Too Much Time

Well, I may have too much time on my hands now. I'm commuting 45 minutes to work, and even though gas is expensive I'm saving about $350 a month by living where I do, so it's worth it. I could live next to work and spend about $600 a month or drive a long ways and spend about $200 a month. I've got the time.

So now I spend these long boring drives thinking. And this morning I had an odd thought. I know, me having an odd thought is unheard of, but hear me out. It occurred to me that most people, around here anyway, spend a lot of time in the car. And not like in Indy or Chicago, where you commute 2 miles and spend an hour in your car, this is because people live a long way from where they work. Some are like me and are doing it to save money, but most are spending a lot. The average pay around here is about $8/hr too, and there seem to be a lot of trucks on the road too. So I did some quick math and came up with this. For an average person, driving a truck at 60mph, commuting 15 miles, fairly average around here, and paying $700/year taxes on a house, also fairly average around here, they are netting just under $15,000/yr before taxes, living expenses, and entertainment. That's about half of the poverty line right there. Based on my food, bills, and what little entertainment I partake in, that leaves around $13,500 before tax, and I eat as cheaply as possible. After tax that's about $9,500 left. There are also a lot of other expenses I haven't taken into account, and that's assuming there are no kids.

It made me thankful I'm earning more than average, driving a car, living cheaply, and have no kids. About that time a semi pulled out in front of me and broke my train of thought.