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So how exactly do Europeans cope with high prices?

Slew Foot

Slew Foot

Lifer
Im assuming Europeans dont make that much more than their American counterparts, but the price of virtually everything in Europe, housing, food, energy, is much higher than that of the the US.

So how exactly does the average European get by? Living in multifamily dwellings? Staying with their parents? Living on bare essentials? Less toys?

With inflation and wage stagnation coming to the US, Im looking ahead to the future 🙂

 
the average european family dwelling in western europe is smaller than the average poor family's house in the US.
 
They adapted and got used to it over time. That's what so many people seem to forget. Instead we get a bunch of stupid people freaking out over everything, acting like its doomsday if we have to pay more money for things that have been, in many cases, artificially underpriced for some time. Considering how much wasteful buying I see a ton of people do (and even partake in some myself), I think in the end we'll be better for it. My hope is that it will usher in a return to decent quality goods. Do we really need markets flooded with $25 DVD players that break every 6 months?

Of course, never underestimate American stubborness.
 
The funny thing about the Euro is that while everything costs more relative to the Dollar, you make more money relative to the Dollar, as well. Did I just blow your mind? Bam!

Also, they have more intelligent social welfare programs so you don't have to choose between food and medicine when you make minimum wage.
 
How they deal with gas prices? They use public transportation and walk. Reason why Americans are so fat because they're married to their motorized vehicles.
 
It's a very misleading comparison. Prices are only much higher relative to the U.S. dollar.

the average european family in western europe is smaller than the average poor family's house in the US.
Click to expand...

That's true only if you exclude Muslim families, which is why some western Europen countries might eventually have Muslim majorities.
 
Originally posted by: LtPage1
The funny thing about the Euro is that while everything costs more relative to the Dollar, you make more money relative to the Dollar, as well. Did I just blow your mind? Bam!

Also, they have more intelligent social welfare programs so you don't have to choose between food and medicine when you make minimum wage.
Click to expand...

That's a good point about the social welfare programs. I like threads where a lot of valid points are made, it shows that things are a bit more complex than people want to think they are. I just shake my head when I hear people who have so little knowledge/understanding of so many things involved when it comes to oil, but they of course have some simple fix that will miraculously solve everything (oil just being the most common example of this at the moment, but its true of so many other things).
 
Originally posted by: Random Variable
It's a very misleading comparison. Prices are only much higher relative to the U.S. dollar.

the average european family in western europe is smaller than the average poor family's house in the US.
Click to expand...

That's true only if you exclude Muslim families, which is why some western Europen countries might eventually have Muslim majorities.
Click to expand...

oops, left an important word out of my post (though, that's also probably true)
 
Originally posted by: Random Variable
It's a very misleading comparison. Prices are only much higher relative to the U.S. dollar.

the average european family in western europe is smaller than the average poor family's house in the US.
Click to expand...

That's true only if you exclude Muslim families, which is why some western Europen countries might eventually have Muslim majorities.
Click to expand...

Muslim's are to Europe what Mexicans are to the US?
 
They don't buy as much, eat as much or have as many hobbies. They just go to the pub and watch footie all day.
 
Originally posted by: Random Variable
It's a very misleading comparison. Prices are only much higher relative to the U.S. dollar.

the average european family in western europe is smaller than the average poor family's house in the US.
Click to expand...

That's true only if you exclude Muslim families, which is why some western Europen countries might eventually have Muslim majorities.
Click to expand...

House size is different from household size.
 
They trade purchasing power for social stability. They pay very high taxes to fund the entitlement programs that we so much despise. We on the other hand have alot of purchasing power, but alot of social instability and crime that results from the povery that is the result of our do or die type system. They also have the benefit of a U.S. funded security blanket courtesy of the U.S. military, which safeguards their borders, their world markets, and world trade routes that helps make their lifestyle possible since they can divert military spending to social programs.
 
Originally posted by: LtPage1
The funny thing about the Euro is that while everything costs more relative to the Dollar, you make more money relative to the Dollar, as well. Did I just blow your mind? Bam!

Also, they have more intelligent social welfare programs so you don't have to choose between food and medicine when you make minimum wage.
Click to expand...

I can tell you failed economics.
 
Originally posted by: KMFJD
Originally posted by: Random Variable
It's a very misleading comparison. Prices are only much higher relative to the U.S. dollar.

the average european family in western europe is smaller than the average poor family's house in the US.
Click to expand...

That's true only if you exclude Muslim families, which is why some western Europen countries might eventually have Muslim majorities.
Click to expand...

Muslim's are to Europe what Mexicans are to the US?
Click to expand...

Makes you want to go and kiss the nearest Mexican dont it?
 
Originally posted by: KMFJD
Originally posted by: Random Variable
It's a very misleading comparison. Prices are only much higher relative to the U.S. dollar.

the average european family in western europe is smaller than the average poor family's house in the US.
Click to expand...

That's true only if you exclude Muslim families, which is why some western Europen countries might eventually have Muslim majorities.
Click to expand...

Muslim's are to Europe what Mexicans are to the US?
Click to expand...

lol




dey took our jerbs!!!!
 
Aside from being able to take the bus or train anywhere at any time, social welfare is a huge huge part of it. Once the rent and food are paid, everything else is disposable. Don't need to save for college, because college is fairly cheap (free in some countries). Don't need to save for sickness, because healthcare is free. Don't need to save for retirement, because that's taken care of (in some countries)..

Oh yeah, and they don't need cars. My car's gas and insurance is about $4500 per year. Maybe $5500 if I include repairs (oil, replace windshield, winter tire changeover, etc).
 
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
Aside from being able to take the bus or train anywhere at any time, social welfare is a huge huge part of it. Once the rent and food are paid, everything else is disposable. Don't need to save for college, because college is fairly cheap (free in some countries). Don't need to save for sickness, because healthcare is free. Don't need to save for retirement, because that's taken care of (in some countries)..

Oh yeah, and they don't need cars. My car's gas and insurance is about $4500 per year. Maybe $5500 if I include repairs (oil, replace windshield, winter tire changeover, etc).
Click to expand...

Nothing is free. They are forced to pay for it via high taxes. The merits of that are another discussion.
 
Originally posted by: Random Variable
the average european family in western europe is smaller than the average poor family's house in the US.
Click to expand...

That's true only if you exclude Muslim families, which is why some western Europen countries might eventually have Muslim majorities.
Click to expand...

Why? do muslims have really big houses?
 
Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
Aside from being able to take the bus or train anywhere at any time, social welfare is a huge huge part of it. Once the rent and food are paid, everything else is disposable. Don't need to save for college, because college is fairly cheap (free in some countries). Don't need to save for sickness, because healthcare is free. Don't need to save for retirement, because that's taken care of (in some countries)..

Oh yeah, and they don't need cars. My car's gas and insurance is about $4500 per year. Maybe $5500 if I include repairs (oil, replace windshield, winter tire changeover, etc).
Click to expand...

Nothing is free. They are forced to pay for it via high taxes. The merits of that are another discussion.
Click to expand...
I don't think he wait claiming that. His point was that they can get away with higher costs of living because there isn't a looming threat of having to dump hundreds of thousands of Euros into cancer treatment or whatever if you get sick. With so many socialized programs, having money in excess of what you need to live day to day isn't as important as it would be without these programs.
 
Originally posted by: Mxylplyx
Originally posted by: ShawnD1
Aside from being able to take the bus or train anywhere at any time, social welfare is a huge huge part of it. Once the rent and food are paid, everything else is disposable. Don't need to save for college, because college is fairly cheap (free in some countries). Don't need to save for sickness, because healthcare is free. Don't need to save for retirement, because that's taken care of (in some countries)..

Oh yeah, and they don't need cars. My car's gas and insurance is about $4500 per year. Maybe $5500 if I include repairs (oil, replace windshield, winter tire changeover, etc).
Click to expand...

Nothing is free. They are forced to pay for it via high taxes. The merits of that are another discussion.
Click to expand...

The majority of people take more than they put in. I'm in Canada where my total income tax is about 20%, but the services I get back far exceed that. European countries are the same way, but double that. Pay more in, take way more out.

In a place like France, you might pay 50% of your total income in taxes, but most people still get back a lot more than they put in. Day care is about $1,000 per month per kid; it's free in France. For a family of 4, where 2 kids are in day care, that means $24,000 per year worth of services is provided, free of charge. Does that French family pay $24,000 more in taxes per year than a similar family in the US or Canada? Some yes, some no. I would bet most would fall under the no category. Savings like that are how Europeans can pay twice as much for stuff, and still maintain an acceptable standard of living.
 
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