We all know the state of Michigan is struggling (to put it lightly).

I was just wondering how our members are doing in a general sense, and thought this would be interesting.

You don't have to worry about privacy and the poll, the votes are confidential.

If a lot of people vote it will be interesting, if not many do, it will be swatted.

what poll?

I should probably add that you don't have to live in Michigan to vote, it's more of a profile of our membership than a snapshot of Michigan employment.

Especially with the small number of members/voters we're talking about here, it's not scientific by any means.

I always knew WTF was just a front for corporate data miners. So, the truth finally comes out.

Next up is the racial profile and then marital status.

We did age a few years back, too, so that can probably be updated.

Just compiling shit for our advertising media kit, lol.

Gotta sell some green underlined text links up in this bitch.

Will you guys re-introduce the Taymelo username to start the poll about political associations?

No, the political affiliation thread is going to be started by macdaddyfromcincinnati.

whoever is making 150k+ is going to buy me courtside season tickets. Please PM me with address details where I can pick them up. Thanks.

whoever is making 150k+ is going to buy me courtside season tickets. Please PM me with address details where I can pick them up. Thanks.

I don't even need courtside. I'll take lower bowl.

I just take season tickets

Stop outbidding me. I will ban you all.

It's starting to get interesting, thanks for voting.

Good to see that we don't have as many unemployed posters as I suspected.

Maybe those guys are still at RGM, lol.

Does anyone have a county by county breakdown of unemployment. I would venture to say that Wayne County and the counties up north are at 10%.

Does anyone have a county by county breakdown of unemployment. I would venture to say that Wayne County and the counties up north are at 10%.

Seriously?

I couldn't find maps by county (the one at michigan.org is conveniently not working) but here is some data by MSA's (Metropolitan Statistical Area): http://www.milmi.org/admin/uploadedPublications/463_econsit.htm

It lists DETROIT - WARREN - LIVONIA MSA (Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, St.Clair, Oakland, Wayne counties) at 7.7% for December 2006.

It would be safe to assume that Wayne Co. alone is higher than that.

you can get the numbers from the US Census website though.

I know at one point last year, Wayne Co. led the nation in home foreclosures.

They still might.


you can get the numbers from the US Census website though.
How often is that updated though? Isn't the census only every 4 years?

Actually, every 10 years, even worse.

Actually, every 10 years, even worse.


Maybe I was thinking of presidential elections or the Olympics?

And hot damn, Todd Christensen went to BYU not Penn St.

Fuck, I'm not doing so hot this week.

I want to know who the wack job is that thinks he makes more than 150 K, I'm not buying that one.
However, Glenn's verification will suffice, and I apologize to the wack job in advance if true.
I'm going to come right out and say it: I didn't earn one penny in 2006.

I can't verify the votes if they are not set to "viewable by public", which they aren't.

I have a suspicion of who that might be (it ain't me) but I'm keeping that to myself.

With my career progression, I would never make $150k.

Well, if you suspect it, then I'll buy it.
Good job, whoever you are.
And kudos for not lowering yourself to my level. Guys who make 150K don't need to defend themselves to pricks like me.
On a side not, I'm following up 2006 very well: Not a penny of earnings in 2007 so far.
I've always said: Retire when you are 40, so you can enjoy it. Even if you are broke, you still have your health.
Work when you're 60, so you get all the easy jobs, and you can pretend you have alzheimers, and shit in your bosses coffee.
AND, don't forget all the sexual harrassment you can blame on "Oh, sheeyit, I'm just an old fart, I thought she was my wife, goddammit!". Then just shit your pants in front of everyone, and it's all forgotten!
Plan your life; Live your plan.

I can't verify the votes if they are not set to "viewable by public", which they aren't.

I have a suspicion of who that might be (it ain't me) but I'm keeping that to myself.

its mikey g, isnt it. i always knew that fucking kid had potential.

I'd imagine that you have connection logs and if someone logs in from some megabucks institution, you might have some demographic insights.

just to ask...100k is $100,000 right?

I have been use to korean money where 100,000 is a hundred bucks

Pulling down 150k in CA, for instance, is a LOT different than pulling down 150 in MI. I don't think this has anything to do with why the thread was started but thought I'd throw my 2 cents in. You'd be lucky to find a decent house for under 300k in this part of town. I know a few of my cousins in MI are doing just fine at 35-55k. I wouldn't want to try to make it here on 55k.

Pulling 150k in Michigan pretty much means you're rich.

Pulling 150k in Michigan pretty much means you're rich.

yep

150K would qualify as rich just about anywhere.
The problem is that if the average guy pulls in 150K (ok, joe average is making 8.50 an hour at Walmart), he'll allow his nagging wife to talk him into spending 175K per year.

150K would qualify as rich just about anywhere.


Disagree. Housing costs, vehicles ain't getting any cheaper and kids cost a ton these days with college etc, saving for retirement.

if you bring home 150k, your rich. my mom supported 3 children in an affluent detroit suburb, and all three of us graduated from good universities (2 from UM, 1 from WSU). my mom makes 1/5 of 150 k a year.

if 150k a year isnt enough to consider yourself rich, your stupid with your money.

if 150k a year isnt enough to consider yourself rich, your stupid with your money.


Have you ever made 150k? Paid taxes on that 150K? Had a sizeable mortage? raised kids?

Here we go stating opionions as fact.

Nobody here is unemployed?

I'm starting to think this whole "Michigan's economy sucks" thing is a ruse.

I dont really fit into any of the choices. I dont have an official job, I do a lot of odd jobs for people and really dont have to do that much to cover my bills. Mostly home remodeling and PC work. I try to do the PC work more, there are two places in town to take a PC to and they charge $56 and $60 per hour so I just tell people $40/h and they are happy. For example, one of my parents friends had a hard drive going bad, so they wanted a new hard drive put in and everything moved from the old drive to the new. Sounds easy right? No. They wanted a fresh install of Windows so I couldnt just image the drive. To make it worse they had no idea how to manage files in a PC, and couldnt even tell me which programs they used. I had to comb through every single folder, find all saved files, keep them arranged, and then put them in the same places on the new drive. Took 8 hours, I made $320, and chose not to work the rest of the week. Last year I was doing the remodeling for my parents, they bought two new houses and sold one, so I had three homes to work on. I have no idea what I made, we didnt set up anything official. I worked 40 hours a week and they paid my bills and put money in my pocket. Id say they definitely got the better end of the deal but it doesnt bother me.

As far as the poll, I dont know if I am happily unemployed, or my salary varies greatly because I only work as much as I need to.

Have you ever made 150k? Paid taxes on that 150K? Had a sizeable mortage? raised kids?

Here we go stating opionions as fact.

He just said his mom raised 3 kids through college on 30k. If she can do it on 30k, I see no reason why somebody couldn't do it on 150k. If you have no money left over than it means you are living beyond your means.

He just said his mom raised 3 kids through college on 30k. If she can do it on 30k, I see no reason why somebody couldn't do it on 150k. If you have no money left over than it means you are living beyond your means.

Who said anything about 'not being able to do it' or 'no money left over'. Go make shit up and argue with someone else.

150k is upper middle class. Thats it.

My hats off to anyone who can send 2 kids to UofM and 1 to Whiskie on 30 a year.

No need to act like a little bitch (Dwayne Wade) over a salary thread.

I do computer repair work also. I don't get many jobs to come though, though.
I wonder if it has something to do wih the fact that when I go to a client's house I show up with a baseball bat and a garbage bag.

Nobody here is unemployed?

I'm starting to think this whole "Michigan's economy sucks" thing is a ruse.
The demographics of folks using specialized blogs and bulletin boards are a whole lot different than the overall demographics of Michigan. In fact, that sorta stuff is what the Google facility in A^2 will be focusing on.

No need to act like a little bitch (Dwayne Wade) over a salary thread.

You're the one making shit up.

Hey Mike, go shag yourself

I'm going to have to agree with Tahoe. I don't make anything near 150 myself but I'm closely aware of the financial situation of people who do. They're definitely well off but by no means rich. Two nice cars, nice but unspectacular house, college savings set up for the kids. Nothing crazy and by no means would I call them rich.

30K for a family of 4 is borderline poverty level. Takehome's less than 2 grand a month. It's amazing if your mom was able to do that. Are you sure there was no other income from anywhere? Was the house paid for?

It's amazing if your mom was able to do that. Are you sure there was no other income from anywhere?


Punch him Diddy.


Remember folks, if you are "paying a big mortgage payment" you are saving for retirement.

yes im sure my mom was able to do that. she helped us with finances to a small extent, but we all got through college mostly on our own (2 of us with scholaraships, 1 worked).

keep in mind, the median income in the US is 46,000 dollars. so those taxes your complaining about? what your paying is about what 1/2 the country makes in a whole year.

if you make 150K, your easily in the top 5% income earners, and i bet its even higher. thats rich. i would say poor is being in the bottom 25, rich is the top 25 (i could be convinced its only the top 10).

i worked at a very exclusive country club for 10 years, and where i work now i deal with people making 6 or even 7 figures a year (my top boss is close to making the forbes 500). and i'm 100% certain what i said was true: if 150k a year isnt enough to consider yourself rich, your stupid with your money.

Right on, diddy. like I said, maybe alot of people who make 150K are spending 175K per year.
I'd say 150K puts you WELL into the top 5% of earners. The average home income in this country, I believe, is at or near 50K per year.

I betcha that folks that make somewhere in the general order of magnitude of $100k -don't- find $150k "rich", while those that don't make nearly that much -do- find it "rich". Instead of asking people what they make, just ask whether or not they define $150k as "rich". That may give more useful data. :)

and i'm 100% certain what i said was true: if 150k a year isnt enough to consider yourself rich, your stupid with your money.

And until you lived it, I say its just your opinion.

I still say hats off to your mom for raising you guys.

I betcha that folks that make somewhere in the general order of magnitude of $100k -don't- find $150k "rich", while those that don't make nearly that much -do- find it "rich". Instead of asking people what they make, just ask whether or not they define $150k as "rich". That may give more useful data. :)

Good post and it true

I suppose, too, it boils down to semantics. Define "rich", or define "wealthy". One term I love is "Upper Middle Class". Come on, you are either working, or you are not. If you work, you are "middle class".
Rich could probably be defined as "Don't Work", or "Work because I want to". Being rich sure wouldn't mean making 150K and needing your job because you are mortgaged to the hilt.
If you know how to manage money, and you plan for emergiencies and retirement, which probably means you've kind of planned your whole life, you are ahead of 95% of the rest of the people in the world, and if you made 150K, you WOULD be rich.

Cost of living definately has to be considered when talking about wealth.

cost of living is a choice though. I can't say what I'd spend if I made 150k because I don't. But, I suspect I wouldn't change too much. i'd have more toys (like a 360 instead of a regular xbox, a nice TV, a nicer car but nothing rediculous). But not much else. I prefer to pay off things fast and take vacations with extra money than spend money on lavish things.

That's not cost of living. That's discretionary income. Cost of living is the reality that stuff like Orange Juice, rent, gas, milk, taxes, are higher/cost more certain places. These aren't optional purchases, they're food and shelter considerations.

I'm not saying cry for the guy making $150K in California. But calling him rich without looking at the reality of how much it would cost to live your life in his area is premature.

aside from taxes, they are optional. OJ and milk cost the same no matter how much you make (within the same region). same with gas. Rent is a choice (the amount anyway). You can make a million dollars and live in a trailer if you want. Only taxes are manditory. cost of living is determined by location. It is higher in Hawaii, LA, etc and lower in the southeast. That's where bread, milk, housing are all different prices than here. But people also make more money there too. Salaries reflect the cost of living. People make the choice to spend their income in different ways.

I'm not saying cry for the guy making $150K in California. But calling him rich without looking at the reality of how much it would cost to live your life in his area is premature.


Exactly right, $100K in Manhattan is not the same as $100K in Toledo.

I'm not saying cry for the guy making $150K in California. But calling him rich without looking at the reality of how much it would cost to live your life in his area is premature.

I agree with that. 150k in cali is like 60k here. I don't have the numbers, but that is a guess.

I got an offer in S.C. making 2/3 of what I make here. but the cost of a house was 2/3 of here too. If the 150k person lives in Cali, then it's different. For this poll to be accurate, they should adjust the cost of living to reflect here (if anyone is out of state).

Well, there's like 600 million people living in California, and loving it.
They can't all be making 150K.

I stated upfront that this poll wasn't scientific.

Hell, nothing we ever do at WTF will be truly "scientific".

It was more of a conversation starter/user profile type thing anyways.

I didn't suspect that it was going to get so ugly, lol.

The Power Rankings are ENTIRELY scientific, as are the 105-87 score predictions.

I didn't suspect that it was going to get so ugly, lol.

I think you knew exactly what you were doing. You instigater person you.