In 1994, my (now late) husband and I came for a visit to his daughter's home just north of Roseburg, Oregon over Presidents Day weekend. We were living in Seattle where I had lived over 35 years and he a transplant from Arizona. It was like stepping into a time machine and going back decades. Those 3 days we spent were eye-opening and life changing.
When we went home, I stewed and fussed over those seeds of change and finally made the decision a week after returning home. I was moving to Oregon. The story is long and involved but suffice it to say, I told the family we were moving to Oregon. I gave notice to my boss and after many tears and struggles, 5 weeks to the day after the visit, we settled into our new home in Oakland, Oregon. Population 870. A place where 3 cars at a stop sign are a traffic jam. We both found work making a fraction of what we made in Seattle in our corporate positions, but our cost of living was fractional so it all balanced nicely.
That was 14 years ago and while life does what it does by throwing curve balls occasionally, we now think of this as home. Seattle is a very fond memory but I will never return. The rats can have it with my blessing.
You make me (almost) want to move to your area -- though you are 3,000 miles away. I would go rural given the housing situation in urban areas of CA; I even run into people in NC who have moved to my town to escape high (unaffordable?) housing prices.
Having lived in a small town right out of college, I'll mention that not all rural areas have the employment opportunities you describe. The ones that do often are limited by one major or just a few employers, which is okay but may be difficult for 2-earner families; and if the employer restructures and/or has a layoff, the town economy changes nearly overnight. Also, long-time residents may or may not welcome newcomers.
The tradeoffs would have been easier for me had the Internet been available (it wasn't commercially available in the 1980s), expanding job prospects, widening my circle of friends, and letting me shop somewhere besides mass merchants.
well yes it will leave a huge scar and i am curious if this is staged? because the guy didnt show and inch of pain but he could be high on something or using novicaine, but the reality is if you are trying to enlist or withhold a job a scar is better then a tattoo because its simply not a tattoo. so in a sense it works as a one time method, but you also have to explain how you got the scar and if you explain this process you will probably be admitted.
I like your comments on the benefits of rural living for the frugal. It is true that less shopping opportunities will save you big buck$, not to mention lower mortgage prices.
We left the big city (Richmond, VA) when it got to be too violent and we had two young children 10 years ago. We moved to one rural area in SE Virginia, but it was TOO far out, hence our move to Scottsville, VA five years ago. It is a cute town 20 minutes from Charlottesville, VA but with homes half to a third the cost of Charlottesvilles' and one hour from other bigger towns such as Richmond, Lyncburg, Staunton, and less than three hours from the "Culture" of Washington DC. (Very important to us as homeschoolers and ex-urbanites).
This figures in well, too, if we decide to sell products from our farm, or grow bored of Charlottesville, which we don't normally, because Charlottesville has plenty to do in terms of recreation and great restaurants. In Scottsville, the main recreation options are river sports (the James) and a small amount of shopping choices- there is a current opportunity for someone wanting to start a business, as there has been a recent re-do of the town, lots of vacant storefronts waiting to be reborn as cool health food stores, local food restaurants, art studios, and a bakery also would be divine.....
Local bus service to Charlottesville is in the works, and there are established carpool groups, so check it out if you are looking for something on the east coast.
Plumas sounds great for your proxmity to the National Parks, you will have to travel almost an hour west from here to reach Shenandoah Nat'l Park from Scottsville, but not quite as far to reach one of Virginia's many great county, regional and state parks. Cheers!
I loved this article. I really want to move out of San Mateo to some quaint little town where we can pay cash for a house and raise kids. I know people who packed up and moved to Oregon, Idaho, and Texas, but really there are many great places like Plumas in California. Now only if i could convince the hubby that the Bay Area is not the greatest place on earth...
I have been trying to wean everyone off of prepackaged food over recent years. For the most part we don't buy convenience food anymore with the exception of the occasional frozen pizza, coke or bag of doritos.
If I bought kids cereal or poptarts they would disappear within a few days of buying them. Even if we locked the extra in the pantry. It was like crack and the kids would do just about anything to sneak more and keep devouring it. This clearly isn't healthy and certainly isn't doing anything for our grocery budget. So I just quit buying both. They got over it. Now when they want a snack or to make their own breakfast they go for fruit, nuts, granola or baked goods if we make them.
As far as convenience food breakfasts. We have the typical problems of trying to get everyone out the door in the morning. My husband was spending over $3 getting a breakfast sandwich at the gas station and who knows what was in it. We started making breakfast sandwiches at home in the morning. Eggs, cheese, english muffin. They get made first thing in the morning and get put in the oven on low. Even if they are running late they can take it with.
I tell myself when my 1999 Suzuki Esteem quits running for good, that's it for me and cars, at least regarding buying another new one. I deliberately bought my house close to a bus stop and live within walking distance of most of what I need. Where I live isn't anywhere near as scenic as San Francisco but I plan to give it a go at least. I keep telling myself that on one of my days off, I'm gonna hop on the one closest to me and take it all the way to wherever it goes. Would be nice to be able to be a passenger for a change. Anyway, I'm prepared and have one of those "old-lady" wheeled carriers I picked up years ago at a garage sale. My family laughs at me for even thinking this way but I love the idea of paying off my one outstanding bill (the mortgage and truly being debt free from here on out.
I like the everyday pleasantries and interaction with the drivers and other passengers. Of course there are occasionally unpleasant people about, but on the whole, people are surprisingly nice to one another on public transportation. It certainly leaves you feeling less alienated from people than speeding along isolated in a plastic and metal box.
With Frank. "Your six figure lifestyle centers around saving for the future, for the unexpected, and giving to charity. Ironically this means you live less today. Simply put, your choices have put you where you are, and if you want the six figure lifestyle of popular belief then it is as easy as just re-prioritizing."
Exactly. My parents make less then 30K a year (my dad is retired, and on social security, but that's factored it). This is the most affluent we've ever been. However, we have a house, two USED but well working vehicles, and everyone (but me) has health insurance. Granted, my parents only have about $500 in savings, but they're so far away from six figures. See, we don't go on vacations (other then camping.. in a tent.. in a state park), nor do we buy big ticket items. They didn't save money for my sister and I to go to school, but we go to the best community college in the nation- and will go to state schools on scholarships, or loans if need be.
But, I would like to add, in Upstate NY 70K allows you to live the 'american dream' mentioned in the article.
As one who has suffered from ulcerative colitis, I was absolutely incredulous when I first saw those ridiculous and misleading Dannon active ads. I was jumping up and down in front of my tv. I'm sorry it took a lawsuit for them to realize how dangerous those claims are but they should've paid someone better to look into that ahead of time. Also the Breast Cancer pink stuff everywhere is also playing on our fears and superstitions to an extent. But for the grace of God...etc...better buy that pink ribbon stuff to ease my guilt for not having done my breast self-exams lately.
With the tax witholdings, that's one that's easy to forget. I have one friend who had his reduced to the minimum, and then put aside a percentage of his paycheck in a money market account. That way, his budget stayed the same as before he changed the witholdings, and although he had to pay taxes, he did earn interest on the money.
And with the interest rate on debt, a lot of credit cards allow you to raise your limit automatically online. While this doesn't help your payment, it does look good on your credit score, helping you qualify for lower interest on other things. Also, my husband ran through a bad patch a couple years ago, and accumulated some debt in the process of keeping us affloat. Now that we are stable, his credit still isn't that great, but mine came through unscathed. I opened a line of credit and transfered his debt to it. He still makes the payments, but the minimum is now 1/3 of what it was before. That's a huge savings, and it looks great on both our credit ratings!
In general, I do not buy prepackaged foods, so it was interesting to get an update on whats on the market. I followed the link to "Breakfast Breaks." What a rip off! And it doesn't even include raisins or any other preserved fruit. What was really surprising, though, was that they gear the advertising towards high school students. With the portions as small as they are, it looks more appropriate for elementary school students.
However, considering the effort it takes to get most high schoolers out of bed, I'm not surprised that prepackaged breakfast idea.
I think packaging a boiled egg, dried or fresh fruit, a slice or two of banana bread, and something to drink would be better in a lot of ways.
@guest "I don't believe anyone, not for a second, who thinks they didn't have help getting where they are. There are a thousand ways we get help every day from some source outside our own homes." Very true though some of the help you have received you have done something for...paid taxes and received services; serve with the National Guard, shop on base, etc.
@johnk: Even middle-class families are having trouble paying for their children's college now; tuition rates have risen dramatically since I was in school. Just as a side note: my dad attended college on the GI Bill and my mom benefited from the generosity of family friends who paid her college bills.
I absolutely agree with the reasons you gave! I love taking the bus everywhere, especially since my company gives me a monthly pass for free. :)
Comparatively speaking, however, public transit in Cincinnati is likely among the worst (or so I've heard anyway, and I don't doubt it)...it's more the routing and schedules than anything. I used to be able to catch a bus right in front of my house and transfer to the express bus downtown...now, I have to walk about 3 miles with no sidewalk to get to the bus. But then again, as you mentioned that provides a lot of exercise, and I'd probably be a lot fatter than I already am if not for that. ;)
I recently had to use the bus a lot here, and it's pretty good. Some lines are overcrowded, though, and could use extra buses. In the middle of the city, bus service is as almost good as San Fran's. The cost is high if you don't get a pass.
The commute to work takes a few minutes longer. Shopping is a little more work. I got more exercise, that's for sure.
The main thing I notice is that the bus is a little less stressful than driving. It's like an enforced break, so I'll read something. When you're driving, you have to pay attention. With the traffic so bad, you have to be alert for 30 minutes to an hour, typically. On the bus, you just zone out.
I am both and investor and an agent and have bought and sold many properties for myself and clients.
The listing agent has a contract with the seller's to be their representative. Their fudiciary duty is first and foremost to the seller. Obviously their goal is to sell the house and they can't get more for it than what a buyer is willing to pay.
That being said, the seller's agree to a commission to the listing broker that covers both the listing agent's fees and the buyer's agents fee. Even if you don't use a buyer's agent, the fees have already been negotiated and contracted - as mentioned above.
As a buyer's agent, we negotiate for the buyer and write up contracts to protect and favor the buyers. As a seller's agent, we write up contracts and negotiate in favor of the sellers. When we represent both side (dual agency) we try to stay neutral and for the most part - we just try to get the deal done. As a dual agent, we are much more likely to let the two sides negotiate for themselves. This really could leave money on the table on either side.
I know when I represent just the buyers, I negotiate everything! From title and escrow (to get lower fees) to home inspections to having the sellers fix up and repair both major and minor issues with the home and of course the purchase price. I've even negotiated the sellers credit the buyers back thousands of dollars for potential issues that I would have NEVER done if I represented both sides - AND the buyers didn't even consider themselves because they didn't know they could negotiate those types of things. Since the seller's are paying the commissions NO Matter what, why wouldn't you want someone to represent your best interests as a buyer? Often times, it's not just the price, but potential issues that come up. I've had friends that tried to purchase on their own without an agent (in out of state purchases) and would have lost their deposit money if they didn't have me to call up and ask questions whe the deal went bad.
The couple of thousand you may save from the listing agent cutting their commission (maybe) could end up costing you significantly more in negotiating power.
I really like public transport for the most part, it has always worked for me, I've never owned my own vehicle. Here in Vancouver, I can take two extra adults or one extra adult and 4 children for free with my ticket on Sundays or holidays, it's great way for a cheap day out. Of course as you stated there are times when you are left standing in the rain waiting, or the person next to you starts cutting their toe nails (actually happened) and you wish you had a car, but mostly I love it. And no car will get me everywhere I need to go for $70 a month.
hahhahaha...Funny about Money your comment made me laugh so hard I woke up my husband who was sleeping in the other room. "rich toilet perfume" hahahah.. I'm forwarding your comment to my friends.
If you have any State Farm insurance or banking products, take your account number over to statefarm.com, register for their website and you'll see a link on the left side of the page that says "Free tax filing" Click on that link, and all State Farm customers get free Turbotax Fed and State software.
You can't download; you do your taxes through the link to the Intuit site...but who cares? It's free!
I would check out the local Craig's List if it is active in your area. I can also recommend buying a cheap pre-pay phone, if you have a SIM card. Wal-Mart sells these for around $40, so you aren't an indentured servant to your wireless plan for the next 50 years. These phones are usually a year or so behind the most current technology, but they work just fine. My sister is on my family plan, and she is REALLY hard on phones, so we are always on the look out for a replacement for her.
Government isn't that inefficient - I see huge waste in the private sector too. The LDS welfare programs rely on the labor of former welfare recipients. If the government could make welfare recipients work for housing, clothing and food (to produce the housing, clothing and food), they could be cheaper to run. They'd also be called "communist."
One way to deal with the "policing" problem is to increase welfare to cover everyone, so there's no means-testing involved. We've done that with roads, schools, fire fighting, and libraries. There's no stigma involved in driving on the freeway, going to school, not letting your house burn up, or using the library.
In fact, if you're the kind of person who doesn't drive, doesn't go to school, lets the old shack burn up, and doesn't support the library, you're called "ignorant trash" because you're not participating in society in the right way, by using those recommended welfare programs.
What about, if, instead of food stamps, we had some food that was free, for anyone to use? We'd all be eligible to get an EBT card, to get a limited amount of this free food. Or, it could be a general subsidy, like some countries have for bread, so that by eating these foods, you save some money. You could also choose not to eat these things.
Here's an example. Think about how much healthier we'd be if things were cheaper: whole wheat bread, brown rice, soy protein (leftovers from making soybean oil), dried milk, cabbage, carrots, greens. These are already, basically, cheap foods, and cheaper to produce than more refined foods like chee-tos, white bread, and yogurt... yet some of them cost more because they're "healthy" and in-demand by middle-class people who want to stay thin. The government could intervene, and reduce a loaf of whole wheat bread down to 50 cents. This would help everyone, and it would help people making $7 an hour the most, who, due to their poverty, will opt for the .99 loaf of spongy white bread.
>>I guess it boils down to what kind of government we want to have...
We have a mixed government that's got elements of capitalism and elements of socialism. Every industrialized state is like this, whether it's called "socialism" or "capitalism."
We're moving away from the socialism, and have been since the 1980s. Also, that tax rebate is more "capitalist" than "socialist" -- a more "socialist" response to the faltering economy would be to have the government get involved in the sinking housing market, to create more subsidized housing for poor people, so rents don't increase due to the increased demand for rental housing (and to create jobs for laid-off construction workers). These tax rebates are going to be used to pay down ballooning debt and pay for rent increases, and basically end up in the pockets of the already-wealthy.
In 1994, my (now late) husband and I came for a visit to his daughter's home just north of Roseburg, Oregon over Presidents Day weekend. We were living in Seattle where I had lived over 35 years and he a transplant from Arizona. It was like stepping into a time machine and going back decades. Those 3 days we spent were eye-opening and life changing.
When we went home, I stewed and fussed over those seeds of change and finally made the decision a week after returning home. I was moving to Oregon. The story is long and involved but suffice it to say, I told the family we were moving to Oregon. I gave notice to my boss and after many tears and struggles, 5 weeks to the day after the visit, we settled into our new home in Oakland, Oregon. Population 870. A place where 3 cars at a stop sign are a traffic jam. We both found work making a fraction of what we made in Seattle in our corporate positions, but our cost of living was fractional so it all balanced nicely.
That was 14 years ago and while life does what it does by throwing curve balls occasionally, we now think of this as home. Seattle is a very fond memory but I will never return. The rats can have it with my blessing.
You make me (almost) want to move to your area -- though you are 3,000 miles away. I would go rural given the housing situation in urban areas of CA; I even run into people in NC who have moved to my town to escape high (unaffordable?) housing prices.
Having lived in a small town right out of college, I'll mention that not all rural areas have the employment opportunities you describe. The ones that do often are limited by one major or just a few employers, which is okay but may be difficult for 2-earner families; and if the employer restructures and/or has a layoff, the town economy changes nearly overnight. Also, long-time residents may or may not welcome newcomers.
The tradeoffs would have been easier for me had the Internet been available (it wasn't commercially available in the 1980s), expanding job prospects, widening my circle of friends, and letting me shop somewhere besides mass merchants.
Even living an hour away from a national park sounds heavenly. Remember, I'm coming from L.A., where it takes an hour to get anywhere in the city!
well yes it will leave a huge scar and i am curious if this is staged? because the guy didnt show and inch of pain but he could be high on something or using novicaine, but the reality is if you are trying to enlist or withhold a job a scar is better then a tattoo because its simply not a tattoo. so in a sense it works as a one time method, but you also have to explain how you got the scar and if you explain this process you will probably be admitted.
I like your comments on the benefits of rural living for the frugal. It is true that less shopping opportunities will save you big buck$, not to mention lower mortgage prices.
We left the big city (Richmond, VA) when it got to be too violent and we had two young children 10 years ago. We moved to one rural area in SE Virginia, but it was TOO far out, hence our move to Scottsville, VA five years ago. It is a cute town 20 minutes from Charlottesville, VA but with homes half to a third the cost of Charlottesvilles' and one hour from other bigger towns such as Richmond, Lyncburg, Staunton, and less than three hours from the "Culture" of Washington DC. (Very important to us as homeschoolers and ex-urbanites).
This figures in well, too, if we decide to sell products from our farm, or grow bored of Charlottesville, which we don't normally, because Charlottesville has plenty to do in terms of recreation and great restaurants. In Scottsville, the main recreation options are river sports (the James) and a small amount of shopping choices- there is a current opportunity for someone wanting to start a business, as there has been a recent re-do of the town, lots of vacant storefronts waiting to be reborn as cool health food stores, local food restaurants, art studios, and a bakery also would be divine.....
Local bus service to Charlottesville is in the works, and there are established carpool groups, so check it out if you are looking for something on the east coast.
Plumas sounds great for your proxmity to the National Parks, you will have to travel almost an hour west from here to reach Shenandoah Nat'l Park from Scottsville, but not quite as far to reach one of Virginia's many great county, regional and state parks. Cheers!
I loved this article. I really want to move out of San Mateo to some quaint little town where we can pay cash for a house and raise kids. I know people who packed up and moved to Oregon, Idaho, and Texas, but really there are many great places like Plumas in California. Now only if i could convince the hubby that the Bay Area is not the greatest place on earth...
I have been trying to wean everyone off of prepackaged food over recent years. For the most part we don't buy convenience food anymore with the exception of the occasional frozen pizza, coke or bag of doritos.
If I bought kids cereal or poptarts they would disappear within a few days of buying them. Even if we locked the extra in the pantry. It was like crack and the kids would do just about anything to sneak more and keep devouring it. This clearly isn't healthy and certainly isn't doing anything for our grocery budget. So I just quit buying both. They got over it. Now when they want a snack or to make their own breakfast they go for fruit, nuts, granola or baked goods if we make them.
As far as convenience food breakfasts. We have the typical problems of trying to get everyone out the door in the morning. My husband was spending over $3 getting a breakfast sandwich at the gas station and who knows what was in it. We started making breakfast sandwiches at home in the morning. Eggs, cheese, english muffin. They get made first thing in the morning and get put in the oven on low. Even if they are running late they can take it with.
I tell myself when my 1999 Suzuki Esteem quits running for good, that's it for me and cars, at least regarding buying another new one. I deliberately bought my house close to a bus stop and live within walking distance of most of what I need. Where I live isn't anywhere near as scenic as San Francisco but I plan to give it a go at least. I keep telling myself that on one of my days off, I'm gonna hop on the one closest to me and take it all the way to wherever it goes. Would be nice to be able to be a passenger for a change. Anyway, I'm prepared and have one of those "old-lady" wheeled carriers I picked up years ago at a garage sale. My family laughs at me for even thinking this way but I love the idea of paying off my one outstanding bill (the mortgage and truly being debt free from here on out.
I like the everyday pleasantries and interaction with the drivers and other passengers. Of course there are occasionally unpleasant people about, but on the whole, people are surprisingly nice to one another on public transportation. It certainly leaves you feeling less alienated from people than speeding along isolated in a plastic and metal box.
With Frank. "Your six figure lifestyle centers around saving for the future, for the unexpected, and giving to charity. Ironically this means you live less today. Simply put, your choices have put you where you are, and if you want the six figure lifestyle of popular belief then it is as easy as just re-prioritizing."
Exactly. My parents make less then 30K a year (my dad is retired, and on social security, but that's factored it). This is the most affluent we've ever been. However, we have a house, two USED but well working vehicles, and everyone (but me) has health insurance. Granted, my parents only have about $500 in savings, but they're so far away from six figures. See, we don't go on vacations (other then camping.. in a tent.. in a state park), nor do we buy big ticket items. They didn't save money for my sister and I to go to school, but we go to the best community college in the nation- and will go to state schools on scholarships, or loans if need be.
But, I would like to add, in Upstate NY 70K allows you to live the 'american dream' mentioned in the article.
As one who has suffered from ulcerative colitis, I was absolutely incredulous when I first saw those ridiculous and misleading Dannon active ads. I was jumping up and down in front of my tv. I'm sorry it took a lawsuit for them to realize how dangerous those claims are but they should've paid someone better to look into that ahead of time. Also the Breast Cancer pink stuff everywhere is also playing on our fears and superstitions to an extent. But for the grace of God...etc...better buy that pink ribbon stuff to ease my guilt for not having done my breast self-exams lately.
With the tax witholdings, that's one that's easy to forget. I have one friend who had his reduced to the minimum, and then put aside a percentage of his paycheck in a money market account. That way, his budget stayed the same as before he changed the witholdings, and although he had to pay taxes, he did earn interest on the money.
And with the interest rate on debt, a lot of credit cards allow you to raise your limit automatically online. While this doesn't help your payment, it does look good on your credit score, helping you qualify for lower interest on other things. Also, my husband ran through a bad patch a couple years ago, and accumulated some debt in the process of keeping us affloat. Now that we are stable, his credit still isn't that great, but mine came through unscathed. I opened a line of credit and transfered his debt to it. He still makes the payments, but the minimum is now 1/3 of what it was before. That's a huge savings, and it looks great on both our credit ratings!
In general, I do not buy prepackaged foods, so it was interesting to get an update on whats on the market. I followed the link to "Breakfast Breaks." What a rip off! And it doesn't even include raisins or any other preserved fruit. What was really surprising, though, was that they gear the advertising towards high school students. With the portions as small as they are, it looks more appropriate for elementary school students.
However, considering the effort it takes to get most high schoolers out of bed, I'm not surprised that prepackaged breakfast idea.
I think packaging a boiled egg, dried or fresh fruit, a slice or two of banana bread, and something to drink would be better in a lot of ways.
@guest "I don't believe anyone, not for a second, who thinks they didn't have help getting where they are. There are a thousand ways we get help every day from some source outside our own homes." Very true though some of the help you have received you have done something for...paid taxes and received services; serve with the National Guard, shop on base, etc.
@johnk: Even middle-class families are having trouble paying for their children's college now; tuition rates have risen dramatically since I was in school. Just as a side note: my dad attended college on the GI Bill and my mom benefited from the generosity of family friends who paid her college bills.
The food processing companies add salt, fat, and sugar to make food taste better.
You can save money by taking regular food and adding your own salt, fat and sugar :-)
I absolutely agree with the reasons you gave! I love taking the bus everywhere, especially since my company gives me a monthly pass for free. :)
Comparatively speaking, however, public transit in Cincinnati is likely among the worst (or so I've heard anyway, and I don't doubt it)...it's more the routing and schedules than anything. I used to be able to catch a bus right in front of my house and transfer to the express bus downtown...now, I have to walk about 3 miles with no sidewalk to get to the bus. But then again, as you mentioned that provides a lot of exercise, and I'd probably be a lot fatter than I already am if not for that. ;)
I recently had to use the bus a lot here, and it's pretty good. Some lines are overcrowded, though, and could use extra buses. In the middle of the city, bus service is as almost good as San Fran's. The cost is high if you don't get a pass.
The commute to work takes a few minutes longer. Shopping is a little more work. I got more exercise, that's for sure.
The main thing I notice is that the bus is a little less stressful than driving. It's like an enforced break, so I'll read something. When you're driving, you have to pay attention. With the traffic so bad, you have to be alert for 30 minutes to an hour, typically. On the bus, you just zone out.
I am both and investor and an agent and have bought and sold many properties for myself and clients.
The listing agent has a contract with the seller's to be their representative. Their fudiciary duty is first and foremost to the seller. Obviously their goal is to sell the house and they can't get more for it than what a buyer is willing to pay.
That being said, the seller's agree to a commission to the listing broker that covers both the listing agent's fees and the buyer's agents fee. Even if you don't use a buyer's agent, the fees have already been negotiated and contracted - as mentioned above.
As a buyer's agent, we negotiate for the buyer and write up contracts to protect and favor the buyers. As a seller's agent, we write up contracts and negotiate in favor of the sellers. When we represent both side (dual agency) we try to stay neutral and for the most part - we just try to get the deal done. As a dual agent, we are much more likely to let the two sides negotiate for themselves. This really could leave money on the table on either side.
I know when I represent just the buyers, I negotiate everything! From title and escrow (to get lower fees) to home inspections to having the sellers fix up and repair both major and minor issues with the home and of course the purchase price. I've even negotiated the sellers credit the buyers back thousands of dollars for potential issues that I would have NEVER done if I represented both sides - AND the buyers didn't even consider themselves because they didn't know they could negotiate those types of things. Since the seller's are paying the commissions NO Matter what, why wouldn't you want someone to represent your best interests as a buyer? Often times, it's not just the price, but potential issues that come up. I've had friends that tried to purchase on their own without an agent (in out of state purchases) and would have lost their deposit money if they didn't have me to call up and ask questions whe the deal went bad.
The couple of thousand you may save from the listing agent cutting their commission (maybe) could end up costing you significantly more in negotiating power.
I really like public transport for the most part, it has always worked for me, I've never owned my own vehicle. Here in Vancouver, I can take two extra adults or one extra adult and 4 children for free with my ticket on Sundays or holidays, it's great way for a cheap day out. Of course as you stated there are times when you are left standing in the rain waiting, or the person next to you starts cutting their toe nails (actually happened) and you wish you had a car, but mostly I love it. And no car will get me everywhere I need to go for $70 a month.
hahhahaha...Funny about Money your comment made me laugh so hard I woke up my husband who was sleeping in the other room. "rich toilet perfume" hahahah.. I'm forwarding your comment to my friends.
If you have any State Farm insurance or banking products, take your account number over to statefarm.com, register for their website and you'll see a link on the left side of the page that says "Free tax filing" Click on that link, and all State Farm customers get free Turbotax Fed and State software.
You can't download; you do your taxes through the link to the Intuit site...but who cares? It's free!
I would check out the local Craig's List if it is active in your area. I can also recommend buying a cheap pre-pay phone, if you have a SIM card. Wal-Mart sells these for around $40, so you aren't an indentured servant to your wireless plan for the next 50 years. These phones are usually a year or so behind the most current technology, but they work just fine. My sister is on my family plan, and she is REALLY hard on phones, so we are always on the look out for a replacement for her.
Government isn't that inefficient - I see huge waste in the private sector too. The LDS welfare programs rely on the labor of former welfare recipients. If the government could make welfare recipients work for housing, clothing and food (to produce the housing, clothing and food), they could be cheaper to run. They'd also be called "communist."
One way to deal with the "policing" problem is to increase welfare to cover everyone, so there's no means-testing involved. We've done that with roads, schools, fire fighting, and libraries. There's no stigma involved in driving on the freeway, going to school, not letting your house burn up, or using the library.
In fact, if you're the kind of person who doesn't drive, doesn't go to school, lets the old shack burn up, and doesn't support the library, you're called "ignorant trash" because you're not participating in society in the right way, by using those recommended welfare programs.
What about, if, instead of food stamps, we had some food that was free, for anyone to use? We'd all be eligible to get an EBT card, to get a limited amount of this free food. Or, it could be a general subsidy, like some countries have for bread, so that by eating these foods, you save some money. You could also choose not to eat these things.
Here's an example. Think about how much healthier we'd be if things were cheaper: whole wheat bread, brown rice, soy protein (leftovers from making soybean oil), dried milk, cabbage, carrots, greens. These are already, basically, cheap foods, and cheaper to produce than more refined foods like chee-tos, white bread, and yogurt... yet some of them cost more because they're "healthy" and in-demand by middle-class people who want to stay thin. The government could intervene, and reduce a loaf of whole wheat bread down to 50 cents. This would help everyone, and it would help people making $7 an hour the most, who, due to their poverty, will opt for the .99 loaf of spongy white bread.
>>I guess it boils down to what kind of government we want to have...
We have a mixed government that's got elements of capitalism and elements of socialism. Every industrialized state is like this, whether it's called "socialism" or "capitalism."
We're moving away from the socialism, and have been since the 1980s. Also, that tax rebate is more "capitalist" than "socialist" -- a more "socialist" response to the faltering economy would be to have the government get involved in the sinking housing market, to create more subsidized housing for poor people, so rents don't increase due to the increased demand for rental housing (and to create jobs for laid-off construction workers). These tax rebates are going to be used to pay down ballooning debt and pay for rent increases, and basically end up in the pockets of the already-wealthy.