Broke

On this Monday, I find myself floored by a spate of recent reports about the economy in people around my age.

One from CNN stood out. It's called, an affordability crisis is making some young Americans give up on ever owning a home.

The first subheading says, surviving is the priority, not saving for a down payment or even having kids.

We meet Brandi Grant, a 35-year-old woman from the San Francisco Bay Area.

She's got a graduate degree.

She's making $76,000 a year.

It has $90,000 in student loan debt.

“I'm real, real tired,” she said. “Having kids will never be on the table. I haven't even put a cent in my retirement fund, so there's just zero hope for me ever owning a home.”

I feel for her and for everyone in this situation.

I'm real, real tired too.

Brandi and I are from a generation told to get an education and pursue our dreams and everything will work out just fine.

They lied or at least they were wrong. That's not reality or at least not how it turned out. And if we're honest, it's not how it ever turns out without some help and some luck and in my case being incredibly stubborn.

But I do have some advice for the brandies of the world.

The world is more malleable than you think.

Yes, there are limitations tied to where you live and what you do and what you decided yesterday and yesteryear and so many other things. But those are choices. And with choices come costs.

Brandy don't give up. Choose your future.

An affordability crisis is making some young Americans give up on ever owning a home

https://www.cnn.com/2024/02/03/economy/young-americans-giving-up-owning-a-home/index.html

What do you think?

Am I being too optimistic here?

And what would you do about the brandies of the world?

Tell me in the comments and support my work at jamesbrowntv.substack.com or email me at jamesbrowntv@gmail.com.

You can also leave me a message at 585-484-0339.

On that note, I'm James Brown, and as always, be well.