What is your annual family income?

[cali]

and how many people are supported by it? The reason I'm curious has to do with the lack of interest I've observed here when posts about rising costs of food or fuel are posted.

63 votes, 3 passes | Time left: Unlimited
	under $10,000
	3 (5%)
	Between $10,000 ad $25,000
	5 (8%)
	Between $25,000 and $40,000
	10 (16%)
	Between $40,000 and $55,000
	3 (5%)
	Between $55,000 and $70,000
	4 (6%)
	Between $70,000 and $100,000
	16 (25%)
	Between $100,000 and $125,000
	5 (8%)
	Between $125,000 and $150,000
	0 (0%)
	Between $150,000 and $200,000
	8 (13%)
	Over $200,000
	9 (14%)
	3 DU members did not wish to select any of the options provided.
Show usernames Disclaimer: This is an Internet poll

[CBGLuthier]

1. 20,000 to 30,0000

Supporting the two of us and a pinch of the youngest daughter although she mostly pulls her weight. Forunately the house is ostly paid for and my payments are cheap.

15 years ago I once capped out SS and made almost 95,000 in one year. Thank You George Fucking Bush for destroying the economy and my business.

Ce' La Vie. Money doesn't matter so long as we survive and we do.

[mike_c]

2. we're just over $100K annually (gross salary)...

...and it's just the two of us, so we do reasonably well in rural norcal. However, I have student loan payments approaching $1000/month, which takes a real bite out of my pay check.

[NightWatcher]

3. When food and fuel go up we just have to take it

There isn't much we can do, aside from dumpster dive.

It's a shitty attitude, but people have got to eat and have got to drive to work.

[RoverSuswade]

85. You know, I went to Burger King for lunch today.

I ordered a whopper meal. It was $8.60. The French fries were good but the sandwich was awful and the Dr. Pepper was watered down. It really shocked me into a "come to Jesus" moment. No more eating a t fast food places anymore if I can help it!

[NightWatcher]

91. I had the exact same thing and was horribly disappointed too

It had no taste and immediately made me feel bloated and full. I added them to the ever expanding list of places that I'm not going to eat at if I can help it. I used to love a Whopper.

[RoverSuswade]

98. I hadn't eaten at Burger King for a long time.

I don't eat fast food often but was in a hurry and didn't want Mickey D so I decided to try BK. The burger pattie has definitely shrunk in size. On the plus side the onions were good.

[Ikonoklast]

116. BK has really gone downhill in the burger department the last two years or so.

I thought it was me, but almost everyone I talk to about it says the same. They used to make a decent sandwich.

Only place I go for a burger now is Steak n' Shake. They make them fresh, no gray microwaved re-heated or heat box burgers there. And the shakes are pretty damn good, too.

[KamaAina]

113. Of course people have got to eat

but it'd sure be nice if more of them had the option of taking transit to work!

[arcane1]

4. Between $55k and $70k, just me in the household.

I live nearly paycheck to paycheck, so increased food costs definitely affect me.

[oldhippie]

5. Just under $100K ...

.... of retirement income takes care of the two of us nicely. Food and fuel are not a significant portion of our monthly budget.

[Puzzledtraveller]

6. 28k for family of 4

as a SNAP and Medicaid caseworker, we were just approved for SNAP ourselves last week. We actually have a caseworker just to handle employee cases.

[PowerToThePeople]

7. Under 10k

Extended unemployed. Family of 2.

If I were working a career job I would be in one of the 40-70k groups.

[NutmegYankee]

8. Just over 100K

Last edited Wed Jul 16, 2014, 09:11 PM - Edit history (1)

I live by myself. I do have a pet cat to share the place with.

[cali]

12. oh dear, so sorry I've offended your oh so delicate sensibliites. Need some smelling salts?

I explained in the OP why I ran this poll. Furthermore, my dear, it's hardly tacky to look at demographics. Happens all the time. But now that I'm informed by YOU, I'll have to go tell my new medical provider that it was tacky that they asked my income in just such a manner.

Silly stuff.

[cali]

39. they're right in the thread. And isn't it interesting that you are the ONLY one

finding this tacky, dear.

[cali]

45. No problem. I would appreciate it if you would apologize for calling

my thread "tacky". I won't hold my breath, but you might reflect that YOU are the only person who found it that.

[cali]

122. lol. yes, I was brought up this way:

My mother referred to most people as the "hoi polloi". Her favorite saying was "discretion is the better part of valor". I grew up in the rarefied atmosphere of New Canaan, CT. I know all about the nonsense put down of calling things tacky. Inside out. That's what you get when you attend country day school and prep school and all that goes with it.

It makes me laugh when I see people pulling that stuff.

[littlemissmartypants]

69. Don't feel bad. I too was taught by my parents

That discussion of finance outside the family is "not done" and gawd forbid we should talk openly about sex and religion.

If they only knew me.

Love, Peace and Shelter.
Lmsp

[littlemissmartypants]

71. I volunteer that information.

Because I am so young and sexy at over 50. I run on compliments and cash, btw.

[cali]

123. thanks

and one that has some meaning. tacky in the context you used it, really doesn't.

[GP6971]

33. Reading skills

along with other basic skills are unfortunately on the decline

[pnwmom]

77. But why did you connect responses with individual screen names? nt

[NutmegYankee]

29. Why tacky?

Obviously food and fuel increases will be more of a burden on some. I don't know if it's fatalism, but people just seem to accept the ever shrinking food containers with the corresponding increases in price.

[NutmegYankee]

40. There have been countless threads polling incomes over the years.

And many of the same DUers have responded in the past, though things do change and incomes go up and down. Given the article the other day about income and happiness, she may be trying to gauge how many DUers are strongly impacted by food price increases. I personally believe many people have just gotten fatalistic about it. I also realize that the massive drought in the west is depriving the country of a lot of cool weather vegetables, and cattle.

[cali]

48. Of course one can be a billionaire and have concern for food fuel prices, but it won't impact

you in the same way as it does a family of 4 living on an income of $40,000. And this is NOT- obviously- a scientific poll. No poll on DU is. I find your purported concern about controls and billionaires, rather amusing. I find your clear hostility as demonstrated in your initial post, quite interesting and a bit "off".

[cyberswede]

43. Oh FFS, she asked for ranges, not specifics

And she explained exactly why. Nobody is compelled to participate in her poll, or even reply in the thread.

[Cal Carpenter]

46. This sort of poll is common on DU

as Nutmeg Yankee pointed out above.

A quick site search shows examples from 2003, 2004, 2008, and 2010 just in the first page of results.

If you don't feel like answering, don't.

[TBF]

72. I did one several years ago and I can't remember why -

I guess if I searched enough it would come up. But I do remember being surprised at the low incomes - probably because I live in a city and folks make a little more in the suburbs (and spend more). I think we also have a fair number of students and retired folks. Still I was happy that it isn't just "latte liberals" here. At least at that time DU ran the gamut and that made it a more interesting forum.

[snooper2]

63. well, since nobody is posting actual tax returns it helps find trolls

just FYI

[brooklynite]

76. Um...because wealthy people are trolls?

Wealthy people couldn't possibly be Democrats? Just like poor people are never Republicans?

[1StrongBlackMan]

80. I fall in the "wealthy" catagory...

by just about any matrix (though I don't feel like it) and I am solidly Democratic.

[tammywammy]

10. One person, $40k-$55k

I make $41k as an entry level administrative assistant. Looking to move into to another area and should be a $10k raise. And another $10k raise when I move up a level a year or so later.

[cali]

14. Good luck, Tammy!

[tammywammy]

18. Hey, thanks!

I actually thought of you last weekend...I was in Stowe, VT, for a wedding. Lovely. I definitely didn't have enough time in Vermont and it's at the top of my must go back to states.

[cali]

23. Stowe is pretty. wonderful waterfall there.

I kind of like Stowe, but I don't really think of is as very representative of VT.

[tammywammy]

55. My description of what I saw via Burlington airport and Stowe.

"It's green and there are trees and hills and mountains!"

I wasn't there long enough at all. Must go back. The best part is Stowe was having a hot air balloon festival and they all launched during the reception and just the other side of the trees from the inn. So pretty.

[GP6971]

60. During high school and college breaks

stayed at Stowes Smugglers Notch and skied Mt Mansfield and Sruce Peak. Some cold chairlift rides!!!

[tammywammy]

65. We drove up Mt Mansfield

We were going to ride the ski lift up, but we're wearing flip flops.

First time driving up a windy mountain gravel road. That Ford Focus rental earned it's keep that day. Haha. It was beautiful up there.

[yeoman6987]

31. I like Vermont, but miss the different nationalities from Maryland when I visit.

I find Vermont to be a place in the 1950's kinda. I can't explain it but it just seems behind.

[cali]

38. Except for Burlington, diversity is sadly lacking in Vermont

But as for behind? We are the most progressive state in the country. We have the most progressive legislature. We have the most liberal U.S. Senator and the most outspokenly Progressive one. We have the only active progressive third party with members in both houses and holding statewide office. We have the strongest environmental laws. And we have a history that explains that: First state to have an African American pastor of an all white church (1788) First state in which an African American graduated from College (Alexander Twilight, Middlebury, 1821). More deaths per capita in the Civil War than any other northern state. Vermont was this longest running republic.

Yes, in certain ways, VT is "behind"; behind the crass commercialization, for instance that is is so prevalent in the U.S. Few strip malls and shopping malls and few big box stores comparatively. Old fashioned town meetings. A strong sense of community and place.

And Vermont has many "bests"- such as the healthiest state, highest hs graduation rates. most organic farms per capita, first state to legislate universal health care.

It's not paradise. It has problems, but it works in many, many ways, for most of its citizens.

[yeoman6987]

42. What's the use of being progressive if you lack a rich diversity?

I understand that Vermont has a lot going for it, but when I visit I am saddened......if the state could attract a wonderful melting pot, it seriously would be the best state in America.

[cali]

44. Seriously? You see no use in VT passing the strongest political donations laws in the Country?

No use in it being the first state to pass a civil union law- years before marriage equality was mandated by the MA SC? In being the first state to legislate marriage equality? In being the state to first pass landmark environmental and land use laws? In being the first and only state to pass universal health care? In being a state that equalizes education spending?

Look, Vermont doesn't attract new residents period, sadly. It's cold, it's rural- no cities. It just doesn't appeal to very many people.

[yeoman6987]

50. That is nice and all.....

[cali]

51. uh, nothing to do with nice. trail blazing progressivism on vital issues.

[Jackpine Radical]

57. Vermont souns a lot like the Wisconsin I grew up in.

Before the state somehow went crazy.

[IronGate]

58. Wife and I are retiring to VT. when we retire in a couple of years,

we're rural type folks and when we visited VT a couple of years ago, we fell in love with your beautiful state.

[tammywammy]

59. It was noticable to us the lack of ethnic diversity

What I saw was very quaint. I loved the lack of chain restaurants and shops. I also noticed how clean it was...no litter. The water along the trail in Stowe was clear. Big ol' mosquitoes. The people were all friendly.

No offense, I wouldn't live there year round - ugh snow, but I will definitely visit again and for longer than a weekend to explore more.

[cali]

119. None taken. I wouldn't live in Stowe either. It's essentially Fairfield County CT

north. It's a tourist town for rich people. Not all of Vermont is like that. I live less than an hour away and it's a different world in the Kingdom. Explore here.

<snip>
The Northeast Kingdom has been listed in the North American and international editions of "1,000 Places to See Before You Die", the New York Times best-selling book by Patricia Schultz. In 2006, the National Geographic Society named the Northeast Kingdom as the most desirable place to visit in the country and the ninth most desirable place to visit in the world.[5]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northeast_Kingdom#Tourism

[tammywammy]

120. Ohhh! Thanks for the recommendation.

[VScott]

81. Also a state with some of the least restrictive gun control laws...

and fewer firearms related crimes in the nation.
If you're not proud of that,you should be.

[Aerows]

112. I've always wanted to visit Vermont.

It's one of the few states I haven't been to. The people I have met from there are very nice, and very progressive, as you say. Seems like an awesome place.

[tammywammy]

56. Yes, that was noticable.

The majority of the guests were from Dallas. It was noticable how white it was.

[maddezmom]

11. Just about $120,000

Family of 3 or 5 if you count furry children.

[cali]

13. I always count hirsute members of the family- be they two legged or four.

(though I did once have a 3 legged kitty)

[maddezmom]

16. :-)

[Arugula Latte]

15. Well, it is

or somewhere in that general neighborhood.

[Scout]

17. 25,00-40,000 for two adults and 100 pound dog.

we are struggling, husband currently unemployed.

just paid off ALL credit card debt, but owe money to family.

[BillZBubb]

68. Congrats on paying off that credit card debt.

It's like an anchor holding you down.

[Ron Obvious]

20. It varies quite a bit.

Last year was very good, so we had a big tax bill (not moaning about it, honestly), but the 5 years before that were terrible.

We're comfortable middle class with enough saved to cover the shortfalls, unless the whole world economy were to collapse.

[Vattel]

21. I try to buy my gas in Delaware to avoid Maryland taxes.

[yeoman6987]

30. What?

Come on. I live in Maryland and think that if you drive and live in Maryland, you should pay the taxes that we have. Did you vote for Governor O'Malley? Did you not support the 36 cent gas tax hike? Are you a liberal or conservative?

[kelly1mm]

73. I live in MD and try to avoid the taxes here as well. I am 10 minutes from PA (no tax

on clothes) and 10 minutes from WV (low alcohol taxes) and 30 minutes from VA (low tobacco taxes). Visit all of them regularly for work and have to pick up things for my extended family (nothing for me really except for clothes I do not buy cigs/alcohol - others do though)

[Vattel]

145. Just trying to save money. I don't have anything against taxes,

but I don't go out of my way to pay them.

[jberryhill]

87. it's okay

We used to have to go to MD to buy beer on Sundays.

[one_voice]

146. +1...

yep.

[Chan790]

22. Substantially over $200K.

I don't want to say how much...but we're wealthy, not middle-class. I'm never going to want for or be concerned for the price of anything...yet, I'm a staunch economic liberal. Nobody should have the kind of wealth I was born into.

[snooper2]

64. you should use some of that money to

buy an old standup jetski and restore it

[IronGate]

24. Between the wife and I,

just a tad under 200K a year, house is paid for, we'll have 3 pensions coming in, 1 is hers and 2 are mine.

[geek tragedy]

25. don't own a car, food/housing expense ratio is very low where we live (Brooklyn) nt

[madville]

26. One person, two incomes, $60,000

Just had to shell out $4,000 out-of-pocket for 20% of my 17yo son's orthopedic foot surgery bills though, that was not fun

[laundry_queen]

27. Mine's a little complex.

I'd say around $48,000/year in child and spousal support. Then I get a monthly government tax benefit for my kids that can fluctuate in a given year because my taxable income is so low (child support is not taxable here in Canada). This supports 5 people in a rather 'rich' area with a high cost of living. My housing costs (mortgage, taxes, utilities) take up more than half my income. My grocery bill (including toiletries and some clothing) is roughly $1000-1200/month. I just finished school and thankfully, because I was paying out of pocket for tuition, so we definitely lived on the edge the entire time (I have 4 kids that live with me nearly 100% of the time. Their dad comes to see them maybe once a month or every 6 weeks for 2 days at a time - and the 2 teenagers don't go with him anymore.)

I'm excited to start working and get some income of my own coming in.

BTW, I'm usually in those threads like a dirty shirt...maybe I've missed some though, as I'm not online as much as I usually am now that I'm out of school and not constantly doing online research, LOL.

[yeoman6987]

28. That is a large spread from 150,000 to 200,000

I am only 8 thousand over that but in that huge bracket. (myself)

[WhaTHellsgoingonhere]

32. 48 y/o single white male, college degree, under $30K

punchline: I serve the mentally ill.

[Half-Century Man]

35. 10K-25K range. Family of 4

My adjusted Gross income on my 1040 2 years ago was (-)$286.00. Recorded it as such, IRS informed me to just put $0.00 when that happens.

Section 8 for housing, SNAP $48.00, ACA for wife and seizure prone adult daughter (seizures controlled my medication...mostly), I lost medicaid but kept medicare, custodial grand daughter has medicaid, 3 to 5 food pantries a month (2-2.5 hrs per visit; if you think food pantries are a rollicking free food orgy for poor people, try it for a couple years). That's the basics.

[RebelOne]

36. I am on Social Security,

and my yearly income is only about $17,000 a year. But that's OK, as I only have to support me and my Chihuahua, and I have low monthly expenses.

[madamesilverspurs]

128. I'm jealous.

SS is my only income, and I'm well under $10K annually. Elderly, disabled, and stuck in a rut of fairly continuous grovelling (they call it applying for assistance or recertification (as if I were getting younger or my bones and joints deterioration has miraculously reversed).

[scarletwoman]

37. My net income is about $2,000 a month.

I live alone - except for my 14-year old dog. Luckily, my house is paid for, although I have no running water or plumbing. But I get by fairly comfortably, even with paying off a parent loan I took out to help my youngest through college. I do not own a credit card, thus I have no credit card debt. I never buy anything that I can't pay for out front.

I keep a good amount of money in a savings account, so I have enough to put by to cover car repairs and such. My job has decent medical and dental benefits, even with the co-pays, and deductibles, and out-of-pocket - I've so far been able to manage. I plan to keep working until age 70 (if my body holds up), in order to have big enough Social Security payments to live on when I retire - less than six years from now.

I've never felt a need to be rich. All I've ever wanted is to be able to get by without too much hassle.

[conservaphobe]

53. 26, unemployed and living with parents.

Pursuing higher education and trying to get a leg up, but my town is a dead end.

And I can't even afford to get out.

[sdfernando]

54. Gross last year wS just over

100k...household of 1.

[jwirr]

62. Under $10,000 and that including food stamps.

[Adsos Letter]

66. About $180,000 for 2 people.

SF Bay Area (North Bay)

Edit to add: my wife's employer provides us with Kaiser's best health care package as a benefit in addition to her wages, so I should add that into the account. It would put us over $200,000.

I have never complained about our compensation here, or anywhere else.

[Prophet 451]

67. Depends how you look at it

I'm on welfare due to severe mental illness and physical disability. So much of what the government pays out isn't to me in cash but comes in the form of various subsidies, rent payments, council tax support, etc. Discounting those, we're on less than $10k as a household but if you include the value of those paid-on-our-behalf subsidies, we're somewhere around $25k a year.

[brooklynite]

75. I'm a 1% er...but I don't see "the price of food" as a major issue at any level.

Maybe it's because I live in the big City, but there are plenty of places to shop for food (Korean store for greens, Arab stores for staples), and fresh ingredients are very economical. If I bothered to stop off in Chinatown, the cost of vegetables would be even lower.

[redqueen]

99. It's a major issue for many. nt

[cali]

125. but surely you understand that it is a major issue for millions of your fellow Americans, yes?

You do grasp that many of your fellow Americans live in "food deserts", yes?

Of course, this was a poll about incomes, still I find your repeated (dozens and dozens of times) "I'm a 1%er", to be a rather sad reflection of pretty deep insecurity. It seems like you hinge your identity on that.

[Warren DeMontague]

78. Great thread!

Now when I need to borrow a sawbuck, I'll know who to ask first!

[BainsBane]

121. I was thinking I'd hit you up first

[Warren DeMontague]

130. Oddly enough, this gig doesn't pay nearly as well as one might think.

[Warren DeMontague]

132. It can get hairy

[BainsBane]

134. Senhor Testiculo could do with a Brazilian.

(btw, don't do an image search on that if children are nearby).

[Warren DeMontague]

138. See, you found me out.

I'm a Brazillianaire.

[BainsBane]

139. Then explain how you let this happen?

[Warren DeMontague]

140. Oooooooo.

That's rough!

I can tell you with absolute certainty that Senhor Testiculo doesn't want to get anywhere near that level of grip strength.

[BainsBane]

133. Another of the great injustices of the capitalist system.

[Warren DeMontague]

136. Indeed, although I have it on good authority that "Ivan Testiculovitch", the Soviet Public Relations

testicle cancer awareness mascot under Khrushchev, eked out a similarly bleak existence.

[merrily]

79. The issue is not income, but empathy.

If someone is not concerned about rising costs of basic things needed for survival unless they themselves are unable to pay the increase, the issue is not their income, but their capacity for empathizing with other people.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10025143147 (My response to the OP:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=5143802 )

BTW, I didn't vote at all in this poll. I never believed in giving out personal info over the internet to people I've never met. As it turns out, that is a lucky thing for me.

[SammyWinstonJack]

148. + a Brazilian!

[Silent3]

82. This is the kind of poll where I wish DU gave you the option...

...when you create the poll of letting the people who vote be anonymous. I'm sure a lot of people aren't comfortable with revealing their personal income.

[Beausoir]

83. OTHER: None of your business.

You may be confusing "lack of interest about rising costs" with "lack of interest in my posts".

The schtick is getting so so tired. So very tired.

[Number23]

89. +1

OTHER: None of your business.

[LordGlenconner]

100. +1

And notice the OP didn't share her own information and got (typically) very angry when someone else mentioned that. It's kind of weird, actually. And maybe just a little creepy.

[steve2470]

103. yes, Other nt

[Zorra]

84. We were evicted from our hole in the ground; we had to go and live in a lake. nt

[geardaddy]

149. You were lucky.

[taught_me_patience]

86. 250-350k depending on the year

and how well our businesses do. It really doesn't feel like that much. We rent, drive modest cars, eat at home, and don't take lavish vacations. As it relates to food and gas... those expenses don't really cross my mind. We pay, probably $1300/mo for both for a family of four. Food and gas could double and it wouldn't really impact our finances much.

[Bonx]

110. "It really doesn't feel like that much."

Hope you manage to scrape by.

[Tree-Hugger]

88. Family of 4

Under 20,000. We do get food stamps, but rising food costs are a concern. Gas.....gas is a financial killer.

[SamKnause]

90. The gap between

the choices is too large.

$10,000 to $25,000 is a world apart !!!!

My annual income is $12,720.

I receive a $99.00 per month food stamp benefit.

If my income was $25,000 annually I would not have a financial care in the world.

I would no longer need food stamps.

I would no longer live in constant fear of being homeless.

$25,000 to $30,000 is in the ballpark of the income I earned before I became disabled. (Before taxes)

I had zero financial difficulties during that time.

How drastically my life has changed.

How astounding quickly my standard of living has fallen.

[TBF]

92. You need the option

high income but buried in student loans.

At any rate, rising cost of things like gas, food, monthly utilities - these things always hit the poor harder. I may have a lot of debt but I can probably get some sort of relief (lower the payments for a longer time etc) and that gives me the cash flow I need to get things paid. It's not a great situation to be in but it's better than having no money. That's why young people take the chance on student loans. Most know it's a racket but it at least gives them a shot at higher income.

It's bad for so many people cali and I don't see it getting better anytime soon, no matter who is running the country.

I hope you personally are ok. Take care.

[WCIL]

93. This is where we are

but the student loans belong to our children. We make over $100K, but are paying student loans for 3 children and helping one with rent. As they get a leg up in their careers they will take over their payments, but right now it is all they can do to feed, clothe, and house themselves. My daughter is hoping her 14 year old car will last another 2 years until her husband finishes his graduate degree. My son has 2 roommates, no car, and looks thinner all the time. I worry about all their friends who seem to be in about the same boat - the ones who were able to find jobs, anyway.

[TBF]

102. I finally got a new car last year

because I am the one mostly driving the kids. Hubby still drives an old car. He just bumped up in salary so now our big goal is to pay off our own loans so we can help our kids with college. At least community college or whatever training they want out of high school. Graduate school will be on them if they are as foolish as we were and stay in school for years ... If we can accomplish that and put away a little for retirement I will consider it a job well done. That's about as good as it gets for most people in this country now.

[AngryAmish]

94. How did you get it in your head that this was an appropriate question anywhere?

It is astonishing.

Will you next ask people for photos of their genitals?

Please consider deleting.

[Capt. Obvious]

95. You don't ask complete strangers how much they make?

"Man, how about this weather? So how much do you make?"

[AngryAmish]

97. It is between me, my wife, my accountant and Uncle Sam

The only person I know who trumpets their income and wealth is Donald Trump.

[cali]

124. do you know how many polls like this have been posted over the years here? Many.

stow your faux outrage, my dear. No one had to answer. In fact, I was a bit surprised that so many people went into detail. And grab a clue: This question is asked thousands of times daily in many different venues- like at my new doctor's office.

Oh, and no. I won't consider deleting for a nano-second, just because this offends your fragile sensibilities.

[AngryAmish]

126. You did not answer my question.

[LordGlenconner]

135. Good luck getting an answer

My guess is that it is over 350k and she feels embarrassed to be part of the 1 percent.

[BainsBane]

129. I'm waiting for the poll on Social Security numbers

[MineralMan]

96. Since users' screen names can be identified in DU polls,

I find this poll to be inappropriate. Many people, including myself, will not reveal their income bracket, so the results of this poll will be extremely inaccurate. That means that what is revealed by the poll has no relevance in the demographics of DUers.

I noted that you did not participate in your own poll, at least not right away. Why not?

[BainsBane]

101. Deja vu to grade school

When I went to school for a year with a bunch of rich kids. Only I never knew I was poor before then. That's kind of how I feel now.

And now I'm especially perplexed why people are all the time talking about how race and gender don't matter compared to class, when in class terms most of ya'll are doing well.

Edit: You know what: I still feel grateful for what I have.

[steve2470]

104. I don't usually respond because the topic depresses me

I think we all do what we can to cope with inflation. Maybe threads asking for help coping would get a better response in GD or in one of the Home & Family groups.

[tularetom]

105. I know, my wife knows and our accountant knows

It's sufficient to provide a roof over our heads, three square meals a day and a little bit to leave our kids.

Beyond that it's nobody's bidness.

[spinbaby]

115. +1

That's the way I feel--none of anyone's business.

[Tetris_Iguana]

106. Enough to not go hungry living in a box.

And much much less then I'll (hopefully) be making in the future.

[lumberjack_jeff]

107. If the results weren't available by name, for all perpetuity, I'd be tempted to respond.

But I suspect quite a few of the responders will probably be getting solicitations for timeshare condos.

Not enough anonymity.

[riderinthestorm]

109. Remember One Grass Root begging to help DUers in need? She gave up here

I believe her last posts were an attempt to set up a sort of last ditch pool of DUers who could be counted on to provide $10 - $20....

I too refuse to share my financial information but looking at some of the numbers, if I were her and she were still here, I'd be pretty depressed. While there's certainly a large share of folks who are struggling, there are quite a few who aren't. Not that anyone has any obligation to "help" anyone here, I think this is pretty interesting....

[leftstreet]

114. Assuming people are being honest

In the US there is no greater moral flaw than being impoverished

People will admit to sexual fantasies involving fruit before admitting they're 'poor'

[SummerSnow]

108. Im not sure , waiting for my trust fund from uncle Bill Gates.

[Warren DeMontague]

142. I was promised in 1995 that if I forwarded an email to 20 people, Microsoft would send me

$200 for each one.

i am still waiting!!!!

[KamaAina]

111. 38,000 American dollars per year, whether I need it or not

not shabby for a cum laude Yale grad.

Mercifully, it must only support myself in the lifestyle to which I have become accustomed.

[haele]

117. I think the lack of interest is because if people are in the getting by to doing well stage

They don't really want to pay attention to rising costs because that's just one more stresser in their lives. For the most part, they can't control the rising cost of food or fuel. People with land (and water) and/or access to alternatives to transportation can offset those costs through change of habit or planning alternatives to store-bought, but in today's reality, that's much harder to change. It's expensive and sometimes impossible to "just move" to a more affordable or economically feasible location.

Complaining can't help when you're trapped because of family responsibilities or job access or personal funds. It's less painful to ignore problems you can't control until you either get lucky and a way opens up, or you end up sliding down and losing enough that there's nothing left to deal with.

I posted in another thread that in San Diego, (the city and to some extent, the majority of the county I live in) due to the cost of living (cost of housing, fuel/transit, basic utilities, and store-bought food) no matter if you are in the "rich" part of town or the barrio, a wage of $20 an hour gives you the same quality of life that someone working the same hours making $13 an hour in, say, Huntsville, Alabama.
We make enough to keep a roof over the heads of 5 people and six critters and pay for food, utilities, medical, cable, and transit (in decreasing level of cost expenditure for our family). Our household is not at six figures, but at least 2/3rds of the way there. No vacation, no new cars, no concerts or weekend movies. Medical is keeping us from getting ahead.

Of course, in what passes for this century's "Unique American Experience", we shouldn't complain that there's no chance for us to get ahead because maybe the standard of living for someone who is working hard as a professional is not the same as it would have been 40 years ago - that because we aren't well-off, we're doing something wrong, even though we're cutting as many corners as we can.
And then there's the public mindset that because we're not scrounging out of garbage cans, we aren't "poor" enough to complain.

After 40 years of work, I can say this for certain. It's gotten to the point that in this "flat world" economy, most working people and small businesses are living on a "top" that is being spun by investors and boards of directors of the major employers, gyrating around between jobs and cost of living over a small patch-worked platform of money and resources suspended over a huge garbage can that the spinners are playing over. As the gyro tilts, workers and small businesses are thrown off, either to land in the hole or be scooped up by a player who might be interested. If you work, you can't win; you can only hope to be scooped up and set to the side to survive until the next load and spin cycle in their game.

Haele

[MissB]

118. Food and fuel are two categories that some folks can

cut back on and some folks can't.

Rural DUers are likely to be more affected by the higher fuel costs than those in cities (especially as compared to those in cities that have an excellent public transportation).

Food costs vary, but so does time (to grow or prepare food), diet (vegetarian/vegan/carnivore/gluten free/paleo etc) and cooking abilities. Rural folks may have the ability to grow more food than those in urban areas.

We make enough money to support our family of four. I set the budget on a yearly basis, tracking spending and savings each pay period to make sure we are on track. After almost 20 years of marriage, our spending is pretty steady. Food prices go up, but we flex something to accommodate the increases. That could mean having lentil tacos instead of turkey tacos. Or making vegetable broth from scratch instead of buying a carton. Or having megadarra instead of a pork roast for dinner. So far I haven't increased our "spending" category amount to add in increased costs. Going out to eat as a family (with two teenaged boys) is a pretty rare event though.

I still drive to work. DH bikes to work. The kids bike or take public transportation, so overall our fuel costs are pretty low. An increase in fuel costs may make a $10-$20 a month difference, which isn't enough to make a big dent in our spending money.

Short version is that I can adjust our menu to meet my budget in the food category. As a family our fuel spending is really low so increases have a minor hit in our budget. Our income helps with all of this.

[bluestateguy]

127. Well

Gas prices have been high for ten years, so it's not exactly a new thing to talk about anymore, and most people have permanently adapted their finances to just assume that gas will be $3-4. In fact, the price of gas is 60 cents lower than it was a month ago where I live.

As for the rising food prices, I have not much seen it, save for on red meat. But I don't buy red meat much; all other groceries are the same as 6 months ago.

[cpwm17]

137. About three bucks, or not much more

I lost my chance to get an interest income after 2008. My house is paid for and I will get a military pension when I hit 60.

No interest income and high fuel costs hurt me greatly. I was planning on traveling a lot now that I don't work, but I'm mostly stuck at home.

[Kaleva]

144. $14,844.00 annually-SSDI

[Throd]

147. Where you live is as important as how much you make.

There are places in this country where I could have the same standard of living for a lot less money.