Can your family come up with $90,000?

[sweeps]

The U.S. debt clock in Times Square is running out of space. The individual family share of the debt is currently at $90,000.

[Ima saver]

I have it, but don't really want to use it for that!!

[tgavin71]

Now that is scary.

[abowers]

That's a big number, but not surprising considering the size of people's mortgages...

[Thrifty Ray]

If they run out of space on the counter, do we get to start over???

[lrjohnson]

The very idea makes me very, very anxious. Back when I owed somewhere around $3000 to $4000 it freaked me out very day. I would love for the only debt I ever have again to be a mortgage.

[Snoopy2645]

Well with mortgage & some cc debt I owe around 20k right now hoping soon my car will sale & I can pay off some of this as of right now I have money tied up in 2 cars which I usually dont I am just in the middle of saleing one & have already bought another one.

I am not sure for dh I think with his student loans & truck his debt is probably around the same around 20k

[Bluezy]

NO way...unless it would be towards property,

[Tree0164]

We could drain our retirement savings, college saving and get 90k.

[Lady J]

At the present time, my family couldn't come up with that amount of money. This scares me because if something happened like my husband became sick or we needed it for some other reason, we would be out of luck.

This is why I joined this board and few others to be able to learn some tips on how to make and save money.

I have started on that road to having that emergency fund.

[JoyJoy]

On paper we are worth that much; house, furniture, etc. In the bank or in investments. Nope.

[pennywise]

I was thinking about this today. It is my opinion: Bush is the poster boy for a very evil political party (and to think I was a republican - no more after this). These republicans want to "control the world", keep us all as slaves, while they amass money and tell us what to do. But, we could stop them. First be aware every ballot has the incumbent (the person now in office) as the first listing. Stop voting the person back in - if you do they get over confident and think they can do what they want. Our retirement has been stolen by this current administration and not one republican should be voted in, period. A law should be passed for fiscal responsibility. If a politician is irresponsible and signs a bill, their families assest would be seized by the people and distributed by the people. Just remember you gave them this power by a noncommital attitude and failure to take your responsbility as a voter. The news is for everyone, not the few. It is obvious what has happened and I quit work so I don't have to pay for it. And yes, seriously I quit work so my families taxes would go down so we don't have to pay for Katrina, Iraq, soon to be Iran, and the tsunami that bush gave away too, Aids medicines for Africa, etc. This has all been in the news. Last year we paid $80,000 in federal taxes. This year down to $12,000 and next year $7,000. I am frugal and I can quit to let the rest of the idiots who did not pay attention and vote to pay for it. I think I'll stay home with my daughter for a few years, finish school, and relax. When you are frugal and saved you can make these kinds of choices. When your emotions got in the way of your finances and you are in debt you have to keep working - and are a slave - to pay for someone elses desires. Thanks, sorry, I will climb off the soap box now. I just can't understand why people do not stay informed and vote. Democracy is manipulation of the uneducated for votes.

[JBinKC]

Pennywise Good for you! I am on the same wavelength of the obvious fascism the Bush regime has imposed on America and the world. I am also fed up with the BS at my job and the blatant corporate greed by the executives at my company who make 400 times my pay.

I have had serious thoughts of heading to Panama and retiring well knowing at my rather young age my nest egg will last forever there given most everything costs about 1/5 of the price as it does in the states.

[pennywise]

Dear JBinKC: today i received a notice from the IMF (the internation monetary fund). I read intelligent things and keep myself wise politically. I am so upset at those who are too lazy to care about their own families financial wealth, health, and concerns. The IMF stated today that their is gross global imbalances in savings (the U.S. grossly overspending more than earnings - negative savings rates). China, Japan, and the middle east are grossly wealthy with a population that are oversavers. However, the key - THE IMF SAYS IF AMERICANS STOP SPENDING IT WILL PUT THE WHOLE GLOBAL ECONOMY IN DEPRESSION. This is important. Know that China has bought much of our debt in the form of bonds. Yesterday, a chinese diplomat stated that they should start cashing in (selling those bonds). If they do our long term interest rates will skyrocket. And guess what - they will own all those homes that Greenspan set up - he played the American like a fine tunded fiddle. Stop and think about this. This is a war without weapons and your leaders have walked us right into it, because the republicans had their agenda, which is myopic. The American is a slave to the foreigners. May the supreme power watch over you as you loose everything you have from NOT paying attention politically, watching your money, buying things you could not afford. A terrible tragedy is yet to come and people do not even know it. Be FRUGAL and prosperous, BUT BE FRUGAL. Find happiness in the company of your family doing free things and STOP SPENDING. GET THEM BEFORE THEY GET YOU. My information is real and factual and is not HYSTERICAL, FALLICIES, or OVER_REACTIONS. You can get the IMF data on the internet just like me. OH, in the middle east, they are having quarter of a million dollar weddings on the money we spend at the gas pump. Please wake up. That gas is like taking a $50 and starting it on fire. Walk, ride your bike, or plain do not go.