It's almost always cost me 50%+ of my income to rent. So, we decided to rent to own and the place would have been paid off in 6 years. Hubbie got sick after the first year with a debilitating illness and lost his job. And we lost the house.
Interestingly, I'm seeing a lot of people being humbled these days. Low income people have struggled for a very long time, and some had a sense of pride and accomplishment in that they were poor as church mice, but stayed off of the welfare roles, paid their rent & utilities, ate beans and fried potatoes until inflation made even those too costly to buy.
And the middle class and up thought they were so much better as human beings simply because they had nicer 'stuff' and more of it. I hate to see anybody suffer, but the humility (as in humbleness, not shame) is refreshing.
Those of us who have been on the bottom of the barrel for a very long time, couldn't fall any lower than we already were. Times got tough for the rest. There's more to go.
I think we've got ourselves into a catch 22 as a nation, and if not, then we're well on our way. We REALLY need some 'Reganomics' and right now if we're going to survive.
NOBODY should have to be on foodstamps in this country, and I mean NOBODY! There's enough room here for a decent home, job, and garden for all if we weren't spending billions in the middle east just to appease our deadly enemy who continues to kill even as he takes our money!
As an American you have the right to not believe in guns. You also have the right to not believe in God. But if someone is trying to break into your home, or wants to harm you, the first thing you will do is pick up the phone and call someone with a gun. The second thing you will do is pray that they get there in time. ~Don Moore