Average SD family 2000 vs 2010

[CA renter]

[quote=AN]Interesting comment sobmaz. I personally would think I’m doing better than 10 years ago if my asset is 7x and $600k larger than it was 10 years ago. I wonder who else feel they’re not doing better than 10 years ago while sitting on an asset that’s 7x larger.

[/quote]

Yes!!! We have significantly more money (over 10X) today than 10 years ago, but also feel less comfortable about our finances.

Back then, we were looking at fairly regular raises, and no layoffs or wage/benefit cuts on the horizon. Back then, we didn’t have to fear the Federal Reserve’s determination to destroy our currency and wipe out all of our wealth. Back then, our friends and neighbors were fully employed, and most were looking forward to making more in the coming years…today, many of those people are unemployed, or under-employed, with some making less than they were 10 years ago, with much less job security to boot. Back then, healthcare costs were high, but nowhere near as high as they are today, which can destroy anyone who is unemployed or without insurance. God forbid you lose your job in your 50s (unlikely to find a new, comparable job at that age, and in this economy), and you have to make it another 5-10 years before you qualify for Medicare. That’s absolutely frightening, because it can wipe you out, even if you have a few hundred thousand in cash…and then what?

I don’t know a single person, personally, who feels better about the economy today than 10 years ago. Not one.

[an]

[quote=Eugene][quote]RIght now, I can get my oil change for $10. Are you saying oil change was $5 10 years ago?[/quote]

You can’t get anything remotely resembling decent oil for $10. I pay $25 for six quarts of synthetic at Walmart, before filter and before labor. Even if the mechanic has a super-nice wholesale deal on the oil, $10 is still not happening, unless they are doing the oil change at a loss for some reason.[/quote]
I wasn’t referring to synthetic oil. I was referring to those adds in the Penny Saver. I wasn’t looking at synthetic 10 years ago, so maybe you can tell me what the cost was back then but 6-8 years ago, mobil 1 Synthetic was going for around $4-5/quart as well, IIRC. So, for an I4 car using 4 quart at $4/quart + $2 for filter, you’re looking at $18-20 for materials. Right now, labor is $5 for one of the shop in Miramar or $20 if I take it to the dealer (dealer will clean my car as well). So, you’re looking at $25-40 for an oil change, depending on where you take it to.

[an]

[quote=Eugene][quote]RIght now, I can get my oil change for $10. Are you saying oil change was $5 10 years ago?[/quote]

You can’t get anything remotely resembling decent oil for $10. I pay $25 for six quarts of synthetic at Walmart, before filter and before labor. Even if the mechanic has a super-nice wholesale deal on the oil, $10 is still not happening, unless they are doing the oil change at a loss for some reason.[/quote]
I wasn’t referring to synthetic oil. I was referring to those adds in the Penny Saver. I wasn’t looking at synthetic 10 years ago, so maybe you can tell me what the cost was back then but 6-8 years ago, mobil 1 Synthetic was going for around $4-5/quart as well, IIRC. So, for an I4 car using 4 quart at $4/quart + $2 for filter, you’re looking at $18-20 for materials. Right now, labor is $5 for one of the shop in Miramar or $20 if I take it to the dealer (dealer will clean my car as well). So, you’re looking at $25-40 for an oil change, depending on where you take it to.

[an]

[quote=Eugene][quote]RIght now, I can get my oil change for $10. Are you saying oil change was $5 10 years ago?[/quote]

You can’t get anything remotely resembling decent oil for $10. I pay $25 for six quarts of synthetic at Walmart, before filter and before labor. Even if the mechanic has a super-nice wholesale deal on the oil, $10 is still not happening, unless they are doing the oil change at a loss for some reason.[/quote]
I wasn’t referring to synthetic oil. I was referring to those adds in the Penny Saver. I wasn’t looking at synthetic 10 years ago, so maybe you can tell me what the cost was back then but 6-8 years ago, mobil 1 Synthetic was going for around $4-5/quart as well, IIRC. So, for an I4 car using 4 quart at $4/quart + $2 for filter, you’re looking at $18-20 for materials. Right now, labor is $5 for one of the shop in Miramar or $20 if I take it to the dealer (dealer will clean my car as well). So, you’re looking at $25-40 for an oil change, depending on where you take it to.

[an]

[quote=Eugene][quote]RIght now, I can get my oil change for $10. Are you saying oil change was $5 10 years ago?[/quote]

You can’t get anything remotely resembling decent oil for $10. I pay $25 for six quarts of synthetic at Walmart, before filter and before labor. Even if the mechanic has a super-nice wholesale deal on the oil, $10 is still not happening, unless they are doing the oil change at a loss for some reason.[/quote]
I wasn’t referring to synthetic oil. I was referring to those adds in the Penny Saver. I wasn’t looking at synthetic 10 years ago, so maybe you can tell me what the cost was back then but 6-8 years ago, mobil 1 Synthetic was going for around $4-5/quart as well, IIRC. So, for an I4 car using 4 quart at $4/quart + $2 for filter, you’re looking at $18-20 for materials. Right now, labor is $5 for one of the shop in Miramar or $20 if I take it to the dealer (dealer will clean my car as well). So, you’re looking at $25-40 for an oil change, depending on where you take it to.

[an]

[quote=Eugene][quote]RIght now, I can get my oil change for $10. Are you saying oil change was $5 10 years ago?[/quote]

You can’t get anything remotely resembling decent oil for $10. I pay $25 for six quarts of synthetic at Walmart, before filter and before labor. Even if the mechanic has a super-nice wholesale deal on the oil, $10 is still not happening, unless they are doing the oil change at a loss for some reason.[/quote]
I wasn’t referring to synthetic oil. I was referring to those adds in the Penny Saver. I wasn’t looking at synthetic 10 years ago, so maybe you can tell me what the cost was back then but 6-8 years ago, mobil 1 Synthetic was going for around $4-5/quart as well, IIRC. So, for an I4 car using 4 quart at $4/quart + $2 for filter, you’re looking at $18-20 for materials. Right now, labor is $5 for one of the shop in Miramar or $20 if I take it to the dealer (dealer will clean my car as well). So, you’re looking at $25-40 for an oil change, depending on where you take it to.

[an]

CAR, I agree with you that if you’re unemployed today, life is worse for you today than 10 years ago. One question for you, were you friends in engineering 10 years ago? 10 years ago = .com crash. I know many engineers who got laid off back then and those who are just graduating between 2000-2003 were lucky to find a job. So, today, when unemployment for white collar workers are under <8%, I think most engineers feels better off today than 10 years ago.

[an]

CAR, I agree with you that if you’re unemployed today, life is worse for you today than 10 years ago. One question for you, were you friends in engineering 10 years ago? 10 years ago = .com crash. I know many engineers who got laid off back then and those who are just graduating between 2000-2003 were lucky to find a job. So, today, when unemployment for white collar workers are under <8%, I think most engineers feels better off today than 10 years ago.

[an]

CAR, I agree with you that if you’re unemployed today, life is worse for you today than 10 years ago. One question for you, were you friends in engineering 10 years ago? 10 years ago = .com crash. I know many engineers who got laid off back then and those who are just graduating between 2000-2003 were lucky to find a job. So, today, when unemployment for white collar workers are under <8%, I think most engineers feels better off today than 10 years ago.

[an]

CAR, I agree with you that if you’re unemployed today, life is worse for you today than 10 years ago. One question for you, were you friends in engineering 10 years ago? 10 years ago = .com crash. I know many engineers who got laid off back then and those who are just graduating between 2000-2003 were lucky to find a job. So, today, when unemployment for white collar workers are under <8%, I think most engineers feels better off today than 10 years ago.

[an]

CAR, I agree with you that if you’re unemployed today, life is worse for you today than 10 years ago. One question for you, were you friends in engineering 10 years ago? 10 years ago = .com crash. I know many engineers who got laid off back then and those who are just graduating between 2000-2003 were lucky to find a job. So, today, when unemployment for white collar workers are under <8%, I think most engineers feels better off today than 10 years ago.

[blahblahblah]

Median or average statistics are nearly worthless without some characterization of the data distribution, at a bare minimum the standard deviation.

I’m not sure what is more disturbing, the fact that the media constantly reports average statistics with no distribution information whatsoever, or that boards like this are full of scores of posts from highly educated professionals attempting to interpret these basically meaningless numbers.

In countries with large wealth and income disparities, the “Median Household” is a rare creature indeed.

[blahblahblah]

Median or average statistics are nearly worthless without some characterization of the data distribution, at a bare minimum the standard deviation.

I’m not sure what is more disturbing, the fact that the media constantly reports average statistics with no distribution information whatsoever, or that boards like this are full of scores of posts from highly educated professionals attempting to interpret these basically meaningless numbers.

In countries with large wealth and income disparities, the “Median Household” is a rare creature indeed.

[blahblahblah]

Median or average statistics are nearly worthless without some characterization of the data distribution, at a bare minimum the standard deviation.

I’m not sure what is more disturbing, the fact that the media constantly reports average statistics with no distribution information whatsoever, or that boards like this are full of scores of posts from highly educated professionals attempting to interpret these basically meaningless numbers.

In countries with large wealth and income disparities, the “Median Household” is a rare creature indeed.

[blahblahblah]

Median or average statistics are nearly worthless without some characterization of the data distribution, at a bare minimum the standard deviation.

I’m not sure what is more disturbing, the fact that the media constantly reports average statistics with no distribution information whatsoever, or that boards like this are full of scores of posts from highly educated professionals attempting to interpret these basically meaningless numbers.

In countries with large wealth and income disparities, the “Median Household” is a rare creature indeed.

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