Universal, anyone-can-do-it solution to wealth inequality

**Greebo** · 10-05-2011, 12:42 PM

Simple, 4 step solution to the problem of wealth-inequality that anyone can do:

Step 1 work at a job
Step 2 live on less than you make (This tends to be the one people mess up on)
Step 3 Invest (in the stock market, real estate, whatever) the excess
Step 4 repeat consistently for many years (This is the REAL secret)

There you go - economic disparity solved.

**Nishu** · 10-05-2011, 02:05 PM

This is gonna end well.

**dinah** · 10-05-2011, 02:18 PM

what if you live somewhere where unemployment is 80-90%?

**ml2620** · 10-05-2011, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by dinah

what if you live somewhere where unemployment is 80-90%?

Then you skip Step 1.

**nodmicks** · 10-05-2011, 02:21 PM

I'll agree and say number two is the clincher

because number one is a given usually.

**Nishu** · 10-05-2011, 02:24 PM

Originally Posted by ml2620

Then you skip Step 1.

Think you could stretch that advice out to book length? I suspect there's quite the market for tips on living on a nonexistent income.

That could totally be your step 1.

**Greebo** · 10-05-2011, 03:14 PM

Originally Posted by Nishu

This is gonna end well.

I brought popcorn.

**Greebo** · 10-05-2011, 03:21 PM

Originally Posted by dinah

what if you live somewhere where unemployment is 80-90%?

Expand the job search and move?

**savvy_sniper** · 10-05-2011, 03:42 PM

Find a niche and fill it. Start your own business. Think outside the box.

Originally Posted by dinah

what if you live somewhere where unemployment is 80-90%?

**nodmicks** · 10-05-2011, 03:43 PM

Originally Posted by Greebo

I brought popcorn.

Hopefully not "movie theater"popcorn! Whew that is $$$ Where is our popcorn? LOL

**Greebo** · 10-05-2011, 03:56 PM

Originally Posted by nodmicks

Hopefully not "movie theater"popcorn! Whew that is $$$ Where is our popcorn? LOL

That's not popcorn.

I do my popcorn in an air-popper. We buy it at a local Amish Market. SOOO good.

**HappyMama** · 10-05-2011, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by Greebo

That's not popcorn.

I do my popcorn in an air-popper. We buy it at a local Amish Market. SOOO good.

Love Amish grown popcorn. Usually buy pounds of the different varieties. This is the first yr. bought rainbow Amish grown on the cob and had to take off myself. Too cool....hehe sorry continue on....LOL

**nodmicks** · 10-05-2011, 04:12 PM

Off topic but I am surrounded by Amish and have never actually seen Amish grown popcorn. Sheesh now I want popcorn!

**pollypurebred39** · 10-05-2011, 05:39 PM

#3 and #4 are great ideas, however they just wouldn't work for everyone.

~You just may not be smart enough or able enough to get a job that is anything more than minimum wage. There are limitations for some in life. Even those who are intelligent enough may be held back from "useful" education due to learning disabilities, mental health disabilities or physical disabilities. Years ago when we had factories those points were mute unless the person had very severe limitations.

~In addition, when I was growing up it was pretty much a given that unless you were brilliant enough to earn a scholarship, you were going to follow in your parents footsteps and work in the factories out here. It was good, honest work with a decent wage, health care and retirement. Nothing to be ashamed of. What that leaves in the area are a bunch of middle aged people working low paying swing shift service jobs. We are dying out here, no one has money to invest. What they are investing their money in is food for the table, a roof over their heads and if they are lucky, enough money to pay for heating fuel in the Winter.

Maybe it's different in the rest of the states, but where I live you can't rent an apartment on minimum wage. Heck, you can't rent a room. You certainly can't afford to own a car which is necessary to secure almost any job out this way that pays a decent wage. Mass transit is very expensive and requires several transfers to anything at all. It used to take me 3 hours one way to get to the local college, and I walked about 1 hour pushing a stroller to the daycare before catching the bus. Because my commute was so long I could only go half time. It was a very long day for me and my oldest. Eventually I saved enough money to buy an old clunker and pay insurance, but it took me many years.

I just can't see most out this way being able to do what you suggested. The area is mostly displaced factory workers left with little options. As far as moving, you've got to have money to move, and seriously, I have no idea where they'd move to. I don't know anywhere in the states that the employers are chomping at the bit to hire displaced factory workers from a younger generation let alone a older one. A lot here have become multi generational households just to keep their heads above water and not lose everything.

Your universal plan is just too simplified and does not represent a workable reality for a majority in this nation. IMHO

**joyofsix** · 10-05-2011, 05:48 PM

Steps 1-4 work. Sometimes you have to do other things to augment them.
1) live where you don't want to
2) multi-generational living or room mates
3) working and having a business/odd jobs/part time on the side
4) remember it's not forever