The average American has roughly $7900 in credit card debt, not to mention mortgage, car payment, any student loans (if they aren't democrats), etc. The answer is simple, I am afraid, either they make a hell of a lot more than I did as an oilfield geologist, or they are up to their eyebrows in debt.
@Smokin Joe It's the "up to their eyes in debt" thing,because they are trying to live the life-style they are TOLD they should be living,by their parents,each other,and most importantly,by their TV's.
Sadly,one day in the near future they are going to rudely become aware that they don't OWN one single damn thing. Not even some of the stuff they have already thrown away because it was broken,worn out,or worse of all,because they bought a new model on credit.
Other than things like montly utility bills and property taxes,the ONLY thing I owe money on is a 2 year old Toyota Camry I bought new because I was (still am) making 150 mile round trips to a specialist once a week to keep from having my infected leg amputated. My old 300 dollar Ranger finally bit the dust on the way back home from one of those appointments,and I pretty much had no choice but to buy new.
In it's favor,the damn thing DOES get around 46 mpg highway driving if I buy premium gas,and close to 40 mph on Rebular. I figure it's cheaper in the long run to buy Premium because if the engine performs THAT much better on Premium,it will also last longer because it's not working as hard to produce the same "work".
And I am seriously considering just paying the damn thing off and being done with it,despite having a 3 percent loan on it now. It would cost me money in the long run,but it would be one less thing to worry about.
Oh,and my credit cards. They are not much of a problem though,because I pay them off every month. It's just more convenient for me to use them than cash,so I use them.
BTW,EVERY "specialist" but 1 in 3 local hospitals took a look at my leg and "amputation" was the first thing that popped into their heads.
The one that didn't suggest amputation suggested "leg wraps" and sent in some totally incompetent male nurse's assistant that couldn't even wrap the bandage properly.
So me,being me,just kept treating the damn thing myself.
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I couple of months later,when it was warmer,I had an appointment with a doc I see for diabetes checkups,and it happened to be in the summer,and because my leg was too swollen and it was warm,I was wearing shorts. He looked at the bandage and asked me what was going on with my leg,he told me,"No sweat! Go see Dr.blank in a city about 30 miles away,and he will fix you up!"
Yeah,I had heard this before,but you never know until you try,so when I got back home around 4 PM,I called the number he gave me,and damned if they didn't make an appointment for me at 9 AM the next morning!
The Dr there specializes in things like this,and he is both experienced and enthusiastic. I am not "healed" yet,but my leg is no longer infected and dripping pus,and it is maybe half the size it used to be,and only slightly larger than normal. Still have a few spots leaking blood,but no infection.
Best of all,NOBODY ever mentioned the "amputation word" even once!
Sometimes it just pays to be hard-headed.
