Diversions on minimum wage and poverty
There have been several articles written that made me start thinking about what defines poverty, poor etc.
To give credit where it is due, check out Dharmagirl and Little_whips' articles. Link Link
When I was a kid, I thought I was poor. We lived in, no kidding, a tar-paper shack. I was embarassed by my home and rarely brought anyone to my house unless I was really good friends with them. I din't have many of the things that I wanted. My parents were in a messy divorce and my mom sued my father for $35,000. Needless to say, while he was in school full time, we didn't have much extra cash. I still had birthday presents and Christmas, but nothing like my friends.
When I was in a foster home, I thought they were rich. They had nice things and a big house. (I didn't take into account that they had been married almost 30 years and in the same place. He built their home up from nothing, she decorated with money she saved (no debt) They worked hard and had the profits of 30 years to show for it.)
When I was on my own, in the Army. I was rich. i saved $200 every payday and still had $50 a week for me. No food, phone, electric or transportation bills. I was rolling in more money then I ever had before. I felt rich. I could buy anything I wanted and if it was more than $50...I could have it next week.
When I was first married, I was rich. I just didn't know it. We had to buy dishes and a car (there went that money I saved up). We bought a mattress and towels. We had insurance, phone, electric and water bills. We did run up quite a bit of debt for the things we thought were important. but we were still rich. We didn't even have a bed, but we had what we needed and we had money for dates. We could go out to eat every week and to the movies too. We were rich, but I thought we were poor. Why? because we didn't have a bed or nice furniture.
Now, we own not one, but two homes. Actually, we have mortgages for two homes, leins on two cars and a small credit card debt . We have some nice furniture, but nothing fancy. We don't take cruises or long vacations. We dont' have a cell phone or satalite tv. We can't afford to go out on dates very often...babysitters are pricey. Are we rich? Are we poor?
I think it depends on your point of view. If material goods=happiness and wealth...well, we are poor. If being debt free and living a modest existance is true wealth, then, oops, we are still in the hole. I think we are somewhere inbetween. We are working at getting out of debt, purchasing only what we can truely afford, and giving up what really isn't nessicary. We will probably never be "rich", with oodles of money and fancy possessions. But I think that I am okay with that.
I still want a bigger house....4 people in 1200 aq. ft. is a little tighter than I wish. I sill wish I could give my son a swing set for Christmas, but i can't justify spending $300 right now. I wish for many things, but I think that I am realizing that wanting the unobtainable or wishing for the things that I can live without, only serve to make me feel poor. When I think about all I do have, I am rich. I have enough to care for my family and have fun within reason. I have enough to take a last min emergency trip for surgery.
I have happiness. What do I need with a 56'' plasma TV?