On May 9, 5:58�pm, aemeijers wrote:
HeyBub wrote:

(snip)

The "modest" of whom you speak may not display the outward trappings of
wealth, but they've got it (compared to other residents of the planet). They
have it in home equity, savings, college education for their children, and
so forth. I suspect the "average," middle-class American could put up
$250,000 worth of cash or collateral in an emergency.

Heck, the "average" American could probably raise $5,000 this coming
week-end in a garage sale!

You must live in a Real Rich zip code, for numbers like that to sound
right to you. I suspect your numbers are high by at least 3x, if not
more. Most towns, the average house is worth maybe 100-120. For every
beige subdivision, there are still several old urban neighborhoods of
50k 1920s bungalows, etc. And for most sub-50k income households, the
house is their one big investment and asset, especially if they have
kids. I could probably barely meet your quarter-million cutoff for
assets, but the only way I could make 5k in a garage sale would be if I
sold the cars that live in it. And I make a pretty decent income and
have no spouse or kids to support.

And yes, compared to most of the planet, that is still 'well off'. But
most Americans don't live the lifestyle you see in magazines or on TV,
especially in the ads.

--
aem sends...

Yes there's funny ideas as what comprises poverty. I have vacationed
in many third world countries and lived with the people ie in their
houses.
Here's one:-http://freespace.virgin.net/susan.armitage/venor7.JPG
There's people don't know they're born.