Survey: Nearly half of U.S. lives paycheck to paycheck

[LiberalNation]

That's not good but then if you want to buy you have to spend. Americans want to buy and live well for it if not debt free.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/03/12/life.work.reut/index.html

NEW YORK (Reuters) -- Four out of 10 U.S. workers often or always live from paycheck to paycheck, according to a survey released Monday.

Women are more likely to live paycheck to paycheck, at 47 percent, than men, at 36 percent, according to the survey conducted for CareerBuilder.com, an online job site based in Chicago.

Overall, 41 percent of workers say they often or always live paycheck to paycheck, it said.

Also, 41 percent of women say they do not have enough income to live comfortably, compared with 29 percent of men.

U.S. government and other research reports have found that women earn about 77 cents for every dollar earned by men for comparable work. Women are also more likely to be single parents.

The new survey said 19 percent of workers who earn $100,000 or more annually often or always live paycheck to paycheck.

It found 58 percent of respondents report they set a budget each month. But one in five say they typically spend more than their budget, most often blowing it by eating out.

The survey also said one in five do not set aside any money for savings each month. Of those who do, 14 percent save $500 or more a month, 28 percent save $100 or less and 16 percent save less than $50.

It said 26 percent of women do not set aside any savings, compared with 17 percent of men.

The survey of 6,169 full-time adult workers was conducted between November 17 and December 11, 2006 by Harris Interactive and has a margin of error of plus or minus 1 percentage point.

[shattered]

Women are more likely to live paycheck to paycheck because they *have* to spend more money than men just on personal products alone. A bar of soap and a stick of deoderant just isn't going to cut it. A pair of jeans and a t-shirt just isn't going to cut it.

Now..they'd probably have MORE money if they didn't pop $50 to get their nails DONE every 6 weeks, and instead grew their own nails, and paid $5.00 for a bottle of polish. They'd probably have more money if they didn't spend $75 to get their hair dyed every month. Leave it natural for crissakes - you can't fight old age. :D

[LiberalNation]

U.S. government and other research reports have found that women earn about 77 cents for every dollar earned by men for comparable work.
Just thought I'd point this out. In this day an age this shouldn't be.

[shattered]

Just thought I'd point this out. In this day an age this shouldn't be.

<b>Comparable</b>; not <b>identical</b>.

[MtnBiker]

People can learn to budget their money better. Spending less than you earn is not difficult.

[Hobbit]

Just thought I'd point this out. In this day an age this shouldn't be.

That statistic figures in studies from NOW, an organization notorious for skewing its studies (getting leered at does not count as rape). That figure fails to account for seniority and experience, which is also down among women, because they tend to take a few years off to raise children, while men work pretty much all the way through retirement.

[manu1959]

Just thought I'd point this out. In this day an age this shouldn't be.

not pole dancing

[gabosaurus]

The number will continue to grow until Bush leaves office. Because he enjoys that type of stuff.

[manu1959]

The number will continue to grow until Bush leaves office. Because he enjoys that type of stuff.

the number will continue to grow because those that can not control themselves continue to live beyond their means

[stephanie]

Just watch and see, if a Democrat is elected in 08...

We'll start seeing a lot less of our money...

Mark my words..

[Hobbit]

Just watch and see, if a Democrat is elected in 08...

We'll start seeing a lot less of our money...

Mark my words..

In other news, sky is found to be blue.

[stang56k]

Sorry, I cant feel sorry for people that live beyond there means. Its not hard to live paycheck to paycheck when your...Buying 24 inch Rims for your 07 Escalade that you use to carry around 4 of your illegitmate kids to pick up a welfare check.

Kind of an exagoratied point but...

[5stringJeff]

I'll second what MtnBiker said. How many of these people living paycheck to paycheck have cell phones? Cable TV? A car payment? High-speed internet? How many go to the movies or eat out more than once a week?

It's not hard to save a little money each paycheck, but it means temporarily denying yourself something now to gain something later - a concept which is far less common than it should be.

[Birdzeye]

Women are more likely to live paycheck to paycheck because they *have* to spend more money than men just on personal products alone. A bar of soap and a stick of deoderant just isn't going to cut it. A pair of jeans and a t-shirt just isn't going to cut it.

Now..they'd probably have MORE money if they didn't pop $50 to get their nails DONE every 6 weeks, and instead grew their own nails, and paid $5.00 for a bottle of polish. They'd probably have more money if they didn't spend $75 to get their hair dyed every month. Leave it natural for crissakes - you can't fight old age. :D

Has it ever occurred to you that there are people who don't "pop $50 to get their nails DONE every 6 weeks" and still have a hard time making ends meet even when buying only the basic necessities and at the lowest price available? Been there, done that.

[CockySOB]

I'll second what MtnBiker said. How many of these people living paycheck to paycheck have cell phones? Cable TV? A car payment? High-speed internet? How many go to the movies or eat out more than once a week?

It's not hard to save a little money each paycheck, but it means temporarily denying yourself something now to gain something later - a concept which is far less common than it should be.

How about LCD or plasma HDTV's, game consoles, and designer names on their clothing labels?

Most consumers have a problem discerning the difference between "need" and "want."

[glockmail]

Women are more likely to live paycheck to paycheck because they *have* to spend more money than men just on personal products alone. A bar of soap and a stick of deoderant just isn't going to cut it. A pair of jeans and a t-shirt just isn't going to cut it.

Now..they'd probably have MORE money if they didn't pop $50 to get their nails DONE every 6 weeks, and instead grew their own nails, and paid $5.00 for a bottle of polish. They'd probably have more money if they didn't spend $75 to get their hair dyed every month. Leave it natural for crissakes - you can't fight old age. :D


Wow! This is coming from a woman? :salute:

[glockmail]

Has it ever occurred to you that there are people who don't "pop $50 to get their nails DONE every 6 weeks" and still have a hard time making ends meet even when buying only the basic necessities and at the lowest price available? Been there, done that. Its not difficult to survive on rice, dried beans, in-season veggies, day old bread and peanut butter. If you screwed up your life and have to work min wage, then that's just what you have to do.

[MtnBiker]

Does this subject require the attention of the government or is it a personal issue?

[-Cp]

The number will continue to grow until Bush leaves office. Because he enjoys that type of stuff.

And you are very ignorant....

So you're saying that during the Clinton/Gore era, that folks weren't still living "paycheck to paycheck"? Funny, that I've made more money per year under Bush than I ever did back under Clinton...

Anyway... the reason people live like this - regardless of who's president - is because they have an entitlement mentality.

Folks somehow feel that they have to live a certain material standard and even if it means going into debt they'll buy brand-new cars, a home that has a mortgage payment higher than they should have and buy all sorts of crap.

It's pathetic, but we have a society that derives its self-worth from the material junk they own.

[Birdzeye]

Its not difficult to survive on rice, dried beans, in-season veggies, day old bread and peanut butter. If you screwed up your life and have to work min wage, then that's just what you have to do.

I wasn't complaining. I was just pointing out that there are people who watch their pennies, live on "rice, dried beans, in-season veggies, day old bread and peanut butter," and still live paycheck to paycheck.

[5stringJeff]

I wasn't complaining. I was just pointing out that there are people who watch their pennies, live on "rice, dried beans, in-season veggies, day old bread and peanut butter," and still live paycheck to paycheck.

I don't think anyone's arguing that nobody lives paycheck to paycheck. We're just saying that it's less than half of America.

[Mr. P]

Does this subject require the attention of the government or is it a personal issue?

Totally personal. IMO.

[MtnBiker]

Should balancing a budget be an educational subject, perhaps in highschool?

[CockySOB]

Should balancing a budget be an educational subject, perhaps in highschool?

It used to be part of the Economics course....

[5stringJeff]

Should balancing a budget be an educational subject, perhaps in highschool?

It was a class in my high school... actually, part of a class called Decisions in the Marketplace. Among other things, we learned to write checks, shop for credit cards, balance a check ledger, etc. The class was so easy that I didn't bother to do the homework for the first half of the class and was getting a D. :doh:

[Birdzeye]

Should balancing a budget be an educational subject, perhaps in highschool?

I say yes.

[Roomy]

Absolutely nothing wrong with living from one pay to the next as long as you are living within it, and it doesn't matter how big the pay cheque is either, spend it, save it, do what you like with it, you earned it.Just don't fucking whine about it and stand with your hand out if you find yourself skint on tuesday.

[Insein]

The number will continue to grow until Bush leaves office. Because he enjoys that type of stuff.

Seriously girl. Don't you have some dollies to play with? You don't seem to be able to handle this "conversation" thing very well. All you do is shit in your hand and throw it at the wall hoping someone will notice you.

[Insein]

Absolutely nothing wrong with living from one pay to the next as long as you are living within it, and it doesn't matter how big the pay cheque is either, spend it, save it, do what you like with it, you earned it.Just don't fucking whine about it and stand with your hand out if you find yourself skint on tuesday.

Exactly. Don't cry to me that you can't pay rent. Do you think everyone else lives a rent free world while you (metaphorical "you", not "you" roomy) are the only one struggling to get by.

Here are a few things i always look at when people cry broke.

1) How much is your cable bill? If its more than $30, then you need to do something about that. Paying rent and feeding kids is more important than watching TV.

2) Do you have a cell phone? If yes, then kiss it good bye. ITs costing at the minimum $40 a month for that. A regular phone will suffice if you cant make rent or feed the family.

3) Do you spend hundreds on electronic equipment, entertainment (video games, DVDs, computers, big screen tv, etc), nails, hair, beauty supplies, clothes, SHOES, etc? If yes, then you need to stop.

4) Do you smoke? If so, you need to quit. Smoking isnt an alternative to eating and its costing you another $15-$50 a week depending on how bad an addict you are.

Some simply cost cutters. Also for those that pay electric, don't have every fucking light in the house on when its just you at home. Basically spend within your means. Don't buy stuff because you want it. Buy stuff that you need and then if there is enough left over, spend it on what you like. Otherwise, don't fucking cry to me about being broke and demanding the government do something about it when you have all those luxuries that you still pay for.

[MtnBiker]

Absolutely nothing wrong with living from one pay to the next as long as you are living within it, and it doesn't matter how big the pay cheque is either, spend it, save it, do what you like with it, you earned it.Just don't fucking whine about it and stand with your hand out if you find yourself skint on tuesday.

Good point Roomy, really it is a persons choice and responsibility on how they spend their income. Of course someone may suggest that a catastrophic event occured that caused a person to be in a situation of having to live pay check to pay check. I doubt that accounts for 40 percent of the population.

[glockmail]

I wasn't complaining. I was just pointing out that there are people who watch their pennies, live on "rice, dried beans, in-season veggies, day old bread and peanut butter," and still live paycheck to paycheck. Somehow I doubt that this is even a tiny percentage of the population. People are poor because they are too dumb to earn enough money and too dumb to live frugally.

[Insein]

Somehow I doubt that this is even a tiny percentage of the population. People are poor because they are too dumb to earn enough money and too dumb to live frugally.

Harsh but absolutely true.

[glockmail]

Harsh but absolutely true. Sublety is not one of my strong points.

[Nienna]

Should balancing a budget be an educational subject, perhaps in highschool?

Haven't read the rest of the thread, so I hope this comment isn't redundant...

I don't think most people lack the skills to balance a budget. They lack the self-denial to STOP SPENDING.

[MtnBiker]

Just watch and see, if a Democrat is elected in 08...

We'll start seeing a lot less of our money...

Mark my words..


Well is a prediction that came true.

[aboutime]

Someone once told me. The reason so many Americans intentionally get into more debt than they can handle, is because of STATUS.

The definition of STATUS is....if you think about your own situation. Is like this.

Status is what you Think you have, when you buy things you don't need, with money you don't have, to impress people you don't know.

My parents, back in the 50's used to call it "Being just like the Jones's"

Because the Jones's have something, doesn't mean you have to have it. But people never think about that until they MAX OUT the Credit cards.

Which just happens to be the very same thing OBAMA, and the DEMOCRATS in Congress have been doing. And blaming it all on Bush.