Think back 10 years ago - financially speaking

[MommyG3]

I wanted to do a poll, but wasn't sure were/how to do it. Let's evaluate our lives a moment.

Ten years ago, were you financially much better off than you are now. Just a little better off than you are now. About the same. A little worse off than you are now. Much worse off than you are now.

What about 5 years ago.

For me, I was much worse off. Reason: I was married to a jerk of all jerks.

Five years ago, I was still worse off, but not as bad as 10 years. Since my marriage to my second husband, my life is much more financially stable. We have had our ups and downs (emotionally and financially) but we have done better in the long run.

During the 33 years I have been alive, I have heard/read many people who are in/were dire straits blame the president for their financies. I must say, I don't blame a president for mine, for if I choose to blame a president for my terrible financial situations, I must also credit a president for my tremendous fortunes for which I have been blessed.

Just a little thought from me to you.

[DBackFan]

Way worse for both of those. Life is sooo much better now! Great husband, making good money, good health...all make up for a good year. :)

[momfromTN]

Better. Definately better.

[zitra]

We are much better of than we were 10 years ago..hubby was in the navy then, making squat for pay, we were on wic
Now hubby works for the state, great job, great pay..he gets a small raise every year. I also babysit a few days a week, but hubby's pay is high enough, we can use my money as a dispensible income...we are using part of it fix up the house..bought new rugs for the kids rooms, I am using my money to buy the kids vanlenitnes/treats for the classes...used to be that we would have to scrimp and save just ot afford the valentines themselves, every february (unless we were lucky enough to get our tax return before feb. 14th...
Also 10 years ago at this time I was 5 months pregnant, though it was a blessed event, I was having complications..which all worked out in the end thank God, but I wouldn't want to go back to those times for anything..

[nightowl2]

were better off now than we were 10 years ago and
hopefully in the next 10 years,we'll be
doing even better

[cpbaby]

I was better off ten years ago. Husband had a GREAT job(self employeed), made boodles of money, I only worked to have health insurance. Whatever my check was, was mine to keep and "play" with or save.

5 years ago, we were in MUCH worse shape. Through no fault of his, his business went bust(not his fault, truly) and we were in the middle of filing bankruptcy since our house was mortgaged for the business.

Now, we are ok. It took awhile for him to figure out that he cant spend money like he used to, but it is improving. Now, though, my check pays the bills including the housepayment and his pays for groceries and WalMart and gives us our spending money for the week. HOWEVER, he now carries the health insurance so its almost a reversal of roles.

[Ladytiger]

10 years ago, I was much better off. I was newly divorced, and even though I had lost home (he didn't pay his half and I couldn't pay it all), I had moved home, to where my mom owned a house. That allowed me to get back on my feet while I worked for a cable company. I had money, DD was starting school and was much happier.

5 years ago, I was also better off. Moving to where I am now was a good (not great) move. Little did I know that I was headed for medical ruin. I had a supervisor's job and was Director of Marketing. BF had his own consulting business. Life was good.

Now-what a joke! Still trying to get back on my feet (I feel like a Weeble...but I wobble to and fro too much!). I don't have money to spend, just money to survive. Although it has taught us all some valuable lessons, it doesn't take the pain away. I have learned to live with daily physical pain and do what I can from home. BF's business has taken a huge dip since 9/11. While he struggles to get business, we have the necessities.
I can only hope that since they have made this discovery with my thyroid that it will only get better (even if I do have to have surgery). It sucks when you can't get family and friends gifts for birthdays etc..
I hold on to hope though-it WILL get better.
I don't blame the President for it, although to get health insurance now is near impossible even in big corporations. I blame the job situations on him though. Outsourcing jobs to other countries is just wrong.
(Flame on-I know it's coming-but that's ok) I speak my heart and my mind.

[Kelsey1224]

We were worse off 10 years ago, as well as 5 years ago. But, our conditions were not bad at all. It's just that each year, things have gotten better and better.

We have always been blessed abundantly, it's just that each year things get better and better. Hubby and I realized last year that we are truly affluent. This kind of surprised us because we both came from very humble beginnings. Affluence kind of crept up on us. Our means have far exceeded our parent's dreams...as well as our own.

I want to stress that we both are well-educated and have been successful in our 'careers'. We have also invested well and lived sensibly. We have never blown our money (well...rarely.) Our credit has always been good. We learned early on not to abuse credit cards.

And, while hubby has worked for the same employer for over 30 years (Social Security)...I have gone through more down-sizing, mergers, acquisitions, consolidations, and down-right layoffs than the average person. But, when God closed one door, there was always another open which led me to bigger and better things.

Like I said...we've been blessed more than we will ever deserve.

[okie]

10 years ago i was only 17 and just starting out in life so i am definetly doing better.Even if i look back to 5 years,i'm still doing better.We may not have much but things are slowly improving for us.

[Sparkli]

i'm with okie... 10 years ago I was 15... who know how easy I had it? Not I. Even 5 yrs ago I would say I had it better than now... at age 20, I had more money finacially... but i am happier with my life now than i was 5 yrs ago... I have a great boyfriend now, and just graduated from college and eager to get this life started! :D

tammy

[schsa]

Things are much better for me but that is due to changing jobs and becoming mentally healthy again. 10 year ago I was suffering from PTSD and on my way to a nervous breakdown. 5 years ago I just changed jobs and was finally mentally stable.

Things have gotten better but I worked hard to get there. It has nothing to do with the economics but having found the right job at the right time. I would call it pure luck. Had I not fallen apart, the company I was working for closed and moved and all of the people that were employed were left to job hunt and the severence was sucky. So, yes I am alot better off.

[barky586]

I am in better shape financially ten-fold than I was ten years ago....LOL our house payment now is probably as much as DH and my salaries were back then. :)

Amazingly enough, we even have our daughter in college (we pay $650 a month nine months out of the year plus books).

I have also learned the art of frugality and that coupled with the better salaries we have worked up to, has significantly improved our financial lives.

I haven't incurred any debt in seven years except for our house. We just owe on it and $7,000 on DH's truck. :)

Feels good, but we have worked for it.

[Princess4J]

10 yrs agao I was a single parent w/a parttime job.
I was taking classes at night.(community college)
so I was much much worse off than now.

5 yrs ago I was better off than the previous yrs.
but slightly worse than I am now.

Today we are doing so much better than we
ever have been.

[MsLynn]

Well I'm worse off, since 10 years ago i was married to the boys dad and we make lots of money, lol and 5 years ago was right before the divorce so was still much better, now its a struggle on just my income and the lil child support i get... but hey at least he does pay his child support

[Jenny5]

10 years ago I was much worse off than I am now. I was married to a lazy a** who wouldn't work and thought if he had a dime in his pocked he needed to spend it. I divorced him in 1995 and started over.
5 years ago my second husband and I were both put out of work (our factory closed and moved to another state). We were still better NOT working than 5 years before with ex and I both working. Hubby went to horseshoeing school, and I started working with him 3 years ago.
We are truely blessed to have all the necessary things in life.

[Mystic32]

I would have to say that I was better off financially 10 yrs. ago....definitely! My ex knocked me for a loop & I`m still trying to get out of the hole.... For Chrissakes I was doing better at 19 & pregnant than I am now.......I lost everything...I`m almost at 85% but I should be way beeter off than I am. A yr. from now i`ll be better off financially than I was ten yrs. ago tho`!

[twinkiesmom]

10 years ago, I was the only one working, we just bought the house, so money was very tight. Thank God it was only the 2 of us. 5 years ago, we both were working, had 2 babies and things were starting to look better since we had both incomes. Today, he's the only one working and we are doing alright. I'd be screwed if we divorced. If I was by myself 10 yrs ago, I'd hafta say I was better off 10yrs ago than today. If dh was on his own, 10yrs ago he would've been worse off. So I guess we do work together and keep ea other afloat in that sense. lol off topic here. Anyway, we are better off now than then.

[Lora_1994]

10 yrs ago I was doing good. I had no kids, full time job, lived at home still in H.S.(it'll be 10 yrs in May that I've been out..lol)

Its good now, better than 5 yrs ago. I have my own place, my husband makes alright $, no car payments,house payments etc. just my basic utilities and my new computer payment. But with all that before groceries and all we still have about 1300.00 left over after the bills are paid each month!!