And I thought my family had a problem...

[FrugalFlyer]

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On 4/29/2003 10:33:27 PM TWAnr wrote:
But to get to the intent of my message, this article does a disservice to all the airline employees who suffer true hardships as a result of the turmoil that hit the industry
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Exactly!

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.  It portrays the life of the rich and spoiled as opposed to those who will suffer real adversities by totally losing the ability to provide for their families and themselves.  The ones who will lose their homes, the ones who will lose their health insurance, the ones who will no longer be able to send their kids to college.
 
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Maybe the purpose of the article is to get those well off to feel sorry for this poor couple, and as a result start purchasing more expensive/full price tickets (i.e. unrestricted fares, business class, etc.)

 

[FrugalFlyer]

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On 4/29/2003 9:39:12 PM flydcoop wrote:
I''m curious on how to avoid living paycheck to paycheck making $20,000/yr. I live like a monk (except for this computer, free internet), put 15% in my 401k and still come up short. Thank-god it''s just me to support.

Do you also lack sympathy for people living paycheck to paycheck on $20,000/yr (or less) who have kids and no medical insurance?

Good grief.

Coop
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Yes, I have no sympathy for people living paycheck to paycheck even if it is $20000 / year (or less). I''ve been there - it''s called grad school, where there are people, single and/or married who either get by on less than $20000 just as there are people (single and/or married) who can''t get by no matter how much they earn.

I think the reporter tried to get a story across on how cuts by AA, one of the regions largest employer, will lead to hardships to many. Unfortunately, they picked the wrong couple. Surely, there are employees who as a result of the concessions, will have to make a much bigger sacrifice than giving up a cruise vacation. This couple gets no sympathy from me (and probably a lot of others who read the article).

 

[WXGuesser]

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On 4/30/2003 9:31:42 AM FrugalFlyer wrote:

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Yes, I have no sympathy for people living paycheck to paycheck even if it is $20000 / year (or less). I've been there - it's called grad school, where there are people, single and/or married who either get by on less than $20000 just as there are people (single and/or married) who can't get by no matter how much they earn.

I think the reporter tried to get a story across on how cuts by AA, one of the regions largest employer, will lead to hardships to many. Unfortunately, they picked the wrong couple. Surely, there are employees who as a result of the concessions, will have to make a much bigger sacrifice than giving up a cruise vacation. This couple gets no sympathy from me (and probably a lot of others who read the article).

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No, this article is a case of Dave Lieber listening to someone he knows in Colleyville whine and complain, and then writing about it in his column. That's what he does.

My wife and I live paycheck-to-paycheck, and make less per year combined that what this couple is losing. We don't live taht far from the neighborhood these people live in (if you live in the D/FW area, you ought to take a drive through Colleyville and Southlake neighborhoods sometimes... at least the ones you can get into, that aren't gated communities. Talk about how the other half lives!) I don't feel an ounce of sympathy for these folks. Not one bit. They make more in a month than my wife does in a year (she's a newspaper reporter, oddly enough). And their kids are worried about having to share a room? There are plenty of houses in this area (even in that school district) that go for half or less of what their house is worth with plenty of bedroom space. (My wife and I were going to be in the market for a house in that school district after our wedding. Unfortunately, I got laid off by AA four days afterwards.)

Does that 17-year-old have a job? I have worked since I was 16, and have never been out of work longer than three weeks in that time. Does that kid at college have a scholarship (or a job), or is he one of those people going to school on Mommy & Daddy's money? I wonder what these folks are driving to and from work. I would hazard a guess it has less than 100,000 miles on it.

It's all about how you spend and save your money. Is it unfortunate that these people are taking paycuts? Yes. But if you are making that much money you should have stored some away for the bad times. If you haven't squirreled some away, that's their problem, not ours.

TANSTAAFL

 

[KCFlyer]

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On 4/30/2003 9:48:55 AM FrugalFlyer wrote:

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On 4/29/2003 8:28:08 PM KCFlyer wrote:
Ah, compassion for one''s fellow man. 
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Call me uncompassionate, but I get the feeling that these people will survive the concessions just fine.


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I don''t doubt that at all. But my point is several folks have made a boatload of ASSUMPTIONS that this couple must be living beyond their means. I don''t think they are.

 

[FrugalFlyer]

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On 4/29/2003 8:28:08 PM KCFlyer wrote:
Ah, compassion for one''s fellow man. 
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Call me uncompassionate, but I get the feeling that these people will survive the concessions just fine.

 

[JS]

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On 4/30/2003 9:59:44 AM KCFlyer wrote:



I don''t doubt that at all. But my point is several folks have made a boatload of ASSUMPTIONS that this couple must be living beyond their means. I don''t think they are.
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Then why are they selling their house? It can''t be because they want to maintain their level of savings, because real estate is a good investment (as well as being your home). The $2,500 mortgage payment is a savings contribution.

If their post-cut after-tax income is, say, $10,000 a month, how can spending a quarter of that on a house be burdensome. Where the heck is the other $7,500, after tax, (after the pay cut!) going?

 

[Ch. 12]

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On 4/29/2003 9:55:09 PM RV4 wrote:

What does Arpey''s house cost? And how much is his paycut?

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Is it already time to start flaming Arpey?! It''s apparent that you only want to be combative with management and you will never accept the CEO no matter who it is. I''m not saying I was a DC fan but to already start complaining about somebody who has been at the post for less than a week?! AA''s problems will never be resolved with this mentality on the front lines.

 

[gogogadget]

Wow,

First of all, we all need to look in the mirror! You need to re-read this topic and look at what people are posting!

I for one do not wish bad things on anyone because it could very well be any one of us. No matter how well you plan or dont plan. There are countless stories of people losing success and becoming homeless and homeless people becoming the epitome of success.

I just wish we could all remember that we got where we are today because of other people helping us along the way! Being homeless might not be so badd, especially if it means not having to put up with so much hate and negativity!

Moderator, can we close this topic.......................

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

I''ll take the high road with this story and believe that the Griffins are anticipating a long financial hardship and therefore are downsizing. Perhaps because they have college-aged kids.

But if the Griffins are to be commended for taking action now I''ve gotta ask didn''t they see this coming a year ago?

For heavens'' sake -- this trouble has been swirling around AA for months now and they''ve just decided to cancel their cruise?

 

[Bob Owens]

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On 4/30/2003 9:31:42 AM FrugalFlyer wrote:

Yes, I have no sympathy for people living paycheck to paycheck even if it is $20000 / year (or less). I''ve been there - it''s called grad school, where there are people, single and/or married who either get by on less than $20000 just as there are people (single and/or married) who can''t get by no matter how much they earn.

I think the reporter tried to get a story across on how cuts by AA, one of the regions largest employer, will lead to hardships to many. Unfortunately, they picked the wrong couple. Surely, there are employees who as a result of the concessions, will have to make a much bigger sacrifice than giving up a cruise vacation. This couple gets no sympathy from me (and probably a lot of others who read the article).


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What year was that when you had to get by in Grad school?



I doubt that the reporter was really seeking a sympathic response. I would say that the selection was deliberate.​

Let me guess the following page was a full page spread from AA.

 

[Bob Owens]

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On 4/30/2003 8:56:09 AM eolesen wrote:



Still trying to bait people into the "my job is more important than yours is" argument, eh?...

I didnt bring up the issue of "responsibility"

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On 4/30/2003 5:52:44 AM Bob Owens wrote:

Still driving to save pennies per gallon?​

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Absolutely. Last week it was a 12c per gallon difference. And now that I''m taking the train to work, I''m saving even more on an annualized basis.

Still paying city and state income taxes in New York?

Just state, no city yet but Bloomberg is trying!

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[FrugalFlyer]

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On 4/30/2003 6:15:17 PM Bob Owens wrote:

What year was that when you had to get by in Grad school?

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Bob,
Check your PM.