I stay home with 2 kids (toddlers), and husband makes less than 75k. We are doing well. No debt except the mortgage and we don't spend like crazy. We also don't have Facebook or Instagram so there's no comparison or coveting games going on here. We are quite happy and most importantly thankful to the Lord for providing.

@y.r.9401

Жыл бұрын

Why doesn't the Lord provide for all good people!? Thank your husband! ;) 😊

@tylerbowman8845

Жыл бұрын

Not all people are as good with their money as you are haha! Congrats!

@JK-ee4ez

Жыл бұрын

Very well planned out and spent within your means. Keep up your good works. I got 1 college grad and 1 halfway thru college, they were assured as long as they graduate, college tuitions are already planned and budgeted.

@bill4632

Жыл бұрын

Best thing I did was get completely OFF fakebook. I am happy I deleted my account. Soo much wasted time. I can actually tell my mental health feels better as well.

@endtimesareuponus8930

Жыл бұрын

In other words your hubby makes close to 75k and you say it came from the Lord? Where in the Bible does God say to overcharge others?

My son just graduated from college. I did have a 529 for him. However, he still went to a local junior college for his first 2 yrs to complete his GE. It was basically free here in California because of the JC scholarships. Then he transferred to UC Davis, which is also in state, helping to save a bit more money. No student loans was important to us.

I am kindergarten teacher. Preschool is important because the expectations in kindergarten are so, so high! However.... You do not need to pay for preschool if you can't afford it. If you make an effort to get your child prepared for school, they will do just fine. Should you do some formal academic work with them? Sure, but most of all just provide them experiences to learn. Play with them. Cook with them. Pretend with them. Do art with them. When in the car, TALK to them rather than giving them a tablet to keep them quiet. Go to the "free" library and read to them everyday. Go on nature walks. Work on self help skills etc.... Many states now have free public preschool that is not just for low income kids. If you qualify, great! If you don't and can't afford preschool, do it yourself. Just don't make ipad apps your child's preschool. Teachers have greatly seen a drop in social skills and attention spans with the immense use of screens. Use in moderation. Preschool is great, but great parenting can be just if not more effective.

@LearnfromNainTara

5 ай бұрын

Thanks ❤

@teenindustry

2 ай бұрын

Why is this not public ally funded?.

Four walls is most of the budget during inflation. Thankful to have that.

@Zombieland318

Жыл бұрын

Thank your political leaders

@thesewingeyedoc

Жыл бұрын

So true, the average rent is higher that my mortgage.

We’re a 1 income household and expecting baby #3 this summer. We finished baby step 3 in 2019. I’m so grateful to have found the Ramsey team!

As a single mom who is also a teacher, my budget has become tighter. I talked to one of my adult daughters and we are doing a food challenge. Basically, we discuss what we are going to spend in a week on food (ALL food groceries, snacks, coffee, fast food). Then we check in and see if we went over or stayed on track. This has really helped us 😊

@jill9606

Жыл бұрын

Fun to have accountability!

@darrenheapy1265

Жыл бұрын

I miss the days when the weekly food shop wasn't such a huge part of the budget. Decent food is now a luxury.

@tomj528

Жыл бұрын

@@darrenheapy1265 Cook at home from scratch, stock up on items when they go on sale. It's the best food at the lowest price and ridiculously inexpensive.

My wife and I were fortunate enough to work from home so we left DC area and moved to NC so we could buy a home. We went from 2 cars to 1 and cut daycare costs in half. Had to leave our hometown to fit everything into our budget.

@ellie448

Жыл бұрын

That amazing you were able to see that move. We left DC to move to Huntsville Al. Same reason.

@lcn706

Жыл бұрын

Same. We moved from the SF Bay Area to a suburb of Sacramento... it's just way too expensive with kids.

This is so interesting to evaluate. I'm late 30s and we look back at how our parents lived beyond their means to afford the standard Middle-Class Lifestyle in the '90s and early 2000s. I make much less money than they did but have chosen to fight to get out of debt and live below my means. Saving for the future is a huge priority for me now because I have seen that having the standard middle-class lifestyle built on debt doesn't work in the end. It's the everyday choice to work to keep choosing for my future self while cherishing simpler things now.

@pattykake7195

Жыл бұрын

Way to go…..👍🏽👏🏾👍🏽

@endtimesareuponus8930

Жыл бұрын

Many generations of Americans lived beyond their means. It's Shameful. It all ends at the grave. They also took more than they deserved.

This kinda made me feel better. Our family has been cutting, but as cost especially of gas and groceries go up we are really feeling the squeeze.

I agree with other comments here that Rachel has a gift of making people feel calm and less anxious about their personal finances. It’s neat to see her find her own style that appeals to people in a different way than her dad does.

I agree! Our expectations are WAY too high! Nobody can get everything they want...

I only make $54k at the moment and i save 1k and 1.5k each month with no debt, but like dave says, ppl wanna spend like they are in congress.

@15KHPCLUB

Жыл бұрын

Must be nice to still live at home rent free and stack your cash?

@laurapantoja8404

Жыл бұрын

Good for you, shows your discipline.

@bethanyg153

Жыл бұрын

Well done! We’re house poor. Husband just got a raise and I’m taking in a part time job so hopefully that’ll turn around soon. I feel like we need to play catch-up.

@chaselesser3191

Жыл бұрын

And that’s how you keep up with the Jones. It’s not mentally easy for most people to live within your means. So for the people that make it work and save. You will always be successful at any salary.

@donyee8970

Жыл бұрын

Keep it up! If you're in your 20's or 30's, you'll have millions by the time your retire.

We're a single income 2+2 family on 60k/year with a mortgage, vehicle and living on 87% of the income (the balance is going to debt and eventually into savings). We don't live lavishly but no one is deprived either. We used to live above our means because we got caught in the "do what they do" mentality so it required some real groundwork to put everything back in balance but now that it's done, I shake my head at my past self.

@GardenerEarthGuy

Жыл бұрын

You've turned that around... That's important- and you did it! As time flows you'll find ways to cut expenses and grab cash. I sell produce and fruit trees for cash on the side- maybe someone in your home can work on cars? It comes together after you made that step.

@endtimesareuponus8930

Жыл бұрын

I shake my head at all Americans. Many elderly here in eastern Europe worked hard all their lives and have almost nothing compared to you !

@ColleenJoudrey

Жыл бұрын

@@endtimesareuponus8930 I'm not American.

@endtimesareuponus8930

Жыл бұрын

@@ColleenJoudrey so what? You're from a first world country and Spoiled.

Middle class is a mindset. You can be quite low income but still feel middle class. Similarly you can be quite well off but feel grounded with middle class values.

@postmodgent1499

Жыл бұрын

Exactly, most people mistakenly believe they are middle class. Listen to this video's first few words - a definition of terms - "middle class EARNERS", "AFFORD a middle class LIFESTYLE". Middle class people own their primary home and have income producing assets (a business, stocks, investment property, intellectual property). They are not totally dependent on EARNED income if at all.

@y.r.9401

Жыл бұрын

And you can feel middle class but be actually poor! 😆

@y.r.9401

Жыл бұрын

Tell that to my Sociology 1B professor. ;)

@schuylergeery-zink1923

3 ай бұрын

Stealth wealth! We feel really blessed living on $55k and any extra invest invest invest! Then we can do fun things with the interest.

If you budget you can choose to set aside money for savings. Just be intentional. The money will add up. You can do it!!🎉

A large part of the middle class isn’t middle class anymore. They’re working poor.

@15KHPCLUB

Жыл бұрын

A Rotarian told me at the country club last week income below $100k is now poverty-level.

@pattykake7195

Жыл бұрын

The world had become a much harder place unfortunately…🥺

@endtimesareuponus8930

Жыл бұрын

Hahahahaha. Come to other parts of the world before you lie. See how we live with So Much LESS

I don’t see how anyone making under $100k can fall within the 50/30/20 rule. Our needs are very high in this current economy and our wants are super low.

Rachel's delivery of these concepts always inspires me, and makes me feel calm somehow & like I can actually do this! 🤣💖 Thank you yet again for another great vid, with your inspiring insights.

Always inspiring!! Our family is living in peace in abundance. Thank you 🙏🏻😄❤️

I've known a lot of parents who charge Disney just to say they went. I never did with my three kids. They survived. (Hershey park was very nice though) They told me in college they met other "no Disney" kids and a professor said she never went and realized how much marketing and "keeping up with others" has people spend recklessly to match them. I bet many at Disney can't afford it.

@tomj528

Жыл бұрын

Realize the most popular "ride" that you'll spend the most time at is waiting in line.

I’m a single person making $65k year. Thank goodness I purchased a condo back in 2014, otherwise how would not be able to afford such an increase on rents or mortgages not to mention groceries. The rents are outrageously high, my college son had to come back home and live with me bc he couldn’t afford the rent not even with a roommate 🤦‍♀️. This is so depressing and this administration is NOT doing a thing to control it! It’s sickening.

@Gamerz00760

Жыл бұрын

I don't believe that many voted for biden... Had to be completely uneducated about the matter. Illegals coming in drains food souces like him sending baby formula to the border as citizens here ran out. Illegals need supplies, electricity, fuel, etc...all a burden to our constrained supplies since covid. Energy cuts was a large factor from the beginning... transportation impacts everything. You figure a car has 1000s of components, each delivery of materials is magnified by their suppliers plus their suppliers and the ones all before them. Then him doing nothing about the war, trump had peace, we don't have that with this administration. Then add the war equipment left behind to our enemies... Almost all these things are treason. These are the same people that vote democrat and cannot afford anything as it is in their cities for decades

@thedeels7522

Жыл бұрын

Yup and my rent went up $600 at renewal. It’s continually causing us to have to move and take loans to do it. Causes more debt. Then move further from the city and jobs. I can’t afford to live anymore.

@monicam0307

Жыл бұрын

@@thedeels7522 it’s very disheartening and depressing to see so much struggle. I don’t overspend and at times I buy something I feel convicted and return it. I live simple and don’t clutter but my goodness I cannot imagine those with debt and those gah awful car loans.

@endtimesareuponus8930

Жыл бұрын

65k a year is Super Rich. Come see how elderly here in eastern Europe live. $300-500/month retirement. And many things are just as expensive as in the US. Gas is almost $9/gallon. You Americans are biggest whiners.

@endtimesareuponus8930

Жыл бұрын

@@monicam0307 "struggle"? Come to other parts of the world and you'll see struggle. Americans are So Pampered and Whiners.

Love, love, love your shirt, Rachel❤

I've been watching Epic Economist for over a year now. I love their videos.

I recently got a raise at work and I did the math and I’m going to make significantly more than before, so I’m working on my budget and putting more towards debt and savings. I’ve been meal planning lately and that definitely helps with money

@rustykatt3870

7 ай бұрын

👍

Those sleeves are so cute!

That childcare thing is vicious! I was spending the same on fulltime childcare as rent! over $14K a year

@ashleighwilliams1729

Жыл бұрын

Yes!! For two kids, I’m paying $24,000 per year. 😭

@stevemundwiler7407

Жыл бұрын

Staying home to raise one’s own child(ren) has become increasingly viewed as an impossible choice for the vast majority of young parents. I did it, and we survived quite well. We raised 8 children, now ages 23 to 41 (next month). I did the math, considered all the angles and, including what I saw as pitfalls in their lives if I put them in childcare, and decided to adjust lifestyle to follow through on my convictions. I never read it, but Larry Burkett wrote a book about women exiting the workplace, helping them navigate the changes that choice requires. I’m sure there are those families where it just simply doesn’t work, and no judgment for those who have gone down that path. I’m just saying that where there is a will, followed by lots and lots of prayer, there will be a way to do it.

@diggernash1

Жыл бұрын

​@@dr.deborahbannan5051 Or not having children.

@fourdayhomestead2839

Жыл бұрын

Raised 4 kids with only 1 going into daycare. I couldn't afford to work, if I had to pay that amount on child care. It's insane

@kaylintang

Жыл бұрын

We paid $2500 per month for childcare per child, and my friend paid $3500 per month per child in San Francisco Bay Area.

The traveling once a year cracks me up. I'd rather put that money towards paying off my home. People blowing 15k to fly to _____ location. Then stress about how they're gonna pay it off. So you can't even enjoy the vacation.

@rauliciii

5 ай бұрын

Traveling once a year is not much. You can spend 3000 dollars extra for a once a year experience with the family. I don't find that extreme.

@sidel3080

3 ай бұрын

We travel once or twice a year, & we’ve never spent $15K for a vacation.

Keep up the good work.

I Love Epic Economist!

We live in the Midwest. No government assistance. 2 income family with 2 children earning around 120k a year. With the cost of food, healthcare, gas etc…we are always tight. We are a 1 car family and life in a modest 900 square foot home. I do not understand who is living in and buying or renting all the luxury apartments and new build homes cropping up everywhere around us. I thought for sure we were considered lower middle class. I just can’t imagine how other folks are making due.

@alqoshgirl

Жыл бұрын

Sorry but your tight on money with 120k in the Midwest? My husband makes 98k, it’s going up to $110 next month. One income, 4 kids in the Midwest and we are even able to send our kids to Catholic school and still have a good 2k margin every month. We have 2 cars paid off, 1800 sq ft modest home. You should look into how you are spending your money honestly

@ashleighwilliams1729

Жыл бұрын

I understand how you feel and wonder the same. We have no debt, but have a $10,000 medical deductible and two kids in childcare at $24,000 per year (yes it makes sense because I don’t want to lose my job for a temporary situation).

@reno5964

Жыл бұрын

I think it really depends where you are in the Midwest. Small town your rent/mortgage is far different than a big city.

@katemiller7874

Жыл бұрын

Childcare that’s why

@kellye6483

Жыл бұрын

@@alqoshgirl we live in a major city in the Midwest.

If you get rid of student loans, go down to one paid for car, pay off your mortgage, you can live really comfortably on 75k a year. (As an empty nest couple) add kids you need more.

Practice gratitude every day to see the abundance one has. What makes us feel deprived and feel impoverished is looking outward and seeing what everyone else has and trying to keep up with the Joneses. We are NOT what we have. The things we have that we go into debt for are traps. There's no doubt that things are more expensive now. I went to college in the 80's and I worked part time to pay my tuition and completed my degree without any loans. Now it's impossible without loans her help from parents. It's possible for adults to succeed financially without a college degree. Learning through apprenticeships to learn a trade is a real option. Mike Rowe is right.

@davidhaley1776

Жыл бұрын

Agreed. My dad told me to learn a trade and don’t worry about college. I’m a machinist. I’m not rich but I’ve never been without food or shelter and the ability to provide for my family. At one time trades were taught in school capentry birch mason car mechanic. All these trades provide decent money to live on and also being a machinist

@donyee8970

Жыл бұрын

@@davidhaley1776you're a fine example of a tradesman providing for your family. I went to college during the 80's when tuition was affordable for working class families. I told my wife that if I'm college age, I'd think twice about college because of the costs.

Yeah, the "standard middle class lifestyle" has been gone for years.

If you work the baby steps, you will be just fine. My wife and I have been following Dave's plan our whole married life. She even stays at home with the two little ones while the two big ones are in school. I've had a few jobs changes which have dramatically increased my income, we have a good start on retirement and are a couple of years away from getting the mortgage completely paid. We are doing quite well thanks the following the plan.

Wife and I make nearly 200k combined but no way would we buy a new car...it's insane now. We buy used 5 years or so old and drive into the 200s and sell them. I'm glad we do this...cause inflation is going to get way worse this year and people are really going to feel it in the future.

@katemiller7874

Жыл бұрын

That’s good money you must be in a big city. You should be able to buy a car with that

@markg999

Жыл бұрын

@Kate Miller Yea we can but we buy cash no car payments in well over 10 years.

I just found this video this morning so I'm late to the comments. Ms. Cruze does not mention here two of the 15 things in the original video: living in a middle class neighborhood and living in a major city. The cost of housing has gone up much faster than inflation has, and this is especially true in major cities. My husband and I grew up in middle class neighborhoods in a major city, raised by parents who had high school-level educations and owned their own homes (his mom was a housewife, mine worked outside the home). Despite both of us having advanced degrees, being a dual income household, and being completely debt-free, we cannot afford the standard of living our parents had in the same neighborhoods. My parents paid $67,000 for their house in 1978. If housing costs had kept pace with inflation, my parents' house would now be worth about $333,000, which we could easily afford. In reality, homes on my parents' block routinely sell for $900,000 to $1,000,000, which we definitely cannot afford. Mind you, these are small, attached two-family houses. The only way we've managed to stay in the same general geographic area is by purchasing a two-bedroom apartment. For us, staying close to extended family and keeping our commutes reasonable were more important than having a big house. That being said, our son is growing up without things his father and I took for granted: a backyard, a washer and dryer, a garage of our own, a home large enough to host family get-togethers, etc. So yes, our "middle class" lifestyle looks very different than the ones our parents had.

Disney theme parks were overrated when I was kid, and now, even more so. Better to spend less money and keep it local with a trip to Six Flags, Wisconsin Dells, Valleyfair, et cetera.

@katemiller7874

Жыл бұрын

Sad you never went. We had the best time with our kids there

@CarlGorn

Жыл бұрын

@@katemiller7874 Not at all. Local theme parks are much more meaningful to me, and they don't come with the expense of airfare, hotels, and lost luggage. The only thing they didn't have are 3-digit tickets, food that's more corporate hype than flavor, and people whose job is to play dress-up as a movie character. And I never missed any of that.

Dealing with inflation and debt add on health issues it’s just a nightmare. Some of us don’t have the physical luxury of working a second job to combat these issues. We feel stuck. 😢

Costs are out of control when many familys have 2x,4x,6x of median income and still feel the pressure.

We decided not to put our youngest so in preschool and he did great in school...we had a stay at home dad at the time. Debt free except house since 2013. Did and doing pay as you go for college...didn't have room to save during their growing years

@InternetUser._

Жыл бұрын

Apply for scholarships. As many as you can get your hands on

@mandydowney4381

Жыл бұрын

@Union money They received academic, honor, band, and leadership scholarships. They looked for more while attending and found jobs on campus. Pays to ask early in high school what a high GPA and ACT score can get you at collegs you are interested in. ..great motivator for my kids.

We have no payments and are able to save that money for the future! I totally agree with that…

We just went to Disneyland, it was awesome- had so much fun and memories forever with my kid. The only reason we got to go was because of bonus money. I never count it in my budget. If no bonus, dang I wouldn’t have been able to afford the monthly mortgage bill. So expensive (Disney)

I have never had an interest in going to Disney world, I didn't even realize it was something people wanted that much, lol. I guess that's a good thing :-)

@fourdayhomestead2839

Жыл бұрын

One of my coworkers took 2 adults & 2 children to Disney. They said it really wasn't worth the $2800 they spent!

@katemiller7874

Жыл бұрын

You must not have kids.

@amadouNotes

Жыл бұрын

Same here. Even going there for free doesn’t have a meaning to me

@candy2325

Жыл бұрын

Me neither ..it’s definitely more for kids. I like the fried dough and fun meals tho 😅🎉

The main reason going to a Disney park is unaffordable to the middle class now isn't simply because of cost of living; it's primarily because Disney keeps raising prices. Before Michael Eisner took over the company, the price of admission to the Disney theme parks was actually quite low. Once Eisner came in and transformed the culture to view them (and the company as a whole) as primarily a moneymaking operation, the prices began skyrocketing and have been ever since.

@mariokart8715

Жыл бұрын

And nobody likes going to them anymore; they’re basically ghost towns. And many people don’t like this company.

@mackeerererallll6

7 ай бұрын

They’re lame dude. 6 flags is more exciting.

@MrsUnderwriter

7 ай бұрын

Just an opinion- Disney is overinflated like most of American lifestyle. Can not imagine taking children younger then 8-9 there. Young kids are simply overwhelmed by everything there. Too much of everything

@sidel3080

3 ай бұрын

I agree, I used to work for Disney & I remember when tickets were less than $100. Now tickets are $150 or more per day, per person. It’s insane. I worked for them in 2012 & 2018. There would be families who would spend $20K just on hotels & tickets every year. But of course those families could afford to take a trip to Disney every year.

"I'm not paying that" is the most overheard Public reaction.

My husband and I make $130k combined. We live modestly and rent in California. I’m pregnant and cannot stop stressing about the future and our finances with a baby on the way.

@markeasley6149

Жыл бұрын

Save as much as you can and move out of California. There is a reason a lot of others are doing it.

@katemiller7874

Жыл бұрын

Get out of California. That’s good money in the Midwest

I think people are just very spoiled and don’t understand how to be content with their lives. One income family and I think we are beyond blessed. Lavish? No. Very comfortable yes!

@Trudloops

Жыл бұрын

Kudos to you. What most Americans think are necessities are luxuries.

@michelarosier1918

Жыл бұрын

I'm amazed, and yes thanks for sharing. I too want to live peaceful, not worried. 🙏🏼

@CourtneyRobinson

Жыл бұрын

Yes we paid off debt and our mortgage, paid cash for used cars below 100K a year. We just started making above that but worked full time plus side hustles to get of debt and pay off mortgage. Once you pay off debts and can divert that into savings it’s crazy how comfortable you can be. We live very modest but due to being debt free we are very comfortable.

@sidel3080

3 ай бұрын

It’s rewarding to see families who are able to survive off one income, but a lot of families cannot live off of one income. Different factors come into play such as family size & bills. I don’t think it has anything to do with greed, or being spoiled. I was a stay home mom for 3 years and my husband & I were on a very strict budget. We were content, but it was becoming impossible to live off of one income. Especially when our rent continued to increase every year. We couldn’t afford a lot of things that we can now once I started working.

2 used Honda Accords with 100k miles on them is roughly 70-100% of the average middle class yearly take home pay.... which far exceeds Ramsey guidelines.

My preschool was expensive and supposedly it is good for our kids to socialize and get some early childhood education preparing them for the future. I couldn’t wait to get them into public school. Haha

@katemiller7874

Жыл бұрын

Preschool is great for kids.

I feel like doing everything on this list has always only been in the realm of the upper middle class. But that’s just my own perspective.

I totally agree with our expectations now. Homes in the80's and 90's were much simpler for the middle class, nice, but simpler, nothing fancy, just practical. HGTV changed the way we look at homes. Now a ton of U-tubers have followed suite. My middle class friends used to go to Disney every year. ( we were dairy farms, so poor and not time off). We took our kids when they were very little, however there are so many other amazing vacations you can take on a budget. We are not debit free, but we are working on paying off our stuff, no credit card debit and we've been paying cash for the last 3years. I hope to have just a house payment in 3years. My daughter is in community college and We've told my son he will be doing the same thing. Why pay all that money? I'm hoping that my daughter is able to commute when she goes to a 4 year school. I would love for her to have the experience of living on her own, but not with that price.

Harder for single person making less than $26,000/year. Hello that's me, 60 yr old, disabled oay for 4 walls & worry about car upkeep, drs appts & medications. Rachel you have no clue about the real people

@thedeels7522

Жыл бұрын

Yes I’m dealing with health issues too. It’s extremely limiting on ability to increase income and the expenses from health issues is astounding. People have no clue what it’s like to suffer with health problems til they go through it. I feel you! I have to turn down doc appts because I can’t afford the bills.

@endtimesareuponus8930

Жыл бұрын

@@thedeels7522 I stay away from doctors

I don’t see anyone in my rural South Dakota community “cutting back” on non essential spending!!

I went to Disneyland with my son and his family last summer (booked through Disney) Our tickets were $120 per person per day 😊

Rachel, please convince your Mom to do another video with you!! You ladies are so fun and sweet together!!

@helenasantos-collins6400

Жыл бұрын

I can’t find any with her mom. Do you know the title I can search?

@jill9606

Жыл бұрын

Yes!!

@allisonmodaff5635

Жыл бұрын

Yes! Such lovely, wise women. ❤️

Well, as we are noticing there are more 100 thousands suvs than the regular affordable accords on the streets , there are $700 thousands houses on the market today that being sold in 5 days ,So I don't know where the middle class lives

@therationalistparty9742

Жыл бұрын

You are 100% right. Luxury expectations are insane today! I remember both my mom and dad driving paid off brand new cars but they were both $8k hondas.

@katwat2653

Жыл бұрын

I want to know where these people are working?!? how are they affording these items? Are they just super broke or can they pay for it in cash?

@zainabali6532

Жыл бұрын

@@katwat2653 my thoughts exactly, the check out lines at Costco and target are insane

@katwat2653

Жыл бұрын

@@zainabali6532 Ya and I used to be able to get out of Costco for 100 now it's the 200 store.

@therationalistparty9742

Жыл бұрын

@@katwat2653 Thats exactly why this episode and report is a thing. These people are flat broke with $85k SUVs sitting in the driveway complaining about how the middle class cant get ahead while I sit here with a paid off modest older truck and paid off house on probably less income than most of them.

My wife wanted a BMW X3. I bought a used Nissan Quasquai. It was never driven or almost none. So it was almost brand new. It's never going to cost me as much as a BMW. It's very cheap to maintain and to repair. Also I wanted to invest more money in my investments accounts. But unfortunately I couldn't do it as much as I wanted. So I did stop taking money from the accounts. Yes I am very lucky. Now I just let interest doing interest on the interest. It's making a big snow ball. I think that you should always think before you do anything with your money.

Did someone make a comment with the list? I honestly have to check in and out during these longer videos all the time at work and miss the main bullet points.

Get a rewards credit card and use it through the year then use the cash back for a trip.

I went to a private college. It was significantly cheaper for me to go there and have everything included (room and board, textbooks, meal plan, all of it) than only tuition would have cost me at one of our state’s major public universities (that happens to be in my hometown). Plus I finished college in 4 years compared to the average 6 years it takes many people at our public university. AND I was able to study abroad twice for the exact same out of pocket costs as I would have been paying in a normal semester at my college. It wasn’t something only the rich could do. Private does not necessarily mean more expensive when it comes to college. It really only makes a difference in K-12

@kayak_homie

Жыл бұрын

This is the first time I'm hearing of a private school being cheaper. Who is your alma mater?

@Meinvt

Жыл бұрын

Harvard, the cut off for 23-24 school year is a family income of $85,000. Just looked it up.

Preschool is a COMPLETE waste of money. Studies show upper elementary school kids that did school work at preschool age fall BEHIND those who didn't.

Car payments are a joke

@15KHPCLUB

Жыл бұрын

Saving is a joke. Hope you like that $50k Civic.

Rachel you guys have a big team please ask some pink hair employee to to put “chapters” on these videos.

What's the average size of the houses now vs a previous generations. Our family is a 1 income household with 6 kids (one in college, one on a mission with 4 at home), and we have side businesses. Mid 40's and just paid off the house. 6 paid off cars (some old, some new, all modest). I actually get surprised that people live such comfortable lives.

Is pre-K (especially private) truly worth it? I never went to pre-K and my grades and success in school were fine.

@alqoshgirl

Жыл бұрын

We don’t do pre-k. And we’re sending our kids to Catholic school starting at kindergarten. My kids have been doing great at school!

@natalieeubank4533

Жыл бұрын

We have our kids to our church for prek for 100 a month, public school for one child is 130 dollars for book fees, but that doesn’t include the extras that they need to go into school

"Your mom goes to college"

Checking into accredited transferable online university/college courses could be an option to save $$$. Work full or part-time (full-time is better) while studying. The first and second year courses can often be taken on-line. Why forgo grocery/rent money for an entry level sociology, psychology or math class? Technology means we can do this. Good luck to us all !!

I am far better off now than I was 5 or even 10 years ago and has nothing to do with inflation. I have learnt how to manage my money, lifestyle and dare I say it, ego! I am so fixed into making a difference for myself and family now. Inflation has effected me very little.

A minimalist needs versus wants mindset will go a long way to solving most of these problems….and you will sleep better at night…😴

Can’t have true peace without the Prince of Peace❤

The sad thing of the term middle class, it isn't a real label for what the average working class person makes per month ($60k is $5k month). I've worked full time in a nursing home, and never made more than $35k.

Disney and any kind of theme park, eating out and concerts are another. In the 80s/90s I certainly enjoyed an occasional concert or musical/theater. Not happening now!

I tried saving up to build a pool. The quote I got in 2020 was 40k. I saved 50k now the quote is 80k 😒 plus interest is 4x now if we did want to finance.

@brookecarrillo3432

Жыл бұрын

Oh my goodness yes! My husband and I have had this conversation over and over again about how we save and then the price goes up so it was useless!

@dankbreh9013

Жыл бұрын

Dont build a pool. You will regret it.

@KennedyIvy

Жыл бұрын

Rich people problems

@thedeels7522

Жыл бұрын

@@KennedyIvy right? I’m just over here needing new underwear 😂

I'VE ALWAYS BEEN MIDDLE CLASSS...and I have never had the cash for Cable TV, vacations/trips, or new vehicles. I never had a dishwasher or a new kitchen. Instead, I sent my sons to COOP pre-school (it was cheap them) and saved for my two sons college fund and paid for three life insurance policies every month. We could not afford long term care insurance and now at age 77 and 72 we wish we had long term care insurance and had our sons take out college loans instead. My husband never made more than $48,000 and I stayed home to raise my sons and had a small homebased business because I had severe endometriosis and was in pain 24/7. I could not have held a fulltime out of the home job between the pain, fatigue and exhaustion.

Any family under $100k would struggle now. A few may say, no, I am saving.... The rest of us have medical bills(with insurance), groceries, vehicle expenses(for an average vehicle). The truth is often there is not anything extra for any other wants, repairs, travels.

@endtimesareuponus8930

Жыл бұрын

Liar

Thanks to HGTV, everything needs to be fancier

So basically we're all on Baby Steps 1-3 together.

I can’t afford underwear anymore so I go without

@thinkforyourself9334

Жыл бұрын

It's almost summer so it will be hot. Underwear are not needed 😁

There is so much more beauty in nature that is free and surpasses anything you’ll ever see at fake over priced Disney. I grew up in Orlando and could stay in Orlando for free to take my kids to Disney and have zero interest.

We live in the Midwest and we bought a house 30 mins outside the city so we could afford to even buy our first home, but it was worth it. We live on my husband’s income $55k plus overtime (gross) and my income we used to pay off some lingering debt and then next to invest. House: $1,500 and shop at ALDI mostly and sometimes Costco for groceries and bulk items. We have a dog and a cat. 2 vehicles a 2005 Honda CRV (outright) and a 2006 Toyota Prius (finish paying off a small loan on it this year). I think we’ll pay cash for a 2015 ish plug in Prius in the next couple of years. We garden and are getting chickens soon for self sufficiency and save some money on food. We live frugally and have a small house so we can save as much as possible AND it’s easier to maintain. We do our best to live a simple, stress free life on less vs higher incomes at stressful jobs in big cities. That’s our choice and we’re vibing 💖

I save 25 percent of my income. It's possible, I just don't spend much

Am blown away here by how much people make here. I with a lot of over time I barely make over 30k a year. Manufacturing has been my life.

Back n da day, wen us middle class kids were gonna be 1st generation college grads, out of state college wasn't even on da table. 🙄

Medical and higher education is so hard.. i like to see a middle class person pay cash for either of these two things I cannot find a rental in my area cheaper than my monthly mortgage 😢😢 i live in texas.. and not austin Having children is so expensive

My brother and his wife are always broke because of the poor money decisions they make. When that stimulus money was given out, they got extra because they have kids. Instead of putting that money aside for an inevitable emergency, they decided to take their family to Disney World…Shortly after they got back, their car broke down and needed expensive repairs; they didn’t have the money to get it fixed!

@muichiroloverlol

Жыл бұрын

SMH

@michelarosier1918

Жыл бұрын

😳🥴😳

@rbgz246

Жыл бұрын

Sounds like my brother in law... every tax return time, I see lots of new furniture, but then I hear his gas was shutoff cause he couldn't pay

Apparently everyone has endless cash now

I won’t go to Disney World because of its woke policies.

Middle Class is being phased out. Politicians want people dependent or donating.

No we don't want big instagramable homes. That's literally an instagram fantasy, not real life. The majority of us are never going to buy a home. We are looking at homes that are older than the homes our parents bought and are 3x times the cost.

Government subsidized leads to higher cost of college

@mirandataylor6385

Жыл бұрын

Why is that not the case in Europe?

@dan6442

Жыл бұрын

@@mirandataylor6385 Don't know, but I don't care about Europe. I live in "America". Not Europe. When the government in America subsidizes Anything, Those thing raise the price. Want lower cost college (in America)? Stop subsidizing college. Want safer schools? End "Gun free zones". Gun free zones are a "soft" target. There are armed police at my school. That makes it a "hard" target. As for Europe, America fought a war to be free from European rule.

Cable TV service is no longer affordable.

You can learn a trade 😎👍

If you lived in Florida and saw the arrests on television of Disney employees and what they are arrested for- there's no way you'd bring your child to Disneyworld. Not a big loss...

I never knew i was above middle class

Sometimes i watch videos like this and just laugh. Imagine worrying about not being able to go to Disney Land every year, or take your annual trip to cancun anymore while across the globe, and in our own country for that matter, there are people who don't know what they are going to eat for dinner let alone sleep that night. It's all perspective and entitlement.

Childcare costs more than my mortgages!! Insane

The game has changed but with DR Solutions plan anything is possible. I am so glad I started following and learning. 🙌🙌🙌🙌

Our car payment is 250. 2021 Lexus. She’s wrong

Here's the thing. People don't Want to give up their lifestyle that they've become comfortable with. They'd rather be in debt, but say they had a taste of the high life, if for only a short while. Remember when Ralph Kramden found all that money? He spent it and gifted others with it all over the place, then came to find out it was counterfeit. He told Alice that at least for a while he had it and so could everyone else. He said it came and it went just as fast (snapped his fingers). It was a memorable lesson. Today, people will argue that they'd rather be in debt and have it now, then have to wait and possibly never have it. That mindset is dangerous.

I’m 62 and have never been to Disney World in my life. Not once… 😢

@cindygamewell505

Жыл бұрын

I am 57 and haven’t been. I really don’t care either. I know it’s overpriced and I’m sure not worth the money.

@melissasprayberry5047

Жыл бұрын

@@cindygamewell505 You’re probably right . I guarantee I couldn’t walk all that walking; might could have 20 years ago ! 😏 I’m not even a ride rider, so probably really a waste of money for me. People just always are shocked that I’ve never been….