# The Struggle For Financial Comfort Needs To Stop **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 30, 2012, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243 "2012-03-30T06:30:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Yakuza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@Yakuza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yakuza)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 6:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/1 "2012-03-30T06:30:02Z")
As our society continues 2 move forward, there seems 2 be no plan of making it where everyone can be financially comfortable. No, I’m not saying everyone should be rich, but I’m saying every good person who works should not struggle financially 2 survive. Minimum wage is $7 an hour. Owning a good house in a good neighborhood can cost about $70,000 to $100,000. The price of rent for a good apartment in a good neighborhood here in Little Rock, Arkansas can be $500 to $600 a month for a one bedroom. Gas is $4 a gallon. Car repairs are too high. Good food is too high. And u better hope u don’t have a major medical emergency. U see where I’m going with all this? Its too difficult for a lot of Americans to take on these challenges. Some public schools are not properly preparing childrn for college. A college education can increase your chance of getting a good job. Corporations are constantly making billions while their entry level employees can’t afford an apartment or car. There needs 2 be a better plan for making life easier financially. The main thing we need for that is good morality. Some people need 2 quit being so damn greedy and pay folks a decent wage. And they also need to stop charging so much for their products and services especially when they are already super rich. A lot of other business and political changes need 2 be made, but the main thing we need for a better society is good morality ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 9:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/2 "2012-03-30T09:52:39Z")
That morality can only exist when enforced. Who do you need to convince that this morality is to be represented into laws. And how are you going to convince them? ---
**Author:** ![What\_the](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f4b2a3/32.png) [@What\_the](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_the)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 11:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/3 "2012-03-30T11:04:23Z")
I’ll never be comfortable until … ---
**Author:** ![Yakuza](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/y/bbce88/32.png) [@Yakuza](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yakuza)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 11:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/4 "2012-03-30T11:11:22Z")
> [@Latro](#): > > That morality can only exist when enforced. > Who do you need to convince that this morality is to be represented into laws. > And how are you going to convince them? Thats the problem, true morality can not be enforced. A truly good moral person does something good out of respect for people. But the reality is the morality 2 operate a good society probably has 2 be enforced because too many people are so damn selfish. ---
**Author:** ![nudgenudge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/9f8e36/32.png) [@nudgenudge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nudgenudge)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/5 "2012-03-30T11:57:45Z")
> [@Yakuza](#): > > I’m not saying everyone should be rich, but I’m saying every good person who works should not struggle financially 2 survive. Minimum wage is $7 an hour. Owning a good house in a good neighborhood can cost about $70,000 to $100,000. The price of rent for a good apartment in a good neighborhood here in Little Rock, Arkansas can be $500 to $600 a month for a one bedroom. Gas is $4 a gallon. Houses here in SE England cost maybe four times that much. Renting a small apartment would cost two or three times your figure. Gasoline is twice as expensive. And this is a prosperous region. People from poorer countries are very keen to come here. Sounds like textbook rich Westerner whining to me. You have it good, better than 95% of the world’s population. ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/6 "2012-03-30T13:13:01Z")
$600 whole dollars a month? Don’t ever move to San Francisco or Boston then, buddy. $500 will rent you _a room_. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/7 "2012-03-30T13:15:41Z")
I like having a job, contributing to society, paying my (many) bills on time and the feeling of satisfaction that comes with being a member of the community. I’d also like a raise, and I plan on working towards that goal. The quest for financial comfort is awesome. ---
**Author:** ![GEEPERS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/c89c15/32.png) [@GEEPERS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GEEPERS)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/8 "2012-03-30T13:21:47Z")
> [@erislover](#): > > $600 whole dollars a month? Don’t ever move to San Francisco or Boston then, buddy. $500 will rent you _a room_. What’s the average salary there though? Average salary in LR is 40K or lower. Also, the nicer apartments in this area are more like $700 - 1200 a month. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/9 "2012-03-30T13:38:04Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > What’s the average salary there though? Average salary in LR is 40K or lower. Also, the nicer apartments in this area are more like $700 - 1200 a month. According to Wikipedia with data from the Office for National Statistic 2007 it’s £21,109 or $33,762. ---
**Author:** ![kferr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/71e660/32.png) [@kferr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kferr)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/10 "2012-03-30T13:49:21Z")
Missed edit window - Data from 2011 show approx £27500 or $44,000 [ONS](http://www.ons.gov.uk/ons/rel/ashe/annual-survey-of-hours-and-earnings/ashe-results-2011/ashe-statistical-bulletin-2011.html#tab-Regional-earnings) ---
**Author:** ![erislover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/71e660/32.png) [@erislover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/erislover)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/11 "2012-03-30T13:54:49Z")
> [@GEEPERS](#): > > What’s the average salary there though? Who cares about salaries. How the hell are all the Dunkin Donuts workers living?! They must be packed in like sardines somewhere. ---
**Author:** ![UltraVires](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecccb3/32.png) [@UltraVires](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UltraVires)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/12 "2012-03-30T14:00:16Z")
I don’t disagree with the OP about the morality part, but if you are waiting for the rich fat cats to hand you money, you will be waiting forever. The sad fact is that American society has changed. No longer can a guy with no particular skills, but a strong back go out and provide a middle class lifestyle for his wife and 2.3 kids. The flip side of that is what is considered “middle class.” My grandparents went to a local lake for their vacations. My friends who are sacked with credit card debt go to the Caribbean. Two cars, cell phones, cable TV, cable internet. All things that my grandfather’s generation never dreamed of having and would consider it wasteful opulence were he here today. A new day has come and we can’t expect it to ever be like it was before. ---
**Author:** ![Buck\_Godot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/buck_godot/32/6573_2.png) [@Buck\_Godot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Buck_Godot)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/13 "2012-03-30T14:04:55Z")
> [@Yakuza](#): > > Some public schools are not properly preparing childrn for college. A first step would be to teach the childrn 2 spell the word “to”. ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Hedonia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ann_hedonia/32/319_2.png) [@Ann\_Hedonia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Hedonia)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/14 "2012-03-30T15:04:17Z")
> [@erislover](#): > > $600 whole dollars a month? Don’t ever move to San Francisco or Boston then, buddy. $500 will rent you _a room_. In New York City $500 bucks will get you a parking space ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/15 "2012-03-30T15:11:09Z")
I don’t really have a response for someone whose understanding of basic economics consists of “mean people charge too much”. ---
**Author:** ![puddleglum](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puddleglum/32/137_2.png) [@puddleglum](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puddleglum)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/16 "2012-03-30T15:23:18Z")
There are a billion people in the world who are living on 2 dollars a day or less. 7 dollars an hour would seem like a king’s ransom to these people. Does your morality involve taking from people like you and giving it to these people? As has already been pointed out you are richer than 95% of the people in the world and are richer than 99.9% of the people who have ever lived. Quit your whining and enjoy your riches. The real problem is you are trying to seperate wealth from productivity. People are payed around their marginal productivity. If you would like to be wealthier, find a way to be more productive. Asking for a hand out instead of trying to earn money is not morality it is just laziness. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/17 "2012-03-30T16:23:09Z")
> [@Yakuza](#): > > Its too difficult for a lot of Americans to take on these challenges. Bolding mine. I knew you were a troll with the numbers thing! Now that the curtain’s been pulled back, cut it out, dope! ---
**Author:** ![Voyager](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/voyager/32/133_2.png) [@Voyager](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Voyager)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/18 "2012-03-30T16:33:26Z")
People should get medical care without going bankrupt, sure. They should be able to get someplace to live, and some reasonable amount of food. But comfortable? No, you have to work for that. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/19 "2012-03-30T16:48:17Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > Bolding mine. > > I knew you were a troll with the numbers thing! Now that the curtain’s been pulled back, cut it out, dope! You’re not allowed to call people trolls unless you’re in the Pit, and **Yakuza** ’s habits are not worth that kind of energy. But what the heck: **Yakuza** , I’m giving you an official instruction here. If you’re going to post in Great Debates, make the effort to spell out the word “to” correctly. ---
**Author:** ![FinnAgain](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/finnagain/32/12500_2.png) [@FinnAgain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FinnAgain)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 6:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243/20 "2012-03-30T18:45:12Z")
I’m glad 4 that ruling. …what? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-struggle-for-financial-comfort-needs-to-stop/617243.md?page=2)