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Kelly B
Hasn't Capitalism sometimes created more problems than solutions in fair business practices??
I mean take technology for example. The first company to develop a new gadget determines the price of that gadget based on what? What they think people will pay for it? Eventually there is competition to lower the original price but sometimes even then it's still ridiculously expensive.
When was the last time a CEO took a pay cut during down time? Versus the people laboring who either get cut or get a dime raise at the beginning of the calendar year?
It's out of balance IMO.
Answer
I honestly could care less what the CEO makes. Thats between him and the board of directors...it's their company. What I do have issue with is large corporate entities that assimilate all of the competition to a point where they are in monopoly or near monopoly existence. I think it benefits no one that there are only five major players in health insurance. They are selling a product that, quite frankly, is as much a necessity these days as electricity or gasoline. Can the consumer effectively stop using their product and survive in today's society? What is to stop them from working together to gouge the consumer? When there are only a few really big fish in the pond, the likelyhood for corruption and abuse of the consumer increases dramatically.
Like it or not, some sort of counterbalance is needed. In the case of utilities, most states have a public utilities board that caps the rates an energy company can charge it's consumers. Can you imagine what would happen if that stop wasn't there? They could charge you and your neighbor whatever they want for electricity and you would have to pay it because of lack of competition.
How can I create a realistic budget to include a baby?
Lisa O
I am not (yet) pregnant but my husband and I would like to start a family. We live in SC which has a low cost of living. Together we take home about $3200 a month. I would like to make a budget to see how we could afford a child but could definitely use some advise! My biggest concern is that my husband does not have insurance and my policy does not include dependents. Thanks for any advise!
My point is that I would need to buy insurance - either from my employer (at no discount) or from a private source. And since we have more to worry about than ourselves, I would really want to get insurance for my husband which is super expensive! We don't need a lot of "things," but we do need to be able to pay our bills! Thanks for your responses!
Answer
Wow, the #1 thing you'll have to figure out how to do is contain costs. That's gonna be really hard. There are just so many things that you are expected to do "or else you're not a good parent"... and wouldn't you know, almost all of them involve BUYING PRODUCTS! It's so insidious... like parenting = consumerism and love = spending. Doesn't sound right to me.
You are absolutely right to plan out everything ahead carefully. Make sure all the money is there in advance. I would also talk to others, because I think you are going to find situations where other people force you to spend on these products and gadgets. For instance I hear the hospital has a "car seat inspection" where they want to positively confirm you have a brand-new car seat you bought at retail before they'll even let you take your child home.
They'll also lay a major head trip on you unless you have the latest model cars, because they have the latest tiedowns.
It's a miracle any of us are alive -- our parents and grandparents didn't have all these products!
The irony is, there are large numbers of Americans who do. They have a simple secret: they are America's poor. They don't have the money for all the junk, so they don't buy it, and their kids grow up just the same.
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