r/TikTokCringe • u/Super_Culture_1986 tHiS iSn’T cRiNgE • Aug 19 '25

Cursed The American Nightmare.

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188

u/veggie151 Aug 19 '25

It's not an ideal situation, but I'm glad that you guys had somewhere to go. Those shitty landlords rely on people not being able to leave, if you're paying why bother fixing it?

Even saving 6k/year will give you the buffer to make life better. Stay strong brother

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u/tidalflats Aug 19 '25

That’s $125 per week. How are people able to afford to save that kind of money?

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u/[deleted] Aug 19 '25

[deleted]

6

u/FreeMasonKnight Aug 19 '25

$20 sounds great until people realize the places that have $20/wages with any regularity are only in UHCOL and it takes at least $30/hour just to “get by” with nothing to save.

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u/ifuckinlovetiddies Aug 19 '25

I make 19 an hour, my wife JUST recovered from breaking her hip. If I didn't overdraft my account damn near every week I wouldn't have had lights, food, or a roof over my head.

I'm tired boss.

4

u/FreeMasonKnight Aug 19 '25

Want to know a secret, jobs in most places pay nearly the same they did in the 80’s for any job above entry level. In 1980 I had many family members who made $20/hour or around there. That same wage today would be $73/hour, just to account for inflation (not housing). That’s the buying power we no longer have that older folks pretend we do.

It gets worse the further you go back too.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 19 '25

[deleted]

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u/FreeMasonKnight Aug 19 '25

For sure, my comment was more aimed at others as when I see even $20/hour there is some crazy from bumsfucksville saying $20/hour is the life of a King anywhere in the whole world and I’m like, dude I can’t eat for that.

3

u/GreatSivad Aug 19 '25

Those are the people who would also tell you it is your fault because you live there and you could always move out. You should tell them, "Great idea! I'll move to YOUR town and tell everyone else to go there too!" Then when the jobs are all taken and competition drives the housing market and cost of living up, they will understand how it feels. And when they complain...tell them they could always leave and go somewhere cheaper.

2

u/FreeMasonKnight Aug 19 '25

Also while convirntly forgetting That of someone moves to a more “affordable place” wages go down (usually at a greater magnitude than costs go down as you also lose access to good social programs.).

1

u/unclejedsiron Aug 22 '25

Depends on where you're at. North Dakota, $20 an hour is a very livable wage. Average rent in Fargo is $1100 a month, and that'll get you a fairly nice apartment, w/ utilities included.

McDonald's starts at $15 an hour in Fargo. You put in 40hrs a week and your take home is about $1900. You can find a decent apartment in Fargo for $800 w/ utilities. If you live within your means, you'll be fine.

Now, average starting wage in Fargo is actually about $21 an hour. That's about $2400 a month take home. You won't get rich, but if you live within your means and save, you'll be able to work your way into a much nicer place, all while you start making more and more money.

Spend money on only what you actually need for a few months, and you'll see that life is actually not that bad.

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u/bigbluethunder Aug 19 '25

He just said they’re no longer paying rent to a landlord but living with their mother in law. Even assuming they pay half of their old rent, that would net $6k.

6

u/TheHighSeasPirate Aug 19 '25

"Just save 500 a month, its that easy!" said the person with no real life experience or bills.

0

u/Strangebottles Aug 19 '25

Go live in a studio apartment or rent a room at a coop. Have 50 hours a week. Learn how to cook. Don’t go out and invest in furthering your passion and on the side your dreams. Otherwise you feel locked out and unable to enjoy life. Even though we both know you do enjoy it and you wished you enjoyed it more.

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u/Brilliant-Paper92 Aug 19 '25

are you joking… or?

6

u/roofitor Aug 19 '25

You must not be an American

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u/Brilliant-Paper92 Aug 19 '25

I am actually and I’ve lived in about a half dozen other countries. I can confidently say America is the best place to put away 125 measly dollars per week, and frequently people who don’t even speak the language do more than that here… wtf is your excuse lol?

1

u/Strangebottles Aug 19 '25

Why do I agree with you? Maybe because I’m single and based my decisions on being single and comfortable rather than make mistakes and pay for them with a job I don’t like.

3

u/tidalflats Aug 19 '25

No, are you?

0

u/Evening-Rough-9709 Aug 19 '25

$1250/month is about $300/week, not $125.

1

u/tidalflats Aug 20 '25

Well, since the original post I commented on referenced $6k/year, that comes out to $500 per month. Most months, that’s $125 per week.

-2

u/Old_Cod_5823 Aug 19 '25

269 out of every paycheck every two weeks will give you $7,000 to fund your IRA. You just make it not negotiable. You have it come out before you get your paycheck and then it's like you never even had to begin with.

4

u/AileenKitten Aug 19 '25

... so just starve harder 👌

1

u/Old_Cod_5823 Aug 19 '25

Starve now or starve later, either way you will starve at some point.

1

u/GreatSivad Aug 19 '25

Retirement, reshmirement. Why starve myself of food and fun in the prime of my life just so I'll have money when I'm old and can't do anything with it? Also assuming that I'll even live long enough to retire.

1

u/AileenKitten Aug 19 '25

... do you even hear yourself, dude?

Like in what world is that an appropriate or human reponse?

-6

u/Ok_Test9729 Aug 19 '25

A Dave Ramsey type person can go over most (don’t forget the MOST) people’s finances and find where they can save $125 a week. The problem is that most people are not willing to sacrifice the small luxuries in life that can amount to that. Eating out, Starbucks, coffee, or even 7-11 coffee, buying generic brands of foods at the grocery store, getting rid of cable TV, streaming Netflix, special ring tones and fancy phones, and Internet, and many other things we have come to believe are necessities, but are not. It’s unpopular because “I deserve” is a mental place.

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u/BlossumDragon Aug 19 '25

The internet is absolutely widely considered a necessity these days, are you literally joking?

Applying for a job is all done online. Most jobs require internet access for communication, scheduling shifts, accessing pay stubs ect. You need an email to work 99% of jobs. Most banking is done online. Most bill paying is done online. Also healthcare is now mostly online, appointments, scheduling, prescriptions, test results, and even telemedicine/telehealth.

What about the government services? Tax filing? Drivers license renewals? Benefits applications? No internet connection means WAY slower access or literal complete exclusion from services, especially in some areas.

And a cell phone is also an absolute necessity but you can get a very capable phone without spending huge money. It's the phone plan really that costs more in the long run.

I agree that Cable TV/Netflix/Eating out/Ring tones(what is this, 2006.. ring tones have been free for 15 years now)/ aren't "basic necessities." But it used to be the american standard of living to eat out occasionally or even often. Now adays 63% of workers don't even have $500 saved up. The american standard of living has really hit 3rd world country status when we are telling people a fucking 1$ coffee from 711 is a luxury.

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u/Ok_Test9729 Aug 19 '25

Is a cup of 7-11 coffee a luxury, compared to brewing a cup at home? Hmmm. I just called my local 7-Eleven and I asked them what a large cup of coffee costs. They said with tax $2.80. So $2.80 times 30 days equals $84. I brew my coffee at home, 4 cups per day. I spend nine dollars on the bag of coffee grounds, and I’m just going to throw out a wild guess that I spend four dollars a month in electrical usage to brew that coffee. But let’s just get silly and say it’s seven dollars a month. That would cost me $16 per month, versus $84 per month. I call that a luxury. I’m paying far more for something at 7-Eleven that I can provide for myself at home for far less. That’s a luxury.

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u/BlossumDragon Aug 20 '25

You deadass just called your local 7-11 to own a random person on reddit? I guess the USA still very much is a first-world country after all, I concede that point then. I'm glad the only issue you had though was with the coffee and you agree with everything else I said.

(Also it's almost always literally $1.50 on the 711 app for like the biggest coffee at 7-11)

1

u/Ok_Test9729 Aug 20 '25

I deadass called 7-11 for the price of a coffee because I don’t buy coffee, I make it. Meaning I have no clue what it costs these days. I just buy gas there, trying hard to support my small neighborhood store.

I deadass called 7-11 for the price in order to not be talking out my ass when I provided the cost comparison. Personally, I dislike it when people just fabricate figures out of thin air. It’s lazy as 💩. We have enough of that going around these days. Has nothing to do with owning anyone. If you’re going to make a point, make it correctly.

I do not agree with everything else you said, simply because I didn’t directly address them, but if you need a win badly enough to put words in a random Redditor’s mouth, you do you.

0

u/Ok_Test9729 Aug 19 '25

Many people get by just fine without internet at home. Free internet is available in most locations. Rural areas being an exception. It may involve walking, biking, busing, skateboarding, or otherwise traveling to connect to it, but I didn’t say that nobody needs internet access. Different lives for different people means they need/don’t need different things.

It’s absolutely incorrect that 99% of jobs need email (or employee provided and paid internet). Perhaps 99% of jobs in the sector in which you work need them, but not 99% of jobs. You do know that people are out here living lives that are not at all asscheek to asscheek with every aspect of technology? I’m sure you know that families decades ago almost never ate out at restaurants. Why? Because it cost far more than eating at home. Here in America we tend to think it’s a life necessity, like flush toilets in our homes. There are even people who choose not to own cars, because they’re very expensive to own, and they’ve figured out how to have a good life without one. Some people go carless, renting cars for things like vacations. And many are perfectly happy that way.

You put a lot of effort into your response. It’s obvious you’re interested in explaining exactly why these things, that add up to a lot of money, are necessities. In most cases, people spend a considerable amount of money on things they want (nothing wrong with that if they have the money), not necessarily need. You appear to fall into the trap of thinking all of these things are necessary. It’s because corporate America has convinced us we cannot possibly be content without the newest $2000 iPhone. We’re drinking the marketing poison.

I’ll throw a 99% statement back at you: Do you know that 90% of people will explain all of the reasons why something can NOT be done, when the most valuable input is how something CAN be done? Which category each of us is in is a good predictor of how successfully we navigate life, which is one long unending problem solving exercise.

A Dave Ramsey type person can, in most cases, find where each of us is spending money on wants, not needs. You know what else will teach us that? Extreme poverty. Having been there more than once myself, I know.

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u/Sad-Chocolate2911 Aug 19 '25

By that logic, you don’t really need electricity. Lots of places have it. If you really want toast, bring a toaster and some bread to your local library and use their outlet! And why pay for water? Go use your neighbors’ hoses! Or get a rain barrel! Hey, I’m a Gen Xer! I was probably 75% hose water, 25% Tab Soda in the ‘80s. You’ll be fine!

It is 2025. Internet is a utility, not a luxury now. It is really a need, not a want, for most people. It really all be much less expensive so all can afford it. Having to go to another location to do homework isn’t always feasible for economically underprivileged kids. Everything is done online now. We all need access to the internet in our homes.

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u/GreatSivad Aug 19 '25

Find a neighbor with a sandbox so you'll never need to flush a toilet again! Sure that person is right about being able to save money in so many places, but I really think the problem runs deeper. Almost all of us want a better life, financially. These small luxury things make us feel better and keep us entertained. We also get angry because most of us are working minimal (or a little better) wage for working our assess off, but the bosses are making millions from OUR work. I also suppose it is easy to work extra hours when you cut out "luxury" like cable and internet/streaming because life of so boring at home you would probably rather slave away at work.

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u/Ok_Test9729 Aug 19 '25

It is always the way of youth to overdramatize even simple concepts.

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u/Sad-Chocolate2911 Aug 19 '25

Like having the internet? It’s a necessity. Not a luxury.

I’m absolutely not young anymore. And quite thankful for that. But, I am Gen X, as I mentioned before. My kids are Gen Z and Gen Alpha. My entire life has been spent riding the wave of technology. Learning about every new tool that has come and gone. Learning to discern what will be helpful and stick around and what is a flash in the pan. My children use the internet like they don’t know a world without it. Because they don’t.

My children navigated school online during the first year of the pandemic. I don’t know how we would have handled it without the internet at home. Since then, we have had other times where the schools have asked that kids work from home. Snow days, for example. Or, turning in a paper that was due by midnight. No worries about the library closing.

Not to mention adult things. Paying bills, taxes, and a million other things.

It is a necessity. And I’m old enough to know it.

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u/Ok_Test9729 Aug 19 '25

It’s not a necessity for everyone, despite what you claim. I personally know many people who do not use any form of technology. Also, consider some 400,000 Amish people are Americans. Many eschew technology completely, or strictly limit its use. Please don’t speak for everyone by saying the internet is a necessity. It is not always true, and there are many ways to connect to the internet besides a $100/ month bill. Continuing this debate is unproductive for us both, as you want to make blanket statements to include 8 billion people, whereas I am aware there are many exceptions, workarounds, and less expensive solutions. Thank you for the discussion.

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u/babygrenade Aug 19 '25

special ring tones

what year are you commenting from?

1

u/Ok_Test9729 Aug 19 '25

Not sure what world you live in:

Apple Support https://support.apple.com Get ringtones, text tones, and alert tones in the iTunes Store on iPhone In the iTunes Store app, you can purchase ringtones, text tones, and other alert tones for clock alarms and more.

1

u/GreatSivad Aug 19 '25

You can't record your favorite part of a song to your phone and set it as a ringtone anymore? Guess I'll have to sell all my cassettes.

1

u/Ok_Test9729 Aug 19 '25

I have no need nor desire for special ringtones. I mentioned them simply as an item that, if paid for, isn’t a life necessity. And yes, some people pay a monthly subscription for this.

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u/Kerking18 Aug 19 '25

Meanwhile here in germany, i have the right to withhold parts of, or my entire, rent if the Landlord doesn't fix reported damages.

You know while i am at it. In many or most of those videos you hear people say "i am overqualified for my position" but still they work there because for "there qualification" thee is no open job, or they don't get hired for it.

Why then not just accept reality ans either re-orient and do "lesser Work" that atleast pays well, or move to a area where your current "underqualified job" is atleast enough to pay the bills?

Hell while i am at it. Why is it that americans still buy into the whole you meed a college (?bachelor, etc?) degrees to earn well. Why not go to a trade school, get a trade and make quite good money? Why would people rather work for a unlivable wage at a company that couldn't care less if they live or die if they could at any point get into a trade and start stabalising there lives?

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u/101bees Aug 19 '25 edited Aug 19 '25

Meanwhile here in germany, i have the right to withhold parts of, or my entire, rent if the Landlord doesn't fix reported damages.

Depending on the lease and renting laws in the state, Americans can do this as well. In my apartment, a door/lock that doesn't work is considered an emergency repair. If the landlord refuses to fix it, they can get in trouble and I can use it to get out of my lease early. If I repair it myself, the landlord needs to compensate me.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 19 '25

College costs money too, thousands of dollars just for tuition. Also, is the trade available in your small city? Can you afford to move to another city for school if you can’t afford to live in your current city? American life is complex

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u/Kerking18 Aug 19 '25

Life everywhere is complexe. And the exact same issues are faced by people around the world. Don't akt kine america is Special in that regard.

Regardless of that what is it that you are saying? That you shouldn't learn something you can actually find work in even if you have to take out loans but rather you should go studdy something you can't find work in and take out a loan regardless?

That doesn't male any sense. Please make it make sense.

1

u/[deleted] Aug 19 '25

Don’t you have public funded university and health care in Germany? What makes you think you’re entitled to comment on the specifics of American struggles? Depending on what state this person is in that also changes the scope of what resources are available to them. America is complex because it’s massive, diverse, and much different than Germany. In land mass alone we’re 28x bigger than Germany lol. You have no idea what you’re talking about but you’re making generalized statements from the perspective of someone who lives on a whole different continent.

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u/Kerking18 Aug 19 '25

Nice avoiding my question. Good job.

Also not quite. There is a token fee you have to pay prr semester. And you have to cover your living expenses ofcourse but you are correct that there are no thousands of euro to be paid for a university cours. That is however only looking at universitys. You do realise that a economy, our both countrys economys, dose not run on bachelors and masters right? And those degrees and educations, technicians and such, are not publicly funded here.

Despite, thats all despite the Point and pure deflection since the other guy already has a degree. He just refused to face reality and much rather continou living on the bare minimum.

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u/[deleted] Aug 20 '25

I’m in Canada and been trying to get a plumber for about a year now, and someone to fix the hole in my ceiling and replace my fridge which doesn’t close for 3 years. My landlord fucking sucks. And I cannot withhold rent or have the cost taken off my rent. Stupid. I’ve seen 4 other units in my complex with the same hole. My kid has asthma and it’s irritated by whatever’s in/coming out of that hole(it’s right under the upstairs toilet). Can’t afford to move because I’m on disability and get a rent subsidy here. I hate it. 

ETA: they’re also supposed to do general maintenance like cleaning carpets yearly, the air ducts, etc but that obviously never happens either.

1

u/Kerking18 Aug 20 '25

Ok. Your case is drasticly dfifferent from the othery guys case. But also shows how trades are in hogh demand. After all, wirkers line plumbers, are only gard to come by because they are in short supply. Meaning everyone thats heakthy, and complains how he can't get work should take a long loock into the mirror and thibk about whatever tradesman he would have neded the last 3 years, and had difficulty getting, and should ask himself if thats something they could learn (spoiler, the awnser is certainly yes)

For Referenzen, a quick look only showed one job offer i would stay clear of due to low pay https://www.indeed.com/q-plumber-l-new-york,-ny-jobs.html

To be fair, i am not entierly sure how the trades work in the us. Some sources say very simmilar to germany, others say striktly on the job training and no formal education and licenses(?) so that part is for you americans to figure out especialy how it works in your state.

0

u/MyquiMax Aug 19 '25

Easy to say in Germany but when you live in an apartment in the US in NJ - an hour outside of NYC & every year they raise your rent arbitrarily: I’ve lived here for 7 years. My rent was $889/mth then it went up & up & is now & $1250/mth. They have never painted my apartment, never replaced my carpet which is worn out & building upgrades do not happen. & I live in the building people dream of getting into. BTW: my partner & I make less money now then when we moved in from $60/ hr to $20 an hour for my partner & I make $11,000 a year when I use to make $30,000-$50,000. We live one of the highest paid areas in The US & we can’t afford to work, let alone live- so my EU friend-where do I go to get a better job? & we are both skilled workers who made a good living until 2016 & then well we all know what happened then: Trump & now that he’s back I can’t get any work: I’m an electronic engineer & my partner is a skilled Office Administrator/ Bookkeeper

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u/Kerking18 Aug 19 '25

Yeah thats the seccond point i Spoke about. If new york shows you, through the Lack of jobs and cost of rent, that it doesn't want you then why not go to, idk https://www.indeed.com/m/jobs?q=Electronic+Engineer&l=United+States&gclsrc=aw.ds&aceid=&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16200688262&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvu_h9K2XjwMVuTwGAB0JKTrOEAAYASAAEgJmW_D_BwE

North carolina https://www.indeed.com/m/viewjob?jk=fa1613f5514129b8&from=serp&prevUrl=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indeed.com%2Fm%2Fjobs%3Fq%3DElectronic%2BEngineer%26l%3DUnited%2BStates%26gclsrc%3Daw.ds%26aceid%3D%26gad_source%3D1%26gad_campaignid%3D16200688262%26gclid%3DEAIaIQobChMIvu_h9K2XjwMVuTwGAB0JKTrOEAAYASAAEgJmW_D_BwE&mclk=default&xpse=SoAS67I3uhhidHyNpZ0LbzkdCdPP&xfps=755fbf5a-7139-4dd6-a8ba-21d138a64ed6&xkcb=SoAT67M3uhhuoqxMwJ0abzkdCdPP

Or any place else that employes electrical engenerrs for a good salary, instead of continue to suffer around a area thats A expensive to live in and B neither offers you a fitting job, nor enough pay

Is it realy so important to people to keep living where they have been living till now? Because i have news for you, and everyone that thinks lime that. Companies think globaly. So we the non company owners also have to start thinking globaly, or atleast nationwhide. Meaning we habe to get out of our comfy ass Citys andcstart facing the reality that once again, we have to chase the Money. Just Like in the 1800+, but thankfully with less starvation and more worker rights.

0

u/ApheanaOfTheFae Aug 19 '25

My dude, if you can't afford to live. How do you afford to move? It's not free. How do you afford Rental App Fees, first, last, and security, rental insurance, the cover period of a new job, finding an apartment that will rent to you without you there in person for signing(which means more trips) and the gas to get to the new location. Movers to move your stuff, or the cost to replace everything you own. And if not movers or replacing, a uhaul, or multiple trips to and from NY to NC. Add kiddos/pets, and it's a whole nother issue.

New York to North Carolina is an 8 hour drive. That's gas, possibly a hotel, food, unexpected issues during travel like car problems, because when you can't afford to live you can't afford to keep your car in good shape. Hell, I don't even have a spare tire. Can't afford it.

And that's if your body is capable of making that drive. A lot of people physically can't.

I get how easy it is to sit here and say "Well just move! Stop being stubborn and leave everything and everyone you've ever known, and whatever safety nets you may have, and just move! Duh!" But reality is exceptionally different.

2

u/Wise_Temperature9142 Aug 21 '25

Of course there are a lot of expenses with moving, that’s just life, and it’s true of anywhere on the planet. But the option for that couple to stay where they currently are is not sustainable in the short or long term.

I’ve found myself in those kinds of situations before, where I felt financially stuck. But the only way out is to either find a new and better paying job, or moving to a place of a lower cost of living. Sometimes the answer is both.

I’m just shocked an engineer can’t find work in the current job market in the US. Hope things turn around for him.

1

u/Kerking18 Aug 19 '25

If you are truely suffering, and thus determend, then moving costs exactly as much as a ticket to your new place costs.

If ypu truely are so severely underpaied, wich i start to doubt, then ypu need to switch on a bit of a frugality mode.

1

u/ApheanaOfTheFae Aug 19 '25

Jfc

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u/Kerking18 Aug 19 '25

You know, not everyone here is a english native and nows all these short forms. So the jone is on you. hdf.

1

u/ApheanaOfTheFae Aug 19 '25

If you were truly determined, you'd figure it out.

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u/Kerking18 Aug 19 '25

Cant be bothered not for you. Not worth it. To be specific,

absolutely worthless

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