Skydivers Economic Class (non-political)

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Okay this poll is far from scientific. It has it's faults since things like age are not factored in (also sorry to all the people outside of North America, the values seen are not in your native currency). But this is the non-political version of the Skydivers Economic Class poll and the categories are NOT salaries but instead are "Net Worth" figures. You know, add up all of your assets you and your possible spouse share. Things like real estate, stock investments and other property like cars, boats, yes your skydiving gear and subtract the debt from these assets that you owe to give you your net worth.

PS: If we were to give this poll to the entire skydiving community I would be willing to bet that tons of people would say that they are in the negative. But most of those folks are off living and working on the DZs and do not read this web site.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[DrewEckhardt 0]

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Okay this poll is far from scientific. It has it's faults since things like age are not factored in (also sorry to all the people outside of North America, the values seen are not in your native currency).

The issue here is that without a significant pension you need a lot of money to retire with out lifestyle changes.

In America, Social Security will only replace 1/3 of a high-earning single retiree's wages. You need to save millions by the time you retire in order to sustain a middle class lifestyle someplace that's pleasant (and therefore expensive) to live.

[karenmeal 0]

It'd be interesting to see more qualifications for people who vote that they are in the negative. My husband and I bought our first home last year so are in the negative a good bit. However, we're paying it off at a rate that we will own the home outright in 10-15 years and do not have any other debt. Definitely a big difference financially compared to a few years ago when I was still a college student and we both had significant debt we were dealing with.

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[CanuckInUSA 0]

Yes the poll has it's faults.

Younger people who do not come from well off families would be expected to come in at the lower half of the poll. Paying off your house sooner rather than later helps a lot. I come in just a tad above the median in this poll and I can attribute this to paying off my house in a 15 year time span. Of course I was also lucky in that my house's current value has almost tripled from what it was bought at.

Not that it matters but I wonder if the one person who voted > 10 million was being honest with us here. If they were honest we do have at least one filthy rich person among us.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[JohnRich 4]

Skydivers come from all walks of life; white collar, blue collar, old, young, rich and poor. There is no one set "economic class" for skydivers. It's all about the motivation to jump, and financial priorities. If you want to do it bad enough and aren't rich, you'll cut back on expenses somewhere else to make it happen. Where someone else is willing to spend $3,000 for a fancy set of wheels for their car, the skydiver will spend that same amount to purchase his first rig, and doesn't care what his wheels look like. Where some college students spend their allowance getting drunk, others choose to spend that money on skydiving. Where there's a will, there's a way.

[SethInMI 146]

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It'd be interesting to see more qualifications for people who vote that they are in the negative. My husband and I bought our first home last year so are in the negative a good bit.

If you bought a house last year, technically you are not in the negative. The house is an asset, the mortgage a debt, and the value of the house should be greater than the mortgage.

If you bought before the housing crash, you maybe upside down and have a house with a mortgage value greater than the house could sell for, and then you would be in the negative, but sounds like that is not the case.

It's flare not flair, brakes not breaks, bridle not bridal, "could NOT care less" not "could care less".

[karenmeal 0]

Whoops! Looks like I voted incorrectly. I was just thinking about the people to whom I owe money. We bought a foreclosure home after the housing market crashed (go us!) so we got some nice equity to start with.

I think this poll needs an option for stupid!

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham

[CanuckInUSA 0]

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I think this poll needs an option for stupid!

Karen, it's not supposed to be a political thread.

Try not to worry about the things you have no control over

[rhys 0]

I've been teetering on $0 for a few years, I have a great income finally after years of chasing it. i guess were would realisticly be worth about $30k even though we now earn $180+ (australian dollars)

My wife and I have invested a great deal indeed financialy and phisically over the last decade of gaining experience and ratings (and havin a laugh while we're at it). and have acomplshed most of it now.

Now we can focus on the future while we are still young. We are now in a position where we will be able to own our own home outright within 5 years, in the place we have always dreamed.

So I guess we have invested in our skills rather than assets, and these skills will provide our income. How do you put a value on your skills?

I guess that 'net worth value' is still to come.

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, then the world will see peace." - 'Jimi' Hendrix

[Squeak 17]

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It'd be interesting to see more qualifications for people who vote that they are in the negative. My husband and I bought our first home last year so are in the negative a good bit. However, we're paying it off at a rate that we will own the home outright in 10-15 years and do not have any other debt. Definitely a big difference financially compared to a few years ago when I was still a college student and we both had significant debt we were dealing with.

dont you need a deposit and wont the house be worth a fair bit more than you borrowed?

You are not now, nor will you ever be, good enough to not die in this sport (Sparky)
My Life ROCKS!
How's yours doing?

[karenmeal 0]

As I mentioned already, I made a mistake! I was just thinking about money owed.

"Life is a temporary victory over the causes which induce death." - Sylvester Graham