The wonderful articles from Bundle

[formerexpat]

money.bundle.com/article/26-new-18-reconsidering-when-adulthood-begins

26 is the new 18 - reconsidering when adulthood begins. Wow.

And this gem from Bundle's own editor, Mike Dang:

I am 27, and also one of those folks who didn't consider getting married or having children among those indicators of adulthood. (Because, if you decide you never want to get married or have children, does this mean that you'll never become an adult?) But I do think we go through various phases of adulthood, which starts with getting a job, getting your own place and making sure you've set some retirements goals (which in my opinion makes you a super adult).

I also like what Meaghan O'Connell had to say about that NYT article on 20-somethings.
Michael Dang / Posted: 2010-10-06 19:16:34

This is what YM has been reduced to.

[Deleted]

It's not a message board. It is something totally different.

[swamp]

Yes, it's inane articles with ridiculous commentary and lots of cute pictures.

[quotequeen]

ExPat, what is it about that article that you disagree with? If you consider certain life events to be markers of adulthood, it's certainly the case that people have been reaching them later than they used to.

If adulthood means no longer choosing to sleep in and then lounge around in PJs playing on the internet instead of doing anything productive whenever possible, I still haven't reached it.

[The J]

The NY Times had a lengthy magazine piece about this a few months ago. There's a lot of research supporting the position that the classical markers of adulthood are not being realized at 18, but in the 20s.

I'm also not sure what complaint you have about the editor's comment -- he's simply saying that, if you consider X, Y and Z to be markers of adulthood, then they're being delayed a lot.

Dec 28, 2010 10:17:45 GMT -5 quotequeen said:

If adulthood means no longer choosing to sleep in and then lounge around in PJs playing on the internet instead of doing anything productive whenever possible, I still haven't reached it.

And I hope I never do

[joynerk]

Does this mean that I can claim my "true age" is 23? YES!

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Well, in that case-- I've been a "super adult" since I was 13.

[AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP]

Well, with the exception of having my own place-- unless you count that I got tired of rooming with my siblings, and took my own initiative-- and money-- and built my own room (including a bathroom) in the basement. Contractors, permits, and all.

[Poppet]

Bundle looks like another "Wise Bread" blog in which 20-somethings offer "sage" money advice. The problem is these people haven't lived long enough to know what the heck they're talking about.

I read an article on WB recently in which the author rather naively said everyone should just retire early so they don't have to worry about finding a job.

yeah, Uh-huh. That''ll work.

[daylight]

Maybe I am too impartial to good old MSN money articles, but the Bundle one was so boring that I just skimmed it after the first paragraph. And this is a topic I am interested in!

It seems to be written for a Lifestyle oriented magazine.

[quotequeen]

Yeah, it definitely was not a particularly well-written article.

[swamp]

Dec 28, 2010 11:19:16 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Well, with the exception of having my own place-- unless you count that I got tired of rooming with my siblings, and took my own initiative-- and money-- and built my own room (including a bathroom) in the basement. Contractors, permits, and all.

we get it, you're perfect.

[quotequeen]

Dec 28, 2010 19:41:45 GMT -5 swamp said:

Dec 28, 2010 11:19:16 GMT -5 AgeOfEnlightenmentSCP said:

Well, with the exception of having my own place-- unless you count that I got tired of rooming with my siblings, and took my own initiative-- and money-- and built my own room (including a bathroom) in the basement. Contractors, permits, and all.

we get it, you're perfect.

Perfect, he can't even complete a sentence.

[hoops902]

"Bundle looks like another "Wise Bread" blog in which 20-somethings offer "sage" money advice. The problem is these people haven't lived long enough to know what the heck they're talking about. "

As opposed to say, getting advice from the older generation, like baby boomers, who have nothing saved for retirement? You don't suddenly get money smart simply because you're old, and likewise many 20 somethings (and younger) can be far more money savvy than those with lots of life experience (that's my nice way of saying old).

[swamp]

Dec 28, 2010 20:09:48 GMT -5 quotequeen said:

Dec 28, 2010 19:41:45 GMT -5 swamp said:

we get it, you're perfect.

Perfect, he can't even complete a sentence.

WCP doesn't need no stinkin' verbs!!!

[Tome Trader]

As opposed to say, getting advice from the older generation, like baby boomers, who have nothing saved for retirement? You don't suddenly get money smart simply because you're old, and likewise many 20 somethings (and younger) can be far more money savvy than those with lots of life experience (that's my nice way of saying old)

You're right, of course, Hoops, the financially stupid are in all age brackets. I've been that way myself many times.

But no matter what the age, if one is going to try to make a living or gain recognition as being financially wise by writing articles on finance, one should suggest better solutions to lack of a job or lack of retirement savings than scribbling"retire at 50".

[breezy]

I'm not a fan of bundle, prefer to read finance articles on Yahoo.

[Deleted]

I still haven't figure out how to navigate Bundle.

[Deleted]

Dec 29, 2010 9:55:53 GMT -5 @Tome Trader said:

As opposed to say, getting advice from the older generation, like baby boomers, who have nothing saved for retirement? You don't suddenly get money smart simply because you're old, and likewise many 20 somethings (and younger) can be far more money savvy than those with lots of life experience (that's my nice way of saying old)

You're right, of course, Hoops, the financially stupid are in all age brackets. I've been that way myself many times.

But no matter what the age, if one is going to try to make a living or gain recognition as being financially wise by writing articles on finance, one should suggest better solutions to lack of a job or lack of retirement savings than scribbling"retire at 50".

I am 26 and my plan is to have enough to retire so I don't have to depend on a job. I think a lot of people my age are aware that we cannot depend on a job however most do not know what to do in response. My response is to live frugally, we bought a duplex and have a roommate. My fiance and I still have to up the contributions to our Roth and then 401k but we are improving. Unfortunately some people are unwilling to make sacrifices no matter what age.

[Poppet]

I am 26 and my plan is to have enough to retire so I don't have to depend on a job. I think a lot of people my age are aware that we cannot depend on a job however most do not know what to do in response. My response is to live frugally, we bought a duplex and have a roommate. My fiance and I still have to up the contributions to our Roth and then 401k but we are improving. Unfortunately some people are unwilling to make sacrifices no matter what age

Way to go. You've got a sensible plan in place.

I have to wonder, though, about people and sacrifices. I suspect many do not know how to live frugally because we've been living in a time of borrowing and spending and perceived wealth for decades.

I am sure many equate frugality with sacrifice and suffering rather than common sense.

[Deleted]

Dec 30, 2010 10:20:15 GMT -5 Poppet said:

I am 26 and my plan is to have enough to retire so I don't have to depend on a job. I think a lot of people my age are aware that we cannot depend on a job however most do not know what to do in response. My response is to live frugally, we bought a duplex and have a roommate. My fiance and I still have to up the contributions to our Roth and then 401k but we are improving. Unfortunately some people are unwilling to make sacrifices no matter what age

Way to go. You've got a sensible plan in place.

I have to wonder, though, about people and sacrifices. I suspect many do not know how to live frugally because we've been living in a time of borrowing and spending and perceived wealth for decades.

I am sure many equate frugality with sacrifice and suffering rather than common sense.

Well, that is part of why I hung out on WIR/YM/ Smart Spending, they gave me ideas and tools to become frugal. We started our first garden last spring and got most of the plants from freecycle. I get books and magazines from the library instead of buying them and I have read the tightwad gazette many time and am still learning from it. I am still unlearning a lot of what my mom taught me but I am getting there.

[pushingit]

I will say that extending the age that a "child" can stay on a parents policy was one of the things I didn't agree with Obamacare on. I think there should be an additional premium for that, so the group doesn't incur extra costs, and premium increases to cover a bunch of people's late bloomers.

Actually, in a perfect world, I'd like to see a place where young people who may or may not be still in school or maybe works for an employer that doesn't offer insurance could buy it cheaply.

There's just too much that doesn't make sense and isn't aligned when it comes to parent's right and their "children." I'm remembering posts from a parent trying to get information about a bill they received from a medical office. They were expected to pay the bill, but they wouldn't give them any information about the bill because it was for their 19 year old. Hmmm.

While I support a person's right to privacy, I think if they want privacy, they should be on their own health insurance and paying their own bills.

PTA is supporting making public education compulsorily until 17 in NY. At 16 a child can leave the parent's home. The parents can do nothing about it. But be arrested or fined for not making their child go to school? Makes little sense.

If we want to admit as a society that adulthood doesn't start until some later age, 24, 26, whatever . . . then they need to stop sending our 18 year olds to battle with a gun, forcing them to register for the draft, and letting them drive at the too young age of 16.

[stillontheroad]

Expat, I agree with some of your comments about the Bundle articles in general, but I really don't see what's so offensive about this one. It generally doesn't take a position on the trend towards twentysomethings becoming independent later in life - it just points out that it's happening. Looking around, it seems pretty clear to me that as a whole, people in our society are becoming "adults" (however you want to define it) later in life than they used to.

Personally, I define adulthood as being basically financially independent; maybe you still live with your parents while you're a student or for a short time after graduation, but you're paying your own bills and they're not giving you money. All of the other mileposts - marriage, buying a house, having kids - are IMHO not useful because of the different goals people have.

My wife and I are 27 and 26. We don't think we ever want kids, and we're renting a 1-bedroom apartment and we're fine with that for the foreseeable future; we'll probably want to buy a house someday but that's way off in the distance. If that means we're not adults, so be it.

[quotequeen]

Dec 30, 2010 15:42:43 GMT -5 @stillontheroad said:

My wife and I are 27 and 26. We don't think we ever want kids

Doesn't your wife know she's guaranteed to change her mind?

[ummboutthat]

I WAS interested in checking out bundle - but since they decided to ban me just for the hell of it - fuck'em!

[thyme4change]

There is an article up now that asks the 14th person on Glee questions about Money.

I tried to read the article - but I would rather see an article about the guy about singing and dancing and gossiping about his co-stars. His money situation has no inpact on my life, or really on the life of most normal people. It isn't like he was a stock broker, turned sit-com star. Even then, I have a hard time getting too much information from Ben Stein.

(And the picture reminds me of my college years when the guys would blue-flame.)

[jimb]

Dec 27, 2010 21:28:08 GMT -5 @justaposter said:

It's not a message board. It is something totally different.

I mentioned over on YM that it's like a lot of things these days that appeal to younger people who have shorter attention spans and prefer flashy graphics and pictures. A lot of the remaining paper magazines are adapting that kind of format, too.

Bundle is more like reading a comic book instead of real book or magazine article. Or like making a quick reply to a conversation you overhear from strangers on an elevator or at a bus stop ... not like carrying an on-going a conversation with people you know.

jimb

[Cookies Galore]

Dec 30, 2010 15:42:43 GMT -5 @stillontheroad said:

My wife and I are 27 and 26. We don't think we ever want kids, and we're renting a 1-bedroom apartment and we're fine with that for the foreseeable future; we'll probably want to buy a house someday but that's way off in the distance. If that means we're not adults, so be it.

Call us kids as well. We're 29 and 32, have no desire to get married any time soon, don't want kids, and choose to remain in a one-bedroom apartment until we decide to buy a little house.

[bobbysgirl]

'..getting advice from the older generation, like baby boomers, who have nothing saved for retirement?'



Generalization is non productive. Plenty of Boomers were on to reality. We made mistakes and used our brain power to rectify them. That's how sage wisdom is earned. It does not just manifest itself because someone says so.