Our whole economy (and really our whole society) is based on continually increasing consumption of goods and services financed by debt. No major corporations or governments want to see an end to this because it would take away their power and wealth. So they mislead the public and keep pushing off the inevitable further and further into the future, making the eventual collapse that much worse. Most people are so distracted with idiotic stuff that they don’t stop and think about what’s really behind all of this mess.

I can’t tell them the truth, because then I’ll feel hypocritical for driving around in a nice car. (I thoroughly enjoy sliding into those heated leather seats in the dead of winter. YUMMY.)

And i would never ever tell them that their votes dont matter (even though it sure seemd that way the past two ridiculous presidential elections).

LOL – it’s true… But whats funny is that kids dont’ really know when you are hypocritical. So my vote is to tell them what is right and then their opinions are formed properly before they realize that you don’t always walk the walk!

So true…

Both former owner and lostkitty are right… We do buy way to much stuff and our whole economy is based on it continuing. I’m wondering if the true key to economic prosperity is to resist the urge to buy, only purchase what you can afford to IN CASH, and dedicate a percentage of everything you make to savings – for your whole life.

If I only saved a dollar out of every 10 I’ve made so far – wow what a concept! On the other hand – I love the heated seats also… My dad always spent 110% more than he made – it forced him to keep making more and more money. If I can take the good stuff from him and not the bad money management – the rest is history!

I agree. Kids dont even care about hypocrisy! Here in upstate NY – they are as happy as I am to slide their fannies into that luxurious heated leather!

I talk to my kids a lot about spending/politics/religion (especially religion – seems like the super-religious people like jg are multiplying like cockroaches in America).
However, I also want them to strive to make enough $$s for things which satisfy their needs… again, the heated seats!, good shoes, a comfortable home, foreign travel, etc….you know… the basics. Or at least what i consider to be the basics.

I have ALWAYS told my children what the REAL score was, as I saw it….it netted me some pretty hard feelings in the past. I think they still kind of resent my thinking in a way. lam certain they think I'm a little weird, but I ALSO see the lights coming on behind their eyes, when one of my speculations comes to pass ……So theyre really not 100% sure if Iam  Clairvoyant or a clown.

I am not being hypocritical, I drive a nice car and the kids seem to like it too….but I tell them, it could be ONLY TEMPORARY, I could go back to a 1972 Vega tomorrow if need be, and I really could. lam enjoying a little indulgence right now, thats all, I don't owe anything so its not a matter of spending the milk money on my little indulgence.

If it ended tomorrow, I enjoyed the ride, Iam glad I got to do what I did. I wont be happy about it ending, but I got to see the other side of work and job reliance. 

lam comfortable now and will hopefully spend the rest of my life being comfortable financially….HOWEVER…..and thats a BIG however…You can never accurately predict 100% of the time whats going to happen, personally, nationally or worldly….So enjoy the ride, and be as prepared as you can, knowing all the while you cannot think of or be prepared for everything. Keep your eyes open.

Is it okay that I have heat and a/c in the leather seats as long as I paid cash and have zero debt?

A small story…When I was a kid, my dad wanted to get me a BMW bike. So he asked what I wanted. Not knowing any better and knowing my parents were very conservative in spending, I thought what the heck, get me the $60 Team Murray bike from Kmart. Brought it to school the next day, and for the rest of the two years had to endure just about every single ridicule imaginable from every other stupid kid, because their parents had bought them $250+ BMX bikes. Personally, I didn’t understand what the big deal with. A bike for all purposes took me from point A to B after school, and none of the other kids ever raced. But it was hell for me. Never told my parents about it, because I didn’t want them to feel bad, but I felt pretty crappy about it…. Until I got older and realized that my parents basically gave me food, shelter, the opportunity to attend a great college, and everything else I needed to succeed. To this day, my dad still doesn’t understand why I won’t throw away that red bike that’s hanging in his garage.

The issue is that American kids are mean and stupid. It becomes a popularity/fad contest, and their parents feed into this culture buy spending unnecessarily on trendy things. The entire comparing to the Jones down the street happens when we’re kids. And it gets more ridiculous as we progress. Can you imagine a 5th grade teacher telling students to make sure to turn off all cell phones before class starts? That’s just ridiculous. I see so many parents with their kids feeding into the trendy thing. And I take a look at them, and I can’t imagine they have the income that can sustain this.

Now in my 30ies, with a decent career and where money isn’t really a probably for most things (except possibly a McMansion in La Jolla shores), I guess I have my parents to thank for the fact that I’m so conservative in spending. And thankfully my spouse is exactly like me. But living in CV doesn’t help because while I really don’t want to be like so many other CV folks, I really don’t want my kid to grow up with esteem issues that may happen if I don’t at least partly play the game. So, I’m going to have to figure out this one.

As far as people that are financing their way to ruins. Well, they really won’t get much sympathy from me. Folks like that already gave me enough grief when I was a kid. And I frankly won’t have a problem taking their assets away from them if they’re reckless and irresponsible.