The Changing Landscape of Making A Living In America: Is a College Education Still Worth It?

There was once a time when I told my two children, to survive in America and make a decent living for themselves and their future posterity, they needed to obtain a college education. But after my own personal problems regarding student loan debt, repayment and default, I no longer believe this. Why?

Because I have witnessed proof in my personal friends belonging to the forthcoming generation of leaders in America i.e. now in their early twenties and thirties, one can still do quite well financially by merely understanding the changing landscape regarding obtaining long terms stable career for themselves in 2011 without college.

The younger generation in America fully comprehends how to still obtain the American dream without obtaining a college education. Inversely, I don’t think middle aged Americans currently out of work in 2011 understand the concept at all. Hence, the reason for which I decided to write this paper.

The days are gone when obtaining a college level education in America, guarantees one a secure stable long term career i.e. such as a tenured college professor. In 2011, very few careers are stable for any long period of time. And those that are, don’t pay their employees the necessitated employee benefits such as health insurance and 201K package for retirement i.e. WALMART is exemplary of a company currently retracting the health benefits once offered to employees.  Furthermore, WALMART forbids unions! No wonder wherefore American citizens feel financially insecure, refusing and fearful to invest long term, such as buying a house. And, this is a primarily the reason for which the United  States economy is declining, currently suffering a depression coupled with national wide high inflation rates that just won’t quit !

What can middle aged Americans and/or college aged youngsters do needing to start a new career in which he and/or her can pay for their own health insurance as well as paying enough money, allowing them to put money aside for retirement? Allow me to offer some suggestions I personally have witnessed having been winners!

First and foremost, one can join the United States Army. It is a matter of fact this has been a winning strategy for my son. He was only 17 years old when he called me up saying, “Mom guess what”? I said, “I don’t know what son”? He said, “I just got my girlfriend pregnant!” Immediately, I told him he’d better do one of two things, go to college or go immediately into the U.S. Army to support his newly emergent family.

My son tried college for a couple of months. However deciding it was not for his “cup of tea.” he went directly into the U.S. Army. He went into the Army as a “boy” and came out a genuine “man.” A man with moral integrity and one his Mother is extremely proud of! Although, I worried when he went to do a tour in Iraq, the Army has treated him extremely well. He owns one house he currently rents out, and, in this depressed economy, recently informed me he told me he is going to purchase the house he is now renting next year. He and his family have full dental and medical benefits as well as possessing housing benefits and discounts on food and other items he necessitates because he can buy them at half the price I can at the U.S. Army Base Depot.

If the Army is not for you, fear not. A friend of mine, once an extremely successful investment banker, now transformed himself into a day/night pizza delivery man in Rockaway, New Jersey.

Bringing home $200- cash salary in tips daily, he can now keep current on his $1100- a month rent, and allows him enough money to purchase both health and dental insurance  benefits online by cutting out the insurance agent middleman completely; an idea I actually told him about. He bought his Delta Dental at the website I suggested for merely $14- monthly, covering 80% of his dental costs.  

There are so many ways the younger generation today successfully manipulates the job market today, it amazes even me!

                   A young man I know up the street is living the American dream I was never able to. He is only in his early twenties, owns a very large house in West Milford, New Jersey, owns a brand new automobile, pays for his own car insurance and all of his other needs making approximately $400- cash daily as a, managers of an Italian Restaurant Manager in Wayne, New Jersey. A job position he secured while only in High School while working as merely a pizza delivery person. In fact, he told me the other day that the restaurant owner has been so very pleased with him over the past 7 years; he recently offered him a partnership in the business.  

                   If you are scratching your head, don’t. Understand that increasingly, small business owners are paying employees larger amounts of cash salary in order to avoid paying the U.S. government and the IRS, employee taxes and also employee health benefits.

                   My daughter has not obtained her college degree. And I always worried about this; I don’t worry anymore! In fact, my daughter lives in an extremely exclusive part of Maui, Hawaii. She supports herself working as a cocktail waitress at a restaurant/bar that opens only at night serving Tequila for up to $150- each shot! This pays her an extremely generous amount of tips nightly. She makes enough money, she has never once asked me to help her financially in Hawaii and she is only 24 years old. I am extremely proud of her also! I love both my children dearly and am very proud of their independence.

                   No matter what age you are, you can always make a living today working for cash. I also have a 70 year old friend working as a laundry attendant across the street from my apartment making close to $180- daily in cash. Although her husband supports the family fully, she now has extra spending money allowing the freedom to buy new cars, go on vacations, and also fully fund her son’s education at a local state university.

Where there is a will there is always a way and I hope this article gives you some new suggestions for finding work. There also exist enumerable job opportunities online. I previously owned a rare book business on Half.Com and Ebay I started with only $20- in my pocket as a college student. It used to pay me up $800- week cash; there is no internet tax. This was before I became disabled. Now I can’t lift. I used to buy rare books from the local library and resell them for up to $25- each sometimes more.

          The point is, the next opportunity is only right around the corner. A person merely has to think more creatively in 2011 to succeed and this is your point of departure for obtaining the American dream in 2011 forward! I wish you all the best of luck! Now get out there now and do it!

Jill L Starr

lpcyu@optonline.net