Poll: Your income

This was my motivation for getting a Cabelas card. Cash back, especially on in store purchases. I figured I'd be spending money there anyway, might as well get a little bit back.

I'm actually using cash more now than I was a few years ago. It's easier to keep track of my daily spending when I physically see the money disappearing.

 

My wife and mother-in-law are Chinese and they are all about cash and carrying envelopes of money around with them, and I told them with all the anti-Asian violence targeting Asian women, especially here in the Bay Area where we had a group of thieves following women from Chinese grocery stores and robbing them of cash money, cash may no longer be the way to go.

 

Glock sounds like a way to go, it’s really a shame what this country is becoming...wish I could have a few min in a closed room with that piece of shit shooter we had here in Buffalo a few days ago...sure we have people killing each other in the hood over there stupid disagreements or being owned money or looking at someone the wrong way but never something of that level.

 

Our county is may issue and won’t issue you a CCW without bribing the sheriff.

 

Exactly, I try to give myself a allowance every week and when the wallet is dry it’s dry. Cabelas is where I started my card journey, got a few bucks off of my shotgun there with it was going to pay off the $400 easy and then kind of went up to 3 grand and change. Chopped that baby up. Ordered a new one not long ago just Incase of emergency’s. Had to use it to keep it activated as I got a letter saying there wasn’t activity on it for 5 years and change and to keep it activated had to use it for a purchase lol.

 

Erie county in a nutshell as well where I am.

 

A few years ago, I finally figure out that I am paying credit card prices and not getting any of the benefits. So, all the things we buy every month, groceries, fuel, some bills go on the credit card and paid off monthly. Now I get 100's of dollars back a year. But to get to this point took a lot of fixing stupid young dumb mistakes.

 

How I justify my 4Runner purchase….

In a pinch you can sleep in your car, but you can not drive your house.

 

I learned a valuable lesson many years ago and I’ve been following that lesson for 25 years now. When I turned 20, I started saving $250 cash out of each check, so $500/month. By the time I was 25 I had $30k in cash saved. I traded in the car I was making payments on and purchased my next vehicle, a 2003 Tacoma TRD Offroad brand new for cash. As I got older and made more, I started saving more out of each check. By 30 I was only making $45k annually and still saving $1000 cash each month and had almost $100k in cash in a safe in my closet. I didn’t have to alter my life style one bit, I just wasn’t spending on frivolous crap. I’m now 45 and continue to save like this. I now make just under $300k annually and have been saving just over $100k in cash each year for the past 8 years. It’s not hard to do and anyone can do it. Just stop spending on useless shit.

I see a lot of people in my line of work that are millionaires that live at or beyond their means. Just because you make $300k doesn’t mean you have to live like it. I live off of and support a family of 5, very well, off of around $175k annually. I put $25k of my salary in to a savings account and the rest is cash in the safe. You just have to figure out the number that allows you to live comfortably and put the rest in to savings. Money accessible is money wasted. Put it somewhere it’s not readily accessible.

I haven’t financed a vehicle since I was 25 years old because of this savings plan.

There’s a lot of people out there that you see with nice expensive shit living off of credit. I’m not trying to brag about what I have, rather pass along some valuable advice that my grandfather told me a long time ago that has proven itself over and over again as I am a living example of what can be done if you discipline yourself financially and stick with it.

 

This is a weird thread and that's saying a lot for a 4runner forum.

 

Well my wife and I combined make just under 100k, in the public school, so the real lesson is don’t work for a public school.

 

Both of my parents were teachers so I get it.

 

...or in the trades. Awhile back, It actually seemed like a good deal. No college debt, earn when you learn, etc. But, there's just not great money in it, unless you're the boss. Even then, it's a struggle until you really establish yourself.

I encourage everyone to avoid the trades, unless they just really want to work in the trades. It's pretty much a dead end, IMO.

 

I didn’t realize it was that bad, I thought it was a decent living (at times really hard work) until you got your own company up and going.

 

I think unless you’re Elon, Jeffrey, or Bill, your job and income will suck.

 

I suppose I should clarify. It's not really bad. You're just not going to have the kind of money people in other industries do.

There are some benefits. I just think people should know that they'll never be wealthy working in the trades. Or, get in as an elevator guy or a sprinkler guy. They make decent money.

I make what I would have thought was really good money a few years ago. But, it's just not enough to really get ahead anymore.

 

Brother, I am so sorry to hear that. It just seems society is circling the drain sometimes.

 

Amen!

 

I heard Lowes was starting $16 a hour?

 

But, they only hire people who don't know anything about anything. You're way overqualified!

 

I’m gonna set up a group session on how to cut crown molding.

 

From 45,000 to 300,000 did you change professions? Curious on what you are doing for the 300,000 now a days...I’m at the same place you were currently at 30 and that isn’t bad advice you are giving. I make the least compared to a lot of people around me, and the ones that make a lot more live check to check a lot of the time meanwhile I have green in my wallet before payday. NOT OVERSPENDING AND BUYING STUPID SHIT INDEED GOES A LONG WAY. Key words right there. I don’t need the newest 4 wheeler, cell phone, new cloths / shoes every month, and I rarely go on vacations. No kids yet helps tremendously as well.

 

Kind of the same for the state, I can make a lot more money working for a private company or school and such with the knowledge and license / schooling I have, but the job security & benefits of the state have me by the nads.

 

Regarding trades, my doctor told me something years ago.

He said to take two people at high school graduation: one goes into plumbers apprenticeship, the other to medical school to become a doctor. Considering the fact that the plumber starts earning right away, and the doctor has 8 years of school first, then all the loans, malpractice insurance, staff, etc., it’s somewhere between 50 and 55 years of age before the doctor’s earnings finally surpass those of the plumber. I thought that was interesting.

 

Depends on the doctor, because I know some doctors making $800,000 a year and some doctors making $180,000 a year.

 

Sounds right for the path Allen from 2 and a half men took calling himself a doctor lol.

 

Maybe if the doctor wasn't a very good doctor.

And, this.

 

The age-old dilemma of career choices. Go to college or go to work. Work for a big company or a startup or start your own business. Save and invest and live well below your means to retire early, or live it up now because you plan to work until you die…

But maybe that doctor was just advising you away from med school to lessen his competition.

 

my GF's cancer surgeon billed us almost $700 hour for surgery. it was worth every penny.

 

They deserve it (if a good doctor), I snd sure that’s a little bit more complicated vs wheel bearings or brakes on a vehicle @ $120 a hour!