Jana's future part 2

[eveandadam]

9 hours ago, Gossamer1 said:

From the MLSPlayers.org website  - Jeremy made $44,000 in 2012. 

sounds like a decent salary but is probably depending on where you live in the us? 44,000 U.S. dollars in Laredo should be at least average? But in New York City probably not enough to buy food and pay rent?

[front hugs > duggs]

Unfortunately $44,000/year is barely survivable to live on your own in the tri-state area.

Okay- that may be an exaggeration. But making 44k is not enough to live in NYC. So you live out of NYC and commute, where rent still isn't cheap in the suburbs, and then paying to get into the city eats up all your money (where I live it's $25/day roundtrip in and out- could amount to up to $6,000 a year.

I love the area I live in but it's so expensive. The idea of home ownership is super daunting as nothing around me is less than $350,000. Hubby gets super frustrated as his little little brother in England is already a homeowner. 

[sophie10130]

According to wikipedia, the median income for households in Laredo is around $32,000. And just shy of 30% of families are below the poverty line. 

 

Also interesting, the University of Toronto did a study in 2015 that showed that Laredo was the most economically segregated "smaller metro area" in America. Meaning people who were well off segregated themselves into smaller communities. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laredo,_Texas#Demographics

[socalrules]

2 hours ago, sophie10130 said:

According to wikipedia, the median income for households in Laredo is around $32,000. And just shy of 30% of families are below the poverty line. 

 

Also interesting, the University of Toronto did a study in 2015 that showed that Laredo was the most economically segregated "smaller metro area" in America. Meaning people who were well off segregated themselves into smaller communities. 

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Laredo,_Texas#Demographics

I doubt that little church is paying him anywhere near $32,000. He probably isn't given a free place to live like some churches either. That TLC money is likely to come in handy. 

[snickers34]

30 minutes ago, socalrules said:

I doubt that little church is paying him anywhere near $32,000. He probably isn't given a free place to live like some churches either. That TLC money is likely to come in handy. 

That salary sounds about right. I know, I'm not a crazy fundie so I'd never understand. But I just really can't comprehend being in your early 20s and marrying with the idea of having as many kids as possible. It truly sounds like the most stressful thing on earth. Like how can they be so naive to the stress of raising a huge family on a tiny income?

Bringing it back to Jana, I hope against all hopes that, even if she doesn't marry someone more sane than the other dopes her dad approved, that she'd at least marry someone with a real job. I don't have much hope for her otherwise. She's not going to college, she's not getting a career, and she's pretty much doomed to marry and have kids and have a guy be an authority over her. But I do hope that she finds someone kind & loving and that can actually support her....

[Coconut Flan]

4 hours ago, socalrules said:

I doubt that little church is paying him anywhere near $32,000.

I doubt it, too.  I expect Jeremy's salary is being paid by the home church in San Antonio.  That's the usual way it goes until the plant is self-supporting.  Each year the home church will expect to pay less and less as membership is supposed to build each year. 

[Analytica49]

On 2016-12-16 at 10:15 PM, Coconut Flan said:

I doubt it, too.  I expect Jeremy's salary is being paid by the home church in San Antonio.  That's the usual way it goes until the plant is self-supporting.  Each year the home church will expect to pay less and less as membership is supposed to build each year. 

Does this mean that, in order to increase (or even maintain) his salary, Jeremy will have to try to con more and more people into coming to his church? Will he have to work hard to make people feel like sinners, and convince them that personal redemption is possible only through his ministry? Will he aim to make people feel as vulnerable and hopeless as possible, in order to hold out the hope of salvation only through his godly leadership?

I'm sorry if that sounds cynical, but I am not impressed by the ways in which fundamentalism in general teaches lies to people. And in this specific case, it sounds as if Jeremy would have personal financial motivations to increase the size of his congregation by playing on people's weaknesses and vulnerabilities.

 

[Coconut Flan]

Exactly.  To stay in Laredo, Jeremy needs the church to become at least self-supporting so that means either enticing "the saved" from other congregations or gaining conversions.  To be considered really successful, he needs to pull in a geater attendance than just meeting the bills.

[WhyNotJulie]

On December 16, 2016 at 9:19 AM, front hugs > duggs said:

The idea of home ownership is super daunting as nothing around me is less than $350,000. 

$350k sounds AMAZING. I'm from Toronto. You can't get a matchbox condo within spitting distance of a transit route without spending $1.5mil. It's insanity. Practice your contentment & exercise gratitude for the housing market you have. 

[closetcagebaby]

38 minutes ago, WhyNotJulie said:

$350k sounds AMAZING. I'm from Toronto. You can't get a matchbox condo within spitting distance of a transit route without spending $1.5mil. It's insanity. Practice your contentment & exercise gratitude for the housing market you have. 

I'm in D.C. and feel the exact same! $350,000 would possibly get you a 1 bed condo in a not so great area. 

[season of life]

It will be interesting to see what Jana will do if she never marries or waits until her thirties. Sure, she has the little siblings to raise, but as the numbers lessen over the years she may not have tons to do.

[eveandadam]

5 hours ago, WhyNotJulie said:

$350k sounds AMAZING. I'm from Toronto. You can't get a matchbox condo within spitting distance of a transit route without spending $1.5mil. It's insanity. Practice your contentment & exercise gratitude for the housing market you have. 

Dito! I'm from Munich and the price range is around the same. And the appartments are tiny. Wanna buy a 1400 sqf house 1.5 hours outside of munich for your family so each child can have their own room and maybe a tiny little garden in the front? Be prepared to pay 1.5 mio € (around 1.7 U.S. $). Oh and the taxes are insane! Average salary in Germany is around 40 000€, of which you pay 50 % in taxes in total. Welcome to Germany ;-)

[WhyNotJulie]

55 minutes ago, eveandadam said:

Dito! I'm from Munich and the price range is around the same. And the appartments are tiny. Wanna buy a 1400 sqf house 1.5 hours outside of munich for your family so each child can have their own room and maybe a tiny little garden in the front? Be prepared to pay 1.5 mio € (around 1.7 U.S. $). Oh and the taxes are insane! Average salary in Germany is around 40 000€, of which you pay 50 % in taxes in total. Welcome to Germany ;-)

Germany sounds a lot like Canada, what with its income & tax rates. We feel your pain!

[Karma]

And Sydney, Australia! 

Glad I bought 25 years ago, but I worry for my kids.

[front hugs > duggs]

I understand how it can be much worse, but you are all mentioning bigger cities like Toronto, DC, and Munich. I'm kind of in the middle of nowhere with not much around. If I could pay $350k in NYC, my closest city, that would be a different story. Instead I'm surrounded by farm land.

[CharlieInCharge]

The OP about Germany said 1.5 hours outside Munich, so that's not exactly downtown. We live in Oregon and anything within an hour of Portland is insanely expensive. The urban sprawl is not just about construction, but also increases in property values. If you want something cheap these days you aren't going to be within easy commuting distance of anything big. We moved from the Bay Area and you can be over two hours from San Francisco and still pay well over a million US for a starter home. 

[Lizzybet]

1 hour ago, front hugs > duggs said:

I understand how it can be much worse, but you are all mentioning bigger cities like Toronto, DC, and Munich. I'm kind of in the middle of nowhere with not much around. If I could pay $350k in NYC, my closest city, that would be a different story. Instead I'm surrounded by farm land.

And aside from D.C., living in countries with great social programs: healthcare, fabulous public transportation, efficient public works, a living wage, etc.

I lived in the burbs/rural area of NYC for over twenty years- everyone needed two cars (and that was before your kids needed their own), no sidewalks, no bike lanes -walking was a problem. I paid for garbage pick up, snow removal, septic, etc.

My home was built for just under $100,000 in 1982, and sold for a little over $400,000 in 1996. I was a very 'motivated seller', because I was eager to move on post divorce.  The people who bought that house got a great deal! Everyone was happy!

 

 

[Shadoewolf]

$350K will buy you some decent property in the suburbs around Detroit. Before you cringe, areas like the Grosse Pointes, Birmingham, West Bloomfield, Royal Oak, etc. 2000+ square feet, garage, swimming pool and exceptional schools.  Very little crime and none of the decay of the city. All within 20 minutes of the city of Detroit. My inlaws in AR bought a 5 bedroom on 5 acres for $128K. My ILs in FL just bought a 3 bedroom near Fort Lauderdale on barely 1 acre for $315K. It really does vary nationwide.

[theilnana]

I think Housing prices are all really relative. I too live in Toronto, and I just bought a tiny semi in a downtown adjacent neighbourhood (King West) and paid $1.4m Canadian. It may sound like a lot but when I lived New York and London I couldn't even consider home ownership. At least in Toronto it was a possibility for me to a least have a house with an actual tiny yard somewhere near civilization.

Getting back to Jana, I think property, as it is" the Duggar family business", would be a great way for her to support her self if it ever came to that. If she never marries, I assume at some point after her Father passes away she will need some sort of income. I got super happy when I read about the tattoo parlour she bought, or at least was bought in her name. I live alone and I can understand how scary the thought of having to support yourself entirely on your own can be. As Jana ages out of the fundie dating pool that could very well become her reality. She needs to have some sort of confidence in her own ability to provide for herself. 

[WhyNotJulie]

6 hours ago, theilnana said:

 I too live in Toronto, and I just bought a tiny semi in a downtown adjacent neighbourhood (King West) and paid $1.4m Canadian.

That sounds glorious. I'm stuck in my parents' basement in the suburbs way north while I finish school & save up. :')

[theilnana]

15 hours ago, WhyNotJulie said:

That sounds glorious. I'm stuck in my parents' basement in the suburbs way north while I finish school & save up. :')

Good luck. You're still in school don't worry too much about buying a house right now. It took me years, I'm 38 and this is my first real house on my own. You're going to be just fine. Toronto's housing market can't keep rising this way. In a few years when you're ready to buy I'm sure the market will have stabilized. At least you and I have had a chance for an actual education. I fell that Jana needs to find a way to support herself in case she doesn't get married. Jim Bob can't live forever. 

[season of life]

I live in New York with my parents and I cannot imagine the rent for people living in Manhattan. A friend of mine had a cousin who lived in Manhattan and she paid $1,000 a month in rent, something she could afford because she split the $4,000 cost with 3 other girls.

I'm in a quieter area where it's more affordable, but the rent sucks (my parents own their home). 

[goldengrove]

On 10/1/2016 at 4:41 PM, AnnaRuk09 said:

<snip>

BTW, It was really surprising last season to hear her say that sometimes it can be tempting to get married to the first one that comes along. She would be willing to compromise that much? That was really surprising to hear a Duggar - people who say they "rely on God to bring the one" and on "having a good testimony" - say something like that.   

 

I don't believe that Jana is willing to compromise at all, she'd already be married if she were her time will come, she is still young in real life years, and a beautiful woman...marrying a little later means fewer babies, right? 

[SassyPants]

6 hours ago, season of life said:

I live in New York with my parents and I cannot imagine the rent for people living in Manhattan. A friend of mine had a cousin who lived in Manhattan and she paid $1,000 a month in rent, something she could afford because she split the $4,000 cost with 3 other girls.

I'm in a quieter area where it's more affordable, but the rent sucks (my parents own their home). 

That's what my son does. He and 3 of his friends rent a house in San Francisco- $5,500 a month. They are all college educated, working professionals. He has 2 other groups of friends doing the exact same thing.

[AnnaRuk09]

4 hours ago, goldengrove said:

I don't believe that Jana is willing to compromise at all, she'd already be married if she were her time will come, she is still young in real life years, and a beautiful woman...marrying a little later means fewer babies, right? 

Yeah I'd have to agree. Like you said, if she hasn't gotten married thus far, she is patiently  waiting for the one like they've been truly taught to.

Being that they strive for having a good testimony and all that, when she said that on the show she probably meant something else perhaps. Something like she's tempted at the thought of getting married quickly but would never actually do it in real life.

In her environment of course, girls get married and I'm sure dream of getting married at a young age. Jana is soon going to be 27 and is the last Duggar daughter left to be married (that's old enough). She will wait until God shows her who the one is and I greatly respect her for that. And I hope because she truly waited her marriage will be the sweetest of them all. Her time is coming and I really think we could see it happen in 2017.