And that's the thing. I know people who make more than I did who can't afford to install solar. They CAN afford their daily Starbucks, eating out nearly every day, a new phone when it comes out each year, travel packages, etc.... After I sold my business, I worked for a similar business for 7 years. I watched the younger workers walk in with their caffeine drink of choice from either a coffee place or minimart, go out to eat lunch every day, pump money through the vending machines, and smoke or vape. A small group of us were older. We all brought our lunch, coffee from home if they drank it, didn't use the vending machine, and none of us smoked or vaped. We all had old or no phones. None of us were flying to islands or Europe.
It's about priorities. If someone wants solar, make it happen. But don't come crying to me that you can't afford it without incentives, but can afford all the luxuries in life.
is this the avocado toast argument?
I'm in my 20s, and only know a few people around my age who can afford to eat out more than once a week. I make 6 figures and can't afford it. over 1/3 of my income goes just to housing (which I rent). My parents, however, eat out 2x a day, drink expensive alcohol, do various things to avoid paying taxes, but I've also heard them say similar things about younger people.
Maybe if I save up for 5 years, living like a monk as I do, I'll possibly be able to afford a home. Too bad my employer doesn't believe in periodic raises, and the cost of a new home is increasing at about the rate I can save for one. At a certain point, the "goal" of "home ownership" becomes a fantasy, so I can se why many people in my age group don't even bother saving, and try to live some instead. If I were getting paid "more average" rates for people in my age group, I'd be looking at 10-20 years of saving just to afford a down payment. I guess you should expect everyone under 40 do nothing but save, so they can one day afford a home and stop giving all of their money to their landlord.
A basic solar setup may cost a few thousand dollars. How much do you think younger people have saved given how much everything costs? I drink energy drinks daily, those cost about $2 a piece and are equivalent to about 2 coffees. I could save $1 a day or so by making my own coffee. It would take me approximately 10 years of "cutting costs" to afford solar panels by changing that habit.
If you ask me, it makes far more sense to drink something I like the taste of more, and is easier to drink/less effort than to spend 5 extra minutes a day to save a dollar, especially when those savings don't amount to anything substantial.
You also mention vaping, which is far, far less expensive than smoking.
Also about the phones, don't a lot of carriers have like "iphone forever" plans where you can get the new model each year for a reduced price? When you need a phone for work, and most things are done through it, doesn't it make a bit of sense to prioritize that over other things? I mean granted you're making a lot of generalizations. I'm in the age group you're complaining about and my phone was $200 new and has lasted me about 3 years. I'm super into tech too, I just know what I need.
Making generalizations about whole groups of people, and painting them as people "without financial sense" doesn't really make sense.
I'd bet those people you're complaining about are heavily supported by their parents, so they just do whatever they want with their money without a care. Were these people being paid way more than you? I certainly can't afford to fly to Europe.
I'll make a generalization though, you can blame the generations of people who got things into this state, not the children forced to grow up in it.
