[Retail Trends That May Affect Central Florida]

6 hours ago, JFW657 said:

 I never claimed to be a liberal.

I'm a centrist Democrat.

And yes, I do Hate Trump. 

After all.... what's not to hate? 

The "Joe Manchin wing" is ideologically closer to the vast majority of Democrats than Bernie "Old BS" Sanders or that ding-a-ling AOC.

He is more  conservative than most Democrats because he holds office in a very conservative state.

The progs have hijacked my party and are giving us all a bad name even though the majority of the Dems in Congress are much more centrist.

The progs are just the opposite side of the same coin as the tea party. 

Spoiled, entitled extremists who refuse to compromise for the good of the party or even society.

I view them both with nearly equal levels of disgust. 

By the way I too am a centrist . I have not and never intend to vote for a liberal. However I  think you have some misguided notion of what that means. To suffer in life because everyone else is doing it?
I notice whenever people say pull yourself up by your bootstraps they never mention the multiple raises a year CEOs get in addition to bonuses. But squawk at middle class people for asking for raises. The situation is becoming so bad that the once coveted 45k salary is barely enough to support a single individual… don’t even mention a family. And In América today to send just one child to school you need to make more than 70k. So cost has inflated and wages haven’t. 

[Retail Trends That May Affect Central Florida]

19 hours ago, JFW657 said:

I call BS on all of that. 

And let me say also that I purposely estimated certain expenses like rent, on the high side.

I'm pretty sure one can get an apartment for less than $1200 a month.

Might not be a hip, trendy downtown highrise, but hey.... too bad. 

Anyway, as to the point-by-point...

 

1) Get a roommate.

I did.

And I lived. 

"Oh but JFW657.... what if I don't want a roommate??? What if having a roommate makes  me uncomfortable????"  

Made me uncomfortable, too.

Too bad.

Deal with it.

I did.

2.) They should have considered that before moving out of their parents' home, shouldn't they have? 

But still, let's assume they didn't. People make mistakes when they're young. I understand that. 

If one wants to go go back to school, there are schools around town like Orlando Tech, Mid Florida tech, Winter Park Tech, etc., that are very affordable and are operated by OCPS on a non-profit, break even basis. You can enroll in certificate programs in various tech fields like IT & CADD. Mechanical trades like HVAC & Refrigeration. Clerical fields like Court Reporting, or Culinary, or Medical Records Technology, Surgical Assisting, etc, etc. 

3.) Thank you for providing a perfect example of why Starbucks should not be forced to pay someone with no real skills $15 an hour to pour coffee. 

And honestly... the notion that every grocery store in town is going to raise their prices because Starbucks raised theirs is pretty far fetched. 

But thanks to the new $15 an hour minimum wage, Starbucks almost certainly will raise their prices.

Get ready for $6 or $7 a cup coffee there. 

Or else much of it will be self service, like at a Wawa to cut down the number of employees.

So.... even fewer jobs will be available.

4.) One does not have to own a brand new car. Lots of decent quality used cars to be had.

Also, drive like a mature adult, don't get speeding tickets or have accidents, etc., and your insurance won't be anywhere near $500 a month.

More like $500 - $600 a year or about $40 - $50 a month/$10 - $12 a week.

5.) Tough s_ _ t. It's nobody else's responsibility to pay more for things so the current young generation can live happy, carefree lives. Nobody ever promised an easy life to those of us who grew up in the real world that existed before the current precious snowflake world. People toughed things out and became better and stronger men and women  for it. They rose above their circumstances and made their lives work. Was it all a Sunday picnic in the park? No it was not. But that, as they say, is life.

And honestly.... how galling it is to hear someone say...

"But Mr Old Meanie... I don't WANT to work hard and sacrifice!!! I want to have fun!!!! GIMME GIMME GIMME!!!!"  

I don't know who convinced this whiny generation that life was a big party and they were entitled to have things handed to them, but whoever it was let them down. 

6.) Degrees in things like business management have become little more than expensive wall decorations nowadays. The real money is in hands on skills. Get a certificate from a vocational-tech school and you'll make enough to get by on. And the program will only last around 18 months rather than 4 years.

7.) A hundred bucks for a flat tire????

Funny... I just had a flat repaired at Big 10 Tires on S. Orange Ave. about a month ago.

Cost me $30. 

 

Anyway.... everything we're talking about here boils down to common sense and certain basic rules of life

Don't bite off more than you can chew.

Don't buy things (like a car) you cannot afford.

Don't try to live above your means. 

Don't waste your money on things you can live without, like expensive tattoos, piercings, vacations, nightclubbing, etc. 

And most importantly of all.... DON'T START A FAMILY UNTIL YOU ARE SURE YOU CAN SUPPORT ONE!!!! 

 

.
 

Sir I think you need to read my response again you responding to things I did not state. Also, You clearly don’t understand the principle of zero dollars. And the notion of “ don’t move out your parents house” is a very privileged one. Please understand that paying wages and have not increased yet living cost has. Really not that complicated it’s taught in middle school civics. 

[Retail Trends That May Affect Central Florida]

5 hours ago, JFW657 said:

Oh, I get it.... you're insinuating that I'm a racist by suggesting that I'm only talking about people of a certain ethnicity. 

Not surprising.

But wrong.

I'm talking about almost everyone under 40 nowadays, including white, hipster minimum wage Starbucks baristas and Best Buy clerks, etc., etc., etc., who are supposedly struggling to get by. All the while texting and gabbing with their friends all day on the latest smartphones, having hundreds of dollars worth of tattoos and puffing away on some exotic vaping.... stuff.

Here's a little basic arithmetic on the subject....

A young minimum wage couple both make $8.50 an hour. 

That comes to $17.00 an hour between them x 40 hours per week = $680 per week x 4.3 weeks per month = $2924.00 a month gross monthly income.

Minus $1200.00 rent = 1724.00, minus $300 utilities/cable/internet/phone = 1424.00, minus $600 per month for 2 car payments = $824.00, ÷ by 4.3 weeks per month = $191.63 per week left for groceries, gas, and other miscellaneous expenses.

Are they getting rich? No.

But $200 a week after all the bills are paid isn't starving either.

And who ever told them an unskilled, minimum wage job was going allow them to amass wealth?

Need some extra pocket money? Do what I used to do.... get a 2nd part time job.  Go to school at night and get trained for a higher paying position. 

If people would stop wasting money on unnecessary crap, they'd find it reasonably easy to get by on $8 - $10 an hour.

And BTW.... your "...St. Ronnie's welfare queen..." was an actual person who engaged in exactly what she was accused of and worse...

http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/history/2013/12/linda_taylor_welfare_queen_ronald_reagan_made_her_a_notorious_american_villain.html 

Problem #1 with your argument: you're basing this on a two-person income. Clear demonstration you don't actually anticipate anyone to survive on those wages. 

Problem #2: you do not factor in that they will have limited means of promotion without schooling, and seeing how you left $0 in the budget for savings or miscellaneous, they would have to go into debt to go to night classes, etc. Debt, when you are making $8.25 an hour, equals 20-30% interest if they're lucky. This means even if they get the certificates they desire, they will have a negative net worth. 

Problem #3: what happens when the Starbucks they work at decides to raise their prices without raising the wages? Then the markets around Starbucks raise their prices. Now our couple cannot even afford to buy groceries on the $100 a week you left them. Which, by the way, is way below their food needs. 

Problem #4: You do not factor in insurance: if they have two cars and are two people insurance would cost near $500. so far, with groceries, insurance, and debt, they are nearing -$1000 a month... fun times. 

Problem #5: There is this weird fascination with the older generation with not living your life but simply surviving until you're too old and too worn out to enjoy it. If they get a second job, they won't be happy, and they won't be living life... just hamsters on a wheel waiting to retire. 

Problem #6: I have a bachelor's degree in management and ten years of management experience. Yet, Companies are not interested in hiring me in any position higher than entry-level, so it is fair to say that assuming they could go to night school to get a higher paying position is an assumption. Every high-paying position I have gotten has been received via networking.. which our couple doesn't have time for while working two jobs and night school; I say night school because no matter how much I network, I still need my necessary credentials. 

Problem #7: Oh No! one of their cars sprang a flat tire... that's $100 on a credit card ( remember no money left over for savings) which in 3 months becomes almost $300... for a single tire. Being poor is fun!