If you are a parent or grandparent, you need to look at these stats

[Hammerdawg.NEAR]

Just about to come here to say this… or pay close to $2,000/month for a 2/2 apartment.

I always love older people being disappointed in our youth when they were the ones that raised them or raised their parents, etc.

I’m 33 and own my own home. I’m sitting at a 3.25% interest rate and feel lucky as hell to be there. Bought in September 2019. If Covid hit 1 year prior, I wouldn’t be able to be in a home right now. My mortgage is around $1,388/month. If I bought the same exact house I’m in with it’s hike in value and interest rate, I’d be paying $3,000+/month.

Sure part of that is laziness, but our country is in a very bad place for young adults trying to live independently,

To be fair, the older generation can only do so much when the younger generation is exposed to complete degeneracy and nonsense all day every day their entire lives

 

[MoneMan]

I remember like yesterday my dad asking me if I was going to go to college when I was a rising Senior in HS. I was lucky; school came easy to me, since I was a hell yun in HS, and I told him yes. He said "How you going to pay for it?". I was out of my parent's house at 17; had student loans and a job (sometimes 2). Took me 9 years to get through college since I ran out of money (had to live somewhere) and had to go part-time for several years. Prioritized paying off student loan debt (both mine and my new bride). We rented a house my first 5 years of marriage.

I had a good job. Had the money to pay for my 2 kids college, but when they wanted to get an apartment (get out of dorm), I told them they had to pay for their utilities and extra-curriculars, so they both got jobs. They developed a work ethic, and learned how to balance school and work to get what they want. Both are doing there own thing since out of college. They are even saving money.

I tried to teach them that not everything is given to you. IMHO, we give our kids too much as a society.

 

[fatman76]

Eh. This conversation is too small for this forum. This isn’t all on a generation being lazy. The middle class in this country is dead. I know because I went from lower middle class to middle upper class in the span of 3 years just based on salary. Obviously didn’t build the assets and wealth in that short time, but I got on the path to it. Id love to say it was hard work, but honestly time and place played the biggest part.

This country continues to grow further apart from the top and the bottom economically.

Great post.

I just wish there was more consensus as to why this is happening.

 

[fatman76]

There is an unfair stigma with not going to college. I wonder often how much happier I would be if I were a mechanic or a body man compared to getting my ass kicked weekly over what deals my organization closed.

100%

At whatever point we decided everyone had the right to, and were a failure if they didn’t attend, a 4 year college the cost went way up and the value way down.

In my industry we just are not getting enough young contractors to replace those who are retiring - and the money to be made if you do it right is insane.

College isn’t for everyone.