We seem to be continually curious about this question:What is life like for the wealthiest Americans?
Enough small talk.Here are some waysto earn extra cash, without all of the social stuff.
Heres a sampling of the responses.
He keeps a similarly tight budget to Nguyen, where hes aware of every expense.
His monthly budget falls much higher than many of ours, probably: $7,000.
But it doesnt seem absurd.
For many of us, what we want and cant afford remains a set of fantasies well never realize.
Life for the Average American Family
Median household income in the U.S. is $53,657 per year.
So, what does life look like for an average American family?
Michael Greene, 48, is a concierge for a property management group in Brooklyn.
He earns $53,000 per year and supports his wife and three children.
And the luxury he wants but cant afford?
A six-seat family car with a little TV in the back for the kids.
Hes a single father of two girls.
One of the starkest differences from Campbell to the other men, however, is his debt.
Nguyen reports less than 10 grand in debt and none from credit cards.
Villasmil reports $7,700 in credit card debt hell pay off by the end of the month.
Greene has about $7,000 left in student loan debt.
Campbell cant definitively name all the money he owes.
Im in a lot of debt, he explains.
I have traffic tickets, hospital bills, old phone bills.
Im pretty sure that my debt from the tickets alone is roughly $3,000.
He has no credit cards.
Campbell explains:
By the time you get the money to pay the ticket, the fine has doubled.
Then you get another one and cant pay that one.
Below the poverty line, saving is a distant fantasy.
At 25, Campbell says, Retirement is a long ways from now.
In contrast, both rich men report, interestingly, they dont plan to retire in a traditional sense.
They intend to continue managing real estate and other investments well into old age.
Worrying About Money
Villasmil does worry about money, Every single day.
Nguyen worries about money maybe once a week.
And how often does one worry about money while earning minimum wage?
Unsurprisingly, Campbell says, Always.
Living like this is hard to do.
Your Turn: Do these experiences surprise you?
What are your perceptions of life at various income levels?
Dana Sitar (@danasitar) is a staff writer at The Penny Hoarder.
Probably not as good as youd like.
It always seems like an uphill battle to build (and keep) a decent amount in savings.
But what if your car breaks down, or you have a sudden medical bill?
Ask one of these companies to help…
