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The old saying used to be...A 45 year old man will earn 2 out of every 3 dollars he will ever earn from that point forward.

soybean

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Sep 30, 2001
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Is that still valid today? It seems to me that while most younger men are struggling, that a higher percentage of those between say 25-40 are doing better for themselves than ever before in my experience.

I had a piece of used specialty equipment for sale. This 25 year old "kid" called me and said he wanted to look at it. Since I knew his Dad and Grand-dad I decided to humor him. This guy had been a total loser and embarrassment to his family several years ago so I did not expect much. He had been in HS with my Grand-daughter and the school had kicked him out for good before she graduated...he was so bad even the Army would not take him. Anyway, he showed up kinda sheepishly and gave the piece of iron a good once over and made me an offer of $110K instead of the $125K I told him I wanted. After few minutes of haggling I shook his hand at $120K and told him to call when he had the financing lined up...he said "No, I'll pay cash" and he offered to ride with me to Grinnell to his bank so that I could see that his check was good. It was. It got me to thinking about how a HS dropout who made his living trimming trees could save up that much cash. When I mentioned how impressed I was with him he just winked and said "I quit staying up all night and sleeping all day, and I don't have a woman".

I wonder how many of them like him there are out there? When I was his age I was married and a young father doing all kinds of deals just to keep a roof over our heads, many times just by the skin of my teeth.
 
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Is that still valid today? It seems to me that while most younger men are struggling, that a higher percentage of those between say 25-40 are doing better for themselves than ever before in my experience.

I had a piece of used specialty equipment for sale. This 25 year old "kid" called me and said he wanted to look at it. Since I knew his Dad and Grand-dad I decided to humor him. This guy had been a total loser and embarrassment to his family several years ago so I did not expect much. He had been in HS with my Grand-daughter and the school had kicked him out for good before she graduated...he was so bad even the Army would not take him. Anyway, he showed up kinda sheepishly and gave the piece of iron a good once over and made me an offer of $110K instead of the $125K I told him I wanted. After few minutes of haggling I shook his hand at $120K and told him to call when he had the financing lined up...he said "No, I'll pay cash" and he offered to ride with me to Grinnell to his bank so that I could see that his check was good. It was. It got me to thinking about how a HS dropout who made his living trimming trees could save up that much cash. When I mentioned how impressed I was with him he just winked and said "I quit staying up all night and sleeping all day, and I don't have a woman".

I wonder how many of them like him there are out there? When I was his age I was married and a young father doing all kinds of deals just to keep a roof over our heads, many times just by the skin of my teeth.
Even having no woman and staying up all night partying, handing over 120K at 25 is damn impressive. That's an incredible amount of money. Interesting. I think there is more to the story.
 
Its all about financial responsibility and living within your means. Probably not much different now then before.
 
My 15 year old is currently looking at jobs. People are throwing offers at him for his first job of $15 an hour!! That is crazy to me... He ended up taking a lifeguard course and will be a life guard making $13 an hour this summer hanging out at the pool all day.
 
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Is that still valid today? It seems to me that while most younger men are struggling, that a higher percentage of those between say 25-40 are doing better for themselves than ever before in my experience.

I had a piece of used specialty equipment for sale. This 25 year old "kid" called me and said he wanted to look at it. Since I knew his Dad and Grand-dad I decided to humor him. This guy had been a total loser and embarrassment to his family several years ago so I did not expect much. He had been in HS with my Grand-daughter and the school had kicked him out for good before she graduated...he was so bad even the Army would not take him. Anyway, he showed up kinda sheepishly and gave the piece of iron a good once over and made me an offer of $110K instead of the $125K I told him I wanted. After few minutes of haggling I shook his hand at $120K and told him to call when he had the financing lined up...he said "No, I'll pay cash" and he offered to ride with me to Grinnell to his bank so that I could see that his check was good. It was. It got me to thinking about how a HS dropout who made his living trimming trees could save up that much cash. When I mentioned how impressed I was with him he just winked and said "I quit staying up all night and sleeping all day, and I don't have a woman".

I wonder how many of them like him there are out there? When I was his age I was married and a young father doing all kinds of deals just to keep a roof over our heads, many times just by the skin of my teeth.
Another old saying is “don’t judge a book by its cover.”
 
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He probably also does side job work that he doesnt pay taxes on. Plus if he lives in iowa, he could have made a killing after the derecho from trimming trees.
Yep, as far as I know he does just tree trimming and removal...which is not cheap. Kid looks like a lumberjack too.
 
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No woman, no kids, and if he owned his tree trimming/landscaping outfit and never invested, he could have $120k laying around. He might be better off financing the 120k than paying outright, but there are 2 schools of thought on that.

A single male can easily save $20-50k/year living on the cheap.
 
The saying might be something that is true for most people but not all.

I mean if you look at a professional athlete for example I would gather that most of them earn 90% or more of their lifetime earnings before age 45.

I have no idea how a 25 year old high school drop out that doesn't come from a wealthy family could save $120,000 earning all of their money legally.
 
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When one generation earns 2 of 3 dollars after 45, the next generation receives more before 45.
 
The saying might be something that is true for most people but not all.

I mean if you look at a professional athlete for example I would gather that most of them earn 90% or more of their lifetime earnings before age 45.

I have no idea how a 25 year old high school drop out that doesn't come from a wealthy family could save $120,000 earning all of their money legally.
Have you ever had a tree trimmed or taken out? It isn't cheap. If he owns the business it is very believable that he could have that much cash.
 
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No woman, no kids, and if he owned his tree trimming/landscaping outfit and never invested, he could have $120k laying around. He might be better off financing the 120k than paying outright, but there are 2 schools of thought on that.

A single male can easily save $20-50k/year living on the cheap.
Financing is a no brainer if he’s truly pulling in that kind of change. What would it be like 1.5% interest after taxes?
 
Have you ever had a tree trimmed or taken out? It isn't cheap. If he owns the business it is very believable that he could have that much cash.

Yes but I got my dad to help me and we did it ourselves.

There is very little work that I can do myself that I have the money to hire out to others.

I occasionally get someone else to change my oil when I just don't feel like it. But that is like 1 out of every 4 oil changes at most. The other 3 I do myself.
 
Is that still valid today? It seems to me that while most younger men are struggling, that a higher percentage of those between say 25-40 are doing better for themselves than ever before in my experience.

I had a piece of used specialty equipment for sale. This 25 year old "kid" called me and said he wanted to look at it. Since I knew his Dad and Grand-dad I decided to humor him. This guy had been a total loser and embarrassment to his family several years ago so I did not expect much. He had been in HS with my Grand-daughter and the school had kicked him out for good before she graduated...he was so bad even the Army would not take him. Anyway, he showed up kinda sheepishly and gave the piece of iron a good once over and made me an offer of $110K instead of the $125K I told him I wanted. After few minutes of haggling I shook his hand at $120K and told him to call when he had the financing lined up...he said "No, I'll pay cash" and he offered to ride with me to Grinnell to his bank so that I could see that his check was good. It was. It got me to thinking about how a HS dropout who made his living trimming trees could save up that much cash. When I mentioned how impressed I was with him he just winked and said "I quit staying up all night and sleeping all day, and I don't have a woman".

I wonder how many of them like him there are out there? When I was his age I was married and a young father doing all kinds of deals just to keep a roof over our heads, many times just by the skin of my teeth.
Was that piece of specialty equipment a meth lab? Or could it be turned into a meth lab?
 
Yes but I got my dad to help me and we did it ourselves.

There is very little work that I can do myself that I have the money to hire out to others.

I occasionally get someone else to change my oil when I just don't feel like it. But that is like 1 out of every 4 oil changes at most. The other 3 I do myself.
Trimming trees can be very dangerous work. A worker was crushed about 2 weeks ago here in Omaha when a tree fell opposite where they expected it to go. So be very careful about what you are willing to take on.
 
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Trimming trees can be lucrative. Spent $1,500 yesterday for a crew of 4 to remove a tree. They worked for about 30 minutes. Did a good job, but I’d love to have that rate of return on my time.
 
Trimming trees can be lucrative. Spent $1,500 yesterday for a crew of 4 to remove a tree. They worked for about 30 minutes. Did a good job, but I’d love to have that rate of return on my time.
They had to invest in the gear and insurance in that field is brutal.
I wonder what a law office would have charged for a team of four to show up onsite for any reason?
 
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They had to invest in the gear and insurance in that field is brutal.
I wonder what a law office would have charged for a team of four to show up onsite for any reason?
Oh, I get it. I’m just saying it’s a hell of a lucrative business in a city like Tallahassee that has a million trees.
 
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It’s the boomers fault that I can’t have a 400,000 house, free childcare, and am expected to make financial choices in life.

I want it all, the day after I graduate college.

might as well take this conversation to it’s conclusion.
 
Tree surgery is one of the most dangerous occupations there is.

Tree climbers in particular are fearless. There's no way in hell I'd do that job.
 
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Trimming trees can be very dangerous work. A worker was crushed about 2 weeks ago here in Omaha when a tree fell opposite where they expected it to go. So be very careful about what you are willing to take on.
The best “Darwin Award” winner in my lifetime was a tree trimmer who fell to his death trimming a tree. He cut the limb he tied his lifeline too and fell 80’ to his death. It happened in Ottumwa… so there is little doubt it really happened! It was long before I knew OiT….
 
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Is that still valid today? It seems to me that while most younger men are struggling, that a higher percentage of those between say 25-40 are doing better for themselves than ever before in my experience.

I had a piece of used specialty equipment for sale. This 25 year old "kid" called me and said he wanted to look at it. Since I knew his Dad and Grand-dad I decided to humor him. This guy had been a total loser and embarrassment to his family several years ago so I did not expect much. He had been in HS with my Grand-daughter and the school had kicked him out for good before she graduated...he was so bad even the Army would not take him. Anyway, he showed up kinda sheepishly and gave the piece of iron a good once over and made me an offer of $110K instead of the $125K I told him I wanted. After few minutes of haggling I shook his hand at $120K and told him to call when he had the financing lined up...he said "No, I'll pay cash" and he offered to ride with me to Grinnell to his bank so that I could see that his check was good. It was. It got me to thinking about how a HS dropout who made his living trimming trees could save up that much cash. When I mentioned how impressed I was with him he just winked and said "I quit staying up all night and sleeping all day, and I don't have a woman".

I wonder how many of them like him there are out there? When I was his age I was married and a young father doing all kinds of deals just to keep a roof over our heads, many times just by the skin of my teeth.
Did he say his job was "importer/exporter"?
 
Cutting down/trimming trees is very lucrative. Doesn’t surprise the guy has that much money lying around.
 
The best “Darwin Award” winner in my lifetime was a tree trimmer who fell to his death trimming a tree. He cut the limb he tied his lifeline too and fell 80’ to his death. It happened in Ottumwa… so there is little doubt it really happened! It was long before I knew OiT….
Satisfaction over people dying. You really are a piece of work.
 
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My daughter is 18 and working at a swim school for 19.50 an hour on the weekends. There is stupid money out there.

Also OP is slinging rock and will most likely murder @soybean then leave a money clip on a fence. Time is a flat circle my friend!
 
I think one thing that's kind of interesting about first world American life is that you don't have to be necessarily intelligent to make good money and be successful. I'm continually amazed by how many people I meet that don't come across as the sharpest people - never read a book - and somehow pull in 100K a year and live in a nice house.

You go to most places in the world and your average mental joe's don't have that opportunity. Take Cambodia, for example. Even the folks with above average intelligence are pulling in $5 a day working on the farm or being a cyclo driver.

BTW, why was this guy a 'total loser and embarrassment'?
 
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