Not making it on $100K? NPR story

[Anonymous]

Are there school loans involved? It’s such a money suck for years and years.

[Anonymous]

Families were making 100k in the 80s/90s and here were are 20 years later and people still have a HHI of 100k but more shit to pay for.

[Anonymous]

She has adult children that she’s paying to “go to school”. She needs to cut that out. They’re adults.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NPR story on morning edition about family in gaithersburg who can't make it on $100k (struggle to pay utilities/say they can't afford christmas.) Link isn't up yet, sorry.

I don't get it. Yes they have two special needs kids, but that did not seem to be the bulk of their expenses when the reporter asked about it (and i understand state and county programs are pretty good in this area for funding special therapy/school.) She did describe some medical expenses leading to a bankruptcy.

We make not much more than 100K since both going part time to spend more time with our pre-schooler. we live (i think) pretty luxuriously: part time nanny, rent an apt with pool and concierge on metro line, trips abroad, mostly organic groceries, too many starbucks drinks, smartphones. we also have 6 figures in savings (admittedly from before we went part time) and fully fund our TSP's. i can think of so many areas where we could cut back if we had too-cheaper groceries, switching to domestic only trips, moving to a cheaper apartment. How could anyone not be making it on 100K? I'm genuinely confused. All i can think is they are mortgaged to the hilt and house poor.

Apparently this whole NPR series is about people not making it on 100K. i find it a little ridiculous and really insulting to families who are making it on so much less. What am i missing?

How can you put $18K times 2 ($36K) into your TSPs on a HHI of $100K

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR story on morning edition about family in gaithersburg who can't make it on $100k (struggle to pay utilities/say they can't afford christmas.) Link isn't up yet, sorry.

I don't get it. Yes they have two special needs kids, but that did not seem to be the bulk of their expenses when the reporter asked about it (and i understand state and county programs are pretty good in this area for funding special therapy/school.) She did describe some medical expenses leading to a bankruptcy.

We make not much more than 100K since both going part time to spend more time with our pre-schooler. we live (i think) pretty luxuriously: part time nanny, rent an apt with pool and concierge on metro line, trips abroad, mostly organic groceries, too many starbucks drinks, smartphones. we also have 6 figures in savings (admittedly from before we went part time) and fully fund our TSP's. i can think of so many areas where we could cut back if we had too-cheaper groceries, switching to domestic only trips, moving to a cheaper apartment. How could anyone not be making it on 100K? I'm genuinely confused. All i can think is they are mortgaged to the hilt and house poor.

Apparently this whole NPR series is about people not making it on 100K. i find it a little ridiculous and really insulting to families who are making it on so much less. What am i missing?

How can you put $18K times 2 ($36K) into your TSPs on a HHI of $100K

Different poster, but they've decided that saving that $36k is more important to them than spending it. And they probably have a modest home (rather than a mcmansion) because it better suits their priorities.

[Anonymous]

They have 2 barely functioning special needs kids. That is the key.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NPR story on morning edition about family in gaithersburg who can't make it on $100k (struggle to pay utilities/say they can't afford christmas.) Link isn't up yet, sorry.

I don't get it. Yes they have two special needs kids, but that did not seem to be the bulk of their expenses when the reporter asked about it (and i understand state and county programs are pretty good in this area for funding special therapy/school.) She did describe some medical expenses leading to a bankruptcy.

We make not much more than 100K since both going part time to spend more time with our pre-schooler. we live (i think) pretty luxuriously: part time nanny, rent an apt with pool and concierge on metro line, trips abroad, mostly organic groceries, too many starbucks drinks, smartphones. we also have 6 figures in savings (admittedly from before we went part time) and fully fund our TSP's. i can think of so many areas where we could cut back if we had too-cheaper groceries, switching to domestic only trips, moving to a cheaper apartment. How could anyone not be making it on 100K? I'm genuinely confused. All i can think is they are mortgaged to the hilt and house poor.

Apparently this whole NPR series is about people not making it on 100K. i find it a little ridiculous and really insulting to families who are making it on so much less. What am i missing?

Clap...clap...clap....

[Anonymous]

Look at Linkedin - she just graduated from college in 2014 where she had a study abroad in Dublin Ireland. If her kids are now 17 and 19 and need her around all the time, how did she do that? I bet she has huge student loan payments and she's not using her degree now because it sounds like she's not working.

[Anonymous]

They make $100k and the next sentence is all about the debts. What if the debts were $100k? They didn't always make $100k. Somebody was probably in school, got laid off, medical debt, credit card debt and interest piled up. You may write an article about somebody making 1 million and not making it.
How is this article helpful if they don't start the income and outflow from the beginning when it was $0 or when they had some money. Many medical emergencies can get people in trouble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:NPR story on morning edition about family in gaithersburg who can't make it on $100k (struggle to pay utilities/say they can't afford christmas.) Link isn't up yet, sorry.

I don't get it. Yes they have two special needs kids, but that did not seem to be the bulk of their expenses when the reporter asked about it (and i understand state and county programs are pretty good in this area for funding special therapy/school.) She did describe some medical expenses leading to a bankruptcy.

We make not much more than 100K since both going part time to spend more time with our pre-schooler. we live (i think) pretty luxuriously: part time nanny, rent an apt with pool and concierge on metro line, trips abroad, mostly organic groceries, too many starbucks drinks, smartphones. we also have 6 figures in savings (admittedly from before we went part time) and fully fund our TSP's. i can think of so many areas where we could cut back if we had too-cheaper groceries, switching to domestic only trips, moving to a cheaper apartment. How could anyone not be making it on 100K? I'm genuinely confused. All i can think is they are mortgaged to the hilt and house poor.

Apparently this whole NPR series is about people not making it on 100K. i find it a little ridiculous and really insulting to families who are making it on so much less. What am i missing?

Hey Op- this is inspiring; could you post your budget if you have time? We do have SN costs for one, which have cost about $8000 out of pocket in the last year, but that should go down to $5,000 a year for the next three.

[Anonymous]

I read the story this morning and found it amazing that NPR thinks this is a newsworthy topic. So many people in this country (to say nothing of many other countries) are struggling to survive on much less and yet NPR thinks we should be feeling sorry for families who can't get by on $100K? Can't "have Christmas"??? WTH! Put up a little tree, make some presents with your kids for their loved ones, bake some cookies together, buy a few things for the kids that they want or need, and be thankful you aren't starving or homeless! Good grief!

[Anonymous]

Some of those examples don't make sense. There is no reason why many should not make it on that income, expect a family with SN kids where one parent cannot work/therapies. The Gaithersburg programer can make more money so what is going on there?

[Anonymous]

Last year we made about $100k, and our fixed costs are:

$19k rent (older apartment with no dishwasher or laundry in NoVa)
$18k day care (one toddler)
$11k health insurance premium (Kaiser bronze, it doesn't get any cheaper!)
At least $18k taxes ($15-16 federal, can't remember total for state)

That's $68k right there, and we're healthy and paid off all our student loans, though we don't have employer sponsored health insurance or retirement. The rest of our spending is pretty low, so we are ok if not living the OP's life of luxury, but I can easily imagine a family with higher medical costs, multiple cars, parents or relatives to support, or student loans having more trouble making ends meet.

$100k IS a lot of money, AND life is getting very expensive. It's ok to say both of these things without losing perspective that it's way harder for someone with the same problems but half or a quarter as much money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:NPR story on morning edition about family in gaithersburg who can't make it on $100k (struggle to pay utilities/say they can't afford christmas.) Link isn't up yet, sorry.

I don't get it. Yes they have two special needs kids, but that did not seem to be the bulk of their expenses when the reporter asked about it (and i understand state and county programs are pretty good in this area for funding special therapy/school.) She did describe some medical expenses leading to a bankruptcy.

We make not much more than 100K since both going part time to spend more time with our pre-schooler. we live (i think) pretty luxuriously: part time nanny, rent an apt with pool and concierge on metro line, trips abroad, mostly organic groceries, too many starbucks drinks, smartphones. we also have 6 figures in savings (admittedly from before we went part time) and fully fund our TSP's. i can think of so many areas where we could cut back if we had too-cheaper groceries, switching to domestic only trips, moving to a cheaper apartment. How could anyone not be making it on 100K? I'm genuinely confused. All i can think is they are mortgaged to the hilt and house poor.

Apparently this whole NPR series is about people not making it on 100K. i find it a little ridiculous and really insulting to families who are making it on so much less. What am i missing?

How can you put $18K times 2 ($36K) into your TSPs on a HHI of $100K

Different poster, but they've decided that saving that $36k is more important to them than spending it. And they probably have a modest home (rather than a mcmansion) because it better suits their priorities.

If you save $36K you have $74K left to pay for housing, taxes, medical insurance, food, bills, preschool, part-time nanny, , travel abroad and smartphones (according to OP's own description of their expenses). It just does not add up.

[Anonymous]

These boo hoo stories pop up every holiday season. And notice who they interview ? Yeah, the highly educated poor. With no shame. I say that because NPR put out the call me if your struggle is real on $100,000. Maybe you will get some sympathy and money.

We all make choices. Some choose poorly. They need a gofundmebecausewearepooranddeservethefreebies page.