Are You Better Off Than Four Years Ago? Shop At Biden-Mart To Find Out…

[Ingomike]

BIDEN MART

Putting food on the table has become harder than ever thanks to "Bidenomics". As costs for everyday items continue to rise, American families are struggling more and more to foot the bill.

www.biden-mart.com

 

[tim87tr]

Yes. I planned ahead and quit being a wage slave. Doesn't seem to be a game to win until you're out of it.

 

[Ark]

Instead of overextending myself to buy property I couldn't afford, I stuffed all my money into a savings account so I knew I would have a way to survive if I quit a job (which happened) or got laid off from a job (which happened) or if the taxman came after me for "overpayments" (which happened) or if my car got wrecked by some jackass (which happened).

My reward for my responsibility and living below my means was a 50% haircut to the value of my savings in two years, while asset prices doubled and rewarded the people who splurged instead of saved.

I wish I'd cleaned out my accounts and racked up debt buying everything I ever wanted.

 

[Bugzilla]

 

[HoughMade]

I've never give a president the power to determine whether I am better off or not.

 

[Ark]

They still give her plastic bags?

 

[Mij]

4 years ago? Let’s see, Trump threatened Iran with military attack, we were on home detention, stores didn’t have stock on shelves, Pennsylvania was placed on home lockdown by its Governor, you couldn’t find a roll of TP anywhere, captain of the USS Theodore Roosevelt pleads for help due to spread of C Virus, Coast Guard won’t allow cruise ships to dock in the U.S., sailors cheered when their captain was relieved of command because he talked about the virus, the economic outcome of the virus put us on a path to recession, the death rate soared 17%, Trump extended the social distancing guidelines till the end of April & says the worst is yet to come, after telling us that the virus was under control, 58% of Americans believed that the virus damage could have been mitigated with better international cooperation.

Like some others, I’m never gonna let one man or party be the arbiter of my well being. My food, fuel and other essentials are averaged over a decade not by the week.

So, I guess I can’t answer the question.

 

[WebSnyper]

Prices are definitely higher, which has an obvious impact. I'm not hurting by any means, but definitely see that goods cost more. That said, I'm aggressive with cost shopping /coupons/sales when I can be and I'm the one that does the grocery shopping so that helps.

Since I purchased this home in late 2019 I'm not seeing the pain from higher mortgage rates, but am reaping some dividends from higher interest rates on some savings (not with a standard bank) and am using decent cd rates in some of my investment accounts to hedge some more aggressive investments.

Overall net worth has increased, but the buying power of those $ has gone down.

It's not a black and white answer.

 

[patience0830]

Instead of overextending myself to buy property I couldn't afford, I stuffed all my money into a savings account so I knew I would have a way to survive if I quit a job (which happened) or got laid off from a job (which happened) or if the taxman came after me for "overpayments" (which happened) or if my car got wrecked by some jackass (which happened).

My reward for my responsibility and living below my means was a 50% haircut to the value of my savings in two years, while asset prices doubled and rewarded the people who splurged instead of saved.

I wish I'd cleaned out my accounts and racked up debt buying everything I ever wanted.

One narrow path seldom takes you where you wish to go. Spreading the risk among different asset classes is generally more likely to prove fruitful.

My grandparents saved, used instruments like cd's that payed better than savings account, bought land when it came available, and raised some hogs and cows on the side to help pay for it. All on top of a full time job for each of them. They'd tell me a good place to go when you needed money was to work. Still spent time with us. Much of it while we learned how to handle hay or cattle or castrating little pigs. Or butchering. We had fun too. Swimming in the pond, playing yard darts, family picnics and fishing. Things got tight occasionally but no complaints, they just worked harder. Life has been good to me and my cousins and siblings due to the time and work they put into us. That work flows on into our kids. We are their physical immortality here in terrestrial space.

 

[Creedmoor]

Instead of overextending myself to buy property I couldn't afford, I stuffed all my money into a savings account so I knew I would have a way to survive if I quit a job (which happened) or got laid off from a job (which happened) or if the taxman came after me for "overpayments" (which happened) or if my car got wrecked by some jackass (which happened).

My reward for my responsibility and living below my means was a 50% haircut to the value of my savings in two years, while asset prices doubled and rewarded the people who splurged instead of saved.

I wish I'd cleaned out my accounts and racked up debt buying everything I ever wanted.

Note to self, don't ask Ark for any advice, ever...

 

[Creedmoor]

One narrow path seldom takes you where you wish to go. Spreading the risk among different asset classes is generally more likely to prove fruitful.

My grandparents saved, used instruments like cd's that payed better than savings account, bought land when it came available, and raised some hogs and cows on the side to help pay for it. All on top of a full time job for each of them. They'd tell me a good place to go when you needed money was to work. Still spent time with us. Much of it while we learned how to handle hay or cattle or castrating little pigs. Or butchering. We had fun too. Swimming in the pond, playing yard darts, family picnics and fishing. Things got tight occasionally but no complaints, they just worked harder. Life has been good to me and my cousins and siblings due to the time and work they put into us. That work flows on into our kids. We are their physical immortality here in terrestrial space.

One of the things that I have seen over my life, most successful farmers live poor and die rich.

 

[Ingomike]

Maybe think about it from the perspective of are your kids or grandkids better off now than four years ago…

 

[Mij]

Well they can buy TP so their is that, and the stores have stock on the shelves.

 

[mmpsteve]

Well they can buy TP so their is that, and the stores have stock on the shelves.

I hope it doesn't come down to stock on shelves that many cannot afford to buy. The current trajectory does not instill optimism in me.

.

 

[Ark]

Note to self, don't ask Ark for any advice, ever...

BUY GUNS

BUY TAURUS PRODUCTS

THEY'RE THE SMITH & WESSON OF THE FUTURE

FUND YOUR RETIREMENT SELLING YOUR TAURUS COLLECTION ON GUNBROKER

 

[WebSnyper]

Maybe think about it from the perspective of are your kids or grandkids better off now than four years ago…

That's a no. Their buying power is significantly reduced over what it would have been leading into 2020.

One came out of school with a grad degree in 2021, but is paying higher rent, and even with a good job, has significantly less home buying power.

The other will be coming out of grad school soon and already has multiple job offers, but will be facing higher costs of living. That said she will be coming out to a pretty good job market for her field.

Neither have any school debt largely due to their hard work resulting in very good scholarship for one and the other working her tail off in school and outside jobs and both with assistance where needed and planned for by us. They didn't have to hope or vote for someone who made false promises about forgiving debt that people knowingly signed up for, and both actually value the educations they worked to obtain.

 

[INPatriot]

Maybe think about it from the perspective of are your kids or grandkids better off now than four years ago…

My wife and I have six children from infant to sixth grade. They are better off because we are better, as a team, at sacrificing time, talent, treasure, effort and sleep. They are better off because of what we have taught them. My wife is more adept at homeschooling multiple children than she was four years ago. I have to hustle harder, always have something to offer a potential customer or the marketplace, have a way to overcome objections and make my service offering valuable. The cream always rises to the top. We are better off because we refuse to not be better off but it is certainly more difficult than it has ever been.

Fortunately, for most that own homes or investment real estate, the value of real estate has compounded in the last decade, but we will stick to 4-5 years for the sake of the Biden Administration. Most probably have favorable mortgage rates. Unfortunately, our property taxes have all soared. People using traditional investment vehicles that invest for the long term, who stay in the market and don't try to time the peaks and valleys should be doing better in their investments - compound interest always wins in the long run.

I'm none to give financial advice, but living below one's means, avoiding debt as much as possible, diligently planning for the future and always having something to offer the free market is nearly a sure-fire way to be financially independent.

Though I will never let one man, political party or an entire bureaucracy dictate my prosperity, in my professional lifetime, consumer confidence, expendable income and willingness to spend expendable income was better under the GWB and Trump Administrations and second Obama term than it was during the first Obama term and then it has been during the Biden Administration.

 

[Ingomike]

My wife and I have six children from infant to sixth grade. They are better off because we are better, as a team, at sacrificing time, talent, treasure, effort and sleep. They are better off because of what we have taught them. My wife is more adept at homeschooling multiple children than she was four years ago. I have to hustle harder, always have something to offer a potential customer or the marketplace, have a way to overcome objections and make my service offering valuable. The cream always rises to the top. We are better off because we refuse to not be better off but it is certainly more difficult than it has ever been.

Fortunately, for most that own homes or investment real estate, the value of real estate has compounded in the last decade, but we will stick to 4-5 years for the sake of the Biden Administration. Most probably have favorable mortgage rates. Unfortunately, our property taxes have all soared. People using traditional investment vehicles that invest for the long term, who stay in the market and don't try to time the peaks and valleys should be doing better in their investments - compound interest always wins in the long run.

I'm none to give financial advice, but living below one's means, avoiding debt as much as possible, diligently planning for the future and always having something to offer the free market is nearly a sure-fire way to be financially independent.

Though I will never let one man, political party or an entire bureaucracy dictate my prosperity, in my professional lifetime, consumer confidence, expendable income and willingness to spend expendable income was better under the GWB and Trump Administrations and second Obama term than it was during the first Obama term and then it has been during the Biden Administration.

Great story. The question was not a literal question, but rather a political rhetorical question.

 

[2tonic]

The question is subjective, and therefore flawed.
It should simply be "Does your money go as far as it did four years ago?" That is an objective yes or no question, and only addresses economic matters.

I believe most people overlook the other areas (society, crime, wokeness, immigration, etc.) involved in @Ingomike 's question, and seem to only focus on the money.

The real ask is "Quarantine/virus/shutdown aside, does life suck more now than four years ago?"

 

[indyblue]

One of the things that I have seen over my life, most successful farmers live poor and die rich.

My girlfriend‘s father was a pig and crop farmer and a boilermaker. When he retired, she summoned DNR forest experts to plant his abandoned farmland with trees. As a result, his children now own several hundred acres of wooded land, providing thousands of board feet of hardwoods and hunting grounds. I am somewhat envious.

As far as living expenses, go, the current economy has severely limited my lifestyle. But my investment and retirement accounts are doing very well, so in that respect, I am blessed. My only hope is that when the bust in the markets happen, I will be able to protect my investments.