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How Americans spend their money...
Aug. 1st, 2012 09:33 pmThis:
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/08/01/157664524/how-the-poor-the-middle-class-and-the-rich-spend-their-money
has been going around, and it seems like it deserves more discussion.
I'm kind of surprised that they start at $150k for "rich". When a decent solid house within 10 miles of a city center can cost upwards of $300k, and a nice one twice that, A low/mid range new car is $20k, and health insurance will cost a single healthy person with crappy coverage $300/month, $150k/year doesn't strike me as "rich". No, I'm not even close to that bracket, so I'm not just being an apologist for "rich people" I'd like to see the next column over, in the "$300k and above" category.
I'm also disappointed that they used circles for each blob, they don't show difference very well, since area is related the square of radius, it's not linear. 10% should look 100% bigger than 5%, not 41% bigger.
That leads to the third thing:
I'm really surprised at how similar "clothes and shoes" and "transportation and gasoline" are across the board. It's obvious that "rich" people can save a lot more for retirement. What struck me is how much universal health care would help everyone, in a way that really does seem equatable.
http://www.npr.org/blogs/money/2012/08/01/157664524/how-the-poor-the-middle-class-and-the-rich-spend-their-money
has been going around, and it seems like it deserves more discussion.
I'm kind of surprised that they start at $150k for "rich". When a decent solid house within 10 miles of a city center can cost upwards of $300k, and a nice one twice that, A low/mid range new car is $20k, and health insurance will cost a single healthy person with crappy coverage $300/month, $150k/year doesn't strike me as "rich". No, I'm not even close to that bracket, so I'm not just being an apologist for "rich people" I'd like to see the next column over, in the "$300k and above" category.
I'm also disappointed that they used circles for each blob, they don't show difference very well, since area is related the square of radius, it's not linear. 10% should look 100% bigger than 5%, not 41% bigger.
That leads to the third thing:
I'm really surprised at how similar "clothes and shoes" and "transportation and gasoline" are across the board. It's obvious that "rich" people can save a lot more for retirement. What struck me is how much universal health care would help everyone, in a way that really does seem equatable.
