Working Famlies and Cattle.

[john250]

I don't see where GMN considers herself a victim in all this. How the heck did anyone get that idea? And she's right about one thing: controlling costs and spending wisely is one thing, being able to control the costs of necessities is another.

I do not see "victim syndrome" here. Animal Ag faces some truly rough times. We are lagging the market in "what's it worth". Dairy, Beef. Cost of production is raising the ante.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I don't see where GMN considers herself a victim in all this. How the heck did anyone get that idea? And she's right about one thing: controlling costs and spending wisely is one thing, being able to control the costs of necessities is another.

I do not see "victim syndrome" here. Animal Ag faces some truly rough times. We are lagging the market in "what's it worth". Dairy, Beef. Cost of production is raising the ante.

When you think you have no control over what you spend that is a victim thought process today is no different than the 70's. I seen lots go under that couldn't control spending then. It's no different today than then. You can't continue to operate on the same money today as two years ago no matter if its your house or farm on the same income. Have to get creative on conservation.

 

[Frankie]

I don't see where GMN considers herself a victim in all this. How the heck did anyone get that idea? And she's right about one thing: controlling costs and spending wisely is one thing, being able to control the costs of necessities is another.

I don't see a "victim" mentality either. Caustic loves to beat people up about finances. He has all those oil wells in his back yard; he just doesn't live in the same world as the rest of us.

 

[Caustic Burno]

What are you paying for cell phones a month, TV, gas hauling the kids to school instead of riding the bus.
Raise a garden and cut the grocery bill turn the thermostat down or up a couple of degrees.. There is not a lot you can do about increasing income there is a lot you can do about unnessary expenses the list goes on.

 

[Frankie]

What are you paying for cell phones a month, TV, gas hauling the kids to school instead of riding the bus.
Raise a garden and cut the grocery bill turn the thermostat down or up a couple of degrees.. There is not a lot you can do about increasing income there is a lot you can do about unnessary expenses the list goes on.

None of your business what I pay for anything. But jumping on someone because they can't control the cost of their health insurance or the price of a gallon of milk for the kids, is just bullying. We know those things aren't a concern for you.

 

[Caustic Burno]

What are you paying for cell phones a month, TV, gas hauling the kids to school instead of riding the bus.
Raise a garden and cut the grocery bill turn the thermostat down or up a couple of degrees.. There is not a lot you can do about increasing income there is a lot you can do about unnessary expenses the list goes on.

None of your business what I pay for anything. But jumping on someone because they can't control the cost of their health insurance or the price of a gallon of milk for the kids, is just bullying. We know those things aren't a concern for you.

Saying you can't control cost is a cop out.

 

[Frankie]

What are you paying for cell phones a month, TV, gas hauling the kids to school instead of riding the bus.
Raise a garden and cut the grocery bill turn the thermostat down or up a couple of degrees.. There is not a lot you can do about increasing income there is a lot you can do about unnessary expenses the list goes on.

None of your business what I pay for anything. But jumping on someone because they can't control the cost of their health insurance or the price of a gallon of milk for the kids, is just bullying. We know those things aren't a concern for you.

Saying you can't control cost is a cop out.

No, it's not. I have no control over the price of my health insurance. I either pay the cost or go without. If a family has growing children, science tells us they need milk. How can they control the cost of a gallon of milk.

And who are you to tell someone how to spend their money? According to your past posts, you should be rolling in dough with the price of oil these days.

 

[spoon]

There are several reasons that we are having a disagreement on this issue but the main reason is age. CB is pretty much right IMHO. I don't think I'm quite as old as CB but I'm old enough to have learned what he is saying is correct. I grew up in the 50s and 60s and had pretty much what I wanted. Tried to keep that lifestyle when I moved out on my own and got married and found out it doesn't work on a blue collar job. Through the years I've managed to get a pretty good paying day job and the wife is a partner in a family (hers) owned business so we do ok but the last couple of years we have changed our ways some. Things are getting tight all over and it will most likely get worse before it gets better. My dad only borrowed money from the bank once in his life. He borrowed $3,000 in the late 40s to buy his first restaurant and he borrowed it on his word with no collateral. After that if he couldn't pay cash for it he didn't buy it. He bought several several houses and pieces of property besides the normal cars, trucks, etc. But he seldom bought new vechiles and never built or bought a new house. He retired at the age of 49. He's 83 now. I didn't listen to anything he told me growing up. I wanted it now and borrowed to get it. I'm almost 55 now and don't see retirement in my near future. I wish I had listened to my dad. Y'all would be $$$ ahead to listen to CB. It's all about living within your means. As you get older hopefully your means will increase and so will your lifestyle. That's my $.02 and I'm sorry I was so longwinded.

 

[Caustic Burno]

There are several reasons that we are having a disagreement on this issue but the main reason is age. CB is pretty much right IMHO. I don't think I'm quite as old as CB but I'm old enough to have learned what he is saying is correct. I grew up in the 50s and 60s and had pretty much what I wanted. Tried to keep that lifestyle when I moved out on my own and got married and found out it doesn't work on a blue collar job. Through the years I've managed to get a pretty good paying day job and the wife is a partner in a family (hers) owned business so we do ok but the last couple of years we have changed our ways some. Things are getting tight all over and it will most likely get worse before it gets better. My dad only borrowed money from the bank once in his life. He borrowed $3,000 in the late 40s to buy his first restaurant and he borrowed it on his word with no collateral. After that if he couldn't pay cash for it he didn't buy it. He bought several several houses and pieces of property besides the normal cars, trucks, etc. But he seldom bought new vechiles and never built or bought a new house. He retired at the age of 49. He's 83 now. I didn't listen to anything he told me growing up. I wanted it now and borrowed to get it. I'm almost 55 now and don't see retirement in my near future. I wish I had listened to my dad. Y'all would be $$$ ahead to listen to CB. It's all about living within your means. As you get older hopefully your means will increase and so will your lifestyle. That's my $.02 and I'm sorry I was so longwinded.

Mom and I live off 1700 a month pay the medical, utilities, groceries and fuel and that is our spending money.
We put the rest up for hard times and I see them coming again. I have kids that are in for a rude awakening one in paticular. Got to have every new gadget, think they need a new vehicle every couple of years.
Constantly yaking on a cell phone kids have cell phones texting there friends, are signed up for everything under the sun. I would hate to see there fuel bill, constantly eating out as they are chasing kids all over the place. They are not living they are running to keep up with the jones and it is going to be a terrible shock when they can't anymore.

 

[larryshoat]

When it comes to fixed cost there are two kinds of people, those that can pass on cost increases and those that cannot . Fuel is a perfect example of this . Anybody paying a fuel surcharge on anything ? I don't know about you , but I don't have much luck passing that on . I don't think there is any question that it is harder to make it today than it was 20 years ago . The wages that people make have simply not kept pace with costs . On one hand we tell young mothers that they should stay at home with their children , then ask them to do that in an environment that requires them to contribute financially . CB, you paint with a broad brush my friend, why don't you show us what the budget should look like for a family of three, don't forget to check out health insurance costs.

Larry

 

[I luv herfrds]

Listening to the family talk about what the grandparents did back in the 30's to survive. GM raised chickens and turkeys. Sold the eggs and cream to the store and used the money to put gas in the tractor and truck. She raised a huge garden. She was able to put a little aside each week and it allowed her to buy a Home Comfort wood/coal cook stove.
GP was smart enough so that when the neighbors were selling out due to taxes owed he was able to buy the land and build this place up.

Husband and I were talking the other day. We do not have a credit card nor want one. We have one debt left to pay off and we should hopefully have that gone in 3 years.

 

[GMN]

If you are not in control who is? Only you can be responsible for what you spend.
It's not the governments responsibilty to take care of you or control prices.
You have taken the I am a victim outlook.
You are just getting to see what recession is about.
You think today is different when fuel went from 20 cents to 60 cents a loaf of bread a dime to a dollar in the seventies.
Its just different for you seeing the bubble burst for the first time.
You haven't seen bad yet it is just starting, wait till unemployment hits the high teens or low 20's.

Didn't you start this post saying how you didn't know how young families can make it these days? Now you are criticizing us with bible verses and preaching. I am not a victim, and I do not expect the govt to bail me out. I can only deal with right now, and the fact is right now, the world has its ups and downs.

Don't judge me and others for living a life that may be different than yours.

GMN

 

[Caustic Burno]

If you are not in control who is? Only you can be responsible for what you spend.
It's not the governments responsibilty to take care of you or control prices.
You have taken the I am a victim outlook.
You are just getting to see what recession is about.
You think today is different when fuel went from 20 cents to 60 cents a loaf of bread a dime to a dollar in the seventies.
Its just different for you seeing the bubble burst for the first time.
You haven't seen bad yet it is just starting, wait till unemployment hits the high teens or low 20's.

Didn't you start this post saying how you didn't know how young families can make it these days? Now you are criticizing us with bible verses and preaching. I am not a victim, and I do not expect the govt to bail me out. I can only deal with right now, and the fact is right now, the world has its ups and downs.

Don't judge me and others for living a life that may be different than yours.

GMN

You are the one that went to whining you couldn't cut cost and got mad over suggestions on how to.
You can always cut cost it is a matter of wanting to.
It cost more to live in the fast lane than on the dirt road.
We haven't even come close to the bottom we have just broke over the top of the hill and started down, last recession lasted about four years.
I here the same whining about cost when the cheerleading granddaughter thinks she is to good for the bus and her mom hauls her to school. She is lucky cause here she would ride the blue bird special. Paying a 100 dollars a month for TV when its still free. She thinks I am the devil when she mentions a car and I tell her she needs to get a job to pay for it ,somewhere along the way she came up with the idea it is her right for someone to supply one. The current generation has lived in excess of milk and honey and have no idea on how bad it can get. It has been forty years since we had a bad downturn in the economy, as Joogephus stated I don't think we will come out of this one near as fast as the last one.

 

[skyline]

Had a first yesterday. Filled up my truck for a smooth $100. At $3.90 per gallon - diesel. Sure made me think about this topic. I get weak kneed when I see my fuel bill and the electricity bill in the mailbox each month.

 

[Caustic Burno]

When it comes to fixed cost there are two kinds of people, those that can pass on cost increases and those that cannot . Fuel is a perfect example of this . Anybody paying a fuel surcharge on anything ? I don't know about you , but I don't have much luck passing that on . I don't think there is any question that it is harder to make it today than it was 20 years ago . The wages that people make have simply not kept pace with costs . On one hand we tell young mothers that they should stay at home with their children , then ask them to do that in an environment that requires them to contribute financially . CB, you paint with a broad brush my friend, why don't you show us what the budget should look like for a family of three, don't forget to check out health insurance costs.

Larry

I pay neaarly 500 a month for medical for two and it is more expensive for a diabetic as it doesn't cover the cost of the testing supplies. You can turn the thermostat to 78 in the summer versus 75. Plan your trips to town and runing around, drive 60 instead of like your hair is on fire to save fuel. Hard as this is to believe we lived with out cell phones, cable or satelite TV its still free today. Costs have risen I do not argue that but Americans think things are essential that are not. How many auto's sit in the driveway its not one or two any more its three or four, insurance alone for each additional one is 50 bucks a month minimum not counting fuel and upkeep. Drive by any HS look in the parking lot at the vehicles they are not old second hand ones there what budget did most of those come out of Mom's and Dad's. How much bottle water or soft drinks do you buy at 12 dollars a gallon when you stop somewhere not to mention five dollar coffee.
What does each cell phone cost a month has to be high as you never see anyone off one anymore.
You can not increase your income or control your health care cost you still can control what you spend to live. Raise a garden and can your food it doesn't have to come from Kroger, McDonalds or Pizza Hut. Fast food resturaunts used to be very rare this is an idea that has flourished since the eighties. Used to if you went on a road trip to visit family there was fried chicken and a thermos of ice tea, there was no Mikey D's to stop at and drop twenty bucks.
You can't find ways to control cost if you don't look and if this recession is anything like the last one you had better be looking now not later it is going to get worse before it gets better.

I don't know about three any more but I could tell you about seven in the seventies and watching a house note go from 162 to 500 due to a fire at the worse possible time in our economy then. After a mortage company recalled the loan to get the 7% money off the books to get it back out at 16%. I know we had to get very creative then to keep the wolf away from the door. As I said there were five kids to feed then.
I don't think teenagers in the seventies were eating a lot less than today, we were not buying 100 dollar a pair tennisshoes or designer jeans either.

 

[Calman]

In comparing the today's to the 70's.we at least have more to cut back on today.In the 70's we had or toys but not like today.We have today,satelite,cell phones,internet and so on.
I guess it boils down to asking yourself,what do I have that I don't absoulity need? What am I speending money on that I don't need. Or what is a absolute need or just a wan't.What toy have I got that I don't need and it's costing me money?And do I go out and eat or do I just fix something at home?
In the 70's I was working and barely making ends meet and had only the bare necessities.I didn't have hardly anything I could cut back on.And at least now I could cut back a bunch,but like everyone else I sure hate to.But if needed we will in order to survive.

Cal

 

[Caustic Burno]

In comparing the today's to the 70's.we at least have more to cut back on today.In the 70's we had or toys but not like today.We have today,satelite,cell phones,internet and so on.
I guess it boils down to asking yourself,what do I have that I don't absoulity need? What am I speending money on that I don't need. Or what is a absolute need or just a wan't.What toy have I got that I don't need and it's costing me money?And do I go out and eat or do I just fix something at home?
In the 70's I was working and barely making ends meet and had only the bare necessities.I didn't have hardly anything I could cut back on.And at least now I could cut back a bunch,but like everyone else I sure hate to.But if needed we will in order to survive.

Cal

It was rough as I remember 4 dollars an hour being a good job, like to fainted when bread went to a dollar a loaf and gas from 20 cents to 60 cents. There was a many a night of cornbread and beans for supper.
You would get a 5% raise a year and inflation was running 16%.
That was when the electric companies got creative with the fuel surcharge on the bill. I will never forget getting an electric bill of 200 plus I needed CPR I had never seen one over 60 or 70 bucks till then. We turned off the A/C and went to using fans oh the kids cried and bellyached about it.
Wife and I never had A/C growing up slept under an attic fan, don't get me wrong I like it just don't have to have it.

 

[GMN]

If you are not in control who is? Only you can be responsible for what you spend.
It's not the governments responsibilty to take care of you or control prices.
You have taken the I am a victim outlook.
You are just getting to see what recession is about.
You think today is different when fuel went from 20 cents to 60 cents a loaf of bread a dime to a dollar in the seventies.
Its just different for you seeing the bubble burst for the first time.
You haven't seen bad yet it is just starting, wait till unemployment hits the high teens or low 20's.

Didn't you start this post saying how you didn't know how young families can make it these days? Now you are criticizing us with bible verses and preaching. I am not a victim, and I do not expect the govt to bail me out. I can only deal with right now, and the fact is right now, the world has its ups and downs.

Don't judge me and others for living a life that may be different than yours.

GMN

You are the one that went to whining you couldn't cut cost and got mad over suggestions on how to.
You can always cut cost it is a matter of wanting to.
It cost more to live in the fast lane than on the dirt road.
We haven't even come close to the bottom we have just broke over the top of the hill and started down, last recession lasted about four years.
I here the same whining about cost when the cheerleading granddaughter thinks she is to good for the bus and her mom hauls her to school. She is lucky cause here she would ride the blue bird special. Paying a 100 dollars a month for TV when its still free. She thinks I am the devil when she mentions a car and I tell her she needs to get a job to pay for it ,somewhere along the way she came up with the idea it is her right for someone to supply one. The current generation has lived in excess of milk and honey and have no idea on how bad it can get. It has been forty years since we had a bad downturn in the economy, as Joogephus stated I don't think we will come out of this one near as fast as the last one.

I was never whining, I was stating facts, there is a big difference. I understand what you are saying about cutting corners, but my point is that there are some bills that can't be cut, they are what they are.

I do believe that the economy has been in trouble for more than just this past year, I think the problems started about 4 years ago, that is when I noticed a big jump in all of our expenses, and it has rocketed out of control in the past year. Again I'm not whining just stating the facts.

P.S> I hardly live in hte fast lane-that made me chuckle CB!

GMN

 

[Frankie]

Mom and I live off 1700 a month pay the medical, utilities, groceries and fuel and that is our spending money
We put the rest up for hard times and I see them coming again. I have kids that are in for a rude awakening one in paticular. Got to have every new gadget, think they need a new vehicle every couple of years.
Constantly yaking on a cell phone kids have cell phones texting there friends, are signed up for everything under the sun. I would hate to see there fuel bill, constantly eating out as they are chasing kids all over the place. They are not living they are running to keep up with the jones and it is going to be a terrible shock when they can't anymore.

You spend $1700 a month. But you don't say how much you have to spend. And I don't care.

You've claimed to have oil wells and another being drilled. And I don't care.

You've said on these boards that you make more money on your investments than you make on cows. And I don't care.

You've said that you're retiring for your gas plant job and teaching at the jr college. And I don't care.

It's been claimed by one of your creators that you are an old widower who found excitment and joy at bashing people on Cattle Today. And I don't care.

The problem that some new people on the board have is that they think they can have an honest discussion with you. But you're a bully. I care about that and think you should stop it.

 

[Txwalt]

Good points on both sides. Prices are going up on certain things. Medical insurance and gas for sure. On the other hand most folks have a lot more now than what we grew up with. Most families with kids have the play station or the like. Those high end ones are very expensive and all the families I know that have boys have one. My 9 year old daughter told me the other day that only her and one other kid in her class does not have a cell phone. I would bet that a lot of folks on here have a DVD player, flat screen tv, cell phone, high speed internet, dish/cable, and or tv for the kids. Things have changed. Remember when you finally got a microwave, VCR, or a remote control TV. If we had to cut back a lot of us have some room to do it.

Walt