Interestingly, look at the average american’s lifestyle. And this part cracks me up: Look at the homes “average” people live in in american movies and TV shows and then look at the homes the average people live in in British, Japanese, Irish TV and movies. Look at the kitchen’s and living rooms of those homes. Their yards, where they keep the washer and dryer (if they have one). And interesting picture emerges.
All that said, our taxes and the way they are collected sent me to my own Galt’s Plateau. Just as the purpose of a tv show is to get me to watch commercials, I feel as if the purpose of my job is to get my company to pay me wages from which the government will take a sizeable chunk and leave me just enough to keep me from bringing out the pitchforks and torches. And then they tax what I DO spend to live.
I literally feel like an indentured slave to the government. The answer is to ween myself from this “let them eat healthcare” lifestyle and learn to get by with less, but it is MY less. Freedom is worth more than all the riches the government “lets me have”.
One thing for sure — in the USA ( unlike in most other countries, except maybe Canada or Australia, or perhaps if you live in the New York City and surrounding area), YOU CANNOT SURVIVE WITHOUT A CAR !
In Asia for instance, cars are not necessities. In the USA, without a car, it would be like your legs are being cut off.
Most families need to maintain more than one car.
*THAT* is additional expense most people in the world can do without.