• OutlierBlue
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    1 year ago

    What about the ones that can’t afford to save for retirement? That sounds like a “leading indicator of economic stress” too.

    • Flying Squid@lemmy.world
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      1 year ago

      I was self-employed for 10 years. I was also unemployed for about 5 years. What retirement savings?

      • doingthestuff@lemmy.world
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        1 year ago

        I’ve even burned thru my emergency fund and I keep having more emergencies. I’m doing laundry at the laundromat again for the first time in 25 years.

        • partial_accumen@lemmy.world
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          1 year ago

          I’m doing laundry at the laundromat again for the first time in 25 years.

          Does this mean your washer or dryer broke, or something more dramatic like you had to drastically downsize your living arrangements and lost access to your own washer and dryer?

          • doingthestuff@lemmy.world
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            1 year ago

            Somewhere in the middle. Our living situation was already downsized, only has room for a stacked washer and dryer. Over two years replaced $16k roof, $12k furnace, A/C & ductwork, $19k foundation repair, $8k in car repairs, $6 medical bills.

            And yeah our washer is down and we tried and returned a $350 timer that didn’t fix it. Control board is no longer made. Talked to several people, it’s unrepairable. So do we replace the whole stacked unit? We have some issues with it, would rather go side by side but we’d have to completely redo the laundry room and we have to buy a washer and a dryer either way.

            Even with all of those expenses what is killing me is the cost of food right now, three teenagers in the house. At least my car is paid off in a month. Our household income is under $100k.

            I still have a detached garage that was destroyed by raccoons that needs completely gutted and redone - ceiling, walls, electrical, new doors. And I haven’t been to the dentist in over 20 years, and I may have had a heart attack yesterday.

            Yeah my washer broke.

            • jmp242@sopuli.xyz
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              1 year ago

              I’m so sorry this all happened to you. I will say the cost of kids is one reason I’m never having them. It’s too unaffordable.

              One thing I might suggest going forward is look into if you can get a house insurance rider to cover appliance breakdowns. More offer it, and it’s a big help caping things at ~ $500 or so, for ~$45 a year on the policy. My coverage would have paid out on the furnace and washer/dryer stack replacement.