Things Are a Freaking Mess (Millennial Viewpoint) [LOCKED DUE TO POLITICS & INSULTING BEHAVIOR]

[Shifting_Gears]

Ladies, gents. I come here to leave a rant of frustration. Your results may vary, but this is my point of view from someone in their mid 30's.

I graduated college not too long after the great recession of 08/09. As it was sold to me, college would get me prepared and IN to a great paying job that would lead me to living the dream. Home ownership, no worries about money, stability, blah blah blah. The job market was less than stellar (try total shit) when I graduated. Up to that point, I had worked for my family's business. I wanted to break out from that instead of continue on, as I was already burnt and wanting to try something else.

I ended up at an entry level, commission based job at the company I am still with. I sucked and almost got canned, but someone saw potential and offered me an admin related job. When I took that, I paced myself to learn new skills and work my way up from associate to supervisor, supervisor into a management role which is where I currently am. Within the period of my management role, I have been able to make some really solid growth. Which is great. It got me to a new state, presented new challenges and overall, I like my job. I am responsible for a large territory and I have met some great people. I get to travel periodically to some pretty beautiful places and experience new cultures as part of my job.

However, I feel like I am running a race uphill with a sprained ankle in a blizzard. My financial "coming up" has basically aligned with the insanity that started in 2019 with COVID. In early 2020, I didn't know if I would have a job. I had to lay off numerous people within the first 6 months of the pandemic and every day I wondered if my name was on that list. Would I be getting a phone call? That was always a sinking feeling until things smoothed out and I was still around.

I feel like this. COVID tripped a reset button for the country in a bad way. The govt fed people money, which at first was necessary for many to carry forward. However, I feel that it really speaks to the fact that so much of our country is enslaved to debt, consumerism, not saving, etc. that it was needed to simply keep the economy afloat (but it failed, look at how many people lost jobs and the length of recovery). Yes, I understand this was the point as many people lost their jobs, but many of those people didn't have any reserves to keep things afloat during tough times.

So did some people use the assistance to keep the lights on and bills paid? Sure. But many also used it to buy stupid shit. Why not? Rent was getting paid through additional assistance funds and hell, if it wasn't, you couldn't get evicted. There were "free" everything programs, etc. It just made people more dependent on govt assistance and started this pseudo-stability that caused everyone to load up on shit that's not important and become an even shittier society of people. What's even worse is the fact that many large corporations took business loan funding and prevented smaller, individually owned businesses from staying afloat. For what, securing a minimal blow to the bottom line? Funny how there weren't more strict policies to prevent that.

So now that everyone is loaded with COVID bucks (especially families with kids), prices start to go up. I think we really saw it first with cars, via the "great chip shortage". So now everyone has govt bucks to pay $10k, $15k, $20k over actual value for a used car. Used cars are in, new cars are for people that have patience and can wait out getting what they want. Used cars skyrocket due to "supply and demand". However, there's still plenty of used car supply and prices aren't really leveling. Welcome to the new norm.

Then comes real-estate. How is it that the biggest real estate boom (craze, more-so) happens post-pandemic and home values are doubling + over the period of a year and a half? The area I am in is literally unobtainable for me to purchase a home. I'm a first time home buyer, so even if I found a place that qualified for an FHA loan, I can't compete with cash buyers that are paying way over asking price. I would have to settle for getting into a mortgage on a property that's hyper-inflated compared to its actual value or wait out this madness. If I'm lucky, maybe a nice condo... but wait, HOA fees are out of control as well.

Which brings the next thorn. Rent. Just got served with a 30% rent hike come our renewal. Our renewal is nearly $2k/mo for a 1BR apartment. What the flying F. It's a nice community, but damn. It's a 1BR, not on the water, not near a city, etc. The whole area is rising like that. It's absolutely in-F'ing-sane.

Then let's throw the Russia/Ukraine conflict on top and get bent on oil prices just to sweeten the mix.

Finally, people. Wow. Who knew we would become such disrespectful, de-moralized idiots toward each-other? This has really, really caused people's true colors to come out. Being cooped up, financial hardship, a bleak uncertainty of the future to come, major political polarization, health polarization, all of this insane "woke" cultural shift, the general inability to disconnect from media/social media, etc has just procured the perfect recipe for a social-economic meltdown.

At this point, I feel like everything I have busted my ass to achieved is being erased day-by-day by things way out of my control. Rant over.

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[Egparson202]

I wish you were wrong.

 

[Balr14]

I have always said social media was the worst thing that ever happened to society. It has made lying and disinformation ever so much easier. All the other things you mentioned have happened before and will happen again. Much is simple supply and demand. Despite everyone's good intentions there are always unintended consequences and people who will take advantage of the system. Remember, half the people in the world are below average intelligence.

 

[Shifting_Gears]

I wish you were wrong.

Yeah, it's like a bad dream!!!

I have always said social media was the worst thing that ever happened to society. It has made lying and disinformation ever so much easier. All the other things you mentioned have happened before and will happen again. Much is simple supply and demand. Despite everyone's good intentions there are always unintended consequences and people who will take advantage of the system. Remember, half the people in the world are below average intelligence.

It really is. When I was a kid, you had to discover life in phases. New experiences meant something because you saw it first hand, not at the click of a fingertip or through someone else's experience. Now, it's just puked into your face and it's really hard to avoid it. I really think it has messed with the natural progression of growth from kid, teen, to adult. Everyone is fed so much garbage it's almost impossible to identify what's important. You're the end user of someone else's agenda and it's making people ultra dependent and useless.

 

[Cobra Jet]

Easier said than done, but have you tried looking for a better place to live - not just in State, but out of State? Or even a better job that will pay you even more than what you are currently making?

While prices are high everywhere (cars/homes), there are still deals out there, if you’re looking AND looking beyond your immediate locale or region.

I’ve seen the same complaints that Dealerships are charging ADM fees on new vehicles, but also see Dealerships with no mark ups at all for the same vehicles. The same is true with used cars - sure the prices have increased on certain models, but again if you’re looking behind your locale, you can still score really good deals. In some instances you can get a vehicle shipped to your door for less than what you can get in your immediate region. You have to use multiple online sources to search, but like I said, there’s surely deals out there.

If you’re paying $2k a month for a rental and a 1 Bdrm at that, it’s time to look for another place and be more open to other areas. Hell in some places you can be paying $2k per month for a house with homeowners insurance…

Also some areas of the country have lower cost of living which = lower salaries as well. Meaning, if a job in FL is paying $50k a year, that same job in NJ/NY/PA or CA may be paying at least $10k-$20k more, depending on region. Sure if you move to a higher salary in another state, true cost of living may be higher too - BUT again, if you shop around for living space and are open to different areas, you can still do quite well.

The COVID $$$ handouts were not monitored and there was a lot of waste/fraud - I’ll agree with that sentiment.

There’s so many places hiring because people don’t want to work… so many places…. Hell, I was just reading that Target is now going to jump their minimum wage to $24.00 an hour! Many places are hiring at top dollar because they need the workforce AND people who want to work.

You think home prices are insane today - try being in the market around the 2006-2008 time period - same thing happened, then the real estate market crashed hard, and plummeted home prices big time. People who were paying in excess of $400k-$500K+ for a home that was extremely overvalued as such, saw their home values then plummet by at least $100k minimum… in some instances as much as $150k+.

All I see is history repeating itself - real estate skyrocketing, gasoline sky rocketing,, food prices being jacked up, excuses being made for XYZ, etc etc etc…. Hell, this planet may be heading for WW3 the way things are currently going…

Oh and as far as demoralized, disrespectful idiots - they’ve been around since the beginning of time. Social media and Reality TV smut shows just makes them all the more visible to society today. Nothing new there…

 

[Inthehighdesert]

What did you go to school for? Current job(description, not company)? I’m a little older(53), and one of the hardest things in life to learn is to to turn off and ignore the noise. And just get down to focusing on making and enjoying the life you have.

 

[DutchPony]

Things sadly aren't better in Europe. I know I'm going to sound like a conspiracy theorist but it's almost so hard to believe our governments are this incompetent. Like they haven't learned anything in the last century.

Like others have stated, I think it's just history repeating itself. I imagine we're (Western countries) going right towards a massive depression and possibly another major war afterwards.

I just try to do a the things I'd like to as long as I can do it responsibly. Mustangs are really expensive here but I figured I might as well get one now, 10 years from now they'll (gasoline vehicles) be banned.

 

[key01]

I feel for you and know these stories are not BS. If you have the ability and creativity to do your own thing and get out from working for the man, you should try. Working for yourself is one of the greatest equalizers out there if you can make it work. The monetary and psychological rewards are well worth it. I wish you well and admire your fortitude.

 

[TrackMustang]

I would take all this, and use it as a sign to take a leap. You said yourself you felt (at some point) you were going to lose your job, so someone could have made the decision for you. You have a small amount of comfort at your job (it pays your bills) so why risk something new? Because you only live one time and you have to. Apply for a new job with your new found experience at a company that values you more in a state/area that doesn’t charge $2k a month for a one bedroom. There are states that didn’t destroy small business in the name of the pandemic, that have *somewhat* reasonable rent/home prices. Many of the issues you face can be resolved if you’re willing to take a chance. If things are really that bad then what do you have to lose? And if the answer is “a lot”, then things aren’t really that bad.

 

[ScottyRyan2018]

I agree, the assholes have always existed, most of them came out from under a rock due to things happening at the time. Sure, some new ones were “created” but for the most part they always existed.

What makes be scratch my ass is how utterly stupid and gullible some people are. I mean holy shit, a bit of skepticism is healthy. Search out the facts, not the bullshit. It’s there, you just have to look for it between Uncle Charlie and his wing-nut conspiracies and the lady next door getting her ”news” off Bookface.

As for the economy, yep a complete shit show. In hindsight things probably should have been done differently, but at the time SOME of what was done made sense.

As for the govt “make it rain strip club money machine” they should have learned from the fraud with TARP ( which actually had SOME oversight) but then they go shelling out trillions this time, with NO oversight. How fucking dumb can you be?

As for housing, supply and demand. Low supply on market combined with people wanting to move for various reasons equals high prices. We took advantage of it. Started new construction fall of 2020. We were price locked so NO cost increases passed on even though lumber, etc, was skyrocketing. We sold our existing home early summer 2021 and made out like bandits. So we hit it perfect, new build PA signed at perfect time, sold when market was high and bidding was the norm. I speak to some of the custom builders in the neighborhood and supply chain issues are still causing problems and delayed closings and prices are still going up

Job market…around where I live businesses are scrambling for people especially in lower paying jobs. Can’t find the labor. There is somewhat of a similar problem in higher paying blue color work. Heck, my 21 year old kid just took a job that will be paying him $75K soon and aroond $100K in not too many years. Good money for our economy here.

Then you have that fucking thug Putin. Guy has always been a piece of shit and now he attacks Ukraine in the name of $$ and oil ( yeah there is more to it but that’s the main reason ). And yet some people support that shit bag….

Yes, oil (gas is skyrocketing). Partly because of demand, partly because of supply, and partly ( mostly right now) as a result of speculation as to where supply and demand are going. It’s a global commodity traded on a global scale. It’s not just happening here.

Done for now….

 

[Shifting_Gears]

Easier said than done, but have you tried looking for a better place to live - not just in State, but out of State? Or even a better job that will pay you even more than what you are currently making?

While prices are high everywhere (cars/homes), there are still deals out there, if you’re looking AND looking beyond your immediate locale or region.

I’ve seen the same complaints that Dealerships are charging ADM fees on new vehicles, but also see Dealerships with no mark ups at all for the same vehicles. The same is true with used cars - sure the prices have increased on certain models, but again if you’re looking behind your locale, you can still score really good deals. In some instances you can get a vehicle shipped to your door for less than what you can get in your immediate region. You have to use multiple online sources to search, but like I said, there’s surely deals out there.

If you’re paying $2k a month for a rental and a 1 Bdrm at that, it’s time to look for another place and be more open to other areas. Hell in some places you can be paying $2k per month for a house with homeowners insurance…

Also some areas of the country have lower cost of living which = lower salaries as well. Meaning, if a job in FL is paying $50k a year, that same job in NJ/NY/PA or CA may be paying at least $10k-$20k more, depending on region. Sure if you move to a higher salary in another state, true cost of living may be higher too - BUT again, if you shop around for living space and are open to different areas, you can still do quite well.

The COVID $$$ handouts were not monitored and there was a lot of waste/fraud - I’ll agree with that sentiment.

There’s so many places hiring because people don’t want to work… so many places…. Hell, I was just reading that Target is now going to jump their minimum wage to $24.00 an hour! Many places are hiring at top dollar because they need the workforce AND people who want to work.

You think home prices are insane today - try being in the market around the 2006-2008 time period - same thing happened, then the real estate market crashed hard, and plummeted home prices big time. People who were paying in excess of $400k-$500K+ for a home that was extremely overvalued as such, saw their home values then plummet by at least $100k minimum… in some instances as much as $150k+.

All I see is history repeating itself - real estate skyrocketing, gasoline sky rocketing,, food prices being jacked up, excuses being made for XYZ, etc etc etc…. Hell, this planet may be heading for WW3 the way things are currently going…

Oh and as far as demoralized, disrespectful idiots - they’ve been around since the beginning of time. Social media and Reality TV smut shows just makes them all the more visible to society today. Nothing new there…

Yes, all valid points. I have considered how much longer I want to remain in this area, what other career opportunities would be interesting, etc. I am thinking ahead, just feel like I am caught in the rush. I would probably have to step back what I'm making a good bit to move to a different area (Northeast isn't for me, lol). FL has no income tax and a higher pay bracket for what I do.

The problem is, in South Florida the stretch from Miami to West Palm is the same. Rent sucks no matter where you are, unless it's in an unsafe area. The fact that property is limited is making things worse because everyone is moving here. You're right, there are still not terrible deals available in the housing and vehicle market. It takes a lot of patience and being ready to pull the trigger whenever they come available.

Wouldn't be shocked if history repeats with housing. I do remember in 08/09 the damage that was done. Turned a lot of people's lives upside down.

What did you go to school for? Current job(description, not company)? I’m a little older(53), and one of the hardest things in life to learn is to to turn off and ignore the noise. And just get down to focusing on making and enjoying the life you have.

Solid advice. That's what I am trying to master doing, it's not easy when the noise is blasted directly at you. Lol.

I went to school for business management, currently in that field. I'm an operations manager in the resort/tourism industry.

Things sadly aren't better in Europe. I know I'm going to sound like a conspiracy theorist but it's almost so hard to believe our governments are this incompetent. Like they haven't learned anything in the last century.

Like others have stated, I think it's just history repeating itself. I imagine we're (Western countries) going right towards a massive depression and possibly another major war afterwards.

I just try to do a the things I'd like to as long as I can do it responsibly. Mustangs are really expensive here but I figured I might as well get one now, 10 years from now they'll (gasoline vehicles) be banned.

Greed acts as a great set of blinders. It is crazy. Agreed, life is about experiences. What you have is cool, but what you do with what you have is more important.

I feel for you and know these stories are not BS. If you have the ability and creativity to do your own thing and get out from working for the man, you should try. Working for yourself is one of the greatest equalizers out there if you can make it work. The monetary and psychological rewards are well worth it. I wish you well and admire your fortitude.

Thank you, I appreciate that. I would love to make that step one day. Just need to keep my eye on the prize.

I would take all this, and use it as a sign to take a leap. You said yourself you felt (at some point) you were going to lose your job, so someone could have made the decision for you. You have a small amount of comfort at your job (it pays your bills) so why risk something new? Because you only live one time and you have to. Apply for a new job with your new found experience at a company that values you more in a state/area that doesn’t charge $2k a month for a one bedroom. There are states that didn’t destroy small business in the name of the pandemic, that have *somewhat* reasonable rent/home prices. Many of the issues you face can be resolved if you’re willing to take a chance. If things are really that bad then what do you have to lose? And if the answer is “a lot”, then things aren’t really that bad.

Absolutely true. I took a leap coming here. Not immune to that idea, but I have to say it sucks thinking about giving up the progress I've made early in the game. Got to weigh what's more important, though.

I agree, the assholes have always existed, most of them came out from under a rock due to things happening at the time. Sure, some new ones were “created” but for the most part they always existed.

What makes be scratch my ass is how utterly stupid and gullible some people are. I mean holy shit, a bit of skepticism is healthy. Search out the facts, not the bullshit. It’s there, you just have to look for it between Uncle Charlie and his wing-nut conspiracies and the lady next door getting her ”news” off Bookface.

As for the economy, yep a complete shit show. In hindsight things probably should have been done differently, but at the time SOME of what was done made sense.

As for the govt “make it rain strip club money machine” they should have learned from the fraud with TARP ( which actually had SOME oversight) but then they go shelling out trillions this time, with NO oversight. How fucking dumb can you be?

As for housing, supply and demand. Low supply on market combined with people wanting to move for various reasons equals high prices. We took advantage of it. Started new construction fall of 2020. We were price locked so NO cost increases passed on even though lumber, etc, was skyrocketing. We sold our existing home early summer 2021 and made out like bandits. So we hit it perfect, new build PA signed at perfect time, sold when market was high and bidding was the norm. I speak to some of the custom builders in the neighborhood and supply chain issues are still causing problems and delayed closings and prices are still going up

Job market…around where I live businesses are scrambling for people especially in lower paying jobs. Can’t find the labor. There is somewhat of a similar problem in higher paying blue color work. Heck, my 21 year old kid just took a job that will be paying him $75K soon and aroond $100K in not too many years. Good money for our economy here.

Then you have that fucking thug Putin. Guy has always been a piece of shit and now he attacks Ukraine in the name of $$ and oil ( yeah there is more to it but that’s the main reason ). And yet some people support that shit bag….

Yes, oil (gas is skyrocketing). Partly because of demand, partly because of supply, and partly ( mostly right now) as a result of speculation as to where supply and demand are going. It’s a global commodity traded on a global scale. It’s not just happening here.

Done for now….

LOL, yeah the great asshole emergence of 2020/2021. Your post made me laugh. I agree the whole degradation of intelligence of our society is ultra depressing in itself. No one trusts any sources, so we create our own. Conspiracy theories abound (on all political fronts).

That's an awesome start for your son!!!

Sounds like you had a good run, that's awesome. My brother got extremely fortunate too and sold their home in CA and moved to AZ before the great CA exodus where everyone seemed to also move to AZ.

 

[MIDLYFE]

The lockdowns were a big mistake. Never should have happened. Economies can't be turned on and off like a water faucet. It is my belief that people are smart enough to self regulate in times like these. People would have isolated on their own until the public had a better understanding of Covid. Sure the economy would have slowed but it wouldn't have stopped. Shutting down businesses for months on end and basically denying people the right to earn a living was abject insanity. I mean, who was the genius scientist who decided filling California skate parks with sand was a good idea? Covid revealed a lot about human nature but I was personally shocked to learn how little people value the freedom to choose.

Inflation is getting worse by the day and the Senate's answer is to pass a $1.5 trillion omnibus bill full of unnecessary earmarks which will obviously fuel more inflation. And now we have willfully ignorant leaders (the U.S. president for one) telling us that printing giant stacks of money doesn't devalue a currency. Anyone who has even taken one day of Econ 101 can call bullshit on this blatant lie. The sad truth is that as long as unserious leaders like this are in charge I don't foresee a good ending to this story.

Live within your means. Have a rainy day fund (if possible). If you have any money get it out of the big banks and into a credit union. Luckily for me I saw this coming and sidelined my retirement stocks a few months back. I invested some in oil and gold and seriously thought about nickel but sadly was too chickenshit to pull the trigger there. Anyway, work hard and try to keep your head up. I'm reminded of a quote from one of our founding fathers which goes something like "I find the harder I work, the luckier I get."

 

[TrackMustang]

The fear of giving up what you’ve already got and progress you’ve already made can hold you back for life, but I completely get it. I’ll tell you one thing for sure, searching for jobs that would suit your new talents and putting in resumes/going to interviews has zero negative consequences. Worst case you turn a job offer down, best case you change your life.

 

[LaMustang62]

i get the Florida thing but remember they came less than .5% of a very different Govenor

 

[Strokerswild]

LOL, yeah the great asshole emergence of 2020/2021. Your post made me laugh. I agree the whole degradation of intelligence of our society is ultra depressing in itself. No one trusts any sources, so we create our own. Conspiracy theories abound (on all political fronts).

I call it the asshole nouveau, which really seems to be the case lately. It's unfortunate, and I fear it isn't going to improve anytime soon.

As Charlie said above, it's best to turn off the noise and concentrate on enjoying the life you have. I'm a little older at 53 (as of yesterday, yay me) also, and the last couple of years have been a test. I lost my son (only child) in February of '20 and all that brought on the home front (and still does), then Covid hit and I spent the majority of that year with a significant pay reduction so my employer could weather the storm. It was the year of suck. I developed a silo mentality, and my focus became eliminating my only debt, my primary residence, which I did last March. Since doing that I've wanted to spring on a high end car or two, but I enjoy my current semi-bohemian existence with no financial obligations. And during the last couple of years I also learned to take all media with a grain of salt and have no issue unplugging on weekends, and it's edging into the workweek as well. It's liberating.

How does the saying go? We're only here for a short time, so it should be a good time. Or something like that. Do what you have to do to better your situation.

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