The new American dream. Apply for numerous credit cards. Overcharge one or two of them and pay off the balances with the other cards until you run out of credit. And then???? File for bankruptcy and repeat the process in 7 or so years when your credit clears. My stepfather did that repeatedly and had a house full of "cool stuff" he normally could not afford.
I took a look around* and closed my contracting company, took 20k hard earned dollars and learned to trade stock safely. I dont get paid to tell or teach and in fact i wont do either, If i can learn you can learn. Be the ball Danny..
@@Artoconnell Uhhhh.... stock trading is generally a zero sum game. Someone wins and someone loses. Now if you are investing long-term, that's a different story. Unfortunately, $20k won't get you far if you are truly investing. But from the tone of your post, it sounds like you are day trading. Good luck with that. Like I said, when you day trade there has to be a loser for every winner. Hope you are the winner. Most aren't.
I was a RE broker in Ft Lauderdale in 2008 and back then your mortgage was only secured by your property. When things turned bad then they just change the laws and went after all other assets and incomes. Unsecured CC debt will soon be secured like student loans. When the rich get hurt they change the laws!
From $37K to $45K that's the minimum range of profit return every week I think it's not a bad one for me, now I have enough to pay bills and take care of my family.
True, I have been in touch with a brokerage advisor. With an initial starting reserve of $12k, my advisor chooses the entry and exit commands for my portfolio, which has grown to approximately $110k
No, you'd still be living large with 100K, which is the income of 2 people. Just eating only cost $100 a month, at most. I assume you mean "just eating" at restaurants, which is strictly for the wealthy now.
@zacksweden519 $100 a month? I pay for a family of 6 95% home cooked meals and can assure you it's definitely not $600 a month. $600 a week is much more real. That's still under $5 a meal. Your talking about $1.11 a meal.
@@Y2Kr4SHM4N A lot of rice, potato, and noodle dishes. Soups and fried mostly. Main vegetable is cabbage (cheap usually). Oatmeal. PB&J sandwiches. Chicken, pork or eggs when I can find a good sale. Don't overlook clearances, Grocery Outlet is pretty good for this, but you have to know your prices. Found yogurt for $1 for 6 cups and chicken nuggets for $2-something a pound (but not the good ones) this week.
I canceled Christmas this year and it felt so good to not waste $1,500-$2,500 on gifts that no one really wants. Stop the consumerism unless you have lots of $$$$
I don't think I'll stop buying Christmas gifts because it's really more of an act of giving as well as practicing gratitude. Things very important to Christians. Understanding the economic impact I would advise buying American made products whereby your spent dollar becomes a fellow American's income.
Paid off my credit card 3 months ago, paid my vehicle off this past paycheck. Been extremely frugal with my spending for the past year and will continue to be so to work on my goal of financial independence. It's a long road and arduous road but I refuse to be a debt slave.
I keep my credit card balances as low as possible, which is only 2 of them. I just paid off my second vehicle last month, and judging by the cost of vehicles, I’m driving them both until the frames rust out or the wheels fall off.
In 2021, I paid cash for an old used car and recently paid off all my credit cards about four months ago. However, 2024 has been a financially challenging year. I only worked for three months and received six months of partial unemployment benefits. For the past year, I’ve been extremely frugal with my spending out of necessity, but my unemployment benefits ran out last month (December 2024). Unfortunately, I’ve started accumulating credit card debt again, primarily due to over $2,000 in auto repair bills. On a positive note, I’ve been approved for full SNAP benefits and plan to start going back to the food pantry to make ends meet. Realistically, it may take me another five or six months to secure the next tech contract job, which might only last three to six months before I’m unemployed again. While I’ll likely catch up on bills and pay down credit card debt when that happens, I’m concerned this cycle will repeat itself in 2026.
My wife and i both work full time. Our income have gone up, but our cost of living keeps raising. We drive older used cars, live in s small house, can't afford vacations etc. we're not giving up, just refusing to play anyone. The game is rigged and I'm done with it
The people who extract every last ounce from others will wail and gnash their teeth when the energy supply is exhausted. So the real issue is self validation in one's own potential to love. The rich are not happy; they are fixated on scarcity. We can feel validated that we understand the issue correctly. The act of freely giving creates happiness, but not when our contribution is extorted for profligacy.
The whole system is unsustainable. Dollar is fundamentally based on foreigners buying gov debt indefinitely at low rates but that isn’t happening and we are feeling it.
Don't do it for the government. Do it for yourself. All my life I have paid off the balance of all credit cards every month. I don't buy anything on a CC unless I can pay it off at the next due date.
@@bobbysuazjFhvcfghwhat are you talking about. The government does not need foreigners to buy our debt. We don’t need to issue bonds and we don’t need to raise taxes. Taxes do not fund the federal government. They are the issuer of the currency. You are still thinking as if the dollar is on the gold standard😂 you can’t go broke if your debt is denominated in the currency you have a monopoly on creating and that’s a fact.
Cash is king. If I gotta make payments, I don't need it. Lived my whole life that way. 58 now. I don't buy name brands shoes, or expensive ones, those thing touch the ground. Have the same phone I've had for 7 years. No contract there either. Drive a 20 year old car that is immaculate cause I TAKE CARE of it. Never needed flash to impress, my accomplishments in life are all I've ever needed. If it's broke I fix it. And I've never made over 60 grand a year, but I live very comfortably and raised 5 kids. I just don't buy to keep up with others. If i can't make money off it, I dont buy it. A fool and their money type thing.....and my kids are all self-sufficient as well, and the youngest just turned 19. Nuff Said
Man, I just paid off my last credit card. All I have list is a mortgage. That's only $800 a month by my clothes at JC Penney and I wear sketchers. My wife hates it, but I am super conservative with my money.
You could make a meal for 6+ people for about $15 from buying groceries. A 5 pack of leg quarters cost $6, 5lb bag of potatoes cost $6, a bag of carrots cost about $3. .. baked chicken(cut the leg to seperate the drum from the thigh), roasted potatoes and boiled carrots
@4everwonderful Good luck educating these people. Dudes probably paying a $780 truck payment and thumbing out the complaint on a 1500 iphone. Somebody has to be the dope.
I have worked nonstop for over 40 years and have an awesome resume. I have now been out of work for 27 weeks. Over 1,000 applications and 1 interview. I hope no one has to experience the same. Please have compassion on us hard working Americans who simply can’t find a job. 😢
I feel your pain. It's so hard to get a job at least since Covid. I've put in 3-5 applications per day for the past year for my son and he has an engineering degree. DEI is a big problem and now H1B is going to grow.
Age discrimination is rampant and impossible to prove. I experienced this for the last 16 years. Definitely not just you,& over 50 has been the most unemployed demographic for decades. You must have some kind of pension or retirement after 40 years.
Vote for billionaires expect you can not live in their income level. Poor and working class live in a totally different income level of existence. America has become an oligarchy like Russia. The peons may revolt against the ruling class.
You are correct...when you come into this world, you have chosen strange flesh over obedience to Father ABBA. Now your soul is at risk until you convert to Jesus Christ and deny the flesh it's perversions.
I moved in this country 20 years ago with 2 suitcases and 5k; all my previous work experience was not relevant; I had to go back to school; I went learn a trade, bought a house and ow I nmake 95K a year with a good retirement; so why Americans are struggling so much? maybe because Americans make stupid choices.
They want to own you . I work in a small town store and every day have people go through 3 or 4 cards declined for a $5 purchase then drive away in their Land Rover. Dont tell me things are fine
These credit card companies charging 27%interest is part of the problem too. People feel like they are screwing them, so they really don't care if they screw them back.
For a maxed out $5000 credit card, that 27% rate would amount to approximately $112 in interest per month. Honestly, seems kind of fair to me. Especially when you consider all the people who never pay back the full amount they owe.
27%? My Best Buy credit card is around 37% and I have an 800-credit score. Of Couse I don't finance anything at that rate, but many people do. Banks have become the new loan sharks,
CC are not meant to be used to buy things you can't afford. They are meant to be a convenience since you don't have cash in your wallet. But, you need to have the money in your account now or really soon. And as far as screwing them back, that is a joke. You don't pay your credit cards and you can't buy a home, your career options get limited because of poor judgements, etc.
Hot take: Credit was meant to be used sparingly and wisely. Not as a last resort. A lot of people who shouldn't even have credit cards, have credit cards. They're more than likely gonna make bad financial decisions, pay the minimum, are impulsive, and don't care about going bankrupt. Hotter take; people who can't even afford basic groceries are living above their means. They got more pressing issues than credit cards. Like finding a better paying job. Thier dollar isn't worth jack. Inflation took away living like a bum on a crappy wage.
The credit industry is out of control in many segments of the consumer market. I'm not a high income earner but when I saw my credit card rates creeping up to 25% with 3% usage (no derogatory history), it was time to make a change. I paid off all my credit cards, stopped carrying balances, and reduced my borrowing. This month, I considered purchasing a car to replace my 18 year old car. The buying experience (fake discounts, questionable contracts, $2,000 in dealer installed options) ruined the experience for me and I walked away. The economy is in trouble.
Get a Mitsubishi Mirage quick before inventory runs out... With basic maintenance which is super easy to do... The car will last 200k with its eyes closed... It's a fantastic car
@@Have.An.AmicoDay A VW or Audi TDI will last 200K or more due to the diesel engine and is a way better ride than anything MItsubishi makes. German diesels are the best around.
Oh, yes the good ‘ol $2000 xtra cost written (hidden) in the car dealer paperwork (like the fat Congress buries in bills we don’t even know about nor would approve). I happened to reread my dealer paperwork when I got home and found out I was paying for some BS warranty on something definitely NOT needed , nor did I ask for! When I called them up, they could barely explain what it was for, but I “needed” it (you know, something like the “Johnson rod”). I had it removed; boy were they steamed. 😂 At least I put a lot down, and had a 3% interest rate at that time.
Im "only" 52, but I can still remember that there were poor people where I grew up, in a rural setting, back in the late 70s and early 80s who did not have a car and lived in rather primitive houses, passed down from generations prior. They had no higher education, they were on disability, a tiny pension or worked as farmhands and helpers, and they never bought a new car or built a new home. Hell, they did not have the cash for a downpayment, and they understood they couldnt go into debt, cause they did not have the means to service it. But they lived within their meager means, planted crops, potatoes, hunted and fished and put the catch in the freezer to sustain them trough the winter. Stacks higher than a man of chopped wood and a burning stove to keep warm. Having a roof over your head, heat and some food on the table every day was the most important thing.A lot of modern americans may have to adjust to a simpler living now, cause they party of the 80s and 90s are history.
@@adamdavis5312What?! Mone of that happened until mid-1960's. After that, people became dependent on government assistance, unfortunately. Few still know basic survival skills.
We should ask Michael to do a video about the impact of the government "borrowing" stealing over $2.7 trillion from our social security trust funds. How much money would the average SS retiree dividend be. I have the math if you need it but it's shocking. On top of that the government doesn't pay us interest on our money they hold over our working lifetime. The average American would have over $10K month interest only dividend payments if they hadn't taken the $2.7 trillion and if they pay us a modest 5% interest. This wouldn't even draw on the principle.
Like an alcoholic, the US will have to to hit rock bottom to realize that if you use the same economic & political principles of the Gilded Age, your going to get the results of the 1930s. Since the 1980s, only 9 states in the US still teach civics. Critical thinking has taken a huge beating.
You're right! Civics classes should be mandatory in every state. I can't tell you how many adults I've spoken to in the past few years who have no idea what the three branches of government are. The ignorance is astounding. It's actually very sad.
More schools should teach basic things like budgeting, interest rates, meal planning and percentages. Yes I know it should be taught at home. But a lot of adults don’t know how to do these things.
@laurijohnson7754 Yes, and all electronics need "off" at dinner/ super time...and (WHENEVER POSSIBLE) the entire family dine and discuss Past/ Present/Future....finance, plans, rules, ains, goals, et crtera
We haven't had Thanksgiving or Christmas for the past four years. Haven't had a vacation in ten years. Absolutely NO WAY we could have afforded it. I wonder if our government "leaders" are having to skip holidays and vacations? 🤬
Home Depot: An item I paid $7.85 for in 2017 is now selling for $26, bought my first home for $86K in 1983 last year it sold for $536K. It’s like 1930’s Weimar Germany, soon we will need a wheelbarrow of cash to buy a loaf of bread.
1. Very few are homeless by choice. 2. Because of wealth inequality, the absurdly wealthy are not being taxed like they should. Nor are the corporations they own.
What makes me very sad is people living in cars, even elderly people. No camper van, no RV, just a sedan. In all kinds of weather. My feeling is that if people are voluntarily homeless they probably are mentally ill because that's just not normal. People want a home. This whole thing is very sad but I'm glad you're talking about it.
I see families driving $80k cars, all of their kids have iPhones, 12 year olds drinking Starbucks and wearing Lululemon. Most families are doing it on credit. The cost of 'keeping up' is partly responsible for the increased debt people are carrying.
Perfectly said! Not to mention going out to eat every other day. When I was a kid, we went out to eat once every three months if that. What you said is the exact issue, people living beyond their means, spending what they don’t have, I pay attention to this, and I’ve seen people living in basically ghetto looking apartments but driving an Escalade that looks like it’s brand new. Or a $70,000 sports car, people are absolutely ridiculous.
@deadfairfield I work in real estate. I see families all the time. Nothing creepy about that. The fact that you think it's creepy, makes me question you.
Basically 30% on credit cards. That is insanity. That's loan shark rates. If you are low income, no way can you afford a credit card, and I know from experience.
Yeah, but what they do is they send out a 1099C if they write off that debt and then during tax time you have to pay income taxes on that forgiven debt and if you don’t, then you have a debt to the government and that’s a lot worse no one cares about the banks, but if you don’t pay the government back Then they can take your Social Security. They can withhold your passport. They can do a lot of crazy shit so the worst thing that can happen to you if you don’t pay your credit card debt is that eventually down the road several months later you’ll end up getting a 1099C so let’s say rack up $50,000 in credit card debt and you don’t pay it off Well eventually you’ll have to pay income taxes on $50,000 in addition to your actual income so true that you would pay less by paying taxes on it than you would by actually paying the credit card companies, but you’re still gonna end up paying something you don’t get to charge up 20 grand or 50 grand And then have to pay back zero it never works out like that unless you qualify for a chapter 7 bankruptcy that would be the only way you end up paying zero
This is why they keep issuing credit cards to people that shouldn’t have them, they make the money one way or the other. And if they collect it from you after you become delinquent,, they’re making even more money from someone who pays their bills on time.
I don't understand where this notion came from that people had lots of money during covid...just because you got a couple of tiny stimulus checks doesn't mean you were flushed with cash. most people were laid off and were living off unemployment money.
I guess people just gotta learn to be more frugal; because that money went straight to, and is still in, our savings account today. It should never have been given out to anyone. People gotta learn to have 6mo of living expenses in savings for the coming layoff. Working and can't save?: If yes then you MUST cut back spending and/or DEMAND higher pay to cover inflation.
Alot of these bad companies loaning out money recklessly would need to be held accountable right up to the CEO's. Instead of CEO's getting a pass and an exit package.
All these issues stem from an economy grappling with uncertainties, including housing problems, foreclosures, global fluctuations, and the aftermath of the pandemic, leading to instability. Rising inflation, sluggish growth, and trade disruptions demand urgent attention from all sectors to restore stability and stimulate growth.
In retirement, safeguarding your wealth against inflation is essential. Consider options like TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities), commodities, or foreign currencies to hedge against a weakening dollar. Diversifying your portfolio with global real estate, international bonds, or high-quality foreign stocks can provide additional protection and growth opportunities in an inflationary environment.
With my demanding job, I lack time for investment analysis. For seven years, a fiduciary has managed my portfolio, adapting to market conditions, enabling successful navigation and informed decisions. Consider a similar approach.
Certainly, there are a handful of experts in the field. I've experimented with a few over the past years, but I've stuck with Jennafer Beaver Turner for about five years now, and her performance has been consistently impressive. She's quite known in her field, look-her up.
……… ………Thanks, I looked her up on Google and was very impressed by her credentials. I reached out because I need all the help I can get. I've scheduled a phone call with her.
We are squarely in a depression despite what the government tells us. The pre-Biden definition of a recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth and we've had that since 2020. Add double digit unemployment and we have a depression. We have 206 million able body adults in the US yet only 133 million full time workers. That's 35% unemployment. You can narrow that number down a bit but it should still be in the double digits.
And yet the democrats scream about ow mass deportation will effect GDP due to current low unemployment. Give me a break. Supply and demand requires a 29 million mass deportation. And there is already precedent. Check USA 1932-1940
@@Ppp-y1q The government formula GDP = C + I + G + (X - M) is rigged in multiple ways just like most other numbers such as inflation (CPI) and unemployment. Do the math yourself and find that GDP has been negative for 4 years. Add in inflation then you'll see it's much much worse. Hell, you can even feel things are much worse. Look around.
Too few people can afford the tax burden to support those not working and getting government benefits. It is an insult to have taxpayers support other families who are unappreciative and rude. Things are going to get ugly over the next 4 years.
I went from middle class to poor in under a year. I can’t pay any of my cards. I struggle to pay rent and eat. If rent was where it should be it wouldn’t be as bad.
I took a drive through my west coast home town, and I couldn't believe all of the tattoo shops. Nearly every block had one! In 20 years we'll see tattoo removal clinics everywhere. 😂
Rents need to come down about 50% and we need decent healthcare, and not this high-deductible, scrips aren't covered, everything's out of network, dental and vision are separate crap.
I love how crédit cards work here in Holland. If you don't pay off your balance every month, they cancel your card. No credit score just a mark saying you're a bad borrower. So you can't stack up all the debt an American can because they literally won't let you. I use mine for big and international purchases for miles and convenience and it's auto paid from my bank account every month. The US needs this system to block giving out unlimited credit in a sensible way
🤬😭 I paid off my house. But, with property tax and insurance premium skyrocketing.... I'm still renting from the govt. Living in a cargo van is becoming very good.
In 2021 about 30% of my monthly income went towards my mortgage. In 2024 60% of my income goes to my mortgage. My Bank loan is fixed. The bare minimum home insurance and property taxes have literally doubled in 3 years
Yet more and more new apartment complexes are being built. For whom?? Why build apartments but not offer them at rents that the average American can actually afford?
People may not care, but eventually liquidity turns and the credit markets seize up. People will care when that happens because unemployment explodes after that.
Not a good idea. I used to be in litigation support in a previous life. The collection industry will ( and their law firms) will badger you into the grave with the technology they have these days.
I totally agree it's not a good idea. But it seems as though people are like fed up and say screw it! Im 56, debt free...money in the bank and high in ,low out situation. I've been up against the wall plenty. But I always got out legit!!
NAILED IT. big public corps like to give 50 cent raises. Fedex is s GREAT example. Tf does 50 cents do at 40/hours a week???? Can you get an extra meal?!??!
The underlying issue is income inequality. If we relegate a subset of our society into chronic poverty, sooner or later they are going to start to do whatever to make ends meet. There are safe countries where education is not a privilege.
Our country is built on spending if people don't spend then it's not America. These stores are built on consumerism not saving money and being frugal. Greed is king period.
america wants built on that at all america has become spoilt by that option and the purveyors of debt 💸 that hooked americans with crack credit are the drug dealers trump has spoken of a moratorium ala bernie saunders of credit rates capped at 10%!! this is big
This isn't a new phenomenon, Michael. The middle class is disappearing. We've already been in a recession since 2023/24. Of course, people are going to default on credit cards and their mortgage payments. They will need to likely live with a family member, because they have no other options. One of my neighbors across the street has her whole extended family living in her house. 5 cars and an RV. Nobody does that unless they have no choice.
The middle class cannot disappear any more than the moon can disappear. The middle class is defined as the 40 to 60% of income earners. So math would have to fail for this to go away.
Some people just ignored their Mama's advice to save for a rainy day. No one blames the liquor store for their alcoholism. So why blame the marketplace or credit cards for your inability to control your lack of impulse control.
In Kotor Montengro right now. You can live for 90 days in Montenegro. Right on the ocean in the offseason in an Airbnb for $800 a month and that’s at the high end. Spend 90 days in Montenegro , a year in Albania , 90 days in Thailand , etcetra. No value in the US anymore. You’re paying too much to live in a high taxed , high crime place. The food is literally poison . I mean wtf is everyone holding onto at this point. If you can leave. Leave.
I got the money and do without. I don't want to spend myself into a penny less bum status or work like a dog for more stuff I don't really need. Retirement in a rocking chair beats the poor farm from living too large.
In western NC due to helene, a lot of people are living in tents, they still have to pay property taxes on homes that are no longer there, they are talking now about housing, if the gov.builds housing, I believe thats where 15 min. cities appear.
The problom is people on ss our rent ,electric, medication plans are all going up in cost,, we then have to choose buying food or paying credit card bills, i think trying to just live is coming first
The $46B delinquent debts that the Credit Card Companies wrote off in the first 9 months of last year would be mostly comprised of interest that they are charging between 27 - 38% p.a. interest compounded monthly. Hard to feel sorry for basically Loan Sharks losing money that is ill-gotten gains.
"If it happens in politics you can bet it was planned that way." Franklin Delano Roosevelt When talking politics you have to include the monetary system. That brings us to the fact our currency is issued by a private banking cartel, the Federal Reserve. They are part of a world wide conspiracy whose goal is to subjugate humanity! If one had read Georgetown history professor, Carrol Quigley's 1966 tome 'Tragedy and Hope:A History of the World in Our Time' one would know that! The following is a key excerpt validating my contention; “The powers of financial capitalism had a far-reaching aim, nothing less than to create a world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political system of each country and the economy of the world as a whole. This system was to be controlled in a feudalist fashion by the central banks of the world acting in concert, by secret agreements arrived at in frequent meetings and conferences."
I sell on eBay, Etsy, Amazon and my own sites. July 23 sales went down 50%--and stayed down for a year and started sinking even more six months ago. It is not pretty. We are a Star Seller.
America is currently plagued by the hydra-headed evil duo of inflation and recession. The worst part about this recession is that consumers are racking up credit card debt. In December alone, credit card debt went up 36% while rates have doubled in a year. Inflation is so high that consumers are literally taking debt for basic life necessities. Collapse has indeed begun.
The truth is that people are finally waking up to the fact that our systems are breaking down in thousands of different ways all around us. Personally, the financial market seems like the only way to go with a long-term horizon . But if you don't have that time, it's a tough market out and thus you should consider financial advisory.
A lot of folks downplay the role of advisors until being burnt by their own emotions. I remember couple summers back, after my lengthy divorce, I needed a good boost to help my business stay afloat, hence I researched for licensed advisors and came across someone of utmost qualifications. She's helped grow my reserve notwithstanding inflation, from $275k to $850k.
I appreciate the implementation of ideas and strategies that result to unmeasurable progress. Being heavily liquid, I'd rather not reinvent the wheel, thus the search for a reputable advisor, mind sharing info of this person guiding you please?
I've experimented with a few over the past years, but I've stuck with ‘’Marisa Michelle Litwinsky” for about two years now, and her performance has been consistently impressive. She’s quite known in her field, look her up.
Thank you for this tip. it was easy to find your coach. and I conducted thorough research on her credentials before scheduling a call with her. Based on her résumé, she appears to possess a high level of proficiency, and I am grateful for the opportunity to speak with her.
Orange did away with the mortgage write off in 2017, it’s now capped at 10k interest per year. I distinctly recall this Becuz it made me very angry that he gave corporations a massive tax cut while also capping my deduction.
Ah.... 70 degree winter weather in Florida. **looks outside window** Light snow, windy, 20 degrees. At least my computer acts as a heater for my spare room LOL
Yet the credit card companies and banks are still advertising, tv commercials, to get more people hooked on their credit cards..”What’s in your wallet” sound familiar??
@DIVISIONINCISION I appreciate that, but I can do nothing of my own. He owns, and He created everything. I am just made of dirt and dust. He is in control, He makes it all happen, so I will boast about Him.
Amen, Same here, I prayed about the debt I had, and God blessed me with a 2nd job (part time) and gave me the ability to work it for a year so I could get out of debt, God is the source of my supply.
People think that presidents can stop prices from rising. I can't imagine the breaking point when everything just get ridiculously expensive and people behavior after all this nonsense
My pension statement just came that I buy health insurance from cause I’m retired federal worker. The insurance rate went up 25 percent and Social Security cola was 2 percent , so will pension cola be 2 percent 😢 that doesn’t include the dental and vision insurances separate policies
This is my biggest concern. I've got a lot of cash that is going to be my down payment on a house. I can afford some of the homes in Iowa but I really like living in South dakota I'm just not sure I can save up enough for a down payment before shit hits the fan.
@Unhinged29 you might want to wait and put it in CD'S. The pre-approval has an estimated Mortgage payment, it will jump 30%-50% in a year or two when escrow is recalculated. Also, you'll need about 10k for just basics around home (Lawn mower, minor maintenance, tools).
This Senior got out of CC Debt 23 years ago. I stop BUYING.... making Everybody else Rich. Save your Money Every $100 add up over time. Live Simply I've Never regretted this one day. Live to Survive 💙 💛 Recession or not!!!
Those with money, make interest. Those without money, pay interest. What camp do you want to be in? The camp I'm in required a lot of sacrifice and staying out of debt. I didn't buy crap I didn't need on credit.
Here in Naples, Florida our rates have soared with HOA fees (maintenance) that is ridiculous and property taxes plus insurance bills that are forcing us to leave on top of bigger and more frequent high wind storms with flooding. I’m tired of worrying every summer for the next big one that will, cause another expensive repair that the insurance company will call active God and not cover. They’re happy to take your money but when it’s time to help they’re nowhere to be seen and then your gouged by repair companies because they know you need to have it fixed or your insurance will drop you.
The cost of housing is so high now people are cutting back, waiting to buy cars, not eating out, not buying new clothes as often, etc. Pus everyday things, food is eating up budgets. Lots of businesses going under.
You’re right. I bought a new car five years ago. I take impeccable care of it and will drive it until it no longer runs. Once that happens, I’ll buy a solid used car in cash. Done with spending any more than I absolutely must.
I traveled back and forth across country to help elderly mother after 3 surgeries. Had to borrow to pay for pet sitters and someone to look after house, travel expenses, a little shipping, medical equipment Medicare didn'tpay for. So, not buying anything for the next 3 years. There are plenty of people like me. What happens when so many people won't be buying anything at all?
Mom needs to financially reimburse you for your care. She would pay more for private care. Even if just a record of expenses for refund when the estate is settled. All siblings need to pitch in.
First, I want to say, I look forward to your videos. I learn a lot. Today, I have information you do not. I have been a homeless person, a homeless person with a special child. I have helped homeless people with counseling and benefits. Believe me, there is little of this. I can tell you that all homeless/ transient people have one thing in common, they have NO SUPPORT. That help that you mention people have, they get it in the form of referrals. They are referrals, in most cases, that lead absolutely nowhere. People that you think are helping poor people in crisis are just being paid to fill offices. People are being hired for shelters that love to have power over people and some are unbelievably mean. Volunteers serve food that is all donated. Charities do not spend money on homeless/transient people. You speak of people who do drugs and alcohol. Most of these people have suffered traumas that are so horrific that the only way they assuage some of the pain is to numb it. Shelter beds, there are way not enough! Don't let any government tell you they have enough, never true. Don't buy into the propaganda, Michael, you are too smart for that. San Francisco, Tenderloin district.
What happens to the "Unwilling Homeless" after a few weeks is that they turn to palliatives to ease the unpleasantness, and quickly become addicted. Now the "unwilling homeless" are by your definition "willing homeless". Studies show people do better in a home. However, this inevitable addiction is now an additional barrier to recovery for the initially "unwilling homeless". They will need treatment first in order to keep their place in the race. They have given up; the real issue is not homelessness, but *hopelessness* - which can't be addressed with money. Disempowerment and insecurity need to be addressed. One offered solution is; to honour workers' contributions and make people feel valued in the workplace - not making workers feel exploited.
I have NO credit cards cause I get stupid with them. I live below my means on a fixed income. I stopped filling my house with plastic from Amazon. Stop buying things and keep that money, because when you die your family is going to have to throw away all that junk.
Shelters, generally, can be dangerous and unsafe. That's also why some homeless prefer streets. Its not just that they "can't do what they want". Shelters are generally, awful
What do you consider comfortable. A roof over your head with working utilities and no leaks and you are better than the world outside the US. For a single nothing more than 350 square foot is enough
This is exactly what he's talking about. One of their accounting games is to claim losses from unpaid bad loans. Loans claimed as losses drive down their tax liability. Mike is saying they shouldn't be able to claim those losses. They should eat the losses for giving unqualified loans in the first place.
@@LameSauceAge "Federal reserve banks, including the capital stock and surplus therein and the income derived therefrom shall be exempt from Federal, State, and local taxation, except taxes upon real estate."
Unfortunately, some people don't change their behavior. I have friends who instead keep borrowing more to maintain their lifestyle. All their compounding interest charges are catching up with them.
Equity investment companies are over paying for property then turning it into rental property or cheaply flipping the house and getting what they are asking for it as many are desperate thinking it's their only chance to own a home.
I told everyone that I just paid off my credit cards and that Christmas was cards only this year. To my surprise everyone was so happy that they didn’t have to send me anything.
The TRAGIC Truth About Retirement Savings (MISTAKES AND REGRETS!) ruclips.net/video/Mof6cs1QVOQ/видео.html
The new American dream. Apply for numerous credit cards. Overcharge one or two of them and pay off the balances with the other cards until you run out of credit.
And then????
File for bankruptcy and repeat the process in 7 or so years when your credit clears.
My stepfather did that repeatedly and had a house full of "cool stuff" he normally could not afford.
I took a look around* and closed my contracting company, took 20k hard earned dollars and learned to trade stock safely. I dont get paid to tell or teach and in fact i wont do either, If i can learn you can learn.
Be the ball Danny..
@@Artoconnell Uhhhh.... stock trading is generally a zero sum game. Someone wins and someone loses. Now if you are investing long-term, that's a different story. Unfortunately, $20k won't get you far if you are truly investing. But from the tone of your post, it sounds like you are day trading. Good luck with that. Like I said, when you day trade there has to be a loser for every winner. Hope you are the winner. Most aren't.
@@Artoconnell I call BS! If you are that good then go prop and trade with unlimited amounts of capital!
I was a RE broker in Ft Lauderdale in 2008 and back then your mortgage was only secured by your property. When things turned bad then they just change the laws and went after all other assets and incomes.
Unsecured CC debt will soon be secured like student loans. When the rich get hurt they change the laws!
From $37K to $45K that's the minimum range of profit return every week I think it's not a bad one for me, now I have enough to pay bills and take care of my family.
Anyone who's not in the financial market space right now is making a huge mistake. Simply get a coach and make your money work for you
True, I have been in touch with a brokerage advisor. With an initial starting reserve of $12k, my advisor chooses the entry and exit commands for my portfolio, which has grown to approximately $110k
Please can you leave the info of your investmentadvisor here? I'm in dire need of one
Elise Bernadette Murray is her name. She is regarded as a genius in her area. Just search her name on the internet
*86036*
I remember a day, if you made 100k, you were living large. Now you're just eating.
No, you'd still be living large with 100K, which is the income of 2 people. Just eating only cost $100 a month, at most. I assume you mean "just eating" at restaurants, which is strictly for the wealthy now.
@zacksweden519 $100 a month? I pay for a family of 6 95% home cooked meals and can assure you it's definitely not $600 a month. $600 a week is much more real. That's still under $5 a meal. Your talking about $1.11 a meal.
$100 a month? What are you eating? One meal a day? Cereal?
$100.00 is two days food.
@@Y2Kr4SHM4N A lot of rice, potato, and noodle dishes. Soups and fried mostly. Main vegetable is cabbage (cheap usually). Oatmeal. PB&J sandwiches. Chicken, pork or eggs when I can find a good sale. Don't overlook clearances, Grocery Outlet is pretty good for this, but you have to know your prices. Found yogurt for $1 for 6 cups and chicken nuggets for $2-something a pound (but not the good ones) this week.
@@Y2Kr4SHM4N Cereal is actually pretty expensive these days. I only buy it if I can get it for $2 for 16 oz or more, usually a loss leader sale.
When they said you will own nothing, they weren't kidding. The "be happy" part was mockery.
Except those who already own, Calvin. You'd have more sense if you listened to Hobbs more.
@@DIVISIONINCISION And they don't mean themselves, either. Duh. Do you have a real point or just like to think you're smarter than you are?
@@laubknight The point again, you'd be smarter if you listed to Hobbs, the one with the brains! 🤣
@@DIVISIONINCISION Repeating nothing doesn't make it something. I take it you've never heard of WEF.
The "be happy" part was a direct command.
I canceled Christmas this year and it felt so good to not waste $1,500-$2,500 on gifts that no one really wants. Stop the consumerism unless you have lots of $$$$
I don't think I'll stop buying Christmas gifts because it's really more of an act of giving as well as practicing gratitude. Things very important to Christians.
Understanding the economic impact I would advise buying American made products whereby your spent dollar becomes a fellow American's income.
I bought 20 dollar Christmas gifts and had a great Christmas.
I only gift precious metals.
Get a bag of apples for $10.00, give everyone an apple.
Don’t buy any gifts just give cash if you have it for those that needs it they can save it or buy what they need
Dont buy anything on Interest. Pay cash and live within your means.
🎯
Yes exactly, people need to live within their means. If u can’t pay cash for it, u can’t afford it. Find an alternative
@@bobbysuazjFhvcfgh normally i'd agree but if it cost 15k to fix a car vs buying another under a warranty
Writing down a loan means money supply is contracting.
Easier said then done
Paid off my credit card 3 months ago, paid my vehicle off this past paycheck. Been extremely frugal with my spending for the past year and will continue to be so to work on my goal of financial independence. It's a long road and arduous road but I refuse to be a debt slave.
The perfect slave. Enforces it on themselves.
I keep my credit card balances as low as possible, which is only 2 of them. I just paid off my second vehicle last month, and judging by the cost of vehicles, I’m driving them both until the frames rust out or the wheels fall off.
It’s all for family
who gives a shit? and why? , i dont know
In 2021, I paid cash for an old used car and recently paid off all my credit cards about four months ago. However, 2024 has been a financially challenging year. I only worked for three months and received six months of partial unemployment benefits. For the past year, I’ve been extremely frugal with my spending out of necessity, but my unemployment benefits ran out last month (December 2024).
Unfortunately, I’ve started accumulating credit card debt again, primarily due to over $2,000 in auto repair bills. On a positive note, I’ve been approved for full SNAP benefits and plan to start going back to the food pantry to make ends meet. Realistically, it may take me another five or six months to secure the next tech contract job, which might only last three to six months before I’m unemployed again. While I’ll likely catch up on bills and pay down credit card debt when that happens, I’m concerned this cycle will repeat itself in 2026.
My wife and i both work full time. Our income have gone up, but our cost of living keeps raising. We drive older used cars, live in s small house, can't afford vacations etc. we're not giving up, just refusing to play anyone. The game is rigged and I'm done with it
You are not alone. We don’t spend extra on anything. Just started playing pickle ball. Check it out.😀
The people who extract every last ounce from others will wail and gnash their teeth when the energy supply is exhausted. So the real issue is self validation in one's own potential to love. The rich are not happy; they are fixated on scarcity. We can feel validated that we understand the issue correctly. The act of freely giving creates happiness, but not when our contribution is extorted for profligacy.
Don't give up. Just keep putting one foot in front of the other. At least you have somebody to team up with.
If you're done with it, what's your next move?
so rigged....
Our government is completely irresponsible with its debt, while they expect their own citizens to be responsible with their own debts. Its madness
It's the Federal Reserve ponzi scheme at the root of it. 6% debt on every dollar created out of thin air.
The whole system is unsustainable. Dollar is fundamentally based on foreigners buying gov debt indefinitely at low rates but that isn’t happening and we are feeling it.
@bobbysuazjFhvcfgh We have been buying our own debt because of low demand.
Don't do it for the government. Do it for yourself. All my life I have paid off the balance of all credit cards every month. I don't buy anything on a CC unless I can pay it off at the next due date.
@@bobbysuazjFhvcfghwhat are you talking about. The government does not need foreigners to buy our debt. We don’t need to issue bonds and we don’t need to raise taxes. Taxes do not fund the federal government. They are the issuer of the currency. You are still thinking as if the dollar is on the gold standard😂 you can’t go broke if your debt is denominated in the currency you have a monopoly on creating and that’s a fact.
My small town now has homeless people everywhere never seen any homeless people in my 50 years in town something is wrong.
Which state?
I don’t see a lot of homeless people in my area.
California has been shipping our homeless to you. The homeless have been slowly disappearing since the large uptick we had from covid.
Im seeing it for first time in 10 yrs in small town AZ.
@@jacksfrost8467maybe they’re being turned into Soylent green😮
Cash is king. If I gotta make payments, I don't need it. Lived my whole life that way. 58 now. I don't buy name brands shoes, or expensive ones, those thing touch the ground. Have the same phone I've had for 7 years. No contract there either. Drive a 20 year old car that is immaculate cause I TAKE CARE of it. Never needed flash to impress, my accomplishments in life are all I've ever needed. If it's broke I fix it. And I've never made over 60 grand a year, but I live very comfortably and raised 5 kids. I just don't buy to keep up with others. If i can't make money off it, I dont buy it. A fool and their money type thing.....and my kids are all self-sufficient as well, and the youngest just turned 19. Nuff Said
Amen!
I grew up like this and still live like this.
"Just accept less until you've got nothing and then accept nothing" mentality
I'm with you buddy
Man, I just paid off my last credit card. All I have list is a mortgage. That's only $800 a month by my clothes at JC Penney and I wear sketchers. My wife hates it, but I am super conservative with my money.
$165 to find out i have the flu. $275 for a battery for the car. $118 for prescription. Can not keep doing this.
I had to pay $250 for the doc to tell me to go to the other clinic and pay another $250
Right. Next time you feel sick consider telling yourself you have the flu.
just paid $211.00 for a prescription
5$ for a dozen eggs 😂
@@prd004.2 what the hell kind of battery are you buying?
$17.89 for a double quarter pounder, small fry and 10 nuggets from McDonald's is all you need to know.
That's a lot of money for unhealthy eats.
Grow, preserve, and cook your own food.
That’s not food really.
You could make a meal for 6+ people for about $15 from buying groceries. A 5 pack of leg quarters cost $6, 5lb bag of potatoes cost $6, a bag of carrots cost about $3. .. baked chicken(cut the leg to seperate the drum from the thigh), roasted potatoes and boiled carrots
@4everwonderful Good luck educating these people. Dudes probably paying a $780 truck payment and thumbing out the complaint on a 1500 iphone. Somebody has to be the dope.
I have worked nonstop for over 40 years and have an awesome resume. I have now been out of work for 27 weeks. Over 1,000 applications and 1 interview. I hope no one has to experience the same. Please have compassion on us hard working Americans who simply can’t find a job. 😢
Did you put anything away for retirement?
Nah, its worse for everyone else. Its been like that for years.
I feel your pain. It's so hard to get a job at least since Covid. I've put in 3-5 applications per day for the past year for my son and he has an engineering degree. DEI is a big problem and now H1B is going to grow.
Walk into a business and apply for a job. If you applied for 1000 jobs in 27 weeks, then you obviously applied online. 😂
Age discrimination is rampant and impossible to prove. I experienced this for the last 16 years. Definitely not just you,& over 50 has been the most unemployed demographic for decades. You must have some kind of pension or retirement after 40 years.
All that Christmas debt hasn't even set in yet either.
Christmas on payments plans.
Dealerships assume people will purchase vehicles from tax returns 😅
Still don’t understand why people put themselves in debt around Christmas every year!!!!!
Honestly Christmas is better without the consumerism anyway.
@@MrBigBoy4Life It's the "American Way".
Being Born is expensive. Living is expensive and Dying is expensive
Vote for billionaires expect you can not live in their income level. Poor and working class live in a totally different income
level of existence. America has become an oligarchy like Russia. The peons may revolt against the ruling class.
My favourite comment!
You are correct...when you come into this world, you have chosen strange flesh over obedience to Father ABBA. Now your soul is at risk until you convert to Jesus Christ and deny the flesh it's perversions.
I moved in this country 20 years ago with 2 suitcases and 5k; all my previous work experience was not relevant; I had to go back to school; I went learn a trade, bought a house and ow I nmake 95K a year with a good retirement; so why Americans are struggling so much? maybe because Americans make stupid choices.
Yeah man, life is a constant struggle especially when you’re born poor & not particularly intelligent (like me) it’s hard
They want to own you . I work in a small town store and every day have people go through 3 or 4 cards declined for a $5 purchase then drive away in their Land Rover. Dont tell me things are fine
If they were wealthy, they'd be living in the suburbs, not a small town. Huge difference.
Seems those folks made some real poor choices. Everything is fine, until it isnt.
Love it only narcissistic do that
How much are they paying for that Land Rover? Cuz they Gotta have it at a 72 mo lease and 27% interest. People are tic tok dummies.
Just sell the Land Rover
These credit card companies charging 27%interest is part of the problem too. People feel like they are screwing them, so they really don't care if they screw them back.
For a maxed out $5000 credit card, that 27% rate would amount to approximately $112 in interest per month.
Honestly, seems kind of fair to me. Especially when you consider all the people who never pay back the full amount they owe.
27%? My Best Buy credit card is around 37% and I have an 800-credit score. Of Couse I don't finance anything at that rate, but many people do. Banks have become the new loan sharks,
CC are not meant to be used to buy things you can't afford. They are meant to be a convenience since you don't have cash in your wallet. But, you need to have the money in your account now or really soon.
And as far as screwing them back, that is a joke. You don't pay your credit cards and you can't buy a home, your career options get limited because of poor judgements, etc.
Hot take: Credit was meant to be used sparingly and wisely. Not as a last resort. A lot of people who shouldn't even have credit cards, have credit cards. They're more than likely gonna make bad financial decisions, pay the minimum, are impulsive, and don't care about going bankrupt. Hotter take; people who can't even afford basic groceries are living above their means. They got more pressing issues than credit cards. Like finding a better paying job. Thier dollar isn't worth jack. Inflation took away living like a bum on a crappy wage.
Trump proposed a cap of 10% on credit card interest.
The credit industry is out of control in many segments of the consumer market. I'm not a high income earner but when I saw my credit card rates creeping up to 25% with 3% usage (no derogatory history), it was time to make a change. I paid off all my credit cards, stopped carrying balances, and reduced my borrowing.
This month, I considered purchasing a car to replace my 18 year old car. The buying experience (fake discounts, questionable contracts, $2,000 in dealer installed options) ruined the experience for me and I walked away. The economy is in trouble.
Time to start a carpool, if possible. Public transportation?
I would drive that car until the wheels fall off.. So many new cars are falling apart. Even reliable Toyota. Good for you , dodged a bullet.
Get a Mitsubishi Mirage quick before inventory runs out... With basic maintenance which is super easy to do... The car will last 200k with its eyes closed... It's a fantastic car
@@Have.An.AmicoDay A VW or Audi TDI will last 200K or more due to the diesel engine and is a way better ride than anything MItsubishi makes. German diesels are the best around.
Oh, yes the good ‘ol $2000 xtra cost written (hidden) in the car dealer paperwork (like the fat Congress buries in bills we don’t even know about nor would approve). I happened to reread my dealer paperwork when I got home and found out I was paying for some BS warranty on something definitely NOT needed , nor did I ask for! When I called them up, they could barely explain what it was for, but I “needed” it (you know, something like the “Johnson rod”). I had it removed; boy were they steamed. 😂 At least I put a lot down, and had a 3% interest rate at that time.
Im "only" 52, but I can still remember that there were poor people where I grew up, in a rural setting, back in the late 70s and early 80s who did not have a car and lived in rather primitive houses, passed down from generations prior. They had no higher education, they were on disability, a tiny pension or worked as farmhands and helpers, and they never bought a new car or built a new home. Hell, they did not have the cash for a downpayment, and they understood they couldnt go into debt, cause they did not have the means to service it. But they lived within their meager means, planted crops, potatoes, hunted and fished and put the catch in the freezer to sustain them trough the winter. Stacks higher than a man of chopped wood and a burning stove to keep warm. Having a roof over your head, heat and some food on the table every day was the most important thing.A lot of modern americans may have to adjust to a simpler living now, cause they party of the 80s and 90s are history.
And had section 8 housing, tax breaks in April, 500 dollars a month in food stamps, and state medical care. But yea .. living within their means.
I agree.
@@adamdavis5312What?! Mone of that happened until mid-1960's. After that, people became dependent on government assistance, unfortunately. Few still know basic survival skills.
People living in suburbia can't subsistence farm, hunt and fish.
@@commonsense6967 it was all about making people dependent on the government especially one cross-section. Thank you, President Johnson. NOT!
People will never stop spending. It’s like telling someone who smokes to just not smoke. They can’t
Sure, they should stop buying food first!
@ considering 75% of people are overweight; I agree
You are right on the equation -
Simple difference:
A pack of smokes = 5 bucks !
I quit smoking.
If you don't have cigarets,you will stop smoking.
Just got my SSA COLA increase notice - 2.5% (which is a fraction of the increase in rent and food that I've been paying for the past 12 months)
And Medicare has gone up again! So that eliminates the cola raise .
Right? It's such an insult. It's like they are trolling us peasants. Laughing their asses off at us. Such a joke!!!!
What’s COLA? I don’t get any government money.
We should ask Michael to do a video about the impact of the government "borrowing" stealing over $2.7 trillion from our social security trust funds. How much money would the average SS retiree dividend be. I have the math if you need it but it's shocking. On top of that the government doesn't pay us interest on our money they hold over our working lifetime. The average American would have over $10K month interest only dividend payments if they hadn't taken the $2.7 trillion and if they pay us a modest 5% interest. This wouldn't even draw on the principle.
@ cost of living adjustment. And it’s not really government money, it’s more like a very partial tax refund.
No matter how bad the economy is, elected politicians and government employees still receive pay increases.
So will corporate executives.
Regular gov employees make much less than the private sector counterparts and pay increases are minuscule. Please stop with the dog whistles
SO??? If you don't like it, go get a government job and enjoy!
@@RajDeelish😂
government employees are also tax payers 🙄
Like an alcoholic, the US will have to to hit rock bottom to realize that if you use the same economic & political principles of the Gilded Age, your going to get the results of the 1930s. Since the 1980s, only 9 states in the US still teach civics. Critical thinking has taken a huge beating.
And now, New Jersey is permitted to hire people who can't read, write, spell, perform any basic math or science..as
TEACHERS !!!
You're right! Civics classes should be mandatory in every state. I can't tell you how many adults I've spoken to in the past few years who have no idea what the three branches of government are. The ignorance is astounding. It's actually very sad.
More schools should teach basic things like budgeting, interest rates, meal planning and percentages. Yes I know it should be taught at home. But a lot of adults don’t know how to do these things.
@laurijohnson7754
Yes, and all electronics need "off" at dinner/
super time...and (WHENEVER POSSIBLE)
the entire family dine and discuss Past/
Present/Future....finance, plans, rules, ains,
goals, et crtera
@@laurijohnson7754 I do remember getting some of this in the early 80's in school, but I don't see it taught anymore.
We haven't had Thanksgiving or Christmas for the past four years. Haven't had a vacation in ten years. Absolutely NO WAY we could have afforded it. I wonder if our government "leaders" are having to skip holidays and vacations? 🤬
The credit card companies wrote off the debt but are still trying to collect those debts
Yes, CRAZY DOUBLE DIPPING
How is that even legal !?!?
CC delinquencies went up 50% last year, auto industry about to implode. We have a problem.
been hearing that since 2021....blah blah blah blah blah
U think it could get as bad as 2008, ?
@@brando7266more like 1929
It's no problem Americans will just be poorer..
Home Depot: An item I paid $7.85 for in 2017 is now selling for $26, bought my first home for $86K in 1983 last year it sold for $536K. It’s like 1930’s Weimar Germany, soon we will need a wheelbarrow of cash to buy a loaf of bread.
1. Very few are homeless by choice.
2. Because of wealth inequality, the absurdly wealthy are not being taxed like they should. Nor are the corporations they own.
What makes me very sad is people living in cars, even elderly people. No camper van, no RV, just a sedan. In all kinds of weather. My feeling is that if people are voluntarily homeless they probably are mentally ill because that's just not normal. People want a home. This whole thing is very sad but I'm glad you're talking about it.
I see families driving $80k cars, all of their kids have iPhones, 12 year olds drinking Starbucks and wearing Lululemon. Most families are doing it on credit. The cost of 'keeping up' is partly responsible for the increased debt people are carrying.
Great observation. Unbelievable every time I see kids.....really young ones... on iPhones wearing designer shoes and such I can't help but stare.
Perfectly said! Not to mention going out to eat every other day. When I was a kid, we went out to eat once every three months if that. What you said is the exact issue, people living beyond their means, spending what they don’t have, I pay attention to this, and I’ve seen people living in basically ghetto looking apartments but driving an Escalade that looks like it’s brand new. Or a $70,000 sports car, people are absolutely ridiculous.
Why are you looking and analyzing these "families" so much. That's creepy AF
@deadfairfield I work in real estate. I see families all the time. Nothing creepy about that. The fact that you think it's creepy, makes me question you.
@@deadfairfield like you don't notice things. Smh.
Basically 30% on credit cards. That is insanity. That's loan shark rates. If you are low income, no way can you afford a credit card, and I know from experience.
If a credit card company writes off a bad debt for a tax deduction, they should no longer be able to collect from the debtor.
I believe they split any recovered debt with the collection agency
Yeah, but what they do is they send out a 1099C if they write off that debt and then during tax time you have to pay income taxes on that forgiven debt and if you don’t, then you have a debt to the government and that’s a lot worse no one cares about the banks, but if you don’t pay the government back Then they can take your Social Security. They can withhold your passport. They can do a lot of crazy shit so the worst thing that can happen to you if you don’t pay your credit card debt is that eventually down the road several months later you’ll end up getting a 1099C so let’s say rack up $50,000 in credit card debt and you don’t pay it off Well eventually you’ll have to pay income taxes on $50,000 in addition to your actual income so true that you would pay less by paying taxes on it than you would by actually paying the credit card companies, but you’re still gonna end up paying something you don’t get to charge up 20 grand or 50 grand And then have to pay back zero it never works out like that unless you qualify for a chapter 7 bankruptcy that would be the only way you end up paying zero
This is why they keep issuing credit cards to people that shouldn’t have them, they make the money one way or the other. And if they collect it from you after you become delinquent,, they’re making even more money from someone who pays their bills on time.
I don't understand where this notion came from that people had lots of money during covid...just because you got a couple of tiny stimulus checks doesn't mean you were flushed with cash. most people were laid off and were living off unemployment money.
I guess people just gotta learn to be more frugal; because that money went straight to, and is still in, our savings account today. It should never have been given out to anyone. People gotta learn to have 6mo of living expenses in savings for the coming layoff. Working and can't save?: If yes then you MUST cut back spending and/or DEMAND higher pay to cover inflation.
Alot of these bad companies loaning out money recklessly would need to be held accountable right up to the CEO's. Instead of CEO's getting a pass and an exit package.
But the more loans they write the more money they make 🤪
Should probably end commissions on a lot of things.
All these issues stem from an economy grappling with uncertainties, including housing problems, foreclosures, global fluctuations, and the aftermath of the pandemic, leading to instability. Rising inflation, sluggish growth, and trade disruptions demand urgent attention from all sectors to restore stability and stimulate growth.
In retirement, safeguarding your wealth against inflation is essential. Consider options like TIPS (Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities), commodities, or foreign currencies to hedge against a weakening dollar. Diversifying your portfolio with global real estate, international bonds, or high-quality foreign stocks can provide additional protection and growth opportunities in an inflationary environment.
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Consider a similar approach.
This sounds promising! Do you have any professionals or advisors you could recommend? I really need help with proper portfolio allocation.
Certainly, there are a handful of experts in the field.
I've experimented with a few over the past years, but I've stuck with Jennafer Beaver Turner for about five years now, and her performance has been consistently impressive. She's quite known in her field, look-her up.
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We are squarely in a depression despite what the government tells us. The pre-Biden definition of a recession is defined as two consecutive quarters of negative GDP growth and we've had that since 2020. Add double digit unemployment and we have a depression. We have 206 million able body adults in the US yet only 133 million full time workers. That's 35% unemployment. You can narrow that number down a bit but it should still be in the double digits.
Not to mention that the GDP has only increased due to deficit spending and if it weren't for massive inflation, it wouldn't even be an increase.
And yet the democrats scream about ow mass deportation will effect GDP due to current low unemployment. Give me a break. Supply and demand requires a 29 million mass deportation. And there is already precedent. Check USA 1932-1940
Yeah his party loves to redefine everything around their narrative. Very dangerous to public consciousness
@@Ppp-y1q The government formula GDP = C + I + G + (X - M) is rigged in multiple ways just like most other numbers such as inflation (CPI) and unemployment. Do the math yourself and find that GDP has been negative for 4 years. Add in inflation then you'll see it's much much worse. Hell, you can even feel things are much worse. Look around.
Where have you been???They changed the definition of recession so now we aren’t in one. 🤷🏼
The cost of government is the elephant in the room. Federal, State, County, City. Check out the lifestyle of people on the dole. Sad 😞
Too few people can afford the tax burden to support those not working and getting government benefits. It is an insult to have taxpayers support other families who are unappreciative and rude. Things are going to get ugly over the next 4 years.
We all need to vote out our county auditors the next chance we get.
I think you meant to say the ultra rich are not paying their fair share in taxes.
Let them protest all they want so long as they pay their taxes
I went from middle class to poor in under a year. I can’t pay any of my cards. I struggle to pay rent and eat. If rent was where it should be it wouldn’t be as bad.
Most people are few paycheks ahead of homlesness.
Starbucks, restaurants, DoorDash, tattoos, New cars (and not maintaining them), family vacations at DisneyLand. No wonder they’re broke!
Yep. A lot of that being done to impress total strangers and loose relations who could care less.
So True
Tattoos and odd-ball piercings are red flags.
I took a drive through my west coast home town, and I couldn't believe all of the tattoo shops. Nearly every block had one! In 20 years we'll see tattoo removal clinics everywhere. 😂
Yep...just came back from Disney and the parks were packed with people buying $30 bubble makers 😂.
THIS IS ALL BY DESIGN SOCIAL ENGINEERING.
The Conspirators' Hierarchy: The Committee of 300
this is an excellent read for those curious about the history leading up to social eng
Glorified stockyard, owned and operated by the very stock.
The rent is too damn high!
Kittens don't pay rent!
Rents need to come down about 50% and we need decent healthcare, and not this high-deductible, scrips aren't covered, everything's out of network, dental and vision are separate crap.
Complain to gov about property taxes being too high
Salaries are too low.
Hopefully it keeps rising.
Michael,..You have Stepped Up Your Game with your videos. WELL DONE.
I love how crédit cards work here in Holland. If you don't pay off your balance every month, they cancel your card. No credit score just a mark saying you're a bad borrower. So you can't stack up all the debt an American can because they literally won't let you.
I use mine for big and international purchases for miles and convenience and it's auto paid from my bank account every month.
The US needs this system to block giving out unlimited credit in a sensible way
This is so sad. I have no consumer debt and can’t imagine it. It would stress me out to no end.
🤬😭 I paid off my house. But, with property tax and insurance premium skyrocketing.... I'm still renting from the govt. Living in a cargo van is becoming very good.
With my home paid off, $365/month keeps the place insured and taxes paid. How do seniors who pay rent manage this days?
Debating dumping the property. And doing van life. Would be way less stress. 😢
I was tinker the same ! Its crazy...
The one world order is taking away the wealth of the middle class.soon we will all be in poverty.
@@JFEnterprizeTotally agree and think you should try it!
Definition of homelessness: You can't afford 3x the rent amount.
Housing affordability is cooked! Just a giant playground for the rich
In 2021 about 30% of my monthly income went towards my mortgage. In 2024 60% of my income goes to my mortgage. My Bank loan is fixed. The bare minimum home insurance and property taxes have literally doubled in 3 years
Yet more and more new apartment complexes are being built. For whom?? Why build apartments but not offer them at rents that the average American can actually afford?
I think you are assuming people even care!! Seriously, people just dont care . I think they feel like screw it. Im not paying it!
Which makes those of us that make 30k or less and pay all of our bills angry with the over spenders.
People may not care, but eventually liquidity turns and the credit markets seize up. People will care when that happens because unemployment explodes after that.
Not a good idea. I used to be in litigation support in a previous life. The collection industry will ( and their law firms) will badger you into the grave with the technology they have these days.
I totally agree it's not a good idea. But it seems as though people are like fed up and say screw it!
Im 56, debt free...money in the bank and high in ,low out situation. I've been up against the wall plenty. But I always got out legit!!
Most do care! Seriously, you should get new people around you.
Everything is going up except for paychecks I don’t know how much more money I can come up with anymore.
NAILED IT. big public corps like to give 50 cent raises. Fedex is s GREAT example. Tf does 50 cents do at 40/hours a week???? Can you get an extra meal?!??!
Stores closing due to theft tells the tale!
The underlying issue is income inequality. If we relegate a subset of our society into chronic poverty, sooner or later they are going to start to do whatever to make ends meet. There are safe countries where education is not a privilege.
Our country is built on spending if people don't spend then it's not America. These stores are built on consumerism not saving money and being frugal. Greed is king period.
Our economy is buying crap from China for 50 cents and trying to sell it for 5 bucks 😂
america wants built on that at all
america has become spoilt by that
option
and the purveyors of debt 💸 that hooked americans with crack credit
are the drug dealers
trump has spoken of a moratorium ala bernie saunders of credit rates capped at 10%!!
this is big
It's time for us to develop a better economic system.
Not just greed, ostentation.
@@DrunkenUFOPilotYeah that’s called Democratic Socialism, but of course when other countries try it, the west militarily invades.
Make the loan originators refund their commissions when the loan goes bad. That will stop a lot of this marginal funding go away.
Great idea!
This isn't a new phenomenon, Michael. The middle class is disappearing. We've already been in a recession since 2023/24. Of course, people are going to default on credit cards and their mortgage payments. They will need to likely live with a family member, because they have no other options. One of my neighbors across the street has her whole extended family living in her house. 5 cars and an RV. Nobody does that unless they have no choice.
Agreed. This multi-generational style of living quarters will soon become the new normal. 😊
Fish and visitors start to stink in three days
@@MikkiMikki11it is in Massachusetts 2 or 3 generations and these are the college educated professionals
The middle class cannot disappear any more than the moon can disappear. The middle class is defined as the 40 to 60% of income earners. So math would have to fail for this to go away.
Some people just ignored their Mama's advice to save for a rainy day. No one blames the liquor store for their alcoholism. So why blame the marketplace or credit cards for your inability to control your lack of impulse control.
In Kotor Montengro right now. You can live for 90 days in Montenegro. Right on the ocean in the offseason in an Airbnb for $800 a month and that’s at the high end.
Spend 90 days in Montenegro , a year in Albania , 90 days in Thailand , etcetra.
No value in the US anymore. You’re paying too much to live in a high taxed , high crime place. The food is literally poison .
I mean wtf is everyone holding onto at this point.
If you can leave. Leave.
Na, facts.
my dad always said if i dont have the money i will do without i live like this to good advice thanks dad
That's not living
Hope you don't need housing, food, or medical
Nobody cares.
I got the money and do without. I don't want to spend myself into a penny less bum status or work like a dog for more stuff I don't really need. Retirement in a rocking chair beats the poor farm from living too large.
@@danettewelborn5577 my house is paid for also my cars they are old but they run good also i work full time and no credit card debt for whats it worth
There’re are some homeless people who WANT to be homeless?
There are no human ‘lost causes’, what an awful point of view…
Exactly why I never want kids, America is is near collapse. I see more homeless women outside now.
In western NC due to helene, a lot of people are living in tents, they still have to pay property taxes on homes that are no longer there, they are talking now about housing, if the gov.builds housing, I believe thats where 15 min. cities appear.
Wow, that's frightening to hear. There must be something illegal about the government charging taxes on a residence that's totaled or just plain gone!
Seriously, how can Americans keep up this tons and tons of debt nationally and individually?
This is not sustainable!
The problom is people on ss our rent ,electric, medication plans are all going up in cost,, we then have to choose buying food or paying credit card bills, i think trying to just live is coming first
The $46B delinquent debts that the Credit Card Companies wrote off in the first 9 months of last year would be mostly comprised of interest that they are charging between 27 - 38% p.a. interest compounded monthly.
Hard to feel sorry for basically Loan Sharks losing money that is ill-gotten gains.
Pure usury. There should be a blanket 15% cap on interest.
Feel sorry ????😂😂😂😂😂
Nothing is done by accident
"If it happens in politics you can bet it was planned that way." Franklin Delano Roosevelt
When talking politics you have to include the monetary system. That brings us to the fact our currency is issued by a private banking cartel, the Federal Reserve. They are part of a world wide conspiracy whose goal is to subjugate humanity!
If one had read Georgetown history professor, Carrol Quigley's 1966 tome 'Tragedy and Hope:A History of the World in Our Time' one would know that! The following is a key excerpt validating my contention;
“The powers of financial capitalism had a far-reaching aim, nothing less than to create a world system of financial control in private hands able to dominate the political system of each country and the economy of the world as a whole. This system was to be controlled in a feudalist fashion by the central banks of the world acting in concert, by secret agreements arrived at in frequent meetings and conferences."
all by design under Agenda 2030!
Nailed it Michael.... Happy New Year
💯
The taxpayers can't support local, state, and federal governments living large.
The tax payer is the cup that never runs dry
Rich Mannion
I knew this downturn was beginning in the second quarter of 2023 and 2025 is going to be a Bone crusher
Settle down, young Martin. The only people getting their bones crushed are those not paying their bills!
I sell on eBay, Etsy, Amazon and my own sites. July 23 sales went down 50%--and stayed down for a year and started sinking even more six months ago. It is not pretty. We are a Star Seller.
America is currently plagued by the hydra-headed evil duo of inflation and recession. The worst part about this recession is that consumers are racking up credit card debt. In December alone, credit card debt went up 36% while rates have doubled in a year. Inflation is so high that consumers are literally taking debt for basic life necessities. Collapse has indeed begun.
The truth is that people are finally waking up to the fact that our systems are breaking down in thousands of different ways all around us. Personally, the financial market seems like the only way to go with a long-term horizon . But if you don't have that time, it's a tough market out and thus you should consider financial advisory.
A lot of folks downplay the role of advisors until being burnt by their own emotions. I remember couple summers back, after my lengthy divorce, I needed a good boost to help my business stay afloat, hence I researched for licensed advisors and came across someone of utmost qualifications. She's helped grow my reserve notwithstanding inflation, from $275k to $850k.
I appreciate the implementation of ideas and strategies that result to unmeasurable progress. Being heavily liquid, I'd rather not reinvent the wheel, thus the search for a reputable advisor, mind sharing info of this person guiding you please?
I've experimented with a few over the past years, but I've stuck with ‘’Marisa Michelle Litwinsky” for about two years now, and her performance has been consistently impressive. She’s quite known in her field, look her up.
Thank you for this tip. it was easy to find your coach. and I conducted thorough research on her credentials before scheduling a call with her. Based on her résumé, she appears to possess a high level of proficiency, and I am grateful for the opportunity to speak with her.
I remember the days when you could write off interest paid on credit cards, just like mortgage interest on your taxes. Those were the days...
I was just telling someone that😊
Car loans were deductible
Yes!!!
When was that?
Orange did away with the mortgage write off in 2017, it’s now capped at 10k interest per year. I distinctly recall this Becuz it made me very angry that he gave corporations a massive tax cut while also capping my deduction.
Ah.... 70 degree winter weather in Florida.
**looks outside window**
Light snow, windy, 20 degrees. At least my computer acts as a heater for my spare room LOL
It's time to move, Henry.
Yet the credit card companies and banks are still advertising, tv commercials, to get more people hooked on their credit cards..”What’s in your wallet” sound familiar??
Absolutely correct. You can't help people who don't want to help themselves.
I think most people do want to help themselves…..they just don’t know how to!
I was in student loan, credit debt, but the GOD I serve, got me out of debt. He is my provider, He gave me a job and a place to live.
It wasn't "GOD", young Harper. It was YOU! 🙏
@DIVISIONINCISION I appreciate that, but I can do nothing of my own. He owns, and He created everything. I am just made of dirt and dust. He is in control, He makes it all happen, so I will boast about Him.
Amen, Same here, I prayed about the debt I had, and God blessed me with a 2nd job (part time) and gave me the ability to work it for a year so I could get out of debt, God is the source of my supply.
The god you serve is that Almighty dollar, it even says so on that paper
@thelmaleader7743 Amen, you definitely understand. May the Father continue to bless you. All the glory goes to Him!
Just wait till Hyper inflation hits.
People think that presidents can stop prices from rising. I can't imagine the breaking point when everything just get ridiculously expensive and people behavior after all this nonsense
My pension statement just came that I buy health insurance from cause I’m retired federal worker. The insurance rate went up 25 percent and Social Security cola was 2 percent , so will pension cola be 2 percent 😢 that doesn’t include the dental and vision insurances separate policies
😬😋👻🤯
This is my biggest concern. I've got a lot of cash that is going to be my down payment on a house. I can afford some of the homes in Iowa but I really like living in South dakota I'm just not sure I can save up enough for a down payment before shit hits the fan.
@Unhinged29 you might want to wait and put it in CD'S. The pre-approval has an estimated Mortgage payment, it will jump 30%-50% in a year or two when escrow is recalculated. Also, you'll need about 10k for just basics around home (Lawn mower, minor maintenance, tools).
This Senior got out of CC Debt 23 years ago. I stop BUYING.... making Everybody else Rich.
Save your Money
Every $100 add up over time.
Live Simply
I've Never regretted this one day.
Live to Survive 💙 💛
Recession or not!!!
Those with money, make interest. Those without money, pay interest. What camp do you want to be in? The camp I'm in required a lot of sacrifice and staying out of debt. I didn't buy crap I didn't need on credit.
It's a story as old as time, Hamster. The haves and the have nots. 💯
Try recovering from 100 million bitcoin heist!😅
It means people needs to stop spending money that they don't have. It's not rocket science.🤷
Always enjoy your walks!
Here in Naples, Florida our rates have soared with HOA fees (maintenance) that is ridiculous and property taxes plus insurance bills that are forcing us to leave on top of bigger and more frequent high wind storms with flooding. I’m tired of worrying every summer for the next big one that will, cause another expensive repair that the insurance company will call active God and not cover. They’re happy to take your money but when it’s time to help they’re nowhere to be seen and then your gouged by repair companies because they know you need to have it fixed or your insurance will drop you.
The cost of housing is so high now people are cutting back, waiting to buy cars, not eating out, not buying new clothes as often, etc. Pus everyday things, food is eating up budgets. Lots of businesses going under.
You’re right. I bought a new car five years ago. I take impeccable care of it and will drive it until it no longer runs. Once that happens, I’ll buy a solid used car in cash. Done with spending any more than I absolutely must.
It isn't going to get fixed any night. It is already way past the tipping point.
I traveled back and forth across country to help elderly mother after 3 surgeries. Had to borrow to pay for pet sitters and someone to look after house, travel expenses, a little shipping, medical equipment Medicare didn'tpay for. So, not buying anything for the next 3 years. There are plenty of people like me. What happens when so many people won't be buying anything at all?
Mom needs to financially reimburse you for your care. She would pay more for private care. Even if just a record of expenses for refund when the estate is settled. All siblings need to pitch in.
Credit card firms are now charging $2 to have a bill mailed to you
yep
Zounds!
Glad I don't have any.
My HOA charges a fee for online payments, so I mail mine in Becuz that pisses me off. It’s the only check I write out anymore
I get charges $12 to pay my car payment online!
Everything is so expensive
First, I want to say, I look forward to your videos. I learn a lot.
Today, I have information you do not. I have been a homeless person, a homeless person with a special child. I have helped homeless people with counseling and benefits. Believe me, there is little of this. I can tell you that all homeless/ transient people have one thing in common, they have NO SUPPORT. That help that you mention people have, they get it in the form of referrals. They are referrals, in most cases, that lead absolutely nowhere. People that you think are helping poor people in crisis are just being paid to fill offices. People are being hired for shelters that love to have power over people and some are unbelievably mean. Volunteers serve food that is all donated. Charities do not spend money on homeless/transient people. You speak of people who do drugs and alcohol. Most of these people have suffered traumas that are so horrific that the only way they assuage some of the pain is to numb it.
Shelter beds, there are way not enough! Don't let any government tell you they have enough, never true.
Don't buy into the propaganda, Michael, you are too smart for that.
San Francisco,
Tenderloin district.
He's not smart. He's an entitled brat.
No one ever points out the glaringly obvious: divorce rates, “child” support, single moms and the division of community property. 💰⛏️
What happens to the "Unwilling Homeless" after a few weeks is that they turn to palliatives to ease the unpleasantness, and quickly become addicted. Now the "unwilling homeless" are by your definition "willing homeless".
Studies show people do better in a home. However, this inevitable addiction is now an additional barrier to recovery for the initially "unwilling homeless". They will need treatment first in order to keep their place in the race. They have given up; the real issue is not homelessness, but *hopelessness* - which can't be addressed with money.
Disempowerment and insecurity need to be addressed. One offered solution is; to honour workers' contributions and make people feel valued in the workplace - not making workers feel exploited.
I choose to be in credit card debt with 0% interest for 12-18 months, works out very well for me.
As many have said before me, any scarcity at this point is clearly intentional.
I have NO credit cards cause I get stupid with them. I live below my means on a fixed income. I stopped filling my house with plastic from Amazon. Stop buying things and keep that money, because when you die your family is going to have to throw away all that junk.
My home insurance went from 3300 moving in to $9948. I live in Miami. Life sucks 😢
OMG!
WOW; I'd never afford or pay that.
at that point i would be gone
Shelters, generally, can be dangerous and unsafe. That's also why some homeless prefer streets. Its not just that they "can't do what they want". Shelters are generally, awful
😂 I work at the hospital & alot of the dangerous ones are the drunks/druggies who don’t want to follow the shelters rules of not being drunk/high.
@aracelimalone1167 I don't disagree with this. .... and also, shelters, have seemed to me, are generally awful
If we had a great economy no one would need to get into massive credit card debt to afford a comfortable life!
What do you consider comfortable. A roof over your head with working utilities and no leaks and you are better than the world outside the US. For a single nothing more than 350 square foot is enough
@@vince8436 well newsflash you pay your govnt taxes not the World
That would be called inflation.
@@vince8436 350 square feet is considered affordable housing, which isn't manufactured in significant quantities anymore.
BS. People buy sheet.
Thank you for the Brutal truth and financial pictures you paint!
Your common sense is like music to my ears.
Your are mistaken Mike. Many banks never pay taxes do to their accounting games. Bank of America comes to mind.
This is exactly what he's talking about. One of their accounting games is to claim losses from unpaid bad loans. Loans claimed as losses drive down their tax liability. Mike is saying they shouldn't be able to claim those losses. They should eat the losses for giving unqualified loans in the first place.
@@LameSauceAge "Federal reserve banks, including the capital stock and surplus therein and the income derived therefrom shall be exempt from Federal, State, and local taxation, except taxes upon real estate."
@@OldAndWithered there are only 12 federal reserve banks. Everyone else is paying taxes.
Unfortunately, some people don't change their behavior. I have friends who instead keep borrowing more to maintain their lifestyle. All their compounding interest charges are catching up with them.
How old are you friends???? Curious
@@grQTbVMrZ They are mid 50's. I see them going into their retirement years buried under debt.
Just have a bowl of ice cream and forget about it😮
Equity investment companies are over paying for property then turning it into rental property or cheaply flipping the house and getting what they are asking for it as many are desperate thinking it's their only chance to own a home.
I told everyone that I just paid off my credit cards and that Christmas was cards only this year. To my surprise everyone was so happy that they didn’t have to send me anything.
The druggies don’t want the shelters. The shelters are drug free. In San Francisco a third of their budget goes to the homeless cause. Good job. 👍
DEEP DEPRESSION. I AM ALMOST OUT OF MONEY AND IVE SOLD OFF EVERYTHING.
Put your faith in Jesus Christ who promised to take care of your needs. John 3:16 Matthew 6:25-34
Time to watch breaking bad and learn something 😮
😂😂😂😂
Van down by the river
Be strong and keep grinding.