The Real Numbers: Half of America in Poverty -- and It's Creeping toward 75%

[SheilaT]

80. Let's see, I have a mortgage.

I do own a car but it's paid for.

So I'm at the edge of poverty? No. I have savings, and I'm a lot more than a couple of paychecks away from homelessness.

When I bought this place four years ago I put 20% down, and I'm honestly unsure of it's exact current value. Probably just about what I paid for it. Which means I'd get that 20% back if I were to sell it tomorrow, but I'll stay here another five years, maybe longer.

The thing about kids and college is this: Unfortunately, too many people, both parents and the kids, have bought into the totally ridiculous idea that everyone needs a four year degree. The kids then decide to major in something that they find very, very interesting, but has almost no real-world application. I'll be the first one to tell young people that if they go to college it's perfectly okay to major in something they love, but never lose sight of the fact they'll need to earn a living at the end of those four (or more) years. And if I'm doing serious college counseling, I'm telling them to look at the certificate programs at their local junior college, and go for something that results in immediate employment.