• dmtalon@infosec.pub
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    11 months ago

    I am nearing ( < 10 years) a planned retirement and because of the articles I read/click on I end up seeing lots of stories like this.

    I see both extremes, “I’m 55 and have 4 million in my 401k, can I retire?” as well as medium 401k by age showing like 55yo with 80k in retirement savings.

    I get more stories talking about or showing how bad average Americans are doing from a savings/living perspective. Yet, I see new cars and big ass houses everywhere. Big ass GMC and Cadillac Denali SUVs, Tesla’s, all manor if expensive vehicles and fancy new houses. Everyone has the latest iPhone, etc…

    I guess debt is a helluva thing.

    • Zorque@kbin.social
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      11 months ago

      So you see a Tesla driving down the road and suddenly everyone is doing fine?

      Some people are doing better than others. A lot of the shitboxes of people who aren’t doing fine are driving aren’t anywhere near as noticeable.

      • VubDapple@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        I think they’re saying that these “nice things” are purchased with more debt.

        • Zorque@kbin.social
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          11 months ago

          Ah, so instead of “Some people are doing fine, thus everyone is doing fine” it’s “some people have poor money management skills, thus everyone has poor money management skills”.

          Either way it’s a pointless generalization based on personal bias.

      • dmtalon@infosec.pub
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        11 months ago

        Not “a” Tesla,

        I’m saying I’m driving around in one of two paid off vehicles (wife’s or mine) the newest is 2011.

        Whenever we go anywhere, generally most other cars are newer/nicer.

        I see a ton of Teslas. I see a ton of Denali’s I see a ton of Mercedes SUVs

        Just saw a Lucid Air driving today.

        So if everyone is doing so terrible, who owns all these cars?

        I’m NOT saying Americans are not doing terrible… But externally people seem to be able to buy new vehicles,. Houses are easier to be bias since those are where you are physically, but there’s no shortage of big new houses being built. I’m just always amazed at the difference in what I HEAR and what I SEE. Around me. I live in a semi rural area in Indiana.