I Don't Get This
Brace yourselves, folks. The recent dearth of posts may be about to change. Expect an explosion of posts on random topics I've been thinking about over the recent past. As long as I can remember them all, that is.
First, I don't get this survey. I think it speaks to the sad state of Americans' vocabulary these days. This article caught my attention awhile back:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/LearnToBudget/LittleSplurgesAreTheKillers.aspx
If you don't care to read it, basically it says that Americans splurge the most on dining out, and this may contribute to financial difficulties. It was based on a survey that asked respondents to identify the expense people splurge the most on. What baffled me was that these categories and percentages were included in the survey:
children and schooling--7 percent
bills and utilities--4 percent
medical--1 percent
I can see how some may splurge on children and get them things they don't need. But schooling? I guess it's a splurge if you send them to a private school, when you don't need to because they have other good options. Still, a little strange to have a category like that, I think.
But what's crazier is the other two categories. People splurge on bills and utilities? And medical expenses? These responses make me think some people do not even know what "splurge" means. It is "spend extravagantly," i.e., spend in a way that lacks restraint, or exceeding what is reasonable or appropriate. Can you picture Americans feeling the urge to spend more than they need to on bills/utilities because they are suddenly overcome with a desire to pay lots of money to their electric company? Is this because they usually don't pay their bills, so any time they pay in full it's seen as an extravagance? Or are they shelling out more than is due in a paroxysm of generosity?
This is either funny or sad or both. Funny because of the picture it conjures up. Sad because it seems that if/when you get to the point where surveys contain basic words that respondents don't understand, it shows a huge lack in education somewhere along the line... And how valid is a survey if those surveyed don't even understand the question?
First, I don't get this survey. I think it speaks to the sad state of Americans' vocabulary these days. This article caught my attention awhile back:
http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/SavingandDebt/LearnToBudget/LittleSplurgesAreTheKillers.aspx
If you don't care to read it, basically it says that Americans splurge the most on dining out, and this may contribute to financial difficulties. It was based on a survey that asked respondents to identify the expense people splurge the most on. What baffled me was that these categories and percentages were included in the survey:
children and schooling--7 percent
bills and utilities--4 percent
medical--1 percent
I can see how some may splurge on children and get them things they don't need. But schooling? I guess it's a splurge if you send them to a private school, when you don't need to because they have other good options. Still, a little strange to have a category like that, I think.
But what's crazier is the other two categories. People splurge on bills and utilities? And medical expenses? These responses make me think some people do not even know what "splurge" means. It is "spend extravagantly," i.e., spend in a way that lacks restraint, or exceeding what is reasonable or appropriate. Can you picture Americans feeling the urge to spend more than they need to on bills/utilities because they are suddenly overcome with a desire to pay lots of money to their electric company? Is this because they usually don't pay their bills, so any time they pay in full it's seen as an extravagance? Or are they shelling out more than is due in a paroxysm of generosity?
This is either funny or sad or both. Funny because of the picture it conjures up. Sad because it seems that if/when you get to the point where surveys contain basic words that respondents don't understand, it shows a huge lack in education somewhere along the line... And how valid is a survey if those surveyed don't even understand the question?
posted by redsoxwinthisyear at 8:32 AM
1 Comments:
Maybe they meant that they were paying for their OWN schooling - like they were still paying higher education student loans...? Although I'm not sure THAT qualifies as splurging either...But then again, maybe so...Any debt is splurging, I guess.
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