double jump
you haven't lived until a random little kid ask you "how do you make love".
I don't know if this isn't the best place on GAF to discuss this, maybe there's another affordability thread going on in OT I don't know about, but what do y'all think of today's typical "millennial" expenses versus what people paid for yesterday? Cell phone bills, internet bills, newest smartphones, etc.
Every time we get discussions about how affordability is down for most people in the US compared to 40 years ago someone brings up added expenses like smartphones and shit and how kids don't really need them. Has anyone actually done the science and gotten hard numbers on how much millennials spend outside of food/housing compared to their parents in the 60's and 70's?
At face value it's probably easy for a lot of people to question how necessary these new gadgets actually are, though a lot of that complaining is obviously blanket statements being thrown around. Looking a little deeper though, I think you at least have to admit there are levels to what's necessary and what isn't for some people in 2016.
Anecdotal example: one part-time job I had a few years ago would have been almost impossible, or at least a lot more difficult, without a smartphone and unlimited mobile data. I had to drive a lot -- mostly to places I didn't know, and smartphone GPS was a huge help. At the very least it made my work significantly more efficient. My new laptop (a bit expensive I admit) should give me more flexibility in where I can do my current job.
And I think we're past the point of internet being a luxury. Basically every job I've had so far as been on the internet. It just depends on what speed you get for whatever you need. I know there are still a lot of old-fashioned people out there who do nothing more than check e-mail, and for them 5mb/s or whatever is probably good. For just that and simple web browsing 20 is probably good. You probably only really need 100 or something if you're making big downloads and streaming Netflix every day. At that point you have to examine the possibility you might be saving money by paying for fast internet and Netflix but giving up cable in exchange.
financially this generation is getting fucked with our eyes and anyone who says that different has no idea what they're talking about.