It was a simple plan....

A very long time ago, a newly married couple ventured from the relative safe haven of their small hometown to see if they could make a life for themselves in the big city.  Married just five months, there were many who said the two of them were foolish to embark on such an adventure. After all, there were no jobs awaiting them, nor had they prepared themselves with a tidy nest egg if things didn't go as planned.  But, the plan was a simple one, move to the city, get jobs, and go to college.

So, on a cold January day all of their worldly possessions were loaded into a 12X60' mobile home, purchased with a loan from the friendly hometown banker, and the whole kit and caboodle was moved 70 miles south to start their new life. At least they would have a cheap place to live.....That is, if they found jobs that paid enough to make the $72 trailer payment, plus $40 for the space to park it. No problem, for like many young couples of the time, they simply had faith in each other and their ability to make it work.

Within a few weeks they were gainfully employed, one working to earn tuition money for school, and the other working to pay the living expenses.  The jobs weren't glamorous, nor were they well paying, but they were a means to an end. Was it easy?  No, but it was the first step toward becoming a self-sufficient family, and learning to work as a team to attain a common goal.

A few short years later it was graduation and time to start a career.  Once again it was a team effort, and ultimately it was a connection made by one spouse that opened the door for the first job opportunity for the other.  Continuing to follow what had proven to be a workable plan the roles were reversed, with the new wage earner paying the expenses, and the other becoming the student.

Along the way, the old mobile home was sold for enough money to make a down payment on a little house, and another milestone was achieved. At age twenty-two they were homeowners.....not easy, but with determination, perseverance, and frugal living, it was a goal that was indeed possible.

Over the years there were different jobs, different houses, and different challenges to be met. Again, sharing the load with a partner of a like mind makes the challenges of life less daunting, but it doesn't make them go away.  There are always challenges to be faced, and the road is not always of the paved variety.

Today, I hear about more and more young adults who move back into their parents' homes because they just can't make it.  Too few jobs, housing is too expensive, college loan debt is too high, and a variety of other excuses......Perhaps it's true.....or perhaps it's the result of unreasonable expectations.

Is it unreasonable to start at the bottom and work your way up?  Is it unreasonable to live in "cheap" housing until you can afford better?  Is it unreasonable to work while you're going to college and pay for it as you go? I don't profess to have the answers, I just pose the questions since what we're doing now doesn't appear to be working all that well.......But, once again, what do I know?