GOP lawmaker say's 'give up your cell phone if you can't afford health care'

[Best Virginia]

But if that only covers 11%, what else should you give up? TV's and computers should be next, then on down the line. "Making America Great Again" like the 1800's.

“You know what, Americans have choices, and they’ve got to make a choice,” he said. “And so maybe, rather than getting that new iPhone that they just love and want to go spend hundreds of dollars on, maybe they should invest in their own health care.”


According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average premium for an individual health care plan in the United States is just over $235 per month. Buying an iPhone 7 through a wireless carrier and paying for it in installments over a two-year period costs $27 per month.


In other words, forsaking an iPhone 7 will save Americans enough money to pay for roughly 11% of what it would cost to get health insurance.

 

[WVPATX]

But if that only covers 11%, what else should you give up? TV's and computers should be next, then on down the line. "Making America Great Again" like the 1800's.

“You know what, Americans have choices, and they’ve got to make a choice,” he said. “And so maybe, rather than getting that new iPhone that they just love and want to go spend hundreds of dollars on, maybe they should invest in their own health care.”


According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average premium for an individual health care plan in the United States is just over $235 per month. Buying an iPhone 7 through a wireless carrier and paying for it in installments over a two-year period costs $27 per month.


In other words, forsaking an iPhone 7 will save Americans enough money to pay for roughly 11% of what it would cost to get health insurance.

And this is news? I had to give up a lot of things when I first started working. There were many, many things I wanted but could not afford. It's called budgeting. Prioritize your needs and fund them. Save money to buy the luxury items. Do you not do this? To this very day, I do.

 

[countryroads89_rivals]

And this is news? I had to give up a lot of things when I first started working. There were many, many things I wanted but could not afford. It's called budgeting. Prioritize your needs and fund them. Save money to buy the luxury items. Do you not do this? To this very day, I do.

So healthcare is a "luxury item"? [pfftt]

 

[WVPATX]

So healthcare is a "luxury item"? [pfftt]

No, it is a necessity. Thus, budget your money to ensure you have healthcare. Save your money for luxuries. This is not that hard although I realize that libs have great difficulty managing money.

 

[moe]

But if that only covers 11%, what else should you give up? TV's and computers should be next, then on down the line. "Making America Great Again" like the 1800's.

“You know what, Americans have choices, and they’ve got to make a choice,” he said. “And so maybe, rather than getting that new iPhone that they just love and want to go spend hundreds of dollars on, maybe they should invest in their own health care.”


According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average premium for an individual health care plan in the United States is just over $235 per month. Buying an iPhone 7 through a wireless carrier and paying for it in installments over a two-year period costs $27 per month.


In other words, forsaking an iPhone 7 will save Americans enough money to pay for roughly 11% of what it would cost to get health insurance.

He says, if your premiums go up, tough, deal with it. If premiums went up due to ACA then that's bad but if the Repubs/Trump do it, then it's ok. Got it.

 

[Best Virginia]

And this is news? I had to give up a lot of things when I first started working. There were many, many things I wanted but could not afford. It's called budgeting. Prioritize your needs and fund them. Save money to buy the luxury items. Do you not do this? To this very day, I do.

I see, so Trump's "Make America Great Again" pretty much means "Nothing Changes Unless Your a 1%er". Funny how you're now touting "struggle like I did" as the GOP plan.

 

[WVPATX]

I see, so Trump's "Make America Great Again" pretty much means "Nothing Changes Unless Your a 1%er". Funny how you're now touting "struggle like I did" as the GOP plan.

What? Your post makes ZERO sense. The Congressman simply made the correct observation that Americans need to prioritize their spending. This is not earth shattering. Families do this all the time.

Trump is focused on helping these families make more money allowing them a more flexible budget. Obama was the one that helped the 1%. He openly bragged about the stock market. The Dems are now the party of the elite. The elite in NYC. The elite in Silicon Valley. The elite in San Fran. The elite in DC.

Trump is engaged in bringing middle income family jobs back to the U.S. The elites hate it because they like the cheap labor and they like trade deals that benefit their huge companies.

 

[Best Virginia]

Trump is focused on helping these families make more money allowing them a more flexible budget.

Your boy Trump disagrees with you...

"Taxes too high, wages too high," he later added. "We're not going to be able to compete against the world. I hate to say it, but we have to leave it the way it is. People have to go out, they have to work really hard and they have to get into that upper stratum. But we cannot do this if we are going to compete with the rest of the world. We just can't do it."

 

[WVPATX]

Your boy Trump disagrees with you...

"Taxes too high, wages too high," he later added. "We're not going to be able to compete against the world. I hate to say it, but we have to leave it the way it is. People have to go out, they have to work really hard and they have to get into that upper stratum. But we cannot do this if we are going to compete with the rest of the world. We just can't do it."

I am looking at his policies not his rhetoric. TPP is finished. Energy is reinvigorated. Jobs are being created. Factories are now staying. Tax relief to help companies compete is on the way. Repatriation of overseas profits is on the way. Regulations being killed. Coal rebounding. Pipelines approved. All intended to help U.S. companies keep jobs in America. Infrastructure is on the way to create more jobs.

Trump is focused like a laser on our economy and on our middle class. His tax cuts will help them greatly. Killing Obamacare will help them greatly.

Obama was for the elites on each coast. Trump won middle America and the rust belt. Two very different bases.

 

[atlkvb]

According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, the average premium for an individual health care plan in the United States is just over $235 per month. Buying an iPhone 7 through a wireless carrier and paying for it in installments over a two-year period costs $27 per month.

Can you show me that plan Best Va? Where can anyone have an I-phone, service, and insurance to protect their investment for only 27 a month?

The average personal cell phone bill is slightly over 70.00 a month.

"Most cell phone companies entice customers with fancy phones and plans that include a bevy of services, however they also tend to have hidden costs and require long, inflexible contracts. Today, the average monthly cell phone bill is $73, according to a recent J.D. Power report.Nov 1, 2016"

 

[WVUCOOPER]

Can you show me that plan Best Va? Where can anyone have an I-phone, service, and insurance to protect their investment for only 27 a month?

The average personal cell phone bill is slightly over 70.00 a month.

"Most cell phone companies entice customers with fancy phones and plans that include a bevy of services, however they also tend to have hidden costs and require long, inflexible contracts. Today, the average monthly cell phone bill is $73, according to a recent J.D. Power report.Nov 1, 2016"

Cell phones are a rip-off. Now what that has to do with lowering healthcare costs....IDK?

 

[atlkvb]

Cell phones are a rip-off. Now what that has to do with lowering healthcare costs....IDK?

I think the OP (Best Virginia) was mocking some GOP lawmaker who suggested that many folks who are struggling to meet monthly health care premiums need to decide where to cut other expenses like perhaps expensive cell phone contracts.

He tried to say that's only a relatively small expense compared to the average monthly health care premium, but what he didn't mention is many folks have the majority of their monthly premiums paid for by their employers...unless they're on Medicare in which case the taxpayers are giving them a subsidy to pay their premiums.

It was a typical Left wing jab at a GOP lawmaker who inartfully was trying to make a point about personal responsibility.

 

[atlkvb]

No, it is a necessity. Thus, budget your money to ensure you have healthcare. Save your money for luxuries. This is not that hard although I realize that libs have great difficulty managing money.

This is true, especially someone else's like we taxpayers!

 

[Best Virginia]

I think the OP (Best Virginia) was mocking some GOP lawmaker who suggested that many folks who are struggling to meet monthly health care premiums need to decide where to cut other expenses like perhaps expensive cell phone contracts.

He tried to say that's only a relatively small expense compared to the average monthly health care premium, but what he didn't mention is many folks have the majority of their monthly premiums paid for by their employers...unless they're on Medicare in which case the taxpayers are giving them a subsidy to pay their premiums.

It was a typical Left wing jab at a GOP lawmaker who inartfully was trying to make a point about personal responsibility.

Actually I'm mocking the cheerleaders who pretend Trump is "Making America Great Again". I would guess that Chaffetz's comments stand alone as being "mocked" by simple common sense. Chaffetz said give up "iPhones" not cell service. An Iphone can be bought for $27 a month.. anywhere. Chaffetz is mocking complaints about health care cost by pretending luxuries like an iPhone are the true problem. You and Trump's cheerleaders can skirt around his comments all you want but in my world you say what you mean, and mean what you say. It's a simple character choice that Trump cheerleaders have done away with. But, then again, these are people that are okay with a man as president that can't spell a fckn 3 letter word.

 

[atlkvb]

in my world you say what you mean, and mean what you say

[/QUOTE]

You mean like "you didn't build that?" right Best Va?

 

[WVex-pat in GA]

And this is news? I had to give up a lot of things when I first started working. There were many, many things I wanted but could not afford. It's called budgeting. Prioritize your needs and fund them. Save money to buy the luxury items. Do you not do this? To this very day, I do.

I see, so Trump's "Make America Great Again" pretty much means "Nothing Changes Unless Your a 1%er". Funny how you're now touting "struggle like I did" as the GOP plan.

I was taught budgeting by growing up without. My family never had a lot of money, but we had what we needed, including healthcare through the old Morgantown Blue Cross group for the supplementals that employers provided insurance didn't cover.

For what we considered "luxury" items we saved and bought them as funds allowed. My parents never accumulated debt. And I don't either to this day.

So I called BS on this one. Let instant gratification rest for a while and take care of business that really matters, like healthcare for you and your family.

 

[Best Virginia]

You mean like "you didn't build that?" right Best Va?

[/QUOTE]
I'm not Obama and I've never shook pom poms for him while pretending he didn't mean what he said. That's what I'm calling you people out for, your insane blind worship of a liar and corrupt idiot who can't spell tap.

 

[Best Virginia]

My family never had a lot of money, but we had what we needed, including healthcare through the old Morgantown Blue Cross group for the supplementals that employers provided insurance didn't cover.

Are you saying the GOP plan will bring down costs to those levels again?

 

[countryroads89_rivals]

I was taught budgeting by growing up without. My family never had a lot of money, but we had what we needed, including healthcare through the old Morgantown Blue Cross group for the supplementals that employers provided insurance didn't cover.

For what we considered "luxury" items we saved and bought them as funds allowed. My parents never accumulated debt. And I don't either to this day.

So I called BS on this one. Let instant gratification rest for a while and take care of business that really matters, like healthcare for you and your family.

I can certainly appreciate what you are saying to a certain extent but healthcare costs of yesteryear pale in comparison to healthcare costs of today. It has been a growing problem that should have been dealt with about 15-20 years ago but wasn't. Obama took it on and had some success. "Nobody knew it could be so complicated."

Many families are only one illness away from bankruptcy. Families are choosing to forgo healthcare, knowing it may mean death, instead of accumulating crushing debt.

 

[WVex-pat in GA]

Are you saying the GOP plan will bring down costs to those levels again?

I have no idea and never made that assertion.

Those dollars spent were realtime dollars then, just as valuable then as today.

 

[WVex-pat in GA]

Families are choosing to forgo healthcare, knowing it may mean death, instead of accumulating crushing debt.

Debt or death? And you're saying death is better?

 

[Best Virginia]

While Donnie's cheerleaders are busy explaining, defending and deflecting Caffetz's iPhone comment, others agree, it was a stupid thing to say.

Rep. Larry Bucshon, R-Indiana, later said on "CNN Newsroom" that Chaffetz's comments were "unwarranted at this time."
"We don't want people to make choices in their life having to choose health care and leaving out other parts of their life that everyone else enjoys," Bucshon said.
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi also pounced on Chaffetz's remarks, tweeting they are "offensive and show a lack of both understanding and compassion."
A 2013 Pew survey found that among low-income people (those making about $30,000 or less), only 13% used an iPhone that year. And nearly 1 in 4 -- 23% -- of smartphone owners have had to cancel or suspend their phone service due to financial constraints, according to a 2015 Pew study.
Under Obamacare, more than seven in 10 enrollees could find coverage for $75 or less in 2017, thanks to subsidies. Without that government assistance, the average cost of a bronze plan -- the cheapest available -- would be $311 a month for a 30-year-old in 2017, according to Health Pocket.
Low-income enrollees would likely see their monthly premiums rise under the Republican plan because its tax credits are not tied to the cost of coverage and do not provide greater help to lower income Americans.
The iPhone 7, Apple's most current smartphone, runs between $649 and $769 on Apple's website.
Later Tuesday morning, Chaffetz walked back his remarks, though he stood by his argument that Americans would need to better prioritize health care spending under the new plan.
"What we're trying to say -- and maybe I didn't say it as smoothly as I possibly could -- but people need to make a conscious choice and I believe in self-reliance," he said on Fox News' "America's Newsroom." "And they're going to have to make those decisions."

.

 

[Best Virginia]

I am looking at his policies not his rhetoric. TPP is finished. Energy is reinvigorated. Jobs are being created. Factories are now staying. Tax relief to help companies compete is on the way. Repatriation of overseas profits is on the way. Regulations being killed. Coal rebounding. Pipelines approved. All intended to help U.S. companies keep jobs in America. Infrastructure is on the way to create more jobs.

Trump is focused like a laser on our economy and on our middle class. His tax cuts will help them greatly. Killing Obamacare will help them greatly.

Obama was for the elites on each coast. Trump won middle America and the rust belt. Two very different bases.

Policies ARE rhetoric. Everything you just wrote is rhetoric. Until you show proof, you're just as much a bullshitter as Trump.

 

[countryroads89_rivals]

Debt or death? And you're saying death is better?

When you can't fork out $100-$150k for cancer treatment, the choice is made for you, and yes, it is death.

 

[WVPATX]

Policies ARE rhetoric. Everything you just wrote is rhetoric. Until you show proof, you're just as much a bullshitter as Trump.

Actually it has gone beyond rhetoric because bills are being developed as we speak. Not all that he has promised, but several. We are on our way. He's only been in office for 40 days, after all.

 

[WVex-pat in GA]

When you can't fork out $100-$150k for cancer treatment, the choice is made for you, and yes, it is death.

cr89, if this shoe was on your foot you would find that debt was preferable. Also, there is not a hospital in this country that would not work with you to give you the best care and save your life regardless of your ability to pay. It is the law.

However, this is part of the problem, un-reimbursed care from the provider side. And it is because of people like you who don't think about or care about their health until something catastrophic happens.

I've seen it happen over and over, hospitals in areas where nobody has adequate, if any, healthcare insurance and are required to provide services on their tab; only hoping that somewhere along the line they will get $0.25 on the $ for the care provided. They won't break even, but it diminishes the loss.

Eventually they close their doors because your disdain for taking on debt, or preferably covering yourself with insurance, crushes the hospital to the point it is not a viable entity.

 

[countryroads89_rivals]

However, this is part of the problem, un-reimbursed care from the provider side. And it is because of people like you who don't think about or care about their health until something catastrophic happens.

I've seen it happen over and over, hospitals in areas where nobody has adequate, if any, healthcare insurance and are required to provide services on their tab; only hoping that somewhere along the line they will get $0.25 on the $ for the care provided. They won't break even, but it diminishes the loss.

Eventually they close their doors because your disdain for taking on debt, or preferably covering yourself with insurance, crushes the hospital to the point it is not a viable entity.

I work out practically every day. I have ridden several centuries on my bike. You are barking up the wrong tree and you just made a huge *** out of yourself.

And FYI, I have two health insurance plans. Stop being an ***!

I was very cordial in my disagreement with you but you made a bunch of assumptions when you don't know me from Adam and painted a very incorrect picture of me.

 

[atlkvb]

cr89, if this shoe was on your foot you would find that debt was preferable. Also, there is not a hospital in this country that would not work with you to give you the best care and save your life regardless of your ability to pay. It is the law.

However, this is part of the problem, un-reimbursed care from the provider side. And it is because of people like you who don't think about or care about their health until something catastrophic happens.

I've seen it happen over and over, hospitals in areas where nobody has adequate, if any, healthcare insurance and are required to provide services on their tab; only hoping that somewhere along the line they will get $0.25 on the $ for the care provided. They won't break even, but it diminishes the loss.

Eventually they close their doors because your disdain for taking on debt, or preferably covering yourself with insurance, crushes the hospital to the point it is not a viable entity.

Personal responsibility is the missing equation in the ongoing Health care debate. Truth be told, Insurance should only be used for such catastrophic scenarios as countryroads 89 laid out.

Routine care and regular health check ups can and should be paid for out of pocket through health savings accounts.

 

[WVU82_rivals]

 

[WhiteTailEER]

I was taught budgeting by growing up without. My family never had a lot of money, but we had what we needed, including healthcare through the old Morgantown Blue Cross group for the supplementals that employers provided insurance didn't cover.

For what we considered "luxury" items we saved and bought them as funds allowed. My parents never accumulated debt. And I don't either to this day.

So I called BS on this one. Let instant gratification rest for a while and take care of business that really matters, like healthcare for you and your family.

I grew up without much as well ... although we had everything we needed I didn't realize how little money we had until much later in life. Things like having pancakes for dinner aren't a fun and different thing to do, it's because you've got nothing else in the cupboard to fix. Fried bologna, etc.

These days it seems like everybody has to have everything. The phone and satellite TV and car and everything come first, and then necessities like health insurance come later if there's anything left.

Healthcare has to be factored in before everything else. If that means that you get a Honda Civic instead of a Mercedes C Class, then that's what you get. If it means you get a 2002 Honda Civic instead of a 2017 Honda Civic, then that's what you get. If you can't afford all of the movie channels and NFL Sunday Ticket after health insurance then you just shouldn't get those things. If you can't afford the newest iphone every time it comes out, then you go with last year's or the year before model or just get a flip phone and save yourself the data charges.

People don't seem to understand the line between necessity and luxury.

 

[Airport]

You mean like "you didn't build that?" right Best Va?

I'm not Obama and I've never shook pom poms for him while pretending he didn't mean what he said. That's what I'm calling you people out for, your insane blind worship of a liar and corrupt idiot who can't spell tap.[/QUOTE]

 

[MichiganHerd]

So healthcare is a "luxury item"? [pfftt]

You mean sort of like Obama said? Almost identical statement.

 

[Airport]

I work out practically every day. I have ridden several centuries on my bike. You are barking up the wrong tree and you just made a huge *** out of yourself.

And FYI, I have two health insurance plans. Stop being an ***!

I was very cordial in my disagreement with you but you made a bunch of assumptions when you don't know me from Adam and painted a very incorrect picture of me.

Haven't you heard, last channel, last channel, last channel, is considered a work out! That's mine now.

 

[Airport]

You mean sort of like Obama said? Almost identical statement.

Medicaid, coverage for free. Does he think that it's really free? No, somebody pays for it, don't they.

 

[WVex-pat in GA]

Routine care and regular health check ups can and should be paid for out of pocket through health savings accounts.

Too many people don't take advantage of HSA, especially those with children.

 

[WVex-pat in GA]

I work out practically every day. I have ridden several centuries on my bike. You are barking up the wrong tree and you just made a huge *** out of yourself.

And FYI, I have two health insurance plans. Stop being an ***!

I was very cordial in my disagreement with you but you made a bunch of assumptions when you don't know me from Adam and painted a very incorrect picture of me.

It is the "editorial you" cr89, not you specifically. I'm sorry if you took that the wrong way.

 

[Mntneer]

I grew up without much as well ... although we had everything we needed I didn't realize how little money we had until much later in life. Things like having pancakes for dinner aren't a fun and different thing to do, it's because you've got nothing else in the cupboard to fix. Fried bologna, etc.

These days it seems like everybody has to have everything. The phone and satellite TV and car and everything come first, and then necessities like health insurance come later if there's anything left.

Healthcare has to be factored in before everything else. If that means that you get a Honda Civic instead of a Mercedes C Class, then that's what you get. If it means you get a 2002 Honda Civic instead of a 2017 Honda Civic, then that's what you get. If you can't afford all of the movie channels and NFL Sunday Ticket after health insurance then you just shouldn't get those things. If you can't afford the newest iphone every time it comes out, then you go with last year's or the year before model or just get a flip phone and save yourself the data charges.

People don't seem to understand the line between necessity and luxury.

Ain't dat da truth.

My parents worked 3 jobs, drove the station wagons and hatchbacks. Somehow though I managed to grow up in the 80's with only 1 color TV in the house (a little 23").... no cable but an antenna with 5 channels... no VCR.... a single phone in the kitchen.... and eating out was a once in a month special treat.

I felt like I had the world available to me, never felt deprived and knew I had it better than some others.

People today... gotta have the high speed internet.... HBO with 300 HD channels.... TV's in everyroom.... cell phones with unlimited data.... brand new cars.... etc.

 

[WhiteTailEER]

Ain't dat da truth.

My parents worked 3 jobs, drove the station wagons and hatchbacks. Somehow though I managed to grow up in the 80's with only 1 color TV in the house (a little 23").... no cable but an antenna with 5 channels... no VCR.... a single phone in the kitchen.... and eating out was a once in a month special treat.

I felt like I had the world available to me, never felt deprived and knew I had it better than some others.

People today... gotta have the high speed internet.... HBO with 300 HD channels.... TV's in everyroom.... cell phones with unlimited data.... brand new cars.... etc.

We had 2 phones, so apparently we were better off than you were. LOL. One in the kitchen and one downstairs. We did move into a fairly nice house when I was in 1st grade (split foyer ... all brick) but I think all it did was make us house poor. Plus my mom was going to college and graduated as a teacher as I was getting out of grade school, so things were better after that.

We didn't even eat out once a month, I don't think. We went out someplace when somebody had a birthday, but that was about it. Even at that, Shoney's was as fancy as we got. Western Sizzler every once in awhile.

But, I always had a bike. I'd have the same bike for 5-6 years, but I had one at least. I played most sports. My dad got my last baseball glove when I was 12. It was oversized for me at the time but I used it all through HS and beyond. I eventually bought myself another glove for college/adult league baseball. I had a basketball and a football and we didn't really need much else. Couldn't dream of anything like a dirtbike or anything like that.

Your last line ... I have a 6 figure salary and still don't have all of that stuff. I do have internet, but there are lots of faster plans out there. I have cell phones, but with limited data. I haven't had a new car for myself ... well ... ever. I have a Mercedes but it's a 2004 and I bought it 3+ years ago. I did just buy my wife a new car, but not an expensive one. I have 3 things that I'd consider extravagances ... a hottub and a motorhome (the hottub isn't in/on the motorhome ) and season tickets to WVU football and basketball. Other than that, my house is almost 100 years old and I bought it for less than $100k. Used cars. My woodshop is nearly all used items, or things from scratch and dent sales and all tables and cabinets I built myself.

When I have my transplant, there is one drug that I'll need for a few months that my insurance won't cover that's $1000/month. Because I don't stretch myself with everything else I can absorb that and I have enough leave/savings to cover the time I'll be out of work.

Priorities ... for the most part I just don't go for more than I need ... and certainly not more than I can afford. I know I'm not the only one, but I do feel like I'm in the minority these days with living that way.

 

[atlkvb]

We had 2 phones, so apparently we were better off than you were. LOL. One in the kitchen and one downstairs. We did move into a fairly nice house when I was in 1st grade (split foyer ... all brick) but I think all it did was make us house poor. Plus my mom was going to college and graduated as a teacher as I was getting out of grade school, so things were better after that.

We didn't even eat out once a month, I don't think. We went out someplace when somebody had a birthday, but that was about it. Even at that, Shoney's was as fancy as we got. Western Sizzler every once in awhile.

But, I always had a bike. I'd have the same bike for 5-6 years, but I had one at least. I played most sports. My dad got my last baseball glove when I was 12. It was oversized for me at the time but I used it all through HS and beyond. I eventually bought myself another glove for college/adult league baseball. I had a basketball and a football and we didn't really need much else. Couldn't dream of anything like a dirtbike or anything like that.

Your last line ... I have a 6 figure salary and still don't have all of that stuff. I do have internet, but there are lots of faster plans out there. I have cell phones, but with limited data. I haven't had a new car for myself ... well ... ever. I have a Mercedes but it's a 2004 and I bought it 3+ years ago. I did just buy my wife a new car, but not an expensive one. I have 3 things that I'd consider extravagances ... a hottub and a motorhome (the hottub isn't in/on the motorhome ) and season tickets to WVU football and basketball. Other than that, my house is almost 100 years old and I bought it for less than $100k. Used cars. My woodshop is nearly all used items, or things from scratch and dent sales and all tables and cabinets I built myself.

When I have my transplant, there is one drug that I'll need for a few months that my insurance won't cover that's $1000/month. Because I don't stretch myself with everything else I can absorb that and I have enough leave/savings to cover the time I'll be out of work.

Priorities ... for the most part I just don't go for more than I need ... and certainly not more than I can afford. I know I'm not the only one, but I do feel like I'm in the minority these days with living that way.

Good story WhiteTailEER, Prayers for your transplant and good health Mountaineer.

 

[Mntneer]

We had 2 phones, so apparently we were better off than you were. LOL. One in the kitchen and one downstairs. We did move into a fairly nice house when I was in 1st grade (split foyer ... all brick) but I think all it did was make us house poor. Plus my mom was going to college and graduated as a teacher as I was getting out of grade school, so things were better after that.

We didn't even eat out once a month, I don't think. We went out someplace when somebody had a birthday, but that was about it. Even at that, Shoney's was as fancy as we got. Western Sizzler every once in awhile.

But, I always had a bike. I'd have the same bike for 5-6 years, but I had one at least. I played most sports. My dad got my last baseball glove when I was 12. It was oversized for me at the time but I used it all through HS and beyond. I eventually bought myself another glove for college/adult league baseball. I had a basketball and a football and we didn't really need much else. Couldn't dream of anything like a dirtbike or anything like that.

Your last line ... I have a 6 figure salary and still don't have all of that stuff. I do have internet, but there are lots of faster plans out there. I have cell phones, but with limited data. I haven't had a new car for myself ... well ... ever. I have a Mercedes but it's a 2004 and I bought it 3+ years ago. I did just buy my wife a new car, but not an expensive one. I have 3 things that I'd consider extravagances ... a hottub and a motorhome (the hottub isn't in/on the motorhome ) and season tickets to WVU football and basketball. Other than that, my house is almost 100 years old and I bought it for less than $100k. Used cars. My woodshop is nearly all used items, or things from scratch and dent sales and all tables and cabinets I built myself.

When I have my transplant, there is one drug that I'll need for a few months that my insurance won't cover that's $1000/month. Because I don't stretch myself with everything else I can absorb that and I have enough leave/savings to cover the time I'll be out of work.

Priorities ... for the most part I just don't go for more than I need ... and certainly not more than I can afford. I know I'm not the only one, but I do feel like I'm in the minority these days with living that way.

Loved eating at Shoney's as a kid.

Good luck with the surgery.