Aspie Economic Status

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Just curious on this in relation to the general population.

Age can be a big factor in income level.

My income has been rising (as in getting real promotions, not just increases to match inflation) for most of my adult life.

I have now hit my ceiling; I don't expect any more promotions as I am at the top of the payscale for my type of work. I am the most senior person in my section and I am beginning a gradual retirement from full time work.

When I first graduated from university, I was unemployed for half a year. My first job was an entry level clerical job. It took me two years to get into a real graduate position, doing social research and writing reports.

It took several more years to be promoted into more and more senior positions, then change career and get further promotions. It took a lot of time to build up to my current income level: over 30 years.

I wouldn't expect a person in their twenties to be in the same income bracket already as I am.

I could get a job making less than a good painter should make but I decided that taking sh$% from some yahoo, and being under paid would drive me insaine, so I do side jobs and live in a rooming house. I am happy and that is what matters!

I don't see any way around the issue, but I think we'll have to rely on posters to adjust for local "Cost of Living" or "Purchasing Power Parity"....$80,000 in Houston is not $80,000 in DC.

And taxes. I earn > $ 50,000 a year before tax, but I live in Denmark, the (last time I checked) current world leader in income tax rates... And the services I receive from the government are vastly lower than the taxes I pay, as the Danish welfare state is geared towards families with kids, and not singles...

So a person-to-person comparison of incomes isn't really that easy...

I found it much cheaper to live in D.C. than in Austin, which is similar to Houston. Cut out the car, and add in the delicious street food, and a lot of expenses go down.

Also, the thrift stores in D.C. have actual nice clothing, unlike Austin, so I spent a lot less on clothes too, because in TX, I buy everything new because the thrift stores are full of junk.

If there are Europeans answering this poll, COL may technically be higher, with perhaps lower incomes, but between public transportation and additional public services, such as public healthcare, they might have just as much or (likely) more disposable income than Americans.

Basically, what I'm saying is it's impossible to generalize COL without a risk of comparing apples to oranges.

Question what would I be considered??
Employed?
Unemployed?
SemiEmployed
Self Employed?

I am in the USA, not employed but own a FedEX Home Delivery route as an Independent Contractor (FedEx Ground & HD are independently owned). I am responsible for all expenses and make between $1000 - $2000 a week after expenses and paying everyone. I invested around $180,000 in the purchase and loaned the guy who was selling the routes to me around $100,000 to use to open a lounge in Manhattan. we signed a promissory note, he will manage the routes for me for two years until Sept 2014. Ultimately I am responsible and you have to adhere to the contract, resolve any customer complaints, disputes etc..

I do not have an actual job where I go everyday. I own this absentee based in NYC. I am stuck here outside of Boston MA, cannot move because of bad credit.

I have had several temp jobs but many got fired from for vague issues having to do with performance or no reason. Now virtually unemployable in my field of accounting/finance. Tried to take classes as journeyman electrician in January but realized that I didn't 'belong' in the class because I have no experience.

Yeah, that's a hard one to classify there, I'll leave that to the OP.

I personally would say you're in transition.

I "earn" close to 400K a year for sitting behind my computer influencing people on the internet all day but I "get" only 11K per disability check... Wish I was the guy in control of deciding how much one "gets" for one's "earning" .

I really hate the word "earn" when it comes to money.. most people don't get half of what they earn and some other's don't earn 1% of what they get, and yeah I do realize you can look at me being part of either of those group.

from the results of the survey so far, it would seem most aspies are in the working class.

Wow, I'd love to be able to do that ... I'd get an investment visa and live in Vietnam and maybe open a few factories and start a harem if I could do that. lol

it's good to not be the only one that is struggling.

Yeah, I can work and be relatively self-sufficient... but I haven't found a place where I fit in despite my "oddities". It's a pain to change jobs every year or so because of reasons NOT relating to performance.

*sigh* I had the best job which lasted almost 4 years, far longer than any other job I've held... then they shipped the position off to somewhere else.

I've made 58k at one point, but currently make 48k. However, 48k where I'm living now is worth 80k in the location where the higher paying job was located, so it's almost as if I got a raise.