Gas and storms

[Guest grimel]

I keep hearing these people whining about not making any money selling gas..then the price jumps 15 cents in one day.

They keep building new gas stations. If gas didn't make money, why spend the money to put the tanks in the ground. That's got to cost a flippin ton of money. Open a stop and rob without selling gas.

In other words I don't believe the BS.

So open your own gas station (note the near zero existence of gas stations) or a stop n rob without gas pumps. See how long you stay in business. Selling gasoline is a hope to break even proposition used to get people to STOP and hopefully buy something inside (where the profit makers are located).

[Guest grimel]

Maybe that's what an ivy league school study reports. But that's far from what the studies report from the real world I live in. Even if that was true what Harvards studies say. What happens when government subsidies dries up? And the working mans bills are higher than his income. What do you have? The haves and have nots.

Twenty years ago the poor didn't have cable (even a lot of middle class folks didn't have cable). Now, the poor have digital cable, multiple big screen tv's, DVD players, and home computers.

Tell me again how they haven't gotten "richer"? The US doesn't have very many "have nots".

[Marswolf]

Wow, much of this topic could be part of a thread on the Socialist Party Forums.

[analog_kidd]

Maybe that's what an ivy league school study reports. But that's far from what the studies report from the real world I live in. Even if that was true what Harvards studies say. What happens when government subsidies dries up? And the working mans bills are higher than his income. What do you have? The haves and have nots.

No, you have the Haves and the Won't Try's.

If the working man's bills are higher than his income, then he has a spending problem. How many poor people do you know that still have a cell phone, a nice car, cable, yet they complain they can't go to the doctor?

We live in the USA, we can do just about anything we want. Got a crappy job? Find a new one. Turn of the TV, spend your evenings learning something new and get smarter for a better job.

I mean really, how much does it cost to just exist? $500 rent, $150 utilities, $400 food, $200 gasoline. That all comes out to under $8 an hour by my math. You telling me in America you can't find a job that pays better than that? Or work two jobs?

What it really boils down to is disipline. Don't spend more than you earn. Wnat to spend more? Work more.

[big mo]

Twenty years ago the poor didn't have cable (even a lot of middle class folks didn't have cable). Now, the poor have digital cable, multiple big screen tv's, DVD players, and home computers.

Tell me again how they haven't gotten "richer"? The US doesn't have very many "have nots".

I think it's hard next to impossible to compare living 20yrs ago vs now. I do agree with you there's not many have nots now. But I believe if we continue to go in the direction we are going in now it won't be long. I don't think that's hard to see. But maybe that's just my view. Hopfully I'm wrong.

[big mo]

No, you have the Haves and the Won't Try's.

If the working man's bills are higher than his income, then he has a spending problem. How many poor people do you know that still have a cell phone, a nice car, cable, yet they complain they can't go to the doctor?

We live in the USA, we can do just about anything we want. Got a crappy job? Find a new one. Turn of the TV, spend your evenings learning something new and get smarter for a better job.

I mean really, how much does it cost to just exist? $500 rent, $150 utilities, $400 food, $200 gasoline. That all comes out to under $8 an hour by my math. You telling me in America you can't find a job that pays better than that? Or work two jobs?

What it really boils down to is disipline. Don't spend more than you earn. Wnat to spend more? Work more.

1st, just for the records, I'm a very successful business owner not one that makes $8.00 an hour. Nor do I defend the Won't Nots because there's a many of them out there. So the hell with them, again I support no one sitting around milking the system.

But when I listen to my customers that are good hard working people, both dems and reps, I hear the same thing. Bills exceeds their income. Then I read about all the people loosing their homes at a record high. It's just hard for me to believe that all these people are loosers. Far more people are living pay check to pay check. And that means it only takes one thing to happen and other homes lost. So lack of disipline is not always the reason for someones down fall.

As far as your math, I guess it's right. But I guess my thing is. If a family of 4 is living where rent is $500, utilities $150, food $400 per month. They are already pretty much living in poverty. Because I don't know where a family of 4 can live for $500 rent and utilities only $150.

Edited September 1, 2008 by big mo

[Guest dotsun]

1st, just for the records, I'm a very successful business owner not one that makes $8.00 an hour. Nor do I defend the Won't Nots because there's a many of them out there. So the hell with them, again I support no one sitting around milking the system.

But when I listen to my customers that are good hard working people, both dems and reps, I hear the same thing. Bills exceeds their income. Then I read about all the people loosing their homes at a record high. It's just hard for me to believe that all these people are loosers. Far more people are living pay check to pay check. And that means it only takes one thing to happen and other homes lost. So lack of disipline is not always the reason for someones down fall.

As far as your math, I guess it's right. But I guess my thing is. If a family of 4 is living where rent is $500, utilities $150, food $400 per month. They are already pretty much living in poverty. Because I don't know where a family of 4 can live for $500 rent and utilities only $150.

I would be willing to bet that 90% of the people that are bitching and moaning are in debt up to their eyeballs and most didn't allow any wiggle room whatsoever in their budget when they bought that new house they just had to have. Discipline means not charging everything you see and not having a mortgage (and other debt) that could cripple you if things don't work out perfectly.

Believe me I cringe everytime I buy gas or pay my rising utility bills, but I can afford it easily as I had the discipline not to buy that really nice house with a pool or that awesome car/gun I really wanted. It simply comes down to bad choices in the majority of cases.

[Mike.357]

Dotsun makes his first post in 6 months and cuts me down

[Guest dotsun]

Dotsun makes his first post in 6 months and cuts me down

Glad I could be of service.

[Guest grimel]

I think it's hard next to impossible to compare living 20yrs ago vs now. I do agree with you there's not many have nots now. But I believe if we continue to go in the direction we are going in now it won't be long. I don't think that's hard to see. But maybe that's just my view. Hopfully I'm wrong.

Hmm, what we call "poverty" and "poor" now is above what was lower middle class, yet somehow, if we keep going in the direction we are going things will get bad?

What exactly is wrong with the direction we are now going?

[Guest grimel]

1st, just for the records, I'm a very successful business owner not one that makes $8.00 an hour. Nor do I defend the Won't Nots because there's a many of them out there. So the hell with them, again I support no one sitting around milking the system.

But when I listen to my customers that are good hard working people, both dems and reps, I hear the same thing. Bills exceeds their income. Then I read about all the people loosing their homes at a record high. It's just hard for me to believe that all these people are loosers. Far more people are living pay check to pay check. And that means it only takes one thing to happen and other homes lost. So lack of disipline is not always the reason for someones down fall..

Let me get this straight. People buy stuff to the point they have zero margin. They have a problem and they are on the verge of losing their house. Living pay check to pay check..

And you do NOT see this as a sign of a lack of discipline? What pray tell do you call it?

[strickj]

T

hen I read about all the people loosing their homes at a record high. It's just hard for me to believe that all these people are looses.

No not losers!

They are dupes in general.

It is very hard to foresee the cost of living in the future.It is also very easy to let the interest rates,and other cost that are tacked onto a mortgage slip through the miles of paper work you sign when purchasing a home.Especially when you are dealing with the inordinate emotions of buying a home.

[J Smith]

Well its like this with me.I have a regular house with a very low payment compared to most,under 300.00.

I have no CC debt and only one car payment.The problem that is hitting me is that everything is going up and my pay has stayed close to the same for the past 3 years.I just paid the highest utility bill I have ever had,that has alot to do with Harriman having some of the highest rates in the state.

Keep in mind that this is not in all cases people buying beyond their means but with prices going up faster than wages.That said I also know many people that do spend through CCs way more than they can ever pay back,I do not feel for them at all.

[J Smith]

TNo not losers!

They are dupes in general.

It is very hard to foresee the cost of living in the future.It is also very easy to let the interest rates,and other cost that are tacked onto a mortgage slip through the miles of paper work you sign when purchasing a home.Especially when you are dealing with the inordinate emotions of buying a home.

Many fell for those interest only loans without reading the fine print.Those seemed to be a real good way to loose a house.

[Marswolf]

Back on topic....oil fell by $4 a barrel today. The speculators lost money.

[J Smith]

Back on topic....oil fell by $4 a barrel today. The speculators lost money.

Yeah,I been hearing on Fox that the speculators may loose there shirts when the market reopens tomorrow.

[Guest SUNTZU]