The Ant and Grasshopper families have adjoining rooms at Motel 6

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

They just got there in different fashions.

The Grasshopper family lives for today. They overspend and consume at every turn. More house than they can afford, more cars than they can afford, vacations they can't really afford, jewelry, granite countertops, you name, it, they buy it. Ooops, one day, their equity line is cancelled and they now can't afford their phantom lifestyle which slowly unwinds when it becomes evident they can't pay the minimums on their charge cards and all the basics as well. Mr. and Mrs Grasshopper and all the little Grasshoppers have expensive tastes and now they are basically f!@!ed.

The Ant family on the other hand worked hard and saved with all their might. Every spare dime went into their 401Ks. They did not take vacations and they drove 10 year old cars. They looked forward to a comfortable retirement. Oops! One day Mr. Ant had the very poor taste to get a bad disease that cost a lot of money despite their insurance coverage. And then he had the even crummier taste to be laid off! And then Mr Ant lost his insurance coverage when they couldn't afford to keep it. Goodbye 401Ks! Goodbye paid off house! Mr. and Mrs. Ant and all the little hardworking frugal Ants find out that hard work and sacrifice mean squat! and now they are f!@#ed.

In their spare time, the Grasshoppers regret their profligacy and wish they had worked harder and saved more and been more circumspect in their spending.

In their spare time, the Ants wonder why they sacrificed so much and denied themselves so many experiences for naught.

I suppose there is a moral to this story, but I can't figure it out.

[codjh9]

1. I'm an ant, and I feel like I was steamrolled... because yes, I saved - not miserly, but not real

far from 'as much as I could' for 15-20 years, and I'm sure I'm out 1/2 of it right now. I'm so glad I listened to all of the 'financial experts' and authors who told 'me' (millions) that I'd 'never have enough for retirement if you only put your money in savings accounts or CDs'. Uh yeah, well, it sure worked out well, didn't it?

[Liberal_in_LA]

3. lol. I'm more of an Ant also.

[pansypoo53219]

5. no wall street.

tho never got close to a job with a 401k mentioned.

i am investing in ebayables for my retirement.

[InvisibleTouch]

2. Now this is true.

I've been more of a "Grasshopper," myself, and can say "Well, at least I had those experiences." I do wish I'd handled my finances better than I have, but at the same time I feel bad for my "Ant" relatives who have saved and invested and lost so much lately.

The moral of the story, I think, is to strive for a balance. Both Grasshoppers and Ants are extremes.

[panader0]

4. I'm a scorpion

Watch it!

[Veritas_et_Aequitas]

6. I come from an ant family

and I must say, I feel like my parents have been fucked. At least I'm young enough that I'll recover. Probably.

[Kitty Herder]

7. K&R

[Art_from_Ark]

8. The moral of the story is

if you're just a serf on the manor, you're going to get shafted, one way or another.

[lligrd]

10. That's The Mesasge I Got nt

[bertman]

9. Whether you figure out the moral or not, it's a good story. Recced.

[arcadian]

11. I've got a can of RAID®.

If you need it. Sounds like a crummy hotel.

[readmoreoften]

12. The moral of the story is: capitalism is a pesticide intended to kill working class "vermin".

Whether you're an ant who plans and saves or a working grasshopper who thinks you're entitled to what the worthless investor class takes from your paycheck, you're going to be killed because they think of you as nothing more than vermin under their feet. At best you're a rare species to be put in a jar or a dangerous hive bee who gives them their honey, but needs to be handled careful lest you swarm.

That's my interpretation anyway. :shrug:

[Jim Lane]

13. The moral of the story is that the person doing well is the CEO of Motel 6 (n/t)

[Festivito]

14. That we are not our own worst enemy.

This time.