Maybe you chose your home state because you born there or have family there, or just because you think it’s a nice place to live. Or maybe you moved there for a better life.

A study out this week from Pew Charitable Trusts finds that where you live matters a lot in terms of whether you can achieve the American Dream of moving up the economic ladder.

The study was good news for residents of New York and New Jersey and not as cheery for those who live in Louisiana and South Carolina.

About 8,000 readers took our poll on the topic, with about half saying they do think there’s a chance to move up the economic ladder where they live. The article also prompted a heated debate about whether things really are so tough in the South, and if so whether politicians and partisan politics are to blame.

Some readers argued that economic success boils down to one thing: Hard work.

“Upward mobility is accorded to people who go after it. Want to work 9 to 5 in your home town, and hang with you high school friends? Forget about upward mobility,” one reader wrote.

Whether or not you’ve made it up the economic ladder, chances are at some point you’ve taken on debt. Another story this week noted that some Americans seem to be taking on more debt again, either by choice or necessity, after cutting back sharply on borrowing over the course of the recession and weak recovery.

The monthly increase in debt appeared to mostly be to fund education and new vehicles, but there also was some increase in credit card debt. Still, most readers who took our poll said they just say no when it comes to credit cards.

Many readers said they now use credit cards only if they know they’ll be able to pay off the balance at the end of the month. Others said they were skipping the plastic to focus on their financial health.

“Haven't used credit in about a year. Our plan is to pay off debt, including student and car loans, before buying a house or anything else,” one reader wrote.

Still, with the economy still weak, some readers said they’ve had no choice but to rely on credit cards.

“Still have to borrow from Peter to pay Paul until our income improves to where it used to be before 2005, if that ever happens,” one reader wrote.

Have you ever had enough of the grind, and dreamed of chucking it all and live off the grid? No bills. No tax man. No boss. And no money.

Daniel Suelo did exactly that. Twelve years ago, Suelo had $30 to his name. He left it in a phone booth and walked away from normal society. He actually quit using money and appears relatively happy.

Our readers had a lot to say about this story. (Note to some of our readers: Not everything is about Obamacare. Really. Sometimes a story is just a story.)

“There's nothing wrong with being a little more self-sustaining and a little less consumer oriented. Few of us could do what Mr. Suelo has done, but I think his goal has some admirable qualities,” wrote one reader.

But another reader wrote: “Call it what you will but until he stops scrounging through societies leavings and accepting its charity he hasn't dropped out of anything. He's sponging, pure and simple.”

For the rest of us, working and making money is a fact of life. And Allison Linn’s story about the rising retirement age struck a chord. According to a Gallup poll, the average age at which Americans expect to retire is now 67. That’s up significantly from 1996, when people expected to retire at age 60.

We asked our readers to vote on their retirement expectations, and more than 22,000 responded: 50.3 percent of you said you expect to retire later than you thought and 17.5 percent of you thought you’d work until you died. Yikes.

The concept of retirement is an abstract one for most teenagers. Just getting employment is a struggle for most teens. Another Allison Linn story said that only about 25 percent of 16- to 19-year-olds currently are working, a drop of 10 percentage points from just five years ago, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. 

Our readers had a lot to say about this disappointing trend, too. “I just feel like if people spent as much time looking for a job as they do complaining, they would be far better off,” wrote one reader. 

Fess up: Have you ever told your partner the purse you bought was on sale when really it wasn’t, or pretended you spent $200 on sports tickets that really cost $300?

This week, TODAY.com and Self revealed the results of an online survey about love and money – or, more specifically, when and why we keep money secrets from the people we love.

Our readers had a lot to say about the survey, which found that even though many people think honesty about money is as important as sexual fidelity, it’s not uncommon to fib at least a bit about our spending habits.

Many readers told us that to keep the peace and avoid having to lie about money, they simply keep separate accounts.

“Don't need to, we have our own discretionary accounts for 'fun' spending. He has no say over what I spend mine on, and vice versa,” one reader wrote.

Another reader said it wasn’t an issue for an entirely different reason:   “We've never had enough money for me to have something to lie about.”

Over on our Facebook page, many readers weighed in on how much they feel comfortable spending without consulting their spouse or partner.

One reader revealed her secret to financial success.

“My husband and I created the "$75 rule" when we got married almost 16 years ago,” she wrote.

Another related why hers didn’t work out.

“My ex bought a new van, without consulting me....the next day, I filed for a divorce !!” the Facebook user wrote.

Financial issues can break a marriage, and they can also keep people from getting married. Another popular post this week looked at the growing number of people over 50 who are choosing to move in together without getting married, often because it makes more sense financially.

The story prompted a lot of readers to share their grievances about bitter divorces that had taken a financial and emotional toll. But many readers also told us that they had found late-in-life happiness without official paperwork.

“Marriage makes sense if you plan to raise children. But, my sweetie and I are long past child bearing years. … I feel blessed that after suffering through many miserable grief filled years of a "conventional" marriage, I found my true life partner. We are now enjoying our second decade together. We love each other very much and we and are contented with our ‘unconventional’ marriage,” one reader wrote.

Here’s another thing to blame on the weak economy: The transition of the humble garage sale into an extreme enterprise.

This week at Life Inc., we wrote about communities that were cracking down on extreme garage sales, in which people are hawking goods every weekend or selling so many items the streets are clogged with traffic.

Some readers complained that law enforcement officials who are trying to curtail such extreme yard sales are ruining a good thing.

“That just goes to prove the government is trying to take over our freedoms whichever way they can,” one reader wrote on our Facebook page.

But others lamented that clogged streets and the constant presence of appliances on the front lawn can’t be good for anyone’s property value.

“No one needs to have a yard sale every weekend. I wouldn't want that in my neighborhood. These people are taking advantage of the situation. If they are doing it weekly then they are running a business. … Really, it's the old case of a few morons ruining it for everyone. Don't blame the city governments for actually doing their job,” one commenter said.

Speaking of jobs, here’s yet another thing to pin on the weak economy: The rise of extreme job interviewing.

In another Life Inc. post this week, we wrote about companies that are asking people to interview as many as 10 times for the same job.

Some readers defended multiple job interviews, saying it sometimes takes time for a company to assess whether they’re picking the right person for the job. Others said it shouldn’t take that long.

“10 interviews is just plain stupid- if the company isn't sure by about the 3rd interview then what's the point?” one reader wrote.

The job interview issue may be vexing in part because we all seem to want it all: A successful career, great kids, a strong marriage.

We also reported this week on a survey finding that young women now are more likely than young men to place high importance on a successful, high-paying career. But 18- to 34-year-old women don’t appear to be willing to sacrifice the personal for the professional; they also were more likely than men of the same age to place high value on kids and marriage.

More than half of the nearly 6,500 readers who took our poll said they place equal value on marriage, kids and career.

“To feel complete, I needed all of the above. And I was fortunate enough to achieve them all. Go for it!” one reader wrote.

But some readers noted that having it all sometimes means making sacrifices along the way.

“As a female professional with kids I've made professional and financial sacrifices to be a good parent. Just too much to do both full scale,” another reader wrote.

You probably signed up for a Facebook account thinking it would be a good way to keep up with friends from college, look at family pictures or play FarmVille.

But then the social network exploded, and now it’s raising all sorts of sticky issues about where the personal and the professional collide.

A post this week about a man who claims he was fired after a Facebook “like” led his boss to discover he was gay prompted a lot of discussion about how much you want to share on social media when your boss may be watching.

“That is exactly why NO ONE should ever post anything personal on these social networks that can lead back to them. I refuse to even use Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, etc., and I don't have anything listed in my "profile" here on Newsvine,” one reader wrote.

Others were less extreme, but still agreed that people need to think carefully about what they are putting on their social networks these days.

If your social media usage does get you the boot, it’ll help your job hunt if you’re a narcissist. This week, we also reported on a study finding that narcissists do better in job interviews – but then tend to bring a toxic culture to the workplace once they land the job.

Many readers lamented that they’d seen this phenomenon at their own workplaces. And while few co-workers like blatant self-promoters, some admitted they were a bit jealous of them.

“I just got laid off from a well-paying job due to lack of work. The narcissist that was the most obnoxious self-promoter that I have ever met is still there. I should have tooted my own horn - I would still have a job,” one reader wrote.

We’ve all got to eat, and that’s probably one reason why our story this week on grocery store preferences struck such a nerve.

More than 60,000 people took our poll on what bothers them the most about grocery stores. The No. 1 pet peeve: High prices.

“Who cares about service? I'm looking for CHEAP prices,” one reader wrote.

Many readers said they grudgingly choose their grocery store based on price, even though they also value things like fresh produce and meat, clean aisles, short lines and good service.

That’s the economic reality these days, many readers told us in a follow-up post looking at why folks may want to shop at Whole Foods, but opt for Wal-Mart instead.

“I would agree with the majority. Wal-Mart isn't my favorite but we get groceries there,” one reader wrote.

Maybe some people are pinching pennies at the grocery store because they’re paying off student loan debt. Another post this week that got people talking: Research showing that senior citizens are grappling with student loan bills as well.

The post prompted a lot of discussion about the wisdom of taking on student loan debt lto go back to school ate in life or on behalf of your children. Many readers also commented on how difficult it is to discharge student loans.

“General Motors and American Airlines can go bankrupt, but average student can't. Unfair,” one reader wrote.

All those problems would be solved if you won the lottery! Last week’s post on how to spend your millions in lottery winnings continued to be a big hit this week, long after most of us realized we hadn’t taken home the Mega Millions. Oh, well, a person can dream.

If you did suddenly become wealthy, how much would you give away? In another post this week, most readers said that if they won the lottery, they’d give away about 10 percent of the winnings.

“I would just add a few zeros to the small donations I make each year to local social and animal welfare charities,” one reader wrote.

Let’s just start by saying, Happy Mega Millions Day! With the lottery winnings well into the hundreds of millions, many people are thinking about what they’d do if they won the lottery.

If you end up interviewing for a job  – which can also feel like winning the lottery these days – you may be asked just that question.

Experts say even if your immediate thought is, “I’d run out of this interview screaming,” it pays to at least try to sound like you’re not interested in the position just for the paycheck.

In reality, about 70 percent of our readers said they’d quit their job if they won the lottery. We’d like to work with the reader who wrote:  “I'd pass out checks to my office co-workers and tell them each to take a month off.”

An island, a submarine, an $845,000 car -- what would be on your shopping list if you won the lottery? Most of our readers said they’d buy a few big-ticket items but save the rest of it.

One reader was thinking realistically:

“I would have to spend a bundle on medical bills - due to the heart attack and fractured skull I would get when I fainted upon hearing I won,” the reader wrote.

OK, back to the real world, where most of us are not going to win the lottery and instead are grappling with more mundane financial worries.

One growing issue: Student loan debt, which some government calculations say has swelled to a total of around $1 trillion.  

This week, we asked readers to provide some tips for managing, or avoiding, student loan debt.

Some readers suggested trying to find a job at a company that will reimburse your education expenses.

Others said they’d worked their way through, taking longer but finishing with the debt hanging over their heads.

Many readers said they’d gotten their initial courses out of the way at a community college, so they could spend less time – and money – at a four-year institution.

Readers also encouraged the crop of incoming students to look hard for any scholarships or grants available, and to make sure they only take out as much student loan debt as they absolutely need.

One great tip: Start planning for your kids’ college experience while they are still very young, saving money for college as well as preparing them academically to best take advantage of college and maybe even land some scholarships.

You also may be able to rely on a little help from Grandma and Grandpa. In another post this week, we reported on an AARP study showing that many grandparents are helping their grandchildren out with education and other expenses.

Most of our readers said that it was equally important for grandparents to give their grandchildren financial help as well as advice for the future.

Many grandparents said they were happy to provide support.

“I don't want my children to have to wait now until I die for them to reap some benefit from my life's work. I gladly and willingly help them in any way I can, making sure that they still are required to do their part and put the effort into their work, marriages and children. If this is what we need to do as families in the current rat-race world, so be it,” one reader wrote.

Wear an orange shirt, get a pink slip?

Many Life Inc. readers were outraged by a post this week about 14 employees at a Florida law firm who said they were terminated because they were wearing orange shirts.

Some employees told the Sun-Sentinel that management saw the shirts as a sign of protest, but that they really wore the shirts because they wanted to match at a happy hour gathering. The law firm declined comment.

“This whole thing is ridiculous.  Another thought - how many men showed up wearing white button down shirts and a blue tie? Hm? Fire them! It's a conspiracy!” one reader wrote.

Still, some argued that, like it or not, employers can control who they pay.

“Although I think getting rid of all of them was wrong, employers have rights too. They have the right to like or dislike what their employees say, think, and what they do on the job … and yes... they don't have to like everyone wearing orange,” one reader wrote.

It’s tax season, which for some people means refunds -- and for others means the nightmare of dealing with identity theft tax fraud.

The IRS commissioner said this week that the average refund being handed out so far this tax season is about $3,000. About one-quarter of our readers said they expected to receive that much, or more, back from the government.

But most were expecting to see less, if they were getting a refund at all.

Still, many readers said they’d rather give then receive, when it comes to the IRS anyway.

“I would much rather pay than let the IRS keep my money interest free for a year,” one reader wrote.

Doing your taxes is always a pain, but it can be a nightmare for people who were victims of identity theft tax fraud. That's when someone files a bogus return using your information and collects a fake refund.

A story this week on the months of frustrations some people have gone through to get their identity theft problems resolved prompted a lot of outrage, and a lot of sympathy.

“The more I read, the worst I felt for the victims. It's like a nightmare that goes on and on!” one reader wrote.

When it comes to the difficult economy, who’s better off: Younger workers starting out, or older workers looking toward their golden years?

Life Inc. readers this week had plenty of opinions on that topic.

A post this week looking at how many of the recent job gains are going to workers over age 55 prompted some to argue that older workers are better workers.

“Older workers show up on time, appropriately dressed, and spend their employer's time actually working, instead of friggin' around on a computer or phone. And most important of all, instead of expecting or demanding all kinds of perks, they are satisfied simply to have a job that they enjoy,” one reader wrote.

Not surprisingly, some younger workers took offense at those types of comments.

“As a young person enjoying my first day off in a month, I find the age-based stereotyping to be pretty appalling. We aren't all slackers who had everything handed to us on a silver platter,” another reader responded.

Younger Americans are facing their own set of struggles. Amid higher unemployment rates, onerous student loan debt and other financial woes, a new Pew report finds that three out of 10 people ages 25 to 34 are living with their parents.

What’s more, most of them are happy to be back with Mom and Dad.

A post this week on the new Pew report prompted a lot of discussion over whether  it’s OK for young adults to move back in with their parents, and how much student loan debt is playing a role.

Some readers said younger workers needed to get out on their own.

“Slackers. I was on the curb at 18. How are kids supposed to grow some steel if they are in diapers until 30,” one reader wrote.

Another, younger reader recounted having no choice but to live with Mom and Dad during an arduous 18-month job search.

“To anyone saying that we as a generation are just lazy, I will leave you with a challenge. Quit your job, cancel your pension, or give your retirement money to charity and move 2,000 miles away from where you currently live. Now find a job and pay all your bills. Good luck with that,” the reader wrote.

There was some encouraging news Friday showing that, once again, the economy created more than 200,000 jobs last month. That’s a sign that the jobs recovery continues to chug along, if slowly.

Still, even if you are lucky enough to get a job these days, there’s a good chance you can’t command the kind of salary you might have before the Great Recession.

A post this week showing that wages for young workers have actually been declining for more than a decade prompted a lot of discussion about who’s to blame. Contenders included President Obama and a host of other politicians, corporate America and lax parents.

Amid all the arguing, one reader perhaps unwittingly pointed out what may be the biggest reason wages have been pushed down – because so many people need a job that they are willing to take low wages just to be employed.

“I'd like a full-time, permanent job. $25,000 sounds wonderful,” the reader wrote.

Of course, that salary won’t be going quite as far if gas prices keep rising. Another post this week found that, on average, Americans will said they will have to start making significant life changes only if gas prices hit around $5.30.

More than half of our readers say they are already making significant changes in response to the recent spike in gas prices.

Again, many of you had lots of ideas about who’s to blame for higher gas prices: Politicians, speculators, big oil companies … can we blame lax parenting for this one, too?

Probably not. A few of you did have some simple solutions of the problem, though.

“Starting next week I'll be commuting via bicycle,” one reader wrote.

Time for a distraction from all these weighty topics: How about March Madness?

Bad news on that front. We also informed readers this week that there’s a good chance your IT department will try to thwart your March Madness viewing at work, for the sake of the network and those people who want to do actual work.

About one-third of you said you’d be checking scores occasionally during the annual college basketball showdown, and nearly 20 percent said you’d watch a bit of the tournament here and there while in the office.

Some readers won’t be counting on skirting the IT department at all in order to keep tabs on their brackets.

“I just take Thursday & Friday off so I can enjoy the games,” one reader wrote.

We had a leap day this week, which for some salaried employees may mean that your employer got an extra day of work out of you, without giving you anything extra in return.

If you’re working for free anyway, you might as well take a little time out and discuss it amongst yourselves.

A post earlier this week on whether leap days equal work-for-free days prompted a lot of back-and-forth about whether people are really working for free, complete with a surprising amount of math (some of it fuzzy).

Some chose to take a more light-hearted view of the whole thing.

“The company I work for is so cheap, they'd argue that they pay us for a day we don't work on non-leap years,” one reader joked (we assume it was a joke).

Others, perhaps mindful of the fact that the unemployment rate remains unusually high, opted to stay above the fray.

“Just be thankful you have a payday at all and leave it at that,” another suggested.

Perhaps that reader is a government worker. Another popular story this week looked at who is happiest at work. Government and education workers top the list, while agriculture and mining is at the bottom.

Cue the obvious barbs about government workers having nothing to do. Many readers took that path, but a few chose to stay above the fray.

“Why wouldn't they be happy? They provide a much needed service. I'm glad they are happy!” one reader wrote.

Here’s what doesn’t make most of us happy, no matter how much we like our jobs: A big workplace embarrassment. Luckily, we can usually laugh about it later. Years and years later.

A post this week on your most embarrassing work moments prompted lots of you to recall wardrobe malfunctions, unfortunate typos and misuse of the mute button. Check them out, and share your own, on our Facebook page.

Lots of people dread filing their taxes, but here's what's worse: You go to file your taxes find out a criminal has already done it for you.

This week, Life Inc. looked at the surge in identity theft tax fraud, in which criminals take a person’s name and Social Security number and file a bogus return on their behalf. Then, they pocket the hefty fake refund the return generates.

The post prompted tons of outrage, especially from readers who said they’d gone through the painful process of being a victim of this type of fraud. For many readers, there was plenty of anger to go around.

 “These crooks aren't that smart, it's just that the government is pretty much incompetent at everything it does,” one reader wrote.

Being pregnant is hard work, but working while pregnant also appears to have its share of complications.

A post this week on the government’s stepped-up efforts to battle pregnancy discrimination prompted a lot of readers to share their stories of odd job interviews, suspiciously timed layoffs and other ways in which pregnancy and work didn’t mix well.

About six in 10 readers who took our poll said they had seen or experienced pregnancy discrimination in the workplace.

Some told us the fear of being treated differently was keeping them from having kids.

“I'm 28 and just married and avoiding pregnancy completely for at least 5 years because of likelihood of losing my job if I do,” one reader wrote.

But others argued that employers shouldn’t have to accommodate procreation.

“First of all getting pregnant is a choice with very few exceptions. As an employer I should not have to deal with your choice,” another reader wrote.

It’s probably true that some people call in sick because of pregnancy-related issues, but another post this week looked at a different reason for taking a sick day: boredom.

Researchers found that workers were much more likely to call in sick on a day when they had a light workload than when they had a normal amount of work to do. Some readers could relate.

“So true...I hate it when I'm bored at work...just hate it,” one reader wrote.