[extropy-chat] change of topic

Samantha Atkins sjatkins at mac.com
Sun Jan 16 02:50:05 UTC 2005


On Jan 12, 2005, at 2:32 PM, Mike Lorrey wrote:

>
> --- Samantha Atkins <sjatkins at mac.com> wrote:
>
>> I would also point out that even if you live frugally and without a
>> second car (not a luxury if commuting by two to different locations
>> including one ferrying kids around and taking care of the home), big
>> screen TV etc, raising even a small family in many parts of the
>> country is barely possible if at all  for many single earner
>> households in the US. The effective costs are quite high unless one
>> does a lot off the normal consumer grid.
>
> The biggest consumer expense today is debt. Don't get into debt to
> start with and watch your standard of living go up. Buy what you need
> in cash, don't borrow, don't get yourself in a position where you need
> to borrow. Getting off the grid is not hard, and not a sacrifice. Even
> here in relatively high cost of living NH, it is only hard if that is
> the life you choose.

Is debt servicing bigger than rent/mortgage?  If so then I am shocked 
and appalled.

>
> And don't live some place with a big public school system. People think
> that public schools save them time. It doesn't. As we've shown, the
> average public school education costs $9,000. If you have three kids,
> it is only cost effective for both spouses to work outside the home if
> the lowest wage earner has a TAKE HOME income of ~$40k. If you make
> that much, you could quit your jobs, keep your taxes, homeschool your
> kids, have one less car (That extra $13k covers vehicle loan,
> insurance, operating costs, etc. as well as after school babysitting,
> etc.), and have the exact same standard of living.
>

Please show the math.  I don't see how you derived this conclusion.  
How does having one care help as kids and a household both involve 
frequent needs for transportation?   Exactly how do I keep my taxes?  
Sounds wonderful.


> If spousal equality is so important, each could take a part time job
> instead of a full time one, share in the schooling etc and have the
> same standard of living. Getting off the tax grid is the important 
> thing.
>
>

All other things being equal which they are certainly not.  Two part 
time jobs at 20 hours/week would lose big on benefits, career 
advancement and so on.   Again, how do we get off the tax grid without 
risking major lack of extropy in a prison cell?    I really very much 
would like to know.  Reply privately if you wish.

- samantha




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