DU Income Ranges. This question has been bugging me.

[bluestate10]

[Taverner]

1. You're talking as a family unit, right?

Then yeah, $170K. But just me? $100K straight up.

[bluestate10]

22. Yes. nt.

[sendero]

2. Doing ok..

... right now, that can easily change.

[nc4bo]

3. I don't think we even made 15k this year. Better than nothing but

freshly fledged kids are freaking needy and we're getting older and work much, much scarcer. sigh...

[MrModerate]

4. I'm also undertaxed (especially now) compared with other developed democracies. n/t

[Lyric]

5. You need an option for less than 10k.

That would be us.

[Fumesucker]

6. +1

[Sal Minella]

11. Same here. Less than $9,000 and not going up anytime soon. n/t

[JDPriestly]

30. For your family, Sal Minella, or for yourself?

[Curmudgeoness]

13. I think that option is what is income. Tough situation to be in.

Hope you get by. And Merry Christmas.

[pitohui]

14. what lyric said

i have not been able to find a way to increase that by any legal means & i'm not willing to go illegal and put myself on their level...

[forty6]

16. Obviously you are one or a family living beyond your means! LOL

To have an internet connection, a computer,

Obviously we are paying for your voice being part of America.

Obviously you had a life and a voice before today, but thanks to DU and the internet, you can express it here now.

America has billionaires, and we seem to have no respect for them, nor for people earning less than 10K a year.

But the internet doesn't discriminate.

Think about this. There's a political message here somewhere.

[Lyric]

19. Actually I have internet via the barter system.

We're college students and we live in a college student neighborhood. Trash pickup is included with my rent, but my single neighbor would have to pay $50 for his. He has internet service paid for by his parents, but I'd have to pay $50 for it from Comcast (our house is old and doesn't have telephone wiring, so cable or satellite are the only options for us). So we traded...he gives me access to his wireless network, and in return, we take his one bag of trash every week so he doesn't have to pay for separate trash service. As for my computer--it's an old laptop that has a broken sound card and no ability to plug it into the wall for power. In order to use it, I have to take the battery out and charge it separately, use it until the battery runs low, and then wait 5-6 hours while it charges again.

This is how low-income Americans live--by helping each other and finding ways around obstacles. But yes, I do get public assistance--Food Stamps and Medicaid for the kids. No welfare check.

Merry Christmas to you too.

[bluestate10]

23. Ahhhhh. College days. Your post brings back memories.

I went to college, the first from a dirt poor family. I refused financial aid, worked in kitchens washing dishes, and had no money. What little extra I had, got sent home to help my parents. I remember with fondness and plenty of sadness how one day I had not eaten for two days, was walking with my face down and found a quarter on the ground. With that quarter I was able to buy a package of low rent cookies that served as my meal for the next day until I got paid by the restaurant that I washed dishes at. BTW, in case anyone is wondering, the chef at restaurant would have fed me if I asked, but I had this thing about accepting handouts, yes mixed up, but that was me.

Good luck to you. Keep being creative, you will survive and move forward. While I did not take aid as a college student, as a privileged person now, I see the fallacy of that decision and the insanity of our government not providing college free educations to motivated students. The amount those students pay in taxes once working obscenely dwarfs the amount that they get to educate themselves. Free educations at the college level is win-win for the government, better educated people and a tax paying base.

[IMATB]

25. You're a good neighbor

I let mine use our wireless connection in exchange for helping me make some curtains. That was a year ago. I still don't have those curtains. She still has the connection.

I brought her places until she got her license. Now she won't even give me the time of day.

We cut and trim her yard weekly, she gripes about how it's done. In return, I needed my floor mopped once a week. It's not a big floor. Takes maybe 15 mins. I stopped waiting.

Oh well.

Merry Christmas to you and yours. I hope your little boy has a nice one. He's very cute.

[bluestate10]

27. Sounds like you have a bad neighbor.

Maybe you should stop doing things for her until she realize what being a good neighbor means.

[IMATB]

32. Yes I should

but there are obligations to someone other than her in their home so it's not something I can do anything about right now.

My other neighbors are wonderful.

Maybe when she grows up she'll change her ways. Right now, it's not going to happen.

[Lyric]

33. That's really terrible.

And it stinks that you're stuck in a situation where you can't just cut her off. Yeah, we try to be good neighbors--it makes very little sense to be a jerk to the person you have to live right next door to, and besides...kindness has a way of finding its way back to you. Our little arrangement works out well for everyone involved, and our neighbor is a very nice young man who's in dental school. We sent him a box of homemade fudge and cookies for Christmas. :)

I do hope you have a wonderful holiday.

:hug:

[dixiegrrrrl]

7. Nice thing about low low income, hardly any taxes to pay.

Nice thing about being "old" and out of the job scene, hardly any clothing, driving, expenses,
all the furniture and etc, was bought years ago.

Nice thing about living in a low income state: all the neighbors are in the same boat.

[CountAllVotes]

8. that is the only thing good about it

I'd gladly pay more taxes if I had a larger income. No problem! :D

[Tsiyu]

18. Same here

Well below 10,000 and no, I do have an income; it's just tiny.

We low income outliers can survive...

(there's a Drive by Truckers song there somewhere...)


Happy Winter Sparkly Time to all of DU, whoever you are...


:toast:

[Motown_Johnny]

9. why do you skip 5 or 10 thousand between brackets?

[bluestate10]

24. Oversight. I realize that was a mistake. nt.

[doc03]

10. I slipped back one step since last year, I retired. But I have more

spending money now, no SS tax, Medicare tax, city tax, union dues, not as much wear and tare on the car and much less gas.

[carolinayellowdog]

12. Went from the median to second quintile on retirement

waiting till 2014 for relief on health insurance premiums will mean some very lean years ahead

[madrchsod]

15. i "make" less than 10 thousand...i`m on social security

my wife makes about 30+ a year...

[NRaleighLiberal]

17. hard to answer - am a consultant/contractor as of 2007, so varies widely year to year.

Answered above prior to my layoff at that time, and in line with my first three years as an independent consultant.

[old mark]

20. Around $30,000, but we also have income from investments that

varies, but adds about another 40% to that...


mark

[pintobean]

21. What year?

The last 2 were shit. Before that, 50-75k.

[bluestate10]

26. 2009 and 2010. My income projection for 2010 is ~ 5% more than 2009.

It did not strike me until now, I am really fortunate. That fact says some truly sad things about our nation and governmental priorities. It also reinforces my belief that we must take charge and create our own economic solutions via buying decisions and starting up alternative businesses that value workers and customers.

[TheKentuckian]

28. Under my plan 68% of DU would see an infusion of cash or no increase and 32% would see an increase

[socialist_n_TN]

29. Interesting. This IS a lower and lower middle class..........

web site according to this data. It kind of puts the lie to "liberal=Elitests" meme. Of course there's a LOT of socialists/communists here too and we're NOT liberal, but we ARE working class. :)

[Hydra]

34. It's all subjective

Because some of us are louder than others, and louder about some subjects than others.

There certainly are some rich elitists here- you should see them come out of the woodwork on poverty threads and attempting to do damage control on uber-wealthy threads. My guess is that most of those people wouldn't even hit the radar among the true wealthy though, so I try to think of it as people who haven't had reality shake them yet.

I wish there WAS more wealth among the Left. We'd have a bigger impact. Either that, or we'd be bigger assholes :evilgrin:

[socialist_n_TN]

35. I've been the hit with a few of the wealth apologists............

posts too. It's funny that they rarely BEGIN posts and, just like the right wing people I've dealt with in the past, they won't answer some direct questions.

However, all of the polls I've seen on DU show a VERY left wing group with a LOT of socialists/Socialists/Communists/Marxists. It's nice to see this correllation between the income and politics too. Working class people SHOULD be socialistic. It's the right economic model FOR their class.

BTW, bigger assholes seem to have a bigger impact in politics. Agree that it would be nice to have a little more agitation/education money though.

[Statistical]

37. wealth apologist? why should someone apologize for wealth especially self made wealth.

If I spend 110% of my net pay racking up a negative net worth does that somehow make me better than if I put 15%-20% aside and build wealth?

What exactly should I apologize for if I put $5K more into IRA/401K rather than going on vacation or buying newer car?

[Hydra]

38. Out in the far left field, a UFO was spotted today... n/t

[bluestate10]

43. Statistical asked a pertinent question. Why not answer it?

I for one am appalled by the term "wealth apologist". It is both dismissive and insulting toward people that are not only strong democrats, but in many cases are proposing some of the only actionable solutions for moving the country toward the very goals that progressives claim they want. As a moderate democrat all my life, I have barely concealed disgust for anyone that call themselves republican. The best of the republican party died with Lincoln.

[Hydra]

50. You're also missing the point

There are many here who are in the Middle Class($100k-200k), but think they are "wealthy" and defend the actions of people like the Waltons(Walmart Family), who make their money destroying people's lives and abusing the system.

It's a silly thing. The people who do this have more in common with me on the bottom than they do with the people at the top, but they somehow think they belong to that class. As I pointed out to one of those people, if they were in the same class as the people we were talking about, they could give me $500,000 to buy a house and go to school and not miss it.

That kind of money and the power that comes with it should never be considered a sacred cow, IMO, especially given the cost in blood and misery it comes with. The diamond fortunes were built on the backs of men who were paid a pittance for the billions in profits they made their masters. No less so for any of the other great fortunes.

[fortyfeetunder]

31. This might be the last year I did so well

the rumor mill points to ominous news. 2011 I will definitely tighten up and keep the second job.

[salin]

36. current income range - doesn't give the picture of experience

been working (out of college) more than 25 years. Of those I would be in the first tier for about 17 years; for another 3 was at the second tier. For the past 5 years I have been in the third tier - but to claim that as my 'experience' or world view - is rather non representative of my experiences. I am definitely thankful to no longer be in a financially precarious space, but I lived it that for a lot of years - and still relate. I also was unable to put anything aside for retirement in those years - and now try to live as frugally as my finances used to require, so that I can make up for the years of lack of saving/investing for retirement.

[shanti]

39. ask me that next week

and you'll get a different answer. i'm retiring next wednesday and my income will drop by 60%.

[La Lioness Priyanka]

40. used to be higher, but started a phd. and grad students live on small stipends

[proud patriot]

41. approx 12,000 after taxes

[Skip Intro]

42. 25-45K last time I worked. I wouldn't know what to do with 250K a year.

I'm sure I'd figure it out. :) But I'm pretty sure my income will stay about the same for the next several years. And none of us have an endless supply of years.

[mainer]

44. For rich DUers: how did you get wealthy?

I'd love to see this kind of poll of DU members who consider themselves wealthy. There seems to be a widespread belief on DU that all wealthy people either inherited their money or they made it by being selfish jerks. I'd love to see a poll focusing on how the wealthy got that way.

"I am wealthy because":

1. Inherited it.
2. Small business I started.
3. Worked in financial industry (banking, etc.)
4. I invented something.
5. I saved and invested well.
6. Made it in arts/ entertainment.
7. High-salary profession (e.g. medicine/ law)
8: I stole it.

Any other choices?

[bluestate10]

45. I married into it? nt.

[mainer]

47. Can't believe I didn't think of that.

Definitely gets added to the list.

[Madam Mossfern]

48. What is wealthy?

We make between $110,000 and $150,000 but that varies. We also pay about $20,000 per year in property tax (1/3 my salary!) and have mortgage payments-put four kids through college-almost done. We are always having to fix something in our 120 year old house and my husband is in retail, so that is very very iffy this year. I guess we're not dirt poor, but far from wealthy.

[mainer]

49. It would have to be self-selected.

I don't want to have to define it for people, since no one can agree, so I think i should let people self-select. If a person feels they have no money worries and they live comfortably and they have everything they want, they might consider themselves wealthy. Obviously, this would cover a wide range of incomes.

[pipoman]

46. Income is a bit deceptive,

it is relative to geographical location. I could make much more income in another area, but the cost of living would be much higher too. I would probably live at the same standard however. Average rent for a nice 2 bedroom apt here is around $750, in SoCal where my son lives it is $2k for the same apt.