I’m not convinced that things are much different today than when I became an independent citizen in 1984. I graduated college with a business degree and was thrilled to get a job offer from a defense contractor for a princely salary of $19,500 per year. The same company was hiring truck drivers for $30,000!
I married (very well I might add) right out of school and my wife and I had about $6,000 in cash and about $10k in combined auto loans. So….a negative net worth. Thankfully, college loans weren’t a big thing back then, so at least we weren’t saddled with that! We found a tiny condo and decided to buy rather than rent. I believe we paid 12% interest. I can’t imagine why they loaned us the money, but it worked out well for us and the bank.
Looking back on it, I can’t believe that we came out ok. I suppose it helped to be young and stupid. Anyway, we did make it and I don’t regret eating hamburger helper all those years!
Doug, your comparison is pretty flawed but I’m not sure you appreciate it. Let me give you some comparisons.
First, your 1984 salary of $19,500 is CPI adjusted to a $60,000 salary today.
Your $6000 in savings is CPI adjusted to $18,500 in savings today.
Your combined $10,000 in car loans is CPI adjusted to $31,000 today.
I’m not sure where you lived at that time, but lets for the sake of argument take a large, rural/suburban county next door to me that is only 45 mins from the Twin Cities.
Average income: $58,000 (LESS than your fresh-from-college income in 1984)
Average home price: $440,000 (Reverse adjusted to 1984 dollars, that’s $142,544)
Average new car loan size: $45,000 ($14,500 in 1984 dollars)
Average used car loan size: $26,000 ($8,400 in 1984 dollars)
Average starting salary for a business undergraduate: $65,000
Average student loan debt for a four year degree: $30,000
So what do the numbers show? Starting salaries are about the same. Cost of a modest home was way cheaper relative to income in 1984. Average auto loans were far less in 1984. Student loan debt has soared from 1984 where most people paid-as-they-went versus today’s meteoric costs.
Oh, and only 45% of Americans have $1000 in cash to cover an emergency today without resorting to a loan or credit card.
Today’s circumstances are not the same as 1984.