50K = $2400/month? How are you getting taxed 42% at 50K, that's brutal.
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Do people get pets because they're bored with having money? (Why do people get pets?)
- Thread starter AnansiThePersona
- Start date
50K = $2400/month? How are you getting taxed 42% at 50K, that's brutal.
Do you understand how the relationship you have with a significant other is different than a relationship with a best friend from high school? Or college? Or someone you met at the gym?
With companionship and relationships being such fundamental components of being human, can you see how one would want to to experience all that's out there?
With companionship and relationships being such fundamental components of being human, can you see how one would want to to experience all that's out there?
Wouldn't the Vulcan who said this immediately have an episode where they are given a dog to take care of and it turns into the hijinks of them spending time together where at the end the vulcans like "you may not be logical. You are a leech to my income. But you are. My friend"
Recently I've found the concept of getting a video game console really bizarre. It's probably because I don't make enough money to live on my own and am still paying for college and whatnot, and also thinking about the amount of money I could have saved if not for college expenses and whatnot. But then, the concept of owning video games pops up in my head and how much of a waste of money it is when that same money could be used to benefit your life in other, more permanent ways and maybe even the lives of others as well.
Like I work retail and you'll have older people with 3 consoles and Handheld, or like a PC and buy stupid amounts of Games and spend god knows what on Steam Sale expenses, peripherals, etc. The standard of living that you could improve for yourself with all that money (speaking from a relatively poor college student's point of view) is RIDICULOUS. I had to consider in my mind that they had so much money they got bored and wanted to buy a PlayStation for fun.
And before you say "It's not just a console it's a member of the family and I love it!" you don't. Well, to be specific, you don't love a console before you spend substantial time with it. You are adopting/purchasing a console to fall in love with it. Basically choosing to buy a console for 6 - 8 years until they die and you do something else. Not trying to sound boring or anything, but it's weird to me to have so much money and use it on video games when you could use that money to invest in your retirement fund, help pay for a relative afford college, pay off student debt, buy a pet, travel a little bit... stuff like that.
I know people are gonna read the title, not read the OP, an assume I'm an asshole who hates video games and doesn't understand love, so go ahead and think that if you haven't read through the OP, but if you have, I want to know what is the benefit of deciding to get a console/PC & some video games to go with it?
Like I work retail and you'll have older people with 3 consoles and Handheld, or like a PC and buy stupid amounts of Games and spend god knows what on Steam Sale expenses, peripherals, etc. The standard of living that you could improve for yourself with all that money (speaking from a relatively poor college student's point of view) is RIDICULOUS. I had to consider in my mind that they had so much money they got bored and wanted to buy a PlayStation for fun.
And before you say "It's not just a console it's a member of the family and I love it!" you don't. Well, to be specific, you don't love a console before you spend substantial time with it. You are adopting/purchasing a console to fall in love with it. Basically choosing to buy a console for 6 - 8 years until they die and you do something else. Not trying to sound boring or anything, but it's weird to me to have so much money and use it on video games when you could use that money to invest in your retirement fund, help pay for a relative afford college, pay off student debt, buy a pet, travel a little bit... stuff like that.
I know people are gonna read the title, not read the OP, an assume I'm an asshole who hates video games and doesn't understand love, so go ahead and think that if you haven't read through the OP, but if you have, I want to know what is the benefit of deciding to get a console/PC & some video games to go with it?
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I love my cats. My dog is just ok tho
Somebody stop the damn match
Somebody stop the damn match
OP
OP
In the third paragraph, it still says pet with the sentence "Well, to b specific, you don't love a pet" it should be "You don't love a console" ;)
I fell in love with both of my dogs the moment I met them and I was able to ensure that they'd have good lives and be comfortable. They are legitimately members of my family and if someone doesn't like when I say that then they can get over it real quick.. I don't even think about the money because I care about them and their well being so it's a reasonable expense.
And, surprise, I still have a pretty decent life with the money left over.
And, surprise, I still have a pretty decent life with the money left over.
All of these points also apply to having a child.
The thing is, people should consider these things before having a kid OR adopting a pet.
Both are a commitment of time, money, and resources.
Yeah, pretty much this. If it were up to me I wouldn't have pets, but my wife had dogs when we got together and one is still alive. She'll probably want more after he passes (though she says no dogs for a while, so maybe a cat).
I do enjoy the companionship. It's just also a lot of hassle with having to let the dog out, feed it a couple times a day, hair getting everywhere etc. At least cats are easier as long as you get one that doesn't over eat as you can just use a self feeder and clean the litter box once a day vs. having to worry with not being gone too long or having the dog piss/shit in the house. It also gets very expensive when they get old and have health problems, but we both make good money so that's not a burden for us. But definitely something to keep in mind if you are on a tight budget as you'll face some tough decisions when you get huge vet bills for things that either need done (with years of fine health afterward) or the animal euthanized.
But yeah, when it comes to money and spending habits that just changes a lot with income levels. There are lots of things those of us that make decent incomes spend money on that would be baffling to you (the OP). Hell, my younger, broke ass college self would be shocked at the amount I spend on meals, beer etc. It's just very different having a lot of disposable income (after retirement savings) vs. struggling to pay bills.
I hate avocado toast, but damn, these pampered cats can't live without it
This is a really good point. I would say kids are MORE expensive than pets. A friend of mine just had her second kid. Kid is cute as shit, but they are now broke as FUCK. Straight up and down robbing Peter to pay Paul level broke.
Right? I'm in Boston making around 39k and my take home is ~2250 a month. That's brutal.
I agree kids are ultimately more expensive.
That said, when you really love your pets like my wife and I do, we buy them the best food and supplies and when medical problems arise, we shell out a shit-ton on vet bills. (Vets are so insanely expensive)
While getting pets wasn't my choice, per se (it was something my wife really wanted, and I eventually wore down on), it has made me a far better and more understanding person than I ever would have been without one and I wouldn't trade them for anything else. I'd even go as far as to say that's it's impacted me more than anything considered to be self-enrichment (travel, classes, hobbies, etc). I'd travelled internationally for most of college in places where I didn't speak the local language, and felt I was "grown up", but I didn't really understand how life worked until I started taking care of our dog. Not sure why, but it was a gigantic challenge and I'm better for it now.
It's all about companionship and the affection they give (goes both ways of course).
Also, pets really aren't that expensive in the grand scheme of things. Other than the cost of daily food, the main thing is unexpected medical expenses. If you get pet medical insurance then you don't need to worry if you ever need to take your pets to a specialist or get expensive diagnostics run - comes out to about $200 a year, or just have an emergency nest egg instead of insurance but a major medical emergency can cost anywhere between $2-10k. As for food, you don't need to go for the super expensive stuff - for a cat you can go with 1 can of wet food + dry food a day and you can get some good stuff from chewy.com for relatively cheap that is a billion times better than you find at the grocery store quality/health wise.
Also, pets really aren't that expensive in the grand scheme of things. Other than the cost of daily food, the main thing is unexpected medical expenses. If you get pet medical insurance then you don't need to worry if you ever need to take your pets to a specialist or get expensive diagnostics run - comes out to about $200 a year, or just have an emergency nest egg instead of insurance but a major medical emergency can cost anywhere between $2-10k. As for food, you don't need to go for the super expensive stuff - for a cat you can go with 1 can of wet food + dry food a day and you can get some good stuff from chewy.com for relatively cheap that is a billion times better than you find at the grocery store quality/health wise.
I have two dogs. They can be SUPER spendy, but I am also not paying over a grand a month for pet sitting plus medical expenses and food.
he could be contributing to his 401k and buying health insurance before taxes come out. so take home is lower. my take home 2500 but i havent started my Health or 401k contributions at my new job yet and its 45k annually.
I have a dog and he is dirt cheap. its like 400 in vet bills a year at the most and 60 bucks for food every 2 months. vet would be cheaper but i can walk there and its a super bougie one.
To be fair after I felt similarly confused I checked UK tax bands which got to 40% over 45k I think so it seemed legit. Though that $1000 rent + $1000 loan repayments sound like a shitty situation
*reads thread and ponders if he's a sociopath*
As much as I entertain the idea of owning a pet, I think the OP is 100% right. Pets are huge resource sinks.
As much as I entertain the idea of owning a pet, I think the OP is 100% right. Pets are huge resource sinks.
"Bored with money" Really?
I love my pets and I'd rather live in a small apt with them than in a big house without any.
And, yeah, they cost money and technically I could spend less on them but I love them and they deserve the best I can afford.
I love my pets and I'd rather live in a small apt with them than in a big house without any.
And, yeah, they cost money and technically I could spend less on them but I love them and they deserve the best I can afford.
I knew someone who spent like 10 grand to treat their dog for cancer. That's rough. I'd like to have a pet, but I have bad allergies, so I just can't take the smell and the hair when a pet is in an enclosed space. I had a dog as a child, but we always kept it outside and that worked out well. If I had a house with some decent land, I'd do it again but I can't be in an enclosed space with them.
Getting a pet is making a QoL investment.
And if you ever had a pet growing up you'd already know how much you'll love them and how much they will enrich your life before you ever set eyes on your next one. Sounds like you had a lonely childhood, sorry OP.
And if you ever had a pet growing up you'd already know how much you'll love them and how much they will enrich your life before you ever set eyes on your next one. Sounds like you had a lonely childhood, sorry OP.
I don't understand the whole "cost to happiness" ratio that you're working off of, but pets are at the most affordable end of that scale. Now, if you want to talk about "Why do people get pets, when it only ever leads to heartbreak at the end of the of the day?", I'll entertain that, having gone through the worst loss of my life earlier this year when our sweet puppy Tela passed away at 10 years old after we did everything possible to treat her Kindey disease for the 8 months prior. That was really tough. I don't ever think about the money, other than maybe if I had unlimited money there might have been somewhere in the world that could have done a Kindey Transplant or some stem cell treatment....but the love that dog gave to my fiancee and I can, in no way, but put into some kind of hard dollar figure. She was our baby and we miss her everyday. I only wish I got to still spend money on her.
I also don't really like pets. I'm a bit OCD and couldn't stand having fur everywhere, just don't want to clean up.
Also growing up I never had pets, and never had friends that had pets. Had some bad experiences as a child as well. Dog bite my hand.
I understand that pets are great for companionship though, I'm just good as I am currently.
I'm also rarely home so I'd feel bad leaving a pupper home alone all the time.
Also growing up I never had pets, and never had friends that had pets. Had some bad experiences as a child as well. Dog bite my hand.
I understand that pets are great for companionship though, I'm just good as I am currently.
I'm also rarely home so I'd feel bad leaving a pupper home alone all the time.
My cockatiel isn't that expensive.
Just a bag of food every month and new toys every so often because he shreds them. I even started just making my own toys, because he doesn't really care if his toys are just a strings with popsicle sticks and beads on it.
Just a bag of food every month and new toys every so often because he shreds them. I even started just making my own toys, because he doesn't really care if his toys are just a strings with popsicle sticks and beads on it.
Sometimes all we need is a moment with our dogs/cats to remember life isn't all about this mountain of depressing chaos we humans love.
Sure, I guess? You don't really sound like one to be speaking such absolutes. You don't "love" anything before you spend substantial time with it. But, just like with humans, we can be attracted to different traits, personalities, and looks. Once my wife and I found our first pup, Gizmo, at our local Humane Society, we went and visited multiple times before adopting to see her personality, let her get to know us, etc.
My wife and I don't want kids. Instead, we have dogs. We had Gizmo for over six years, and she brought nothing but joy to our lives. She loved us unconditionally. Both my wife and I have anxiety and can struggle with depression... Gizmo somehow knew when we were having a worse day than normal and would in turn try to comfort us more so than usual. This past August, we had to put her to sleep.; she had a growing brain tumor and it ultimately got too much for her to bear. May not mean much to you OP, but that was the absolute worst day of my life. It felt like we had a lost a child because we did indeed love her like one.
I don't think you'll find many disagreeing that it can certainly be expensive though. One of our pups, Didymus, last year had a diaphragmatic hernia coupled with bloat from eating too fast... he basically had his insides opened completely rearranged. That was... not cheap. Fellow pet owners, I'd reccomend getting pet insurance which can greatly help with costs like these.
Also, this thread is way too devoid of people's pets! Here's Gizmo!
getting pets is fucking weird, i agree
i got my cats from the rescue because i like cats and they need a home
their lives already are going and we can hang out together, they dont cost toooo much and obviously they get what i can afford. better than them sitting in the shelter and me having no one else in the house
getting baby animals i find pretty weird and i find the idea of breeding domestic pets pretty gross but hey thats just me
i got my cats from the rescue because i like cats and they need a home
their lives already are going and we can hang out together, they dont cost toooo much and obviously they get what i can afford. better than them sitting in the shelter and me having no one else in the house
getting baby animals i find pretty weird and i find the idea of breeding domestic pets pretty gross but hey thats just me
Tbh, I want a cat because I find I'm more tolerant of them than people. People are exhausting. But kitties? I don't think I've met a kitty that didn't instantly make me feel better all the time.
Basically, cats are the purffect friend(s).
Basically, cats are the purffect friend(s).