. A smartphone or iPod touch is a luxury. A plain old simple cell phone that makes or receives phone calls from potential new employers is maybe a necessity instead of landline. Pay as you go is cheapest route.

Thought my head would explode.

Food comes before a gadget any day. This country has gone to hell in a hand basket.

 

[Muushka]

Wish I had a smart phone.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Put me over the edge yesterday when I learned there is an app for smartphones to check your food stamp balance, so you don't need to waste minutes calling the state to find it out.

Food comes before a gadget any day. This country has gone to hell in a hand basket.

 

[GreenCntryGirl]

Found this today:

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.
5. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

It infuriates me to see folks on "assistance" who live their lives waiting for their "government check" sit on their behinds all day long. They either have no concept that the money/benefits they are receiving come from their neighbors that work or they don't care.

My husband's ex lives like that because she is a drug addict. I had nothing to do with her becoming a junkie and I don't understand why taxpayers have to support her.

My brother's ex actively sought to have my niece labeled "disabled" so that she could collect an extra disability check every month. She already received child support from my brother, a check for her own disability, a check for her older daughter's disability, housing help, medical help, and food stamps. She had a net income greater than my brother's. She gets her money to sit and smoke cigarettes and drink coffee.

Or the women who want children so they get pregnant knowing that their pre-natal, birth, and pediatric care is paid for. And don't forget to add WIC and other food assistance into it. And it's not just those you expect this from...like generations of families that have lived like this. One mom blog I read wrote about how she was disappointed that they now made too much money to have another child and the government wouldn't pick up the slack.

I don't want to support all these people. My husband works 12 hour shifts in 106 degree weather this week so these people who contribute nothing to our community can sit in an air conditioned house and watch cable TV on their 48" TV and text from their iPhone.

ETA: We have 2 small AC window units and a fan for cooling, we rent a not-so-nice house to keep costs down, have no television, and got our $35 phones from Straight Talk (which we've had for a year.) Our car is paid and it's 11 years old. We have one. Yet, the government takes our money to give to freeloaders.

 

[Muushka]

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.
5. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

Excellent. Can I ask where this came from? Whoever wrote it is a genius! Drives the point straight home.

 

[leahjade]

Excellent. Can I ask where this came from

Dr. Adrian Rogers' from 1984 in a series titled God’s Way to Health, Wealth and Wisdom
It should be taught in every high school in the United States! Oh, we couldn't do that - it involves the word "God"!
God told us to help widows and orphans, he didn't say redistribute all the wealth in the country so those who don't want to work get equal stuff as those who do get up every morning and go to work.

 

[Muushka]

Thanks and amen!

 

[dvcgirl]

This thread is months old. I just happened to visit the BB and saw this old thread. Someone dredged it up and posted a manifesto. I couldn't even read it.....paragraphs would help.

 

[eliza61]

This thread is months old. I just happened to visit the BB and saw this old thread. Someone dredged it up and posted a manifesto. I couldn't even read it.....paragraphs would help.

You're not missing anything. It's the montly "my life is hell because I'm supporting everyone on welfare who are all lazy, fat bumbs" rant.

I guess no one wanted to start an original thread, which is surprising because everyone here knows or is related to some one abusing the system so they just regurgitated an old one.

been there, done that.

 

[crashbb]

You're not missing anything. It's the montly "my life is hell because I'm supporting everyone on welfare who are all lazy, fat bumbs" rant.

I guess no one wanted to start an original thread, which is surprising because everyone here knows or is related to some one abusing the system so they just regurgitated an old one.

been there, done that.

Actually, it wasn't at all. The "manifesto" that restarted this thread was the standard "My life if hell and I'm on disability/WIC/food stamps/whatever and it isn't my fault and you shouldn't judge me".

 

[eliza61]

Actually, it wasn't at all. The "manifesto" that restarted this thread was the standard "My life if hell and I'm on disability/WIC/food stamps/whatever and it isn't my fault and you shouldn't judge me".

LOL..no that's the standard repsonse to the "my life is hell because of the fat, lazy wlefare bums living la vida loca on my dime".

It's a vicious cycle. we get the first manifesto, in this case the original op, then we get the obligatory "if they would just save, shop, spend like me" call and response post. typically some variety of why can't they eat beans like me or they should not have ________, that then leads to the mandatory one you quoted above.

 

[ilovemk76]

LOL..no that's the standard repsonse to the "my life is hell because of the fat, lazy wlefare bums living la vida loca on my dime".

It's a vicious cycle. we get the first manifesto, in this case the original op, then we get the obligatory "if they would just save, shop, spend like me" call and response post. typically some variety of why can't they eat beans like me or they should not have ________, that then leads to the mandatory one you quoted above.

And here you are posting the most posts on these threads again. Why even open them up if all of them are just the same thing month after month?

 

[Muushka]

I am glad that I read the recent posts on this thread. Something very enlightening was posted

1. You cannot legislate the poor into prosperity by legislating the wealthy out of prosperity.
2. What one person receives without working for, another person must work for without receiving.
3. The government cannot give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
4. When half of the people get the idea that they do not have to work because the other half is going to take care of them, and when the other half gets the idea that it does no good to work because somebody else is going to get what they work for, that my dear friend, is the beginning of the end of any nation.
5. You cannot multiply wealth by dividing it.

So good, I wanted to read it again.

 

[veraletta]

I think everyone should be thankful for what they have. I feel for the people that need help and sorry that more people don't want to help them.
I'm happy to see my taxes going to help the poor or sick.

Like I tell my children, there is always going to be people that beat the system, but that shouldn't stop or make you feel any different about helping people out that are in need.

We are lucky that we still have jobs, as there are many people that have lost their job. We are middle income and we will never be rich.
I will never own a big house or drive a big car but I do have a roof over my head and a car that runs. I even have money for vacations.
I'm very lucky.

I look at it this way... Yes maybe people should have saved their money for the future. The fact is, they didn't, so what do you do?
Are you willing to walk by them and not give them a helping hand?

When I see someone out there holding a sign asking for money, do I give it to them? You may think it's silly but yes I do, if and when I have cash on me.
I do it because just encase, they really maybe someone that really needs $5 for a meal.

I think of it this way, its takes a lot to get out there and panhandle for money... I wouldn't do it and most people wouldn't unless you really need money.
So if they get me for $5, is it going to kill me?
No
Maybe they really are going to buy beer or drugs, maybe they are lazy and never want to work.

I'm not going to judge them because I will never know why they are out on the street, unless I walk a day in their shoes.. So if I have $5, I will give it to them and hope they get a hot meal with it.

Yes there will alway be poor people but does that mean I shouldn't help them?
Maybe I should just be happy that I'm able to help them out and be grateful I'm not one of them.