are you living better than your parents did?

I often think of this. Yes times were different, but I have always said that I wanted to at least give my children the same or a better child hood than I have. Unfortunately , I dont think that's going to happen. As a child we were def considered middle class but we owned a very nice house in a very nice neighborhood. My parents bought their first house when they were younger than me... while we own a co op its not the same as having a house with a yard. Im a stay at home mom but Im going to have to go back to work soon. My mom was able to stay home for many years with us. Its depressing...

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

No way. My mother was a professor and my father was a partner at one of the largest firms in NY so they were doing quite well at this age. I hate to say this, but, the truth is although we will never be as well off as my parents, we are much happier than they were as a married couple, and that's what's more important to me. As long as we can pay our bills, buy little extras, live in comfort, and stay in love this way forever, that's what's important, not the material things that I can or cannot provide for my daughter.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Yes.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

comparing age 29 to their age 29- I'm not sure

they owned there second house- that they built for $50K

we make more money- but the cost of living was so much less then

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Yes. At this age my parents had 2 kids. My mom was a SAH and my dad worked for the post office. My mom was just telling me stories of how they stayed warm with minimal heat and how they cooked REALLY cheapo meals!

ETA: They never got to point where they were behind on bills but they struggled financially for quite awhile.

Message edited 11/1/2006 10:47:18 AM.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

I don't think so. DH and I may have more things than our parents, but that is because we also have more debt than our parents.
They never had any debt but a mortgage. I can't say the same!! So I think our parents had it better off - at least they were smarter about it than me and DH.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

At my age my parents had 3 children, a 4 bedroom 2 bath house and my mom was a SAHM. So no...I believe my parents had a leg up at this age

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Yes. My mom was a 27 year old divorcee with 3 kids...she was struggling. My dad was making big bucks, but wasn't being the best father...and obviously husband.

Message edited 11/1/2006 10:51:43 AM.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Yes, we are. My parents weren't even married yet at my age. We make more money then them even now.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

yes.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Sort of.

My parents did own a house until they were in their mid-late 30's but they had 2 kids in their mid 20's.

I find both big accomplishments.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

No.

It's nowhere near an apples to apples comparison. Getting married at age 34 vs. age 21 is just the beginning.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

yes

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Hard to say ... my parents never had a house and frankly I wish we were living in a rent stablized apartment instead of having a huge mortgage!!!!

And at our age (38-40), my parents had two HS kids and started taking their own nice vacations which is the only thing I can think of that we have as a luxury in our life ...

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Yes & No

My parents were married at 22 & purchased their first home at 27. My mom already had my brother who was 4 & she was PG with me due in 6 months. My mom was a SAHM.

DH & I purchased our home at 25 before we were married. We purchased a much bigger home then my parents. We do make more money then my parents but we are behind on the children

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Yes and No.

While both FH and I went to college (FH has a Masters and I am working on mine) and NONE of our parents did- they were all able to buy nice houses in their early 20s.

So while FH and I earn more than our parents do NOW - we are struggling because housing is ridiculous here!

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Yep

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Hard to compare. In TX everything is much less expensive. Its just different. My Dad is an engineer so he always did well, but we do just fine. So its all about the same.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

My parents yes... DH's parent definitely no

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

No. I grew up in a colonial with 4 bathrooms and 5 bedrooms for four people...so far we have a 1 room condo at the age my parents had their first house in smithtown. we got married at the same age they did (26) but i think they were better at saving....

My dad has a doctorate, my mom a master's....

Message edited 11/1/2006 11:33:12 AM.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

My parents didn't own their own home. They didn't have more than an eight grade education between them. They didn't make a great deal of money, although, they both worked very hard. Yet, I had the best childhood ever. I grew up in a four room railroad flat over a hardware store in Brooklyn. We never wanted for anything. We had everything we needed and most of what we wanted. If I could go back, I wouldn't change one thing.

I live in my own home. Financially, I am better off than they were. I am better educated and I didn't have to work as hard as they did. My children grew up in their own home; each having their own room and everything they could possible imagine. I was a SAHM and my husband worked unimaginable hours to provide us with the life we have.

In retrospect, while, financially, we are living better than they did, in all other areas I don't see a difference. I've had a great life so far and it can all be traced back to these wonderful people who raised me. It's not how much you have; it's the kind of person you are. My parents instilled in me values, morals and a great sense of faith. These are things you carry with you for a lifetime and the gifts they gave me can never be measured in a monetary sense. They lived a life of love and respect for each other and I live the same life. So, I guess, in the end, you can say we are pretty much the same.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

I can't say that we are living better but I know they didn't own a home when they were my age. I don't even think they were marred yet..lol
I am 24. I think my Mom and Dad were still living at home with their parents at that age

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Probably yes to both our parents. We own 2 houses, have money in the bank, have money for retirement, etc. I don't think at our age either of our parents had this. My mom hadn't even had me yet at my age. I think she had just gotten pregnant.

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

so far from it...

Re: are you living better than your parents did?

Yes, but have completely different lives.
We are DINKs We both have college degrees and white collar professional jobs.

My dad was NYFD and always worked extra doing construction to help out. At my age, my mom was a SAHM with 4 children between the ages of 12-17.

I wouldn't guess which couple is/was happier, but we have more disposable income and don't have the responsibility and financial worry of 4 children on one salary.