Why is $275k hhi now so poor?

[Anonymous]

Stop blowing smoke up my arse trying to claim $275k hhi is just fine and dandy these days. It is not. We are friggin dinks with virtually no debt except our mortgage on a very modest $625k home. We rake in $275k and are super middle class, it’s insane. Right now driving an 8 year old cheap Mazda 3 bought for $20k snd is paid off. I dread the day we need a new car, because a new car payment will place huge strain on our finances. I think we can only afford a Toyota sedan next. You’d think dinks making almost $300k could afford an Audi these days, but nope. Car insurance, home insurance, taxes, groceries……all of it demolishes you. We only take 1 vacation too per year.

Ok, we might tread water, I’ll give you that. But we aren’t THRIVING. I feel like you’ll only thrive on a $500k income these days. And that’s only from a DINK perspective! I dunno how everyone else who is poorer AND has kids survives. You all survive on malk and beans? Who knew the American dream for family people meant a life of brittle bones and cutting coupons, lol. Prices are so outta control. It is bonkers.

[Anonymous]

What are you rambling about, we have kids, lots of expenses in terms of activities, make far less and are doing well. You have a spending issue.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What are you rambling about, we have kids, lots of expenses in terms of activities, make far less and are doing well. You have a spending issue.

You don't max out retirement, save enough for college, and are probably one medical emergency away from bankruptcy. You are delusional.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Stop blowing smoke up my arse trying to claim $275k hhi is just fine and dandy these days. It is not. We are friggin dinks with virtually no debt except our mortgage on a very modest $625k home. We rake in $275k and are super middle class, it’s insane. Right now driving an 8 year old cheap Mazda 3 bought for $20k snd is paid off. I dread the day we need a new car, because a new car payment will place huge strain on our finances. I think we can only afford a Toyota sedan next. You’d think dinks making almost $300k could afford an Audi these days, but nope. Car insurance, home insurance, taxes, groceries……all of it demolishes you. We only take 1 vacation too per year.

Ok, we might tread water, I’ll give you that. But we aren’t THRIVING. I feel like you’ll only thrive on a $500k income these days. And that’s only from a DINK perspective! I dunno how everyone else who is poorer AND has kids survives. You all survive on malk and beans? Who knew the American dream for family people meant a life of brittle bones and cutting coupons, lol. Prices are so outta control. It is bonkers.

We get by on $90,000. You are terrible budgeters.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Stop blowing smoke up my arse trying to claim $275k hhi is just fine and dandy these days. It is not. We are friggin dinks with virtually no debt except our mortgage on a very modest $625k home. We rake in $275k and are super middle class, it’s insane. Right now driving an 8 year old cheap Mazda 3 bought for $20k snd is paid off. I dread the day we need a new car, because a new car payment will place huge strain on our finances. I think we can only afford a Toyota sedan next. You’d think dinks making almost $300k could afford an Audi these days, but nope. Car insurance, home insurance, taxes, groceries……all of it demolishes you. We only take 1 vacation too per year.

Ok, we might tread water, I’ll give you that. But we aren’t THRIVING. I feel like you’ll only thrive on a $500k income these days. And that’s only from a DINK perspective! I dunno how everyone else who is poorer AND has kids survives. You all survive on malk and beans? Who knew the American dream for family people meant a life of brittle bones and cutting coupons, lol. Prices are so outta control. It is bonkers.

We get by on $90,000. You are terrible budgeters.

Wool pulled over your eyes. You aren’t getting by. Average rent is now $2k per mo for a non s hole. If you make any significant retirement contributions, that’s -40k right there BEFORE tax. Yeah sure, you’re getting by on $38k per year after tax. You are so poor you don’t even realize you’re one broken down car, one huge home repair, or one medical emergency away from disaster with a big fat zero for retirement. And that’s all while groceries now cost $100 for only 3-4 days of food now.

[Anonymous]

You’re doing something wrong.

[Anonymous]

You spend more than you save.

[Anonymous]

Make a budget and figure out where your money is going. That's about what we make and what our house cost. Also old cars. We take one nice vacation, send the kids to camp and activities, eat out once or twice a week, save for retirement and college. And we're fine. We don't fly first class or anything, but we have all of our needs and many of our wants.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You spend more than you save.

No S Sherlock. Very easy to do when you’re poor and making $275k. You have to pay for necessities before you can save.


You must have genius level intellect.

[Anonymous]

How old are you and how long have you been making that? You should be doing fine. When we were dinks making that, we had a subscription to the theater, went out for dinner a lot, bought a lot of clothes, visited friends in NYC, flew to visit parents a few times a year, did home renovations, etc. - plenty of money that didn’t need to be spent - unless you have backbreaking student loans. Then that’s the issue.

[Anonymous]

I can’t tell if this is a troll post or someone really is this delusional.

$275k for 2 people is fantastic income. It’s what we make with an elementary kid and I feel extremely well off. We contribute $20k each to 401k/403b, $6k each to Roth IRA, put $10k a year into a college fund, and just bought a brand new car (admittedly a Honda sedan, but I don’t know why that’s a shameful thing). We are able to go on regular vacations, do the hobbies we enjoy, and I don’t have to budget for groceries. We do not have any student loans and our mortgage is only $3k so that helps a lot!

I understand being underwhelmed by what $275k gets you, but implying you are anything other than well off is silly.

[Anonymous]

Definitely a troll post.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How old are you and how long have you been making that? You should be doing fine. When we were dinks making that, we had a subscription to the theater, went out for dinner a lot, bought a lot of clothes, visited friends in NYC, flew to visit parents a few times a year, did home renovations, etc. - plenty of money that didn’t need to be spent - unless you have backbreaking student loans. Then that’s the issue.

Look Jennifer from Gen X, it isn’t 1998 anymore. It is 2024. Maybe you haven’t noticed, but car and home insurance has risen by 30% in the last 3 years. Shopping around barely saves money. Gas is never going back down below $3.50 again. Groceries are insane. Garbage chipotle food now costs $42 for two people. Imagine how bad dining out is now when friggin fast food costs $40. A new stupid minivan for soccer moms is $50k.

Everything about American life sucks AZZ. You aren’t comfortable unless you’re now making. $500k. Maybe you should retire your waffle thermals and nirvana Ts and join the year 2024, Jen from latchkey.

[Anonymous]

If you're a DINK, I'm assuming that you guys are young so you haven't built any wealth yet (which takes time) and you guys either just spent a lot of money or will need to spend a lot of money very soon (wedding, buying your house, future down payment for a bigger house when you have kids in the future). If you just bought a house, maybe you're in the 8% interest rates.

There are many reasons why you're suffering compared to other couples with similar HHI but who are older. For example, maybe they bought their home when it was only worth 500K, refinanced, and now they're coasting on their 2K/month mortgage and additional 500k equity.

It's okay, OP. Just carry on for 10 more years and you'll get some raises, refinance to lower mortgage rates, and see your savings compound. And then you'll feel like you've made it and be able to brag about your retirement savings like everyone else in DCUM.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What are you rambling about, we have kids, lots of expenses in terms of activities, make far less and are doing well. You have a spending issue.

You don't max out retirement, save enough for college, and are probably one medical emergency away from bankruptcy. You are delusional.

Wrong, we max out savings, a good amount in regular savings, and a college and grad school fund. We have insurance that will never bankrupt us. Our house is paid off. You need to manage your money better.