Is there a bubble in just about everything right now in the U.S.?

jamin wrote:

Gordon the Gekko wrote: No point not saving 25% today to potentially pay 50% when retired.

We'll be lucky if we pay only a 50% tax rate on retirement income. The U.S.'s amount of government transfer payments and level of public debt is out of control.

In 30 years, when Jamin retires, we will be a fully socialist system or scavenging garbage dumps for food under an autocratic kleptocracy.

We should all hope the USA loses its status as the World Reserve Currency, so these Politicians can't keep raising the Debt and Increasing Inflation by freely just printing Money. If another Country is printing The Money, They could make it paramount that we don't go above our means and increase our debt, hopefully the Country that is next to control the reserve currency has leaders who have the people of the USA best interest's at heart (As Leaders do for their own Countrymen ) and allows us to have on a need and not a want basis. I get mad seeing the Debt clock keep climbing, our leaders have not been responsible Money wise.

douglas burke wrote:

We should all hope the USA loses its status as the World Reserve Currency, so these Politicians can't keep raising the Debt and Increasing Inflation by freely just printing Money. If another Country is printing The Money, They could make it paramount that we don't go above our means and increase our debt, hopefully the Country that is next to control the reserve currency has leaders who have the people of the USA best interest's at heart (As Leaders do for their own Countrymen ) and allows us to have on a need and not a want basis. I get mad seeing the Debt clock keep climbing, our leaders have not been responsible Money wise.

Exactly. Again, this is a great reason to load up on crypto. Declining value of US dollar. The only way the government outlaws crypto is if it completely overtakes the standard US dollar/currency and right now that is not a threat despite the prominent rise in popularity of crypto currency. The big banks will release their digital currency by next year but just in case but they are not panicking because of crypto at all just yet.

There is currently no bubble in one important category: Ukrainian brides.

Now is your chance!

It’s a buyer’s market. 🤔

I have some younger friends who haven't a clue that rates have ever been above 4%. They are convinced home prices are higher than they ever have been, but don't see that low interest rates are giving them more purchasing power.

I bought my first home in 2000 for $100,000. I paid 7.5% interest. Total value of the loan, $250k with a payment of $700 per month. I sold and moved on years ago, but that house sold again in November of 2020 for $165,000. People would scream about how expensive that little house has gotten. But, check it out -- $165,000 mortgage at 2.5% interest is a $234k loan, $652 per month. So it costs less today to own that house than it did 21 years ago.

Personally, I'd like to see rates go up. The fact that you can only make .1% in a savings account is ridiculous. It encourages people to drop their spare cash into dubious investments or ponzi schemes instead of saving.

Film Rep wrote:

There is currently no bubble in one important category: Ukrainian brides.

Now is your chance!

It’s a buyer’s market. 🤔

This is low key a great post. I don't know why people bother marrying American women that are destined to give the post nuptial shutoff, become increasingly annoying, and all the while slowly getting fat and unattractive. Ukrainian women are the exact opposite. Perhaps the american men just want a little drama and hardship accompanying their relationship.

Don't they eventually become wrinkled obese babushkas soon after getting their citizenship or discover what young black guys have to offer once they are securely on US soil?

fzgsazv wrote:

Wham Bam Thank you Sham wrote:

Or it's because of low interest rates. Lower rates tend to drive asset prices up. Come on jammy, even Peter Schiff would agree with this

Housing is complicated but the current inflation were seeing is due to supply problems not demand problems. Supply problems are temporary.

Also, at the individual level, I'm doing my part. Do yours.

I'm not buying $60 packages of steak at Costco that used to be $45. I'll eat chicken or cheaper steak cuts. Their chicken seems to be the same price it ever was, I guess the chicken supply chain is all good.

I'm putting off buying a car, I'm not paying a premium for a car that usually gets discounted 8-10%. I'll drive my current rig another year or more.

I get what you're saying, but I'm strictly talking about assets, not goods (though housing could be a blend of the two). Bonds, stocks, and housing are affected by interest rate movements. I do agree with you that recent inflation movements are transitory and due to supply chain effects/unique circumstances associated with the pandemic and the economy's recovery from it. I'm pretty indifferent about meat, so rising prices have not been as much of a problem for me in that regard, and I don't own a car so I'm not too concerned about that either.

douglas burke wrote:

We should all hope the USA loses its status as the World Reserve Currency, so these Politicians can't keep raising the Debt and Increasing Inflation by freely just printing Money. If another Country is printing The Money, They could make it paramount that we don't go above our means and increase our debt, hopefully the Country that is next to control the reserve currency has leaders who have the people of the USA best interest's at heart (As Leaders do for their own Countrymen ) and allows us to have on a need and not a want basis. I get mad seeing the Debt clock keep climbing, our leaders have not been responsible Money wise.

Why do people attribute so much to the US dollar's reserve currency status? Its benefits are way overblown. The ability of the US to expand its money supply and borrow on such a scale is mainly due to the fact that it possesses its own currency and is not entrapped like Eurozone countries are.

With much of the country either still locked down or unemployed, you can be absolutely sure the market for personal hygiene products is not in a bubble.

Invest in things that make people look and smell good. Demand can only go up.

All my money is in preferred stocks that give me 14% return. Not sure how you guys can be so dumb to miss this.

James and Steve and definitely Jamin.......you guys need to head to Asia. Forget the Ukraine.

STEVE THE ADDICT^^^^^^""""-""""-'-"--^' wrote:

Same Same but Different wrote:

James and Steve and definitely Jamin.......you guys need to head to Asia. Forget the Ukraine.

Yes Asian women are better at providing love and loyalty and a stable relationship. Most other women (non asian), it's all about them. They will take a good man just because they are desperate and out for themselves.

If your mother is not Asian aren't you disrespecting her with that blanket statement?

seattle prattle wrote:

jamin wrote:

Well it would be best if we could get to steady, consistent, real economic growth and more normal returns, on real investments. Normal is doubling your money every 10 years. The new Joe Schmoe day trader think it's normal to pick any stock and double your money in 1 year or possibly 1 week.

In order to do so, labor needs to be paid at a decent level. They will be a start. And ad hoc employment like Lyft and delivery services, etc. need to ensure that workers get compensated at a level realistic to live and retire on.

These outsized gains and profits are not being enjoyed by the population at large. In fact, they may be gained at the expense of labor.

I would agree that things have gotten lopsided and we need to start with the fundamentals to level it back out.

They are paid at a decent level. Turn off CNN.

Do you have more wealth in MSFT/AMZN stock or bitcoin?

srjm wrote:

STEVE THE ADDICT^^^^^^""""-""""-'-"--^' wrote:

Yes Asian women are better at providing love and loyalty and a stable relationship. Most other women (non asian), it's all about them. They will take a good man just because they are desperate and out for themselves.

If your mother is not Asian aren't you disrespecting her with that blanket statement?

Nope, because my Mom grew up back in the pre-feminist movement. You know, the 40'-50's.

Stephen b smith wrote:

All my money is in preferred stocks that give me 14% return. Not sure how you guys can be so dumb to miss this.

Everyone's getting better than 14% right now. Your stocks suck.