patrick.net

They bought a $240K house, which really isn't a big sticker shock for a once, $120K income household.

I was fine with the article until this excerpt: "We’ve now sold that house. My husband found a job that pays well, and we have enough left over for me to go to grad school. President Obama’s programs — from the extended unemployment benefits to the tax-free allowance for short-selling a home we couldn’t afford — allowed us to crawl our way out of the hole"

Ok, that's it. A family on food stamps and the stay-at-home mother wants to go to graduate school?

And then, a home 2x household income means 'stretched' and unaffordable?

WTF! If you have a home like that, furnish a room or two and rent 'em out to visitors and temporary workers. Next, get on sites like elance and go do some low paying contracts to build some experiences.

I'd bought a home, 1.5 hours from Boston because at the time, if I'd lost my job and needed to consult, up and down the eastern seaboard, I could pay the mortgage and be able to keep myself solvent for a very long time. It was clear to me that buying a home near Boston and losing one's job would result in a foreclosure.

Rin says

They bought a $240K house

...in February 2008!

Rin says

which really isn't a big sticker shock for a once, $120K income household.

$120K isn't SHIT anymore.
I would never mortgage a $240K house with a $120K income.
It's a challenge with a $160K mortgage. City taxes and Insurance alone would be double what I'm paying and it's already more than 40% of my mortgage.

Then besides that almost everything else has become a high dollar luxury. So if your money is tied up in a mortgage, you'll do without a lot of other things we all used to just take for granted.

And by 2008, anyone that was still ignoring all of the warning signs, and listened to the NAR cheerleaders, and bought into all of the government incentives to keep RE prices inflated. Were a damn fool and deserve NO sympathy at all.

When you suddenly become poor is when you realize that yesterday's income doesn't cover next month's rent and too, that you are no better off today with a slightly above median income than your divorced, disabled, single mother of four children on Welfare was 30+ years ago.

Well, during the past three years, I'd suddenly gotten pseudo-rich, by being a junior partner at this hedge fund.

Thus, the first super P/L bonus year completely paid off the mortgage.

Then, everything else went into savings/investments. I still drive an Accord, despite being able to afford a Porsche or Mercedes.

The goal is to be *free* and live off the dividend checks from my portfolio.

I've never changed my ways; I live within my means and yes, periodically take vacations and see high end strippers.

Rin says

see high end strippers.

What is the fundamental difference between the high-end and low-end ones?

corntrollio says

Rin says

see high end strippers.

What is the fundamental difference between the high-end and low-end ones?

30 years?

corntrollio says

fundamental difference between the high-end and low-end ones?

Montreal vs New England, the former are actresses (think today's era Cabaret show w/ Jane Russell & Marilyn Monroe) and that latter, a bunch of rude skanks.

Rin says

I live within my means and yes, periodically take vacations and see high end strippers.

All that money... to see strippers???

Isn't that frustrating?

Heraclitusstudent says

Rin says

I live within my means and yes, periodically take vacations and see high end strippers.

All that money... to see strippers???

Isn't that frustrating?

This is Montreal, what goes on with two adults, after a dance is no one's business :-)

Heraclitusstudent says

Rin says

I live within my means and yes, periodically take vacations and see high end strippers.

All that money... to see strippers???

Isn't that frustrating?

Only if you don't get a happy ending.

Rin says

Heraclitusstudent says

Rin says

I live within my means and yes, periodically take vacations and see high end strippers.

All that money... to see strippers???

Isn't that frustrating?

This is Montreal, what goes on with two adults, after a dance is no one's business :-)

You need to take me with you.

Heraclitusstudent says

Rin says

I live within my means and yes, periodically take vacations and see high end strippers.

All that money... to see strippers???

Isn't that frustrating?

Have you been to montreal :)

errc says

Heraclitusstudent says

Rin says

I live within my means and yes, periodically take vacations and see high end strippers.

All that money... to see strippers???

Isn't that frustrating?

Have you been to montreal :)

Judging by their general tone of speech, it sounds like they've only experienced Team USA (as in Vegas/Reno) which BTW, sucks.

And no, there's no double entendre there :-)

Article sounds fabricated at some basic level. I don't really believe it, or don't believe many of the stated "facts". It is such a liberal, tear jerking puff piece that it has to have been written to manufactured spec.

Maybe she was unemployed because they found she made shit up as she went along.

Ceffer says

Maybe she was unemployed because they found she made shit up as she went along.

Fact of the matter is that right now, I pay someone a few hundred dollars a month, to keep a room open for me, just outside of Boston.

This is my near city, crashpad, as my paid off home is 1.5 hours from Boston. Thus, if I'm meeting up with clients, friends, or simply catching up on some local events, I've got a place to sleep, to work off the alcohol, before I spend 90 mins on the road to get back home.

Thus, I have little sympathy for those who don't know the act of subletting their places, to make their mortgage payments.

Rin says

periodically take vacations and see high end strippers.

Cuhhhhlassy!

Rin says

Judging by their general tone of speech, it sounds like they've only experienced Team USA (as in Vegas/Reno) which BTW, sucks.

Seriously?

Strippers? Montreal?

Is that what rich people do?

Heraclitusstudent says

Rin says

Judging by their general tone of speech, it sounds like they've only experienced Team USA (as in Vegas/Reno) which BTW, sucks.

Seriously?

Strippers? Montreal?

Is that what rich people do?

Not really, Montreal is actually a middle to upper middle class solution for those who're into quality. Plus, it's naughtiness isn't exactly broadcasted widely or else, more on this forum would know what I'm talking about.

The rich (a/o nouveau riche) waste their cash on *private* parties in the Hamptons and of course, Vegas, and other cheesy American hangouts. They think that simply burning cash equals a good time. Watch 'American Psycho' a/o 'Wolf of Wall St' for comical depictions.

Rin says

They think that simply burning cash equals a good time.

This is what appears to be the case. Life pleasures are bizarrely perverted by flow of cash.

Heraclitusstudent says

Life pleasures are bizarrely perverted by flow of cash.

One has to know that cash is an enabler.

There was once a graduate student at a Quebec university, who was always studying for some advance mathematics/comp sci program. Well, between marathon study/research sessions, he'd see a hook*r, once every ~3 weeks, to maintain his sanity. Well, he'd completed his PhD before the age of 24.

Apparently, it worked, whereas in the US, these types of guys would end up on the national news, after going on a rampage.

Rin says

Apparently, it worked, whereas in the US, these types of guys would end up on the national news, after going on a rampage.

Are you saying prostitutes are necessary to avoid rampages?
Seriously?

Heraclitusstudent says

Rin says

Apparently, it worked, whereas in the US, these types of guys would end up on the national news, after going on a rampage.

Are you saying prostitutes are necessary to avoid rampages?

Seriously?

Numerous years of inner pressure [ some of it self-inflicted ] with no outer release can do that to someone.

Aren't the recent whack jobs, Elliot Rodgers & James Holmes, basically 20-something guys who never had a sexual outlet?

I never had this issue, as I had a girlfriend before I'd turned 20.

jazz music says

Heraclitusstudent says

Life pleasures are bizarrely perverted by flow of cash.

... unless you are a creative and you define yourself as what you are and what you create instead of how similarly to the rich people on TV you own and consume and oink.

E.g. poets, artists, musician, dancer, even lovers don't require much money.

Here's the thing, I've done both, the Canadian and the Brazilian girlfriend thing.

However, once you're done with the illusions of being with a forever soulmate, it's better to have the money, to pay for the erotic theatre of sorts.

Rin says

Here's the thing, I've done both, the Canadian and the Brazilian girlfriend thing.

It sounds like you are saying your Canadian girlfriend got a Brazilian.
Well, did it look good?

Strategist says

Rin says

Here's the thing, I've done both, the Canadian and the Brazilian girlfriend thing.

It sounds like you are saying your Canadian girlfriend got a Brazilian.

Well, did it look good?

Sorry, I didn't explain the split frame. The Brazilian was in Massachusetts, she was an ex-pat. The Canadian was in Quebec.

In the end, both GFs had an overhead, in terms of time/energy/resources. I'm glad that it's over and I'm only focused on the work and occasionally, having a 'Girl Friend Experience' up in Montreal city.