I used to think that the way to get ahead in this world was to work hard, save and pay your bills. Invest, try to be self reliant, never take a handout, let your word be your bond, if you say you're going to do something then do it, don't buy things that you can't afford and always wear clean underwear. Well, that has all changed. I am finding out the hard way that this life is just a game of musical chairs. For me the music is about to stop and I won't have a chair when it does.

My advice to anyone who wants it is this: Spend all your money! If you want something than buy it! If you need a vacation then take it! Saving is for suckers, working hard is for suckers and being responsible is for suckers. Why do I say this? Because anything that you have is going to be taken away from you by someone else.

Banks and corporations have the government wrapped around their fingers. They say jump and the government jumps. Doesn't matter if it's a Democrat or a Republican. They all do the same thing. The banks wanted tougher laws on bankruptcy and Bush said "Yessum Massa!" and made the laws tougher for people to file for bankruptcy. Then the banks wanted $770,000,000,000 to pay off their bad investments and Bush said "Yessum Massa!" and handed over $770,000,000,000 and just like that their bad investments were washed away like taking a bath in money. GM and Chrysler wanted $25 billion and Obama jumped to and handed over the dough. GM and Chrysler wanted to sell more cars and Obama coughed up $2,000,000,000 to buy junkers and sell new Camaro. You, you make a bad investment and you're goning to pay every fucking nickle, and you get to pay the tab on the bankers bad investments, and the bonuses for the bankers who made the bad investments, you get to pay the tab for the car companies to make cars that people don't want to buy and you get to pay the tab to get other people to buy cars that they couldn't afford or wouldn't want if it weren't for the $4,500 handout they were getting. You don't get to be safe from WWIII when Iran builds a nuclear missile and shoots it at Paris or Warsaw, you don't get to safe when Russia decides that it doesn't like Poland being part of NATO, you don't get to be safe when North Koreans lob a nuke into Okinawa, you don't get to be safe when The Taliban takes over Pakistan and hands their nukes over to Al Queda or shoots one off into Kabul. Nope, you get to buy shit for other people who decided to be irresponsible.

Why? Why do you get to buy shit for other people who decided to do stupid things? Because you're a fucking sucker that's why! You thought that working hard and saving money was smart! Well guess what dumbass! The government is going to take your money away from you and give it to people who didn't earn it. Then, the people who got your money are going to drive the economy into the ground while the government spends more and more money that it doesn't have and in the end whatever money you get left with won't be good for anything except for maybe wiping your ass.

So why save? Why work hard? Why be responsible? Fuck it! If you have money the fucking spend it. Go get yourself one of those new iPods that just came out, or machine gun! Put it on a credit card if you can.

Me? Well, if I would have done what every other "crook" and "louse" had done, if I would have stopped paying on my house the day I moved out then I would be free and clear. It would have been foreclosed on and my credit would be about a year away from being normal. But not me! I decided to do "the right thing". I figured that I was obligated to do what I could to keep the place long enough to sell at a reasonable price so that I could fulfill the mortgage contract. I figured that I needed to sell the place, and when that didn't work I rented the place. Now the bank would just as soon foreclose as do a short sale, is completely disinterested in a loan modification and no matter which way I go I will have the IRS on my back. It's either that or keep bleeding money (about $6,500/year) on a house that has lost about $60,000 in value.

Being honest doesn't pay. Being responsible doesn't pay. Working hard doesn't pay. Saving doesn't pay. Being stupid pays! Being dishonest pays! Being irresponsible pays big time! And spending is great because the worse off you are the more help you get.

[/rant]

Pay the tenants $1000 to start making fried chicken and then go out for dinner.

I agree.

Live fast, die young, and leave a mountain of debt - look good doing it too!


10/10



Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

I just told a friend today - there are three quality ways to "invest" right now:

1:  Hard goods (guns, ammo, food, maybe tools).

2:  Precious Metals (gold, silver).

3:  Accumulate Debt.  It will eventually be out-paced by inflation.

Correct - those with debt will soon be rewarded with inflation - which will make that debt worth less.



Posted Via AR15.Com Mobile

Steve - sorry for the burden you're carrying right now, and I appreciate your desire to do the right thing. But you will survive.

   Life goes on. Money is made and lost. children are born and raised. People grow old and die. Only a couple of things in life worth having. Good friends and family and some good guns to shoot now and then. I do like a good cigar every once in a while. When your up its not a good as it should be and when your down its not as bad as you imagined. Let the house go man. Its not the end of the world.

It may not be the end of the world, but there is a paradigm change and we're going to have to think and act differently.  The old formula for success has been upset and we're in for a world of hurt.  Those who adapt will prosper.  I give the rant 10/10.

Na I dont think so. Your fancy words dont really make sense. The change isnt any change that hasent happened before. There are ups and downs in the economy throughout history. Yes you gota roll with the flow. But most of us with normal jobs and lifes don't have to worry about the formula for success. we earn our paycheck, pay the bills and get on with life. The formula is simple.

Too much drama, bro.

You made a bad business decision, starting by not offing the house when it lost just a few thousand dollars in value.

It's nothing to get excited about. You're upside down now, so your only choice is to get a loan modification or walk away.

It's not a fucking mark of Cain or anything like that. It's a business decision.

IT'S BUSINESS, NOTHING MORE.

Playing by the rules is for suckers.

Even trying to play by the rules is for suckers.

don't make much/any money, use up your savings because to go on welfare would be bad.  SUCKER.

Start a business, try to play by ALL the rules, get undercut by two mexicans in a truck.  SUCKER.

etc, etc, etc.

I agree, blow it all, obama will save you.

Don't give up .Fight the good Fight brother Steve !

Overall a respectable rant. Good use of the "life is unfair" argument, strong showing of utter contempt for social welfare programs at the expense of the middle class, poignant and rapier-like wit directed against all political parties, and clever use of minority euphemisms like "suckas." However, a medal winning rant always begins with, "So...." and typically features guest appearances by both Dave_A and Taxman, recently out of retirement.



8/10





On a serious note, keep doing the right thing, because the one thing they CAN'T take away from you is your dignity (although Whitney Huston did in fact lose hers). Do what is right, set an example, don't become like them. You have one crack at life; live with pride and dignity (and Jesus).

I was going to post the currently-being-attacked-in-another-thread jpeg, but as I agree with what you are saying, I'll give you a 10/10. I sometimes think I might just scam the system for awhile to make up for being good for the past 53 years.

it sucks.

I went to school for almost a decade to come out in a pile of student loan debt and worked 7 day weeks to afford a "comfortable" lifestyle.

I live well, I don't worry a whole lot about tomorrow - but the GED equivalency  "coworkers" think they're owed the same things and lifestyle and work schedule that I earned.   And yes it gets old.

However, at the end of the day...  some people are cashiers at walmart, and the rest of us can be proud of what we do, how we do it, and who we do it for.  

Fuck them - hard work still gets you places "those people" don't even know exist.

What money? I have like $4 in my bank account.

CSB

You are going to need a lot of money when you retire. A million dollars won’t be worth much but what else are you going to do; Work until you are 85? You need to invest, you can do it and still have your toys and vacations if you plan it right.

steve, you gotta bring it down a little.  yeah, the country and more importantly, you, are in a tough spot.  but this too will pass.  those who remained level headed will be in a better position to capitalize on the upswing.  those who build mountains of debt will be sorely disappointed at the actual stability of the dollar compared to the rest of the world.  deflation is barely being held off as is; inflation is nowhere in sight.  

you are right though about it not being fair.  but if you want to be stupid with your money, you better have some powerful friends to bail you out.  I hope WWIII begins with the collapse of the credit card companies and is a war against corrupt corporations.

I am a lot of things good and bad - - - one thing I don't suffer from is self pity, If there is one thing I have learned in life, it is the value of perseverance.

As John Lennon would say in his song, "Imagine all the people, living for today"
Why live/save for tomorrow, life is short, lets blow it all!  Why worry about debt, live for today!





Debt is a failure to repay a promise from yesterday.  I'm going to remain a stand up guy and save for a possible family in the future, if anyone wants to get in my way of doing that (government) well then, "Have you heard of the Bear Jew?"  

my friend found out why you always wear clean underwear the hard way.... he was soooooooo close to losing his virginity too

must have been REALLY bad or she must have been a real clean freak

I think you are pretty much correct, Steve.  In my own case, my efforts to keep up with my responsibilities would have led to my wife and me living in the back of my station wagon if a friend hadn't slipped me some cash for a motel stay.

I say that contracts are like treaties between sovereign nations-they remain in effect while they are mutually advantageous.  If circumstances change and they no longer are in your advantage, walk away.  It works for the big guys.

I agree with the wearing clean underwear thing.  

I see what you are saying, though.