Are you happy being middle class?

[Little_Mary]

I’m quite happy with our life!! I would really love to be in a different house, but that has more to do with the neighborhood and our mortgage being more than 50% underwater than anything else.

Yeah - I’m happier now that I’ve ever been - even when I DID live in the big house out in the 'burbs.

~Liza

I don’t know much about it, but you should check with a bank or mortgage broker about financing for upside down situations. Just a suggestion.

 

[dconklin]

I grew-up and still am very middle class. I went to HS in the very affluent town beside ours. My upper class friends really did not have anything better than me. Sure, they had sport cars but those same cars helped them loose their licenses. Their dads were always working. Their moms were more concerned about shopping for shoes than raising their kids.

Be happy with what you have - or don’t have.

 

[Luvz2travel]

I would like to be middle class but can’t say that I am.

 

[Dorothy]

I’ve been a widow for many years, and my eight children are grown and have families of their own.

We lived from hand to mouth, and sometimes fell a bit behind, but when income tax refund time came around we caught up. We weren’t too proud to take hand-me-down clothes in good condition, and we accepted bicycles and toys when families with older children were cleaning up.

They did get a few new toys at Christmas time - but it was never a brand new bike or any toy that cost a ridiculous amount.

Grandma knew how to sew beautiful clothes and made dresses for the girls, and pants and shirts for the boys at holiday times.

When they became teen-agers they delivered newspapers, advertising circulars, shoveled snow, mowed lawns and babysat.

Fast forward to a recent family reunion: We laugh ourselves silly at all the funny stories we could remember, and the children are grateful that they knew what it was to work for what you want. Of course, not all the stories were funny, as one is bound to have challenges and conflicts in families, but with the Lord’s help we got through them.

Now my children are all over the United States and we keep in touch and try to have a reunion every three or four years where about six of the eight families are able to come. We also have mini-reunions of those of us who live about eight hours driving distance.

Although the lack of finances at times was frustrating, we weren’t hungry, or without heat in the wintertimes. We had lots of fun times, with grandma, grandpa, and aunts and uncles. Family and visiting with family was a regular activity.

All of my children have their own particular talents and are supporting their families. Four of them have graduated college, and the others are self-taught and developed their skills over time. One got a full scholarship, some got smaller ones, and they all took out student loans.

Looking back on all of this I see it as a very good thing that didn’t hurt us one bit, and actually made us stronger.

God is good, and I thank Him for my family and for taking good care of us.

 

[90Domer]

I’m quite happy. I have a good job, nice house, fantastic supportive husband, kids who are more often well-behaved then not, etc.

I don’t have a lot of extras, but then again I don’t want any. There are so many people out there that talk about working hard and earning a lot of money so they can retire in style and not have to worry. I probably won’t retire, I don’t have a lot of extra ambition… and all the money we save - which is pretty significant considering my young age - will probably go to our children.

I have no real desire to live in the lap of luxury. What I have now is enough.

I have my 10 year old car to go with my 10 year old marriage too… But it still works and doesn’t need much maintenance even considering it’s old age. (Talking about the car!)

Love this!

 

[AugustineFan]

Thank you for all the posts. I think the key is that I need more God in my life, and to treasure what is really important. I love my wife, daughter and family. God Bless You All

 

[KCT]

Father said in his homily this morning that when judgement day comes, God is not going to care how much $$ you had. He’s going to care how you loved and how you served.

 

[Trishie]

We lost our home when interest rates reached their highest ever point at the same time as my husband had a total collapse and wasn’t recovering, hasn’t been able to work since.
We are the financially poorest on both sides of the family.
We rent. I miss a garden and all that, and when our sons visit I sleep on the couch/sofa in the living room as our sons are very tall and couldn’t possibly fit the couch/sofa.
But we do have a decent place to live. Our furniture is second hand.
I often have thought of the refugees, millions of them, millions of homeless persons on this planet.
Why would I not be happy?

 

[Mrs_V]

I agree with my husband on this issue, “Besides money, my life is GREAT!” I have a husband who loves me totally, three beautiful children, food, shelter, clothing, and plenty of books/movies, cable TV with internet. Whenever we have a need for something pricey it seems that God knows b/c a family member or friend will suddenly say “We just bought a new mattress/couch/entertainment center - want out old one?” It is frustrating dealing with student loans/medical bills/etc… but we always manage to scrape by.

 

[Te_Deum]

I wont be happy until I am crowned prince of my own fiefdom.

 

[ChiRho]

“I know that the most modern manufacture has been really occupied in trying to produce an abnormally large needle. I know that the most recent biologists have been chiefly anxious to discover a very small camel. But if we diminish the camel to his smallest, or open the eye of the needle to its largest—if, in short, we assume the words of Christ to have meant the very least that they could mean, His words must at the very least mean this— that rich men are not very likely to be morally trustworthy. Christianity even when watered down is hot enough to boil all modern society to rags. The mere minimum of the Church would be a deadly ultimatum to the world. For the whole modern world is absolutely based on the assumption, not that the rich are necessary (which is tenable), but that the rich are trustworthy, which (for a Christian) is not tenable.” ~ Chesterton

It is probably much better to be middle class or poor, there are certainly fewer impediments to being detached from worldly things

 

[karoleck]

I’ve been a widow for many years, and my eight children are grown and have families of their own.

We lived from hand to mouth, and sometimes fell a bit behind, but when income tax refund time came around we caught up. We weren’t too proud to take hand-me-down clothes in good condition, and we accepted bicycles and toys when families with older children were cleaning up.

They did get a few new toys at Christmas time - but it was never a brand new bike or any toy that cost a ridiculous amount.

Grandma knew how to sew beautiful clothes and made dresses for the girls, and pants and shirts for the boys at holiday times.

When they became teen-agers they delivered newspapers, advertising circulars, shoveled snow, mowed lawns and babysat.

Fast forward to a recent family reunion: We laugh ourselves silly at all the funny stories we could remember, and the children are grateful that they knew what it was to work for what you want. Of course, not all the stories were funny, as one is bound to have challenges and conflicts in families, but with the Lord’s help we got through them.

Now my children are all over the United States and we keep in touch and try to have a reunion every three or four years where about six of the eight families are able to come. We also have mini-reunions of those of us who live about eight hours driving distance.

Although the lack of finances at times was frustrating, we weren’t hungry, or without heat in the wintertimes. We had lots of fun times, with grandma, grandpa, and aunts and uncles. Family and visiting with family was a regular activity.

All of my children have their own particular talents and are supporting their families. Four of them have graduated college, and the others are self-taught and developed their skills over time. One got a full scholarship, some got smaller ones, and they all took out student loans.

Looking back on all of this I see it as a very good thing that didn’t hurt us one bit, and actually made us stronger.

God is good, and I thank Him for my family and for taking good care of us.

People like you are the “salt of the earth”

 

[AnneTeresa]

Money is just paper. Literally. I am blessed to have a home, a car that runs, food on the table, and the ability to give to others who need it. I will never be upper class, but we have more than enough. We have scraped at times and our retirement has taken a hit but in the grand picture of the world’s people, we are very rich.

A friend once told me that to have fresh fruit available in winter meant one was rich. My mom always said (jokingly but it’s true) to always have some friends who are fatter and poorer than you to make you realize how much you have to be thankful for. I am very happy. All we have is a gift from the Lord. I pray that I could use it well.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

I recommend a gratitude list. Start with “A” and write down something that starts with A that you are grateful for, even if it’s “apples.” Work through the alphabet, even if it takes a while. After you consider all the blessings in your life, it’s hard to feel so deprived.

There will always be people who have more stuff or money than you do, and people who have less. The money/stuff isn’t what makes one happy, and anyway, happiness itself is like a butterfly - it flits hither and thither, rather unpredictably. Ever had a day when the butterfly landed on you and you were happy all day, even though nothing external had changed in your life?

But JOY, joy is from the Lord. Joy is being in the Holy Presence of Jesus’ body in adoration. Joy is the Eucharist. Joy is the Mass. Joy is knowing that our Lord and Savior gave up his life for us and loves us more than anything, and He wants us to be with Him forever. Joy is deeper and more profound than happiness, and isn’t found by envying others and coveting their possessions.

Something the “protesters” in several cities don’t seem to understand.

 

[Carlan]

But JOY, joy is from the Lord. Joy is being in the Holy Presence of Jesus’ body in adoration. Joy is the Eucharist. Joy is the Mass. Joy is knowing that our Lord and Savior gave up his life for us and loves us more than anything, and He wants us to be with Him forever. Joy is deeper and more profound than happiness, and isn’t found by envying others and coveting their possessions.

Something the “protesters” in several cities don’t seem to understand.

Somehow though,I am not thinking **all **the protestors are living joyful middle class, or even lower middle class lives. Lest we forget, we pray!
Peace, Carlan

 

[themeginthemoon]

I have been poor, working poor, dirt poor, individually middle class, and married middle class. I am the happiest now, we’re about typical middle class… the essentials are covered, we have medical, and there is always food.

Sure, it would be ‘nice’ to be able to pay large medical bills off in one payment, and just go and get a new couch when we need one… but that’s not reality, we are like most people and have to save to get what we want (our couch is fine, just getting shabby!). I am glad we have to exercise self-control, we appreciate everything so much more. If I were given a lump sum of money, instead of getting ‘toys’, we would probably sock it into our old house that we’ve been restoring for 2 years. And, of course, we would donate some.

Since large donations are out of the question, I volunteer to give back (out of time, treasure, and talent, I give time!). We garden to help provide fresh produce, make compost, my ‘row covers’ are old blankets that I toss over frost tender plants at night.

Long story short - heck yeah, we’re happy! People with lots of extra money seems to worry endlessly about it. My maternal grandparents started out poor and worked up quite an estate for themselves. It’s nice that since my grandfather passed away, my grandmother doesn’t have to worry about money, but now she stresses enormously over how to handle her estate when she passes (there are a large pool of potential heirs, she is unsure of how to shape her will).
Be grateful for what you have… you are blessed with a family, house, and you are not sitting in the dark on the weekends like many of my clients are, worrying about charging your pacemaker.

 

[Musician]

I wont be happy until I am crowned prince of my own fiefdom.

 

[ahs]

I was wondering if you and your family are happy being middle class. I guess what I was wondering, are you happy being able to pay the bills every month and to keep a roof over your head. My wife and I get by every month, have a great daughter and a nice home. But, it seems a lot of work just to stay above water, and I get jealous of others that have more. We need to save more and be more frugal, but it just seems so though these days. I just have a hard time focusing on the good. Be Blessed.

I’d say that we (my wife and I ) are happy with it. We struggle at times, but we always manage to get the bills paid and have food on the table. We rarely get “new” clothes, but we don’t see the need for it. We’ve had to learn to live on a budget (and actually KEEP a monthly budget), and it seems like everytime we get some money saved up, an emergency happens. But, at least I have a good job that has good retirement plan, health benefits, and plenty time off.

My wife and I actually toyed with the idea of her going back to work (which would easily double our income), but the benefits of having a mom at home with the kids simply outweigh the extra income. Besides, the financial struggles don’t seem to go away for people who make more money anyway…at least those that we know.

 

[TheRealJuliane]

Carlan:
Somehow though,I am not thinking **all **the protestors are living joyful middle class, or even lower middle class lives. Lest we forget, we pray!
Peace, Carlan

No, actually, it’s been found that many of them are trust fund babies, screaming about the evil of corporations as they tap away at their iPads and iPhones. Vandalizing Starbucks and Whole Foods really does the country a lot of good too. They all need a good swift kick in the behind, IMO.

 

[karoleck]

No, actually, it’s been found that many of them are trust fund babies, screaming about the evil of corporations as they tap away at their iPads and iPhones. Vandalizing Starbucks and Whole Foods really does the country a lot of good too. They all need a good swift kick in the behind, IMO.

:thumbsup:Yes this entitlement to the goods of this world, without hard work belongs to this generation;crumbling when disappointment strikes their unrealistic aims.Falling from the skies when others through envy,happen to attack a genuine achievement.

As St.Paul said–“we should be happy with our lot”-“content with our pay”–that does not mean that we should not strive for a better life but not to set our hearts on the passing treasurers of this earth–where month & rust can kill.