Blame Harper!

[trimmer21]

The last thing my children look at is how big a paycheck is at the end of the day. I raised them better than that and it's there contribution to society is most important by making a difference in peoples lives. They understand the money will come in time by connecting with people and building relationships. It would be a sad life if money was the only goal while being on this planet for such a short time.

Then you've taught them well,YD. Honor,honesty and personal integrity are attributes that colleges and universities will never be able to teach. I can't think of anything more sad than someone who is in a million dollar a year job and hates every minute of it. It seems their longevity of life is very short.

[Sharon]

No knots here, they were not excuses, but I was hoping that it might bring to light the struggles the younger generation has to deal with today because past generations have screwed it up for them. Sometimes you have to read a little more into things rather than write them off as this kid is an excuse maker, and complainer, but older generations have had it so much harder right?


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Well, not much value in either generation blaming the other.

When I graduated from high school, there was no student loan system and my family was poor. To get my B.A. , I worked all day and went to University 4 nights a week for 8 years - and every weekend doing assignments. It definitely wasn't easy then.

Also taught by my Dad that money didn't mean as much as kindness. I remember when I was about 8 going with my Dad to see his friend , who's home had just burned down. I watched my Dad give him $25.00. That was a LOT for my poor family. Never forgot that lesson.

[Nismo]

I don't disagree with anything said, but in this day and age kindness will get you walked on, you have to have thick skin, you guys still miss my points, it's not the same as when you grew up, people will backstab you just to get a head. That's life now.


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[GreyTech]

I don't disagree with anything said, but in this day and age kindness will get you walked on, you have to have thick skin, you guys still miss my points, it's not the same as when you grew up, people will backstab you just to get a head. That's life now.


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Nismo, it is possible to show kindness where it counts AND have a thick skin. The key is discernment. I'll help anyone who is suffering through no fault of their own. Those who have caused their own dilemma need to learn from it, or they are doomed to repeat it.

[Nismo]

I'm the same way, anybody that knows me knows that, but it's still not the same world people don't get that, bullying for example, how do you get away from it now, you used to settle it the old fashioned way, now you get arrested even if you are the victim, or they do it online. It's different, and some people will never ever get it that is clear!


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[JBen]

Speaking as a person whose life has been far from the norm, the stuff only Hollywood can dream up. Includes things like being a high school drop out, group home resident, spent time in the ghettos.

Coming home from work one day many years later 2 months before scheduled surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from my head to the proverbial "dear john, empty home letter". Then lost everything in the span of 3 months. This was 2008 and the crash. A perfect storm and almost my life.

A child in 2012 who was badly victimized, and bullied by dozens, who later tried something no parent can imagine unless you've been there.

Please Nizmo spare us the "life is harder" for youth today. It's only harder because youth today are "entitled", have lives as children, those that are older never imagined and didn't have themselves growing up.

Different? Yes
With different problems/hardships? Absolutely. See my daughter.

Deal with it, that's "life"

Did Boomers create much of today's problems? Yes they did

What are "you" (today's youth) doing about it except pointing fingers

[terrym]

Your children are a reflection of how they were raised by thier parents mostly. Not entirely but certainly a big part. I have two kids and couldn't be prouder of them. I taught them to treat others the way they would want to be treated themselves.

[Dythbringer]

While I do not disagree with the way my fellow youngergeneration (I'm 30 btw) spend our money or charge things to credit, it's notall of us.


I was lucky enough tograduate college with a student loan under $10k because I worked 40hours a weekwhile in college; now many kids are lucky to graduate with less than $20k inloans, and not because they buy buy buy, it's what it costs now. Maybe theycould work like I did, and I’m sure many do, but grades suffer, and so does thesocial life, some kids don't understand that sacrifices need to be made for thefuture.

Here’s a little insight from our eyes:

A lot of the more "experienced in life" didn'tstart out in the work force with $20k in debt just to get a job that pays $40k,if they can find a job at all, people aren't retiring due to the more the oldergeneration buying $500k houses and are mortgaged to the hilt at 50-60, so whatare the younger kids to do? Work at McDonalds making $12/hr and still struggleto pay back the $20k loan? $12/hr won't cover that plus other living expenses.

How many kids can fix a lawn mower let alone a car? Backwhen the older generations started out, it was easy, not computerized, anyonecould fix it, so now the kids are stuck buying an older car that’s going tobreak down constantly, that they can't fix and are stuck paying $90/hr plusparts... Or they buy a new one and finance it over a longer term... What arethey to do? Some times you have to commute to keep overhead low, rent away fromwork could be much cheaper than close to work, so now you commute.

Now there is housing, this really chaps my behind, you can'tbuy a hole in the wall for $100k, unless you can fix it, how many kids can dothat? Not many, and they have to follow a building code that past generationsdidn't have to worry about being enforced. Older generations could have boughta farm for $30-40k A FARM now that’s 2 years mortgage now. Yes interest rateswere high then, but still the principle is so miniscule over 25yrs.

Consumer debt is totally different, there are lots of oldergenerations that are in the same boat because they don't keep track of money,they just swipe on debit, or a credit card, it's very easy to lose track ofcash if you don't carry physical cash.

Nismo,

I am 11 years older than you are and I don't know if you would call me "more experience in life" than you are but I have to say a few things about your generalizations (insights).

Firstly, no one in Canada has ever been forced to take on debt when going to school. When I was choosing a post secondary route for schooling, I went to college because I didn't want to be saddled with debt or put my family into hard times. I had the marks to go study engineering and/or the sciences in university but I decided to take Electro-mechanical Engineering Technology from Sir Sandford Fleming College. I worked my way through school just as you did and I also saved on money by living at home and driving into school. I didn't go out every night to the various pub nights like some of my college associates did. The result is I had zero debt coming out of school. I sacrificed on a lot of experiences because I didn't want to have an anchor around my neck when I graduated because I knew my first job out of school wasn't going to be paying me 70K/year. Perhaps the "younger generation" should make better decisions when it comes to their post-secondary education and finances.

Secondly, people aren't retiring because they are mortgaged with 500K houses. They aren't retiring because people live longer. In 1980, the average life expectancy was 75.08. In 2012, it was 81.24 years. Those extra six years aren't free. People look towards their retirement years as a time to relax, be pampered and do things they have always wanted to do. That costs money. They have also seen what happens to people who don't have any money (their parents) upon retirement and they would rather choose a different route. As for what younger kids are supposed to do because of this, again no one is forcing you to wait for the older generation's job positions to become vacant. Necessity is the mother of all invention. There are jobs out there if you are willing to lower your standards. When I was laid off last year, I had a heck of time getting a position in my field. I started to talk to tradespeople I know in the hopes of finding an apprenticeship because I needed my bills to be paid. It would have been a huge backwards step in my career (as well as financially) had this opportunity I am at currently wasn't offered but I was willing to sacrifice a lot in order pay the necessities (we had even talked about possibly selling our house and moving back into an apartment because it made better financial sense).

Thridly, fixing a mechanical device isn't any more difficult than it was before. Not too many lawn mowers (two or four stroke) have computers. While automobiles have become more computerized, at the end of the day, they are mechanical devices which can be maintained by the average person. You don't need to monkey around with the computer to change to oil, fix the brakes, lube the bearings, change and universal joint, change the air filter, etc. A lot of young people either don't want to or don't know how to maintain their possessions and rather than learning how to maintain or even fix their possessions, they would much rather pay someone else to do it. Also, if the younger generation bought older cars and knew how to fix them, they wouldn't have to pay outrageous mechanic prices because as you so aptly put it "anyone could fix it". Today, the younger generation wants it's top end toys and they want all of them and they want someone else to look after them for them. Well something has to give because money doesn't grow on trees (believe me I have planted enough money in the ground in hopes that this was false when I was a kid).

Lastly, your housing costs. Yes prices are steep. However, interest rates are nowhere near what previous generations paid. This is economics at it's finest. The law of supply and demand. As for buying a $100K home and having to fix it up, again there is a lot of home improvement the average person can do themselves if they took the time to learn it. The big stuff (structural, major electrical, major plumbing) all need to be done by a professional but minor things (re-shingling a roof, changing an electrical outlet or switch, un-clogging a drain, etc) can be done by the average joe. My wife and I were pre-approved for a significant mortgage when we started looking for houses. However, we took our time and looked for a good deal instead of rushing out to buy the largest house on the block because our philosophy was we only plan to buy one house for the rest of our lives rather than get a starter home, then when the kids start coming something a little bit bigger, then when the kids move out have to reduce our home size.

Younger generations have more disposable income than the generations before it. I have more disposable income than my father did when he was my age and he had more disposable income than my grandfather did at the same age, etc, etc. Also my generation didn't have to grow up through the tough times my father did or my grandfather did. Think finding a job is tough now, try doing it in the 1930's. Think gas prices are expensive now, try it in the 70's where gas price to income was comparable to today and they were having shortages all over the country.

You are right consumer debt isn't a generational thing. However, I think the older generations are less likely to load up on debt than the younger ones because of what they have had to go through (great depression, world war 2, etc) and the fact they are more likely to watch their bottom line because their incomes are fixed or are at a closer ceiling than younger generations.

Dyth

[terrym]

Younger people now expect a far higher level of luxury. I scratch my head when I see young couples move into new subdivisions with the homes selling for $600-700K and then see a $50k pickup for dad and a $42K SUV for mom in the driveway. We bought a modest a home and paid it off 10 years ago now. I buy my wife slightly used cars and she always drives a nice SUV for near half what a new one costs and mine is company supplied. We have no debt and are in a position to help the kids with University but they work every part time hour they can get.When my youngest turned 16 this summer the first thing she asked was to be driven around to hand out resumes as she also wanted to work. She got hired a s a weekend cashier on her first interview. My kids are surrounded with friends who live in luxury homes and whose parents drive Benzes and Audis, doesn't impress them at all. I like that.

[Dythbringer]

I have always said the best thing my father ever did for me was put me to work on my uncle's tobacco farm. Although I had helped out with other members of my family's farms, tobacco farming was an entirely different ball game. I lament when my uncle decided to no longer farm tobacco because my kids will have nothing comparable to it even though I know when my grandfather grew tobacco the work was much, much harder for him and my father.