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Study: Baby Boomers Are Gloomiest Generation
WNBC ^

Posted on 07/12/2008 8:49:48 AM PDT by Sub-Driver

Study: Baby Boomers Are Gloomiest Generation

POSTED: 9:01 am EDT July 12, 2008 UPDATED: 9:42 am EDT July 12, 2008 NEW YORK -- A new study by the Pew Research Center found 66 percent of baby boomers find it harder to get ahead now than in 1998. It also found that 86 percent say it's harder to maintain their standard of living than just five years ago. We talked to boomers in Brooklyn.

"There just seems to be no light at the end of the tunnel."

As they approach their golden years, baby boomers like Ros Aaron are worried -- not just about their own futures, but about their kids'.

"I don't know what's gonna be for them," Aaron said. "Jenna's graduating in four years. At least Leanna has eight years before she has to worry."

She's far from alone. The study found that 66 percent of boomers find it harder to get ahead now than in 1998 -- more frustration than any other age group.

And 86 percent of baby boomers say it's harder to maintain their standard of living than just five years ago.

"We asked a lot of questions," said D'vera Cohn of the Pew Research Center. "Are they satisfied? Will their income go up? And they said, 'No it won't'."

(Excerpt) Read more at wnbc.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: babyboomers; depression; genx; happiness; pew; psychology; seniors
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To: Bluestateredman

I can understand that but it’s not about us . It’s about our country. We must honor our obligations but the program needs to be shut down. I just picked 40 because it seemed fair... giving most people at least 20 years to plan. I’m sure that if our government was interested in this (which they aren’t) it could be tweaked where folks could get some of what they paid in back.


61 posted on 07/12/2008 5:29:08 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: wayoverthehill

no...the budget payments for the season are broken into 10 month payments.
Our water heater is oil fired, so we do use some oil even when it is warm.
There are some nights in Sept. cold enough for heat - BUT NOT THIS YEAR!!
LOL! I think it’s time to invest in some of those subzero sleeping bags and really rough it this year.


62 posted on 07/12/2008 7:49:26 PM PDT by Scotswife
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To: CindyDawg

If you use less than what you paid in, you will work up a credit.
You get a monthly statement showing the value of what was delivered vs. your payments.
If the credit becomes very large they will readjust your payment partway through the year.
If it is a small credit, you can get a refund in May or ask them to carry it over as a payment for the next season.


63 posted on 07/12/2008 7:52:23 PM PDT by Scotswife
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To: wayoverthehill

oh yeah..I’m in upstate NY- right on the NY/PA border.


64 posted on 07/12/2008 7:54:10 PM PDT by Scotswife
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To: Scotswife

Oh, gotcha! As a native Chicagoan, I’m familiar with the endless cold seasons so I could feel your pain if you indeed had to have heat from August to May. Now that I live in Texas, I only need heat from early December to the end of February - thank goodness.

The sleeping bags sound like a plan - or you could get a really furry dog, LOL.


65 posted on 07/12/2008 7:56:47 PM PDT by wayoverthehill
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To: wayoverthehill

I was kinda looking forward to this global warming business.
I’m kinda miffed that looks like a dud.


66 posted on 07/12/2008 7:58:33 PM PDT by Scotswife
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To: Scotswife

Cold is no fun. I used to live in an older house without heat. The oil heaters worked ok until we had several days around freezing. We blanketed the doors and all stayed in one room. Going out to cook wasn’t too bad but going into a cold bathroom in the morning was miserable. I recommend buying the oil as long as you can afford it and cut back on other stuff :’).


67 posted on 07/12/2008 8:55:38 PM PDT by CindyDawg
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To: Incorrigible
Darn right. This Gen X'er won't be paying your greens fees and Lasik surgery!

LOL. That's funny, but do you think that you'll be exempt from your check being raped by the government? Get back to the "boomers" when you're gumming it....

68 posted on 07/12/2008 9:00:25 PM PDT by Lijahsbubbe
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To: x
I knew people like that too. It's funny now that you can put it into perspective, but was frustrating at the time. Good people, but they came from a very different world.

Stereotyping annoys me. I have been frugal in many areas. I don't waste. I believe it's a sin. We have grown children with good careers who buy second-hand. There's nothing new under the sun and no generation is better than the next.

69 posted on 07/12/2008 9:05:33 PM PDT by Lijahsbubbe
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To: Sub-Driver

Godlessness=gloominess

If you want to be truly happy you must be grateful to God. Gratitude is the key to happiness.

Baby boomers are ingrates. Er go cant thank anyone beyond themselves so everything has no meaning.

Pisses me off that they tore up the maps of society and declared themselves “free”. But couldnt think beyond themselves to ask.... would the next generation want to have access to the maps of society?”

That is why Gen X and Y wander.


70 posted on 07/12/2008 9:09:12 PM PDT by Walkingfeather
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To: Walkingfeather
Baby boomers are ingrates

Yes, everyone born within the boomer years are ingrates. And all people with blonde hair are stupid. /s

71 posted on 07/12/2008 9:20:18 PM PDT by Lijahsbubbe
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To: CindyDawg

my hubby grew up in this house and it didn’t have heat upstairs then.
We remodeled and put in a new furnace with heating zones throughout.

Short term - we will have to get used to 62 degrees as the new “normal”.
I can spend my days downstairs and turn the heat way down upstairs.
Cold water laundry.
I just bought new shower heads to cut down on the amount of hot water being used by some of the kids.

We are looking into some type of a pellet stove or wood stove for my mother-in-law’s apartment (part of our house, and part of the heating bill)

I don’t know if we could afford a second one for our downstairs area - if not this year, maybe next year.

One freeper suggested and electic unit that would attach to the wall by our heater, and we could fire the furnace using that gadget.
Still have to look at that option (hubby is out of town so I haven’t had much time to devote to that this week)


72 posted on 07/12/2008 9:31:55 PM PDT by Scotswife
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To: Walkingfeather

“If you want to be truly happy you must be grateful to God. Gratitude is the key to happiness.”

true.
You can be thankful for what you have or miserable for what you don’t have.


73 posted on 07/12/2008 9:33:26 PM PDT by Scotswife
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To: Scotswife

Well, since it hit 102 degrees yesterday, I think we have a corner on that global warming stuff.

Be glad to relinquish it though for some cool breezes and some rain.


74 posted on 07/13/2008 8:46:07 AM PDT by wayoverthehill
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To: wayoverthehill

Where are you?
I’m looking at a cool breeze and a light rain right now.


75 posted on 07/13/2008 11:03:44 AM PDT by Scotswife
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To: Scotswife

Texas. Just north of Dallas.

No rain yet but it does seem to be clouding up a bit.

Send some of that stuff this way, OK?


76 posted on 07/13/2008 1:04:54 PM PDT by wayoverthehill
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To: Lijahsbubbe
There's nothing new under the sun and no generation is better than the next.

That was sort of my point. So many people complain about Boomers or Xers or "these kids nowadays." I just wanted to point out that people could complain about other generations as well. I wasn't trying to hurt or offend anyone, but just to show that there was another side to the coin.

77 posted on 07/15/2008 1:07:27 PM PDT by x
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