https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Sat, 09 May 2026 18:27:37 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1245524 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 18:25:55 +0000 HLK208 1245524@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't think either are well off but family #1 has assets and materials they could sell. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1245515 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 18:18:54 +0000 dc yoga bee 1245515@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I can't vote. Both have serious issues for me and DH comfort level. Income near the poverty level is not something we are comfortable with, even with the 2 years savings. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1245379 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 17:13:24 +0000 BSB 1245379@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know if could answer this question. Well off? Family 2 is doing very well with savings and living within their means but Family 1 has a home. Also, we don't know how much debt they have. Do they have $10k over 3 cards? $50K? or 5K? </p> <p>Family 2 is definitely more responsible (?) with how they save and spend their money. </p> <p>I think both families have different priorities. I would personally rather own a home than rent a home.</p> <p>Also, income wise, how much does Family 1 make in a year?</p> <p>Lots of factors here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1245365 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 17:07:19 +0000 dolphin 1245365@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>hmm i couldn't vote...both are not well off! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1245278 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 16:44:49 +0000 looch 1245278@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I didn't even see the food in home food storage. That sounds, um, appetizing. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1245266 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 16:41:27 +0000 blackbird 1245266@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I was on board with #2 until i saw the "1 income near poverty line". Eesh. </p> <p>I think both situations kind of suck, lol. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1245242 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 16:34:18 +0000 mrsmate 1245242@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>If I were in family 2's situation I'd be terrified. Wages have been stagnant for decades while rents keep going up. I think at some point down the line their situation would become unsustainable.</p> <p>One fire and poof - there goes their food. And I don't even want to think about what their lives would be like in old age.</p> <p>At least family 1 has the option to pare down... </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1244998 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 15:31:45 +0000 Lindsay05 1244998@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: yep agreed. Its hard to say just from the scenarios given thats for sure. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1244809 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:53:02 +0000 littlek 1244809@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: Yes, it's a very different world. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1244727 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:36:51 +0000 Cherrybee 1244727@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>It's hard to say because there are lots of details missing - like how much family 1 owes on their credit cards.... but from the info we have I'm going to go for family 1 because they have assets in the house and the summer cabin. I commend Family 2 heartily for saving but two years worth of expenses is unlikely to be more than the equity family 1 has in both of their homes, even after their consumer debt. In fifteen years time, when Family 1 has paid off their mortgage they will own their home. Family 2 will have thrown huge amounts of dead money into renting their home during that time - what a waste. </p> <p>That said, family 2 are rich in something I covet so much - time. If they survive on one income that one of them is able to stay home with the kids. How wonderful! We need both of our incomes to pay our mortgage - it's a trade off, I guess. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1244713 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:33:00 +0000 LuLu Mom 1244713@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'd vote for family two due to savings, however number one has more to liquidate if they have a financial emergency (and can adjust habits if needed to save money) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1244696 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:29:42 +0000 SugarplumsMom 1244696@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Definitely family 2. But most people would assume they're dirt poor without knowing their financial situation - which is excellent. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1244684 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:25:01 +0000 Mae 1244684@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted for family 1. They have 2 higher incomes which means they have more options. They can always sell their home or summer home for more cash on hand. It does sort of depend how MUCH they have on their credit cards (I might feel differently if they had like 150k in credit card debt vs. 10k). But in general I feel like more earning potential = better off, even if they aren't necessarily making the most of their situation.</p> <p>But I might be biased because I personally place a premium on quality of life (and call me materialistic, but my 4 bedroom house, nice car, the fact that I can buy what I want within reason, and the fact that we go out to do stuff and go to eat pretty frequently make me happy because it is the life I want. I'd be unhappy if I had a bunch more in savings but felt like I was having no fun and living in a place I hated). </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1244659 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:19:23 +0000 MamaMoose 1244659@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: preach it sister! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1244648 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:17:13 +0000 looch 1244648@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>As I said in another post, really wealthy people are not like you and me in terms of what we pay for a rate on credit cards. For a normal, regular person, they can do a balance transfer for a set period, like 6 months, to another lender.</p> <p>I am not advocating people rack up debt, don't get me wrong, but it's not so black and white when rates do and will go up. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1244630 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:11:43 +0000 Lindsay05 1244630@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: thats awesome! What about 3 credit cards with insane rates? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off/page/2#post-1244605 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:05:48 +0000 looch 1244605@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Lindsay05: Not necessarily. I have a car loan at 0% and a fixed rate mortgage loan. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244597 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:03:37 +0000 Mrs. High Heels 1244597@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I voted for family 2. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244591 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 14:01:51 +0000 Beyond2 1244591@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Shutterbug: No problem :-) I did try to keep my own bias out, to just see the general populations response, but money is something that I'm passionate and opinionated about so sometimes that is tough lol. In general though I love to see other people's thoughts on the subject even when they differ from mine. You never know when you'll learn something new! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244575 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:58:12 +0000 looch 1244575@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know we think a lot of people on this board are really well off, and by well off, I mean have a lot of disposable income, but the fact of the matter is that most of us will never see astronomical wealth. And let me tell you, those people have loans and debt. Wealthy people borrow money, they leverage themselves regularly in ways most people can not imagine. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244566 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:56:12 +0000 SweetMamaM 1244566@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I don't know that there are enough specifics here to really make an educated evaluation, but I would say that my DH and I tend more towards Family #2's perspective. We don't have poverty line income levels (and won't, even when we drop to one income in January) but would be concerned about high levels of consumer debt (e.g. owing on three different credit cards) and saving is very important to us. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244565 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:55:38 +0000 Shutterbug 1244565@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Beyond2: sorry for assuming! Certainly not worrisome, I think I'm just cynical in general, haha. I do believe that your question is hypothetical but I think it's clear which family you think is more well off ;) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244556 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:53:53 +0000 Mrs. Lemon-Lime 1244556@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Can't say for certain which fam is mote well off. But fam #2 may not have any worries, but they also sound like they have no fun. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244527 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:48:07 +0000 Boheme 1244527@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Beyond2: I do apologize for assuming, but there were so many specifics for a hypothetical question it seemed as if it was an actual comparison. That being said, we utilize the Dave Ramsey plan and I feel like we've learned (and saved) quite a bit from it. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244526 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:47:52 +0000 bunnylove08 1244526@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Beyond2: When I read it I was like Hey Dave Ramsey keeping up with the Jones but thats how america lives. You have a mortgage, car payments and consumer debt. You dont know how much debt they're in or what they do for a living. where they're living. </p> <p>You never know if Family 2 is living in a big city where its cheaper to rent a house than to have a high mortgage. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244523 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:47:36 +0000 Lindsay05 1244523@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Beyond2: No worries ;) i particularly like these topics because it takes a little bit of thinking and is based on real life scenarios. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244509 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:45:06 +0000 Beyond2 1244509@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Wow I didn't realize that this could get so worrisome to people. Please note, I'm not using anyone's responses to back up an argument. It was just a question as are many that are posted on HB. If you feel uncomfortable answering please feel free to skip this one. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244498 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:43:15 +0000 Arden 1244498@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I'm going to have to agree with @pui here - let's not jump to the worst conclusion on the OP here.<br /> That said, I don't have an answer to the question because its incredibly subjective. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244494 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:41:38 +0000 Beyond2 1244494@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@bunnylove08: Haha!! Good call :-) That's kind of what I was basing these scenarios on. I would consider family 1 to be a pretty "normal" well off family. And Family 2 to be a Dave Ramsey "well off" family. Well for a while anyways. I realize his concept is to then from there acquire assets with cash, but realistically family 2s scenario is probably likely for quite a while before they get to that point. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/who-is-more-well-off#post-1244487 Tue, 26 Nov 2013 13:38:40 +0000 Lindsay05 1244487@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Lol im sure its hypothetical. Its a good reality check. No different than answering the same question in economics class. ;) </p>