http://www.cbc.ca/news/business/story/2013/05/22/business-bills-survey.html
Poster "1991 Canadian" had this to say on the following article, which states that 1/3 of Canadians now live paycheck to paycheck:
Although there are some people living paycheque to paycheque who are simply down on their luck, for many people this situation is self inflicted. Today's middle class have priced themselves out of the middle class.
Lets look at the 1960s middle class lifestyle (or any decade up to about the 80s for that matter) and compare it to today's spending habits.
Housing: The average house size has roughly doubled since the 60s. Tripled since the 30s. But believe it or not, the average price per square foot for new homes when adjusted for inflation has stayed relatively flat over the last decade. The increase is price is largely a result in the increase in size/amenities.
---
I totally agree. Why does a family of 4 need a 3,000+ square foot house? Sure, things like a pool and a man cave are nice, but as you can see with my compact building designs, you can still have those things, and they don't have to take up floors upon floors.
Link: http://s1203.photobucket.com/user/EBFilmsMan/library/Better%20Living%20Through%20Compact%20Cities%20In%20Towers?sort=2&page=1
---
Food: Today, meat is eaten at almost every meal. Food is imported from around the world. We are distancing ourselves from eating food in season. We eat out more. We spend more for convenient prepared food. Contrast this to the days when meat was a luxury, seasonal vegetables were eaten, and most food was prepared at home.
---
Eat local - or at least try your best to. I think that if the public at large discovered how much of our food costs went to transportation and processing, we would be disgusted, and all opt to start growing our own food and/or buying closer to home. I even cringe when I drink orange juice now - I prefer to get juices where the fruits could possibly be grown in a northern climate, because until the funding is put aside for an underground citrus farm in Northern Ontario, the citrus purchased for northern businesses will continue to be imported. That will not only cost us money, but will also massively add to our collective carbon imprints.
--
Entertainment: The amount of money people spend on entertainment/activities these days is staggering. Organized sports, concerts, sporting events, cable tv, vacations, etc... have replaced cheaper entertainment from the past.
--
This is true, so I try to strike a balance, because you can't sit at home bored most of the time. I try to support local musicians as much as possible. In fact, my favourite band as of late has been one based in my hometown. I have a bunch of their merchandise, and attend every performance they do in town.
--
Communication: While internet and cell phones are great technology, most people are spending over $100/month on these services. Contrast this to the days when we got by with just landlines.
--
A lot has changed since the 1990s. I happen to differ in opinions with this poster on this issue, as I now find both internet access and a cell phone to be necessities for keeping in communication, and I know people for whom their cell is their only telephone - they have cut out their landline entirely. I think this is down to personal preference, as I remember watching a "16:9" TV special about the people living on a small island around Vancouver Island who have gotten used to living off the grid. I, for one, don't think I can do so for a period of time longer than a couple of weeks.
--
If someone like myself, living an average student lifestyle can save $400 a month living on my own with a full time minimum wage job, you can to. I live in a big city. I live a normal life. I just don't spend my money frivolously like most of my friends."
--
I hope for the day when inflation can stop, and we can all live our lives comfortably, not having to decide whether to buy food or pay rent in a given month. I also hope we have enough left over to save for the future. This is the world I want to see.
I think it can only happen if we reform our transport networks, and get off of fossil fuels.
No comments:
Post a Comment