Originally Posted by another Linda

And that is exactly my problem with the whole way this issue gets framed. You assume that the only people who are facing hard choices are the ones who have already lost their jobs or have bought homes that they couldn’t afford or spent too much money on toys and on and on. And I’m saying that there are lots of young couples who have saved up their 20% down, have a 30 year conventional mortgage on modest homes just like we did. But those homes are now worth a fraction of what they were. As long as they don’t have to move or sell the house, no problem – they just hang on. But what do they do when they have to sell?

And everyone has choices? Let me tell you a story about another couple. She bought a condo when she was single (yes, she could afford it!). He bought a house when he was single (and yes, he could afford it). They got married and moved into his house. Tried to sell condo and couldn’t. Not a problem as she was still working. Wanted a family. Saved money so she could be home for a couple of months – longer if condo sold. Problem pregnancy and ordered to bedrest. “Chose” to try to work a couple of more weeks until had saved enough. Had miscarriage. Problem solved. Yep they had choices. Very sad.

Can it really be that I’m the only one who knows these young couples? Can it really be that the rest of you only know the deadbeats? Hard to believe. Well, I’ll continue to stand up for the ones I know. They are good people and just as hard working and moral as we ever were. But they are facing issues we never had to face. Doing their own haircuts and baking won’t help them.