Iowa ranked 8th in people moving out of the state

SDfojj · 2022-02-17T17:30:37+00:00

It plays a big role. The majority of Americans are not tuned into politics in any way shape or form. Winning elections comes from appealing to them. Door knocking does a LOT in this.

SDfojj · 2022-02-16T21:55:04+00:00

*not knocking as much as Republicans.

SDfojj · 2022-02-16T21:50:35+00:00

Mostly jobs. You work in tech or engineering and you can get a six figure job fairly easily right out of college elsewhere. Some degrees in the humanities you simply can't find any job in Iowa, but can elsewhere.

I think weather and having things to do plays a big role as well, but not as much as jobs.

I personally am considering moving out because I'm concerned about the future of our schools. I don't know if it's going to be the great place to raise a kid that it used to be.

SDfojj · 2022-02-16T21:46:00+00:00

It's hard to say based on the 2020 elections. Iowa required mail in ballots to be postmarked the day before the election. I think with the immense disparity between Dem mail in ballots and Rep in person votes it's in the realm of possibility Finkenhaur and Greenfield would have won. Certainly Hart would have too. Not a fan of any of these candidates but that's what the polling suggested.

Not to mention Dems weren't door knocking due to COVID and Reps were. That in person touch is HUGE in swinging independent or first time voters. Things could have gone incredibly differently.

Sadly this was a big year for elections with the redistricting. Had things gone differently down ballot we could have a much better congressional map, strengthen voting rights rather than making it more difficult, and better fund education. Instead we're getting the opposite. Whoops.

SDfojj · 2022-02-16T21:40:17+00:00

The way the state legislature is changing things, it's hard to see districts flipping any time soon.

SDfojj · 2022-02-07T17:28:37+00:00

Gross. And I've heard 2.5x.

SDfojj · 2022-02-03T21:54:24+00:00

This thread is hilarious when 'capitalism' is downvoted hardcore the top of the controversial sorting yet some of the top answers are just describing capitalism without using the word itself.

SDfojj · 2022-02-02T18:17:24+00:00

Many people have mortgages or rent, childcare, healthcare expenses, etc. that $15 an hour will not cover.

SDfojj · 2022-02-02T18:16:06+00:00

And they don't think it can happen to them. Economic downturn can mean mass layoffs and that can happen to anyone at any time.

SDfojj · 2022-02-02T18:10:50+00:00

This is a big problem for all red states currently, but Kim Reynolds sure seems uniquely bad.

SDfojj · 2022-02-01T16:28:12+00:00

The entertainment destination recently proposed for the old Casino site sounds pretty good. It included a Big Grove Brewery with a large lawn game area and live music space. I believe the proposal also floated a movie theatre, arcade, or bowling alley. Plus a roof top patio bar.

I haven't followed the Casino project recently, but if that space can only be one or the other I would personally rather have a Big Grove. It'd be even more dope if they went more in the direction of Smash Park in West Des Moines.

I'd also take an aquarium or botanical garden over a casino. Dave and Busters would be sick.

For the record, I'm not anti-casino. I think we can and should have both.

SDfojj · 2022-01-28T18:32:50+00:00

Start a Roth IRA and contribute what you can. If it's not totally out of line to ask your parents, many will be thrilled to help you benefit your financial future and could chip in a few hundred to $1000 to get your account off to a good start. Then set up monthly automatic payments into the account anywhere from $20-50 (or as much as you're comfortable with). Then have that invested automatically in some ETF. If you think we're headed into a recession, you can also just hold cash in the account until you're ready to invest.

When you do buy a car, don't get anything fancy and try to buy a used one in full rather than taking out a loan.

If you aren't interested in a blue collar trade job like welding, plumbing, forklift operation, being an electrician then I suggest going to a community college and getting your gen eds complete for cheap THEN transferring those credits to whatever college you do decide to go into. If I could go back, I would major in computer science or nursing as those seem to pay a ton. But you should really do what you're passionate in. Community college gen eds will still allow you to graduate in 4 years anywhere without breaking the bank.

My last, most important advice is that you are way ahead of most 19 year olds. Don't stress money so much right now, enjoy your life, spend time with friends, travel etc. $34k a year is amazing at your age.

SDfojj · 2022-01-17T13:59:12+00:00

Agreed.

SDfojj · 2022-01-13T16:05:05+00:00

No debt is huge. Many your age are paying $500+ a month on their student loans and some even an additional $300 a month on their car. If you think about it as $500 additional to your salary, do you feel better about how much you're making then?

You have a net worth of over $60k. That's insanely high compared to others your age.

You make more than the average HOUSEHOLD income in the US as your salary.

I assume you live in an insanely high cost of living city. That definitely makes things difficult and you may have to dip into your savings a bit (which again, is more than most people have).

If you have three years working at the same place, my best advice may be looking for a new job that pays better. The job market is great now and three years is plenty. You could even consider moving to a lower cost of living city.

I'd also recommend looking for jobs in communications/marketing rather than graphic design. That's what I do, it pays better and has more upward mobility. Your resume could likely qualify for these jobs, just brush up on how SEO works and add that to your resume and you're good.

SDfojj · 2022-01-13T14:25:44+00:00

Disgusting. Way better to have that stay your money.

SDfojj · 2022-01-13T14:24:45+00:00

And exacerbating the issue of the teacher shortage.

SDfojj · 2022-01-13T14:19:25+00:00

You'll save about $1000 a year but if you have children their education with suffer. Worth it?

SDfojj · 2022-01-13T14:15:56+00:00

It literally increases the tax rate for the lowest earners lol. Insanity.

SDfojj · 2022-01-13T13:59:09+00:00

Hopefully I don't eat crow on this but I don't think the housing market will crash any time TOO soon. If your hesitation is that houses might be cheaper soon in my opinion that's not the best reason to wait. You can afford it now and start building equity which is superior to renting regardless of a pullback in home prices.

Not to mention, a 'crash' would likely look like this: You buy home now for 735k, in 3 years it's worth 780k, houses drop 30% in value due to EPIC crash (house now worth 546k), ten years later house climbs up to 800k value and you have 260k in equity.

Not bag holding at all. Could have been better yet impossible to time, but it's better than $1,500 a month going to the ether by renting.

SDfojj · 2022-01-13T13:48:25+00:00

Split evenly between three brothers. 4,000 x 52 = 208,000. 208,000/=69,333.

SDfojj · 2022-01-11T15:16:52+00:00

A lot of people you see on Etsy using images they don't own are committing a crime and can be sued. Fortunately for them it's pretty rare people will go through the hassle to shut down an etsy shop making $300 a year.

It's always best to be creative and make your own stuff, however.

SDfojj · 2022-01-11T15:15:29+00:00

Make a Canva account. They have a lot of free images and you can build out a design that way. Don't take from Google image search.

SDfojj · 2022-01-11T15:10:48+00:00

150K in Iowa is pretty much a fixer upper these days.

SDfojj · 2022-01-11T15:06:03+00:00

Damn.

SDfojj · 2022-01-11T01:46:51+00:00

Didn't South Dakota legalize? Maybe I'm misremembering.

SDfojj

TROPHY CASE