Income Disparity Amoung Your Friends?

[EvoFire]

The whole tax brackets and social benefits define a middle class from a bygone era for parts of this country. For a new grad who is "doing well" and making say 85k, you can barely survive paying $3k for rent and food costs are hundreds every month. Not including any other expenditures.

For young families who would easily have a combined income of 150k just so they can afford a 2br condo, they would not qualify for any social benefits when they have kids because the cutoff is so fucking low and child care costs are so retardedly high. Nevermind the extreme difficulty of getting child care.

Taxes simply have no kept up with inflation. Something that is probably quite evident for people on this forum as car people. Luxury tax is set at 55k. A Rav4 hybrid is 50k nowadays. Need something a little bigger? Highlander Hybrid will now put you into luxury territory. We can somehow have inflation but tax brackets and existing cut offs don't grow at the same rate. It's a squeeze in multiple directions.

[winson604]

Originally Posted by unit

i started sitting down at home when i pee, i wouldn't do it anywhere else though.
it just keeps your toilet and floor way cleaner especially if you are a big water drinker and go a lot like me. also its kinda nice, you sit and you don't have to think abt aim or cleaning after. also it kinda helps to have a bidet at home so you have something warm to sit on.

Haha I started to do it once I bought my own place back in 2018. My wife doesn't know I do it she just assumes I'm taking a dump when she sees me and I don't correct her that I'm not. At other people's houses I'm very cautious about getting it anywhere other than the bowl and will wipe and clean if I miss. At a restaurant however I won't purposely piss on the floor but I ain't trying 100% to keep it in the urinal/toilet either.

[twitchyzero]

yes and no for your car example

nowadays any new car is a luxury

vehicles historically do not follow inflation as strictly like food and rent, i dunno perhaps if we didn't need massive screens i think it's still possible to not have their prices runaway

[mikemhg]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

the dishes dont bother me as much as the toilet duties afterward.

I should just force all these motherfuckers to sit their ass down. I dont care if your dick is in the bowl, deal with it. I aint cleaning up your splatters

AND DONT JERK OFF TO MY BIDET !

I like having the guys over for UFC night or just to hop in the hot tub. I'll either cook or the GF will, good way to get together, and it's cheap.

Added bonus, have a nice bottle night, then you get a few left over bottles for the liquor cabinet. Win win.

Speaking about pissing and sitting down, I'm a big advocate of this when at home.

Why is it sissy if you sit on the toilet to piss in your own house as a dude? I'm not trying to hose my toilet down with piss out of this BBC, with all that water splashing around on the bathroom floor. The GF doesn't like it either.

Sit when you piss at home guys.

[unit]

i understand why ppl might think its emasculating but its still stupid to think that being manly in your own bathroom is more important than leaving gross piss droplets all over your toilet and floor.

apparently in germany and some parts of europe it's the norm these days, i think it should be too.

[JDMDreams]

That's what I don't get right now, when is the camels back gonna break. Everything is getting so expensive annually, property tax, strata fees, insurance easily 10%+ annually, there's no way regular people's income increase 10% a year.

I see that I'm getting less and less value for what I pay. Shittier and shittier service but wants 25% tips. I don't see what the alternative is besides going somewhere with lower costs.

Only the gov wins by charging a higher % in tax but getting less and less services for more of my tax dollars.

[mikemhg]

Originally Posted by unit

i understand why ppl might think its emasculating but its still stupid to think that being manly in your own bathroom is more important than leaving gross piss droplets all over your toilet and floor.

apparently in germany and some parts of europe it's the norm these days, i think it should be too.

I still feel like a bit of a fag when I'm sit pissin' and the GF comes into the bathroom to grab some mascara or something, though

[Gerbs]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

I dont know if you guys did this, but i found that I've weeded out a lot of my friends.

Im down to a very small core group of people i enjoy and a lot of the old buddies that i used to hang with slowly drifted apart. Most of the guys that drifted are still stuck in the "20's mode" and enjoy annoying shit like clubbing / staying out past 9pm / and recreational drug use.

It started for all my peers. The one's that are still clubbing / doing drugs are sticking together.

The one's that exited are into more wholesome activities like dinner/drinks at a friends place. Or they started a new expensive hobby or sport that runs during the day so you're already asleep by 9 - 11PM. Party mainly consists of someone's birthday dinner/house party and dipping before they go club/karaoke.

Originally Posted by PeanutButter

Thinking about it now, this interaction might have been the first time I really realized there are different economic levels between people. I guess I never paid much attention to it before. So I guess when I found out about my friends who aren't at the same level, it's been affecting me more and more, hence this post.

I remember growing up all the rich kids had Mcdonald's MEALS, not just jr.chickens and mcdoubles. Or they'll have those Kraft Lunchables. Us Asians staring with jealousy with our stinky thermos wontons or sandwich with 1 slice of deli meat, no mayo.

Various levels I notice between people are now,

- Living at home / Moved out / Slum Lord
- No Car / Beater / New Car < 5-8 Years Old
- Shitty Diet + Aim to buy whatever is cheapest but not necessarily healthiest / Healthy Diet but mainly veggies to keep costs low / Fish, Berries, All types of beef, unlimited grocery budget
- No Vacations / 1 Vacation / 3-6 vacations + local getaways
- Eat at home to save money / Eat at $15 - 25 places / Eating at $35 - 60 and not worrying too much

The biggest thing I notice is what people bring to Potlucks
- Stingy / less well off folks like to bring a $10-15 Costco Cake / pastries / dessert / cups or plates / Garlic Bread / Fries / homemade veggies
- A take out dish from somewhere / fried chicken / korean fried chicken / alcohol
- Ballers like to bring some big ass home cooked steaks / big platters of meat takeout / 20 - 30+ pieces of fried chicken / Roasted beef, hams, turkeys.

I've seen one potluck that ended up with mainly fries, bread, samosas, and like 4-8 desserts lol

[Tapioca]

Originally Posted by twitchyzero

yes and no for your car example

nowadays any new car is a luxury

vehicles historically do not follow inflation as strictly like food and rent, i dunno perhaps if we didn't need massive screens i think it's still possible to not have their prices runaway

I personally don't believe that a new car should be a luxury. There were cars on the market that used to serve the average family with 2-3 kids looking to buy a new car every 7-8 years, like the Dodge Caravan, but they are no longer on the market.

I'll give you a more concrete example. My friend drives a Model Y and his wife doesn't work. I don't know this for sure, but knowing him, I'm sure he registered his wife as the owner so they could get the maximum rebate. He works for the feds in an individual contributor role and makes maybe 80-90K.

His family owns a few properties and his family lives with his parents, while he rents a house to two separate tenants.

Meanwhile, there are many households in the 200-300K range who want to do the "right thing" by reducing their carbon footprint, but can't take advantage of these EV incentives because, to Evo's point, the programs are income-tested around old metrics that no longer apply given the rising cost of living and high interest rates.

Sure, some people will say that such households have a spending problem and are looking for handouts to buy a Tesla, but we wouldn't be in this thread talking about money unless all of the ballers on RS weren't to a certain extent, feeling the squeeze.

[Gerbs]

Originally Posted by mikemhg

Sit when you piss at home guys.

Gotta make sure you sit back far enough or you touch the toilet bowl

Originally Posted by Tapioca

Lots of money discussions on RS these days and lots of low-key flexing, but also grounded discussions as well.

I don't work in private wealth or financial planning, but in a place like Vancouver, there are people who support their lifestyle through different means that are not necessarily illegal. It's the people who work salaried jobs with mortgages who are chumps and are feeling the brunt of inflation.

For example, take the proliferation of Teslas in this city. A Model 3 or Model Y is an expense we can't really stomach (because variable rate mortgage), which is why we drive old vehicles (8+ years). To get the max rebates on an EV, you need to make less than 80K, which basically excludes any working professional who is trying to make it in this city from accessing the rebate program. I guess it could be considered a success since there are a lot more EVs on the road these days, but the program's been a failure from actually supporting the people who should benefit from the program (i.e. actual middle class working people).

Originally Posted by Tapioca

Lots of money discussions on RS these days and lots of low-key flexing, but also grounded discussions as well.

I don't work in private wealth or financial planning, but in a place like Vancouver, there are people who support their lifestyle through different means that are not necessarily illegal. It's the people who work salaried jobs with mortgages who are chumps and are feeling the brunt of inflation.

For example, take the proliferation of Teslas in this city. A Model 3 or Model Y is an expense we can't really stomach (because variable rate mortgage), which is why we drive old vehicles (8+ years). To get the max rebates on an EV, you need to make less than 80K, which basically excludes any working professional who is trying to make it in this city from accessing the rebate program. I guess it could be considered a success since there are a lot more EVs on the road these days, but the program's been a failure from actually supporting the people who should benefit from the program (i.e. actual middle class working people).

I have two friends that have new Tesla's, their own condo, and no income or PT realtor. The city is interesting, we're starting to finally see the first generation of their parents success. Aka giving the kid a stress free / worry free life financially. it allows them to find their own passion vs making the most money. I think they struggle with identity because everyone around them works and one of the first things people ask is "what do you do" and I can see the discontent with answering that.

Maybe cause all they do is scroll on their phone and think they must be an A-list influencer / celebrity / model.

[twitchyzero]

Originally Posted by Gerbs

I remember growing up all the rich kids had Mcdonald's MEALS, not just jr.chickens and mcdoubles. Or they'll have those Kraft Lunchables. Us Asians staring with jealousy with our stinky thermos wontons or sandwich with 1 slice of deli meat, no mayo.

getting 30c mcnuggets delivered were happy days

talking to my friends recently and they were like you and got jealous of lunchables, to me they were just overpriced cold cheese and pepperonis and i rather eat wontons then and still do lol

Originally Posted by Tapioca

I personally don't believe that a new car should be a luxury. There were cars on the market that used to serve the average family with 2-3 kids looking to buy a new car every 7-8 years, like the Dodge Caravan, but they are no longer on the market.

used cars now can be quite reliable, and safe

whereas 20 years ago a used cars maybe seen as something will only get you by for a few years

pacifica is chrysler's last vehicle on sale, accessible minivans are dying out, well because less and less families are having more than 2 kids anymore

[CivicBlues]

All those white kids that made fun of you for eating wontons at elementary are now paying $30 for a plate of 5 wontons at some bougie fusion restaurant in Chinatown these days.

[supafamous]

Originally Posted by Gerbs

I remember growing up all the rich kids had Mcdonald's MEALS, not just jr.chickens and mcdoubles. Or they'll have those Kraft Lunchables. Us Asians staring with jealousy with our stinky thermos wontons or sandwich with 1 slice of deli meat, no mayo.

McDoubles and Jr Chickens when you were growing up? How old are you? I thought everyone here is in their 40s.

About that middle class thing - I think there's a difference between statistically middle class and what lifestyle feels middle class. For the latter I think there's a lot of lifestyle inflation that has happened and it's not realistic nor representative of the reality.

Like I have to remind my wife sometimes that we're actually rich (but not RICH) cause she talks about how expensive shit is and how we can't afford to do certain things but those are rich people things that she's talking about that just seems like regular people things. By the numbers we're rich, it just doesn't feel that way.

https://www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/hmip-p...erageAndMedian

Average household income in Canada is $92k while median is $70k. I assume this data includes people who work part time etc so the number is probably a bit low (and $70k in a household is 2 min wage jobs). So middle class is something like 1 standard deviation on both sides so probably like $70-130k household income for the average Canadian household (figure 20-30% higher for Vancouver or Toronto)

That kind of household income is tough to live on but it's also middle class by the numbers.

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by Gerbs

Gotta make sure you sit back far enough or you touch the toilet bowl

You know there's two types of toilets right? The round type and the elongated type. I don't know why a round bowl is still a thing and why so many places have a round bowl, it simply does not fit.

[Gerbs]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

its a common discussion amongst everyone now. MONEY MONEY MONEY MOENY

Even the kids at mcdonalds. I drove up to the drive thru to grab a coffee frap and this kid asks me how i was able to afford the ratrolla.

Then he looked at me like am a friggin moron. I guess that wasnt very helpful. I should have told him to just deal drugs.

In the past few months, I've been engaging in deep discussions with my friends about the heightened focus on money over the last two years. We've been exploring whether it's linked to the fact that we're approaching our late twenties, witnessing peers buying homes, getting their lives in order, aiming to maximize income, and worrying about starting families. Perhaps the pressure stems from feeling financially outpaced by friends or being unable to keep up with their high cost dinners / activities.

I think that the desire for comfort has surged, creating a sense of entitlement to have the best of everything. When was it the norm to have all of the above, maybe you could've chosen 1 or 2 in the past if
you've done well.
- Vacations multiple times a year
- New Car
- Eating berries daily
- Eating out $50 -100+ meals 1-7x a week
- $100 - 400 Concerts and shows every 1 - 6 weeks
- Paying for entertainment or dates @ $30 - 100 1 - 3x a week
- Buying jewelry, watches and bags that are $5 - 20K+
- Owning a house before 30 in one of the highest cost of living cities

Social media bombards us with stories of friends doing this, while the algorithms feeds us YT shorts / Tiktoks on ideas of side hustles, investing, and optimizing personal finances. The pursuit of having the best often seems reserved for the 1-3% of income individuals aged 25 to 34. Even with a high income, you haven't worked long enough to create any substantial wealth.

So it seems like everyone wants to work 5 - 8 years to have the wealth of a 50+ year old but at 30 years old. Then are depressed when they can't do so lol.

Originally Posted by EvoFire

You know there's two types of toilets right? The round type and the elongated type. I don't know why a round bowl is still a thing and why so many places have a round bowl, it simply does not fit.

I needa upgrade my toilet. It's like an oval but barely. Japanese toilets here I come, but no idea how to install an outlet for it.

[Hondaracer]

Maybe that’s why there isn’t piss all over my floor because I’ve got the elongated..

Every thread on RS drifting to piss by the 5th page? Lol

[Gerbs]

Originally Posted by supafamous

McDoubles and Jr Chickens when you were growing up? How old are you? I thought everyone here is in their 40s.

About that middle class thing - I think there's a difference between statistically middle class and what lifestyle feels middle class. For the latter I think there's a lot of lifestyle inflation that has happened and it's not realistic nor representative of the reality.

Like I have to remind my wife sometimes that we're actually rich (but not RICH) cause she talks about how expensive shit is and how we can't afford to do certain things but those are rich people things that she's talking about that just seems like regular people things. By the numbers we're rich, it just doesn't feel that way.

https://www03.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/hmip-p...erageAndMedian

Average household income in Canada is $92k while median is $70k. I assume this data includes people who work part time etc so the number is probably a bit low (and $70k in a household is 2 min wage jobs). So middle class is something like 1 standard deviation on both sides so probably like $70-130k household income for the average Canadian household (figure 20-30% higher for Vancouver or Toronto)

That kind of household income is tough to live on but it's also middle class by the numbers.

I'm in mid to late 20's, there's at least 4 of us on RS. Most peep in 20's are struggling and losing hope. Some already starting the migration to AB.

The 4 on RS are driving S2000's, CTR's, Corvettes and Porsches.

[twitchyzero]

Originally Posted by supafamous

I think there's a difference between statistically middle class and what lifestyle feels middle class. For the latter I think there's a lot of lifestyle inflation that has happened and it's not realistic nor representative of the reality.

...

That kind of household income is tough to live on but it's also middle class by the numbers.

sure internet has heightened consumerism and maybe exacerbated keeping up with the joneses

but from my limited interactions the general concerns are all quite valid

ive also noticed less people are taking the week off between christmas and new year

[inv4zn]

Originally Posted by Gerbs

Gotta make sure you sit back far enough or you touch the toilet bowl

There's a term for this, and it's very apt - it's called "the witch's kiss".

There's also "Poseidon's Kiss", when water splashback from a plump of shit hits your ass.

[Badhobz]

Another reason not to get circumcised trolololololol. Flap protects.

[MarkyMark]

Getting a little pee on the rim of the toilet isn't a big deal I'll have to clean the whole underside of the seat from explosive diarrhea well before the buildup of dried piss becomes a problem.

Maybe I should rethink my diet.

[EvoFire]

Originally Posted by Gerbs

In the past few months, I've been engaging in deep discussions with my friends about the heightened focus on money over the last two years. We've been exploring whether it's linked to the fact that we're approaching our late twenties, witnessing peers buying homes, getting their lives in order, aiming to maximize income, and worrying about starting families. Perhaps the pressure stems from feeling financially outpaced by friends or being unable to keep up with their high cost dinners / activities.

I think that the desire for comfort has surged, creating a sense of entitlement to have the best of everything. When was it the norm to have all of the above, maybe you could've chosen 1 or 2 in the past if
you've done well.
- Vacations multiple times a year - Twice? One Whistler one cruise this year
- New Car - 4 and 5 year old now
- Eating berries daily - Kids do
- Eating out $50 -100+ meals 1-7x a week - Nope
- $100 - 400 Concerts and shows every 1 - 6 weeks - Nope
- Paying for entertainment or dates @ $30 - 100 1 - 3x a week - LOL we have kids
- Buying jewelry, watches and bags that are $5 - 20K+ - Nope
- Owning a house before 30 in one of the highest cost of living cities - Townhouse before 30, house at 34

Social media bombards us with stories of friends doing this, while the algorithms feeds us YT shorts / Tiktoks on ideas of side hustles, investing, and optimizing personal finances. The pursuit of having the best often seems reserved for the 1-3% of income individuals aged 25 to 34. Even with a high income, you haven't worked long enough to create any substantial wealth.

So it seems like everyone wants to work 5 - 8 years to have the wealth of a 50+ year old but at 30 years old. Then are depressed when they can't do so lol.



I needa upgrade my toilet. It's like an oval but barely. Japanese toilets here I come, but no idea how to install an outlet for it.

- Vacations multiple times a year - Twice? One Whistler one cruise this year
- New Car - 4 and 5 year old now
- Eating berries daily - Kids do
- Eating out $50 -100+ meals 1-7x a week - Nope
- $100 - 400 Concerts and shows every 1 - 6 weeks - Nope
- Paying for entertainment or dates @ $30 - 100 1 - 3x a week - LOL we have kids
- Buying jewelry, watches and bags that are $5 - 20K+ - Nope
- Owning a house before 30 in one of the highest cost of living cities - Townhouse before 30, house at 34

Based on this and the earlier scale, I'm like between doing ok and doing well. I still don't think I do considering I owe the bank a 7 figure sum.

And yes upgrade your toilet. You don't need the bidet just get the elongated bowl.

[Badhobz]

Eating berries is a sign of wealth !?!? Somebody call manics cousins and have them bring 10 cases of blue blues to the next RS meat.

[Gerbs]

Originally Posted by Badhobz

Eating berries is a sign of wealth !?!? Somebody call manics cousins and have them bring 10 cases of blue blues to the next RS meat.

According to y'all parents and Reddit, these $10 berries are a luxury. $300/month if the kids eat 1 a day.

[Badhobz]

Aren’t blue blues like 25 bucks for 10lbs. At least they are in Richmond. Then you just freeze the uneaten ones and you got berries all year