American Debt Diet?

[b4freedom]

Do you think that there is a relationship to the growing debt of individual Americans and the growing wasteline of Americans? Are we just stuffing our faces with too much junk food and our homes with too much junk?

[PrincessPerky]

heh, kindof yeah, I think it is a mix of lack of willpower, and well, I guess stuffing to fill an need. I remember thinking that removing your appetite wont help most in need of a diet, many don't eat due to hunger anyway. THE same with 'stuff' many don't buy due to need.

[debtdude]

most likely. look at the number of yardsales.

words of my grandmother on what she wanted for her birthday - "I don't care as long as I don't have to dust it." now there is an attitude we should all have.

With me - though I am not in debt - it is the restaurant/take out food. I need to cook the groceries I buy and eat those, and forget the rest. ...and of course it would help my waist line - but a lot of $ wasted.

[lrjohnson]

Meals in restaurants in Europe and Mexico are smaller, and more things are a la carte. I found it harder to overeat-I'd have to add on soups,. sides, etc. to be overstuffed-the regular meal was perfect. Just a mini-observation.

[Ima saver]

I agree, the portions should be smaller. I had dinner out, chicken fingers. I had them again for lunch and still have enough for lunch tomorrow. I saw a lady this week order the child's plate. I would love to do that. It is half priced and the right amount of food for me.

[kealina]

lol... definately agree... too much stuff and too much food.... if DH and i ever go (family events) we always share an entree, invite everybody else to sample some and still sometimes have enough to take home... sheesh!
and even tho i love yard sales i try to use them only to simplify life/save money... buy to replace/upgrade things that are getting old or falling apart at home, buy consumables that we need, stock up for christmas or other present giving events, and of course the occasional fun spending/indulgence that keeps us out of retail shopping...

[Snoopy2645]

I agree I think america is in debt over junk mainly I hate it when dh keeps buying dvds he called them an investment how when the same movies he paid $20 for are selling for less than $5 now or we have so many the whole pile falls when you try to watch one or I have to dust them!!! Then he has to have cable too one or the other in IMO. And I see no reason why everyone has to drive new cars why not used they are much much cheaper!!!

And I see no reason everyone must have 4 computers or 4 phones or 4 tvs ya know my dh the movie freak actually bought 3 tvs for this house & I had 1 so we have 4 usually only 1 in use at a time makes no sense & uses alot of space!!! I would have rather we saved for a bigger house KWIM

[BCHGRL]

Honestly, I think it is a sense of entitlement. "I work hard so I deserve X, Y, Z." I think it is also the convenience factor and how Americans want everything NOW. Fast food can be provided in a matter of minutes. Americans can own their dream home now and pay for it for the next 50 years.

[Ima saver]

If I were young, I would start with a small house, pay it off in a hurry and then move up to a nicer house. That is what I did.

[Snoopy2645]

I agree with you IMA thats what I am trying to do my house will soon be paid for I am 29 & dh 31 when its paid for I want a bigger one maybe a new one & probably stay thier for awhile!!

[kealina]

Originally Posted by BCHGRL

Honestly, I think it is a sense of entitlement. "I work hard so I deserve X, Y, Z." I think it is also the convenience factor and how Americans want everything NOW. Fast food can be provided in a matter of minutes. Americans can own their dream home now and pay for it for the next 50 years.

i forgot all about the entitlement angle... i know many people that are like that...

[b4freedom]

Originally Posted by Snoopy2645

I agree I think america is in debt over junk mainly I hate it when dh keeps buying dvds he called them an investment how when the same movies he paid $20 for are selling for less than $5 now or we have so many the whole pile falls when you try to watch one or I have to dust them!!! Then he has to have cable too one or the other in IMO. And I see no reason why everyone has to drive new cars why not used they are much much cheaper!!!

And I see no reason everyone must have 4 computers or 4 phones or 4 tvs ya know my dh the movie freak actually bought 3 tvs for this house & I had 1 so we have 4 usually only 1 in use at a time makes no sense & uses alot of space!!! I would have rather we saved for a bigger house KWIM

My brother is the same way. He keeps his DVD in CD binders. He has over 200. Why does a person need that many DVDs? Assuming that he paid $15 each, that's $3000. Netflix is cheaper. What could you do with $3000?

In some situations, I understand owning the actual DVD. For example, my friend's kid watches the same kid movie over and over again, every day.

[b4freedom]

Originally Posted by BCHGRL

Honestly, I think it is a sense of entitlement. "I work hard so I deserve X, Y, Z." I think it is also the convenience factor and how Americans want everything NOW. Fast food can be provided in a matter of minutes. Americans can own their dream home now and pay for it for the next 50 years.

I hate that sense of entitlement. My mother has it. She feels entitled to go on a 15 day cruise. Yet, somehow she can't afford to get her grandson a birthday gift because she “missed her mortgage payment.” Then she feels embarrassed because people ask her what she got him. And then she tells me how bad she feels that people asked her that. I have no sympathy. I know she's floating thousands on credit cards.

I know of many people have that sense of entitlement. I want to scream: “You're not entitled to anything! You don't even deserve it! Maybe if you actually worked hard and budgeted you might be able to TREAT or even reward yourself, but you still aren't entitled to it!”

It also seems to me that a lot of seniors have that sense of entitlement. I once had an old lady cut me off in a long line that I'd been waiting in for over an hour. When I said, “Excuse me!” She responded with, “Honey, I deserve this spot because...” I basically told her to shut up and leave or I was going to slap her. She walked over to management and complained about me.

[Bookie]

Anybody find it interesting that the citizens of the United States are commonly referred to as "consumers?"

That's our role iin society -- to consume. Shopping is rated the number one leisure activity in America. More people visit a shopping mall weekly than go to a church. It's a patriotic duty -- spending. American consumer spending is the only thing that stands between this nation and recession. Says so in the financial press.

Consumption is the measure of our worldly success, the touchstone of our social status, the definition of the American Dream. It is our right. "You deserve a break today -- at MacDonalds." We need it. "Things go better with Coca-Cola." And we can have it all "for only pennies a day" and "on easy terms."

Surely, a society that is fat, slothful, cluttered, indebted, lost, and perpetually seeking for the next retail high is not too high a price to pay for this consumerist paradise? Or is it?

We forget (or fail to recognize) how grotesque our failure to buy into the national ethos must appear to those around us. We march to a differnt drummer, but no one else can hear the beat. And we wonder what's wrong with them? Oh, come on.

[KellyJef]

Originally Posted by BCHGRL

I think it is a sense of entitlement. "I work hard so I deserve X, Y, Z."

I absolutely agree.

And the ironic part is that a lot of us don't work "hard"! It always, always amazes me to hear people talk about "working their asses off". 99% of people saying that are such lazy employees that it's a wonder they even have a job.

Don't get me wrong, I realize that some people do, in fact, work very hard: physically (like coal miners, construction workers, etc.) or mentally (like air traffic controllers, doctors, social workers, etc.)

But to go into Home Depot and hear the guy behind the paint counter talking to another employee about how he's tired of "working his butt off all day", is really laughable -- it must be exhausting to mix up those paint colors and then cash the person out.

[Ima saver]

Well I have never felt like I had to buy things just to have them. You are right about people working hard, NOT!! My husband does, but he can't find anybody to work with him. He pays $18 an hour and his worker has not shown up in a month.
I don't even own a DVD or a player. I can't stand the fact that people have to spend so much money on useless stuff!!