Comments on: How Do You Compare to This “State of Spending” Report?

By: J. Money

J. Money — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 18:08:27 +0000

Hah! How sad, but how true :) There’s always people better – and worse – off than us! Good to keep things in perspective for sure.

By: Roy Largo @ Band of Savers

Roy Largo @ Band of Savers — Wed, 23 Mar 2016 13:13:34 +0000

I understand that it’s not good to compare ourselves to others but reading stuff like this makes me feel so much better about myself. I worry about our finances all the time and it drives my wife nuts but when I compare myself to the average American I can’t help but feel a huge stress relief. I needed this one right now.

Keep making me look good America :)

By: J. Money

J. Money — Mon, 21 Mar 2016 15:21:13 +0000

In reply to Elizabeth. Interesting on both accounts!

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Fri, 18 Mar 2016 02:31:21 +0000

Love these kinds of stats! I’ve gotta admit, I spent $583 at Nordstrom last month (wince), but I certainly don’t every month. I bet they don’t include Target or stores like that in these stats because you could be buying anything form groceries to small appliances to books, clothing or gifts at those stores. So expenditures there don’t fit neatly into any of these “people spend X on Y” metrics.

Also TX probably leads in mortgages because our property taxes are so high – since we have no state income tax here in the Lone Star State.

By: J. Money

J. Money — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:26:58 +0000

In reply to Tonya. Congrats on starting to track it all :) That's usually the hardest part - facing the facts! Now time to get the little wins each month as it ticks up and over into positive territory eventually!

By: J. Money

J. Money — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:26:01 +0000

In reply to Jonathan Hoover. I gotta say - all these theories on S. Dakota are incredibly fascinating! From oil to higher wages to now farming and budgeting. If only there was a way to find out what the answer was! Or maybe it's a combo of all sorts of variables?

By: J. Money

J. Money — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:24:15 +0000

In reply to Richard. Haha... I'll have to put T K Maxx on my list of places to hit the next time I'm out there :) After meeting you for a beer, of course (though drunk shopping can be a reallly bad idea! haha)

By: J. Money

J. Money — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 21:22:29 +0000

In reply to Becky. Interesting!

By: Tonya

Tonya — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 02:28:37 +0000

In reply to Tonya. *NOT* I try NOT to focus on it too much.

By: Tonya

Tonya — Wed, 16 Mar 2016 02:26:51 +0000

I have a fairly secure job. I do not necessarily think we are prepared for an economic downturn after seeing my negative net worth, which I just started tracking this month. However, I try to focus on it too much because I know I’m working on some things to change that. Big things happening for our net worth before April! (It will still be in the negative but getting MUCH better)