How many of us make under 100K?
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Anonymous
I wish wish wish we could afford for me to quit, but DH's job does not offer health insurance, just a teeny tiny stipend. So I am basically just working for the insurance benefits right now. After paying part time daycare costs for two, I'll take home about $500 a month. We could not afford to to pay our bills andget good health insurance for a family of 4 on DH's under 50k salary. |
Anonymous
Ah, this makes sense. Thanks for understanding I was not trying to dictate your life and values as the PPs thought. |
Anonymous
| Another teacher here who makes around $45K per year. I have a school aged DD. The summer vacation is nice for about 2 weeks until I start worrying about the bills. I have my credit union stretch my paycheck over 12 months but that makes some months a bit too close for comfort. The only job I can find in the summer that is actually worth it is tutoring and it is competitive out there. There are plenty of tutors and tutoring companies to choose from. We still live relatively well. I may never own a home here but we like where we live and we are surrounded by down to earth families with good work ethics. My DD doesn't go to school with kids who get whatever they want so she doesn't come home asking for her own iPad, ski trips, etc. |
Anonymous
| I forgot to add that I only know one person (actually a couple) who makes more than $100K and they've been working hard for 10 yrs+ to get to that point. There are PLENTY of people who make less than $100K in this area and they aren't starving to death. Chances are, they are at work instead of frequently DCUM. Any person who works in any kind of store/hotel, drives a bus/cab, teaches, etc most likely make less than $100K (probably much less than that). |
Anonymous
Same here. Work part-time for health insurance. Granted, I have a great gig, WFH, school hours, health insurance, retirement, but I have a passion that I'd like to pursue, and would work for free just to pursue my dream. DH made a huge career change in '08, and while it's going great, I still have to wait it out. Thankfully, no mortgage or car payments. |
Anonymous
| Part-time teacher and a post doc = ~50k. We live well - no payments except a low mortgage. Nice family vacations - no debt worry. Flexible schedules and plenty of quality time with DC. |
Anonymous
I like you PP. We used to have a life like that on so much less. We still do in many ways, but I am constantly amazed and disappointed in our lack of discipline now that we make over 120k. That is still low by DC standards in some crowds but very high compared to the rest of the world. We are sometimes check to check because we insist on paying for the kid's extracurriculars year around, coffee at the coffee shop, occasional dining out, a pool membership, satellite radio, cable TV, etc. It's incredible. I may have to pull the plug on everything soon because we are not saving. We're really lucky to do low cost vacations because of the generosity of family and friends who have beach houses. |
Anonymous
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DH and I are both teachers and our HHI was around $90k last year. It is a struggle at times, but mostly because of our own choices. DH took out some student loans recently, and we had to buy a new vehicle when our second DD was born last year, so when those are paid off, I will feel a lot more comfortable financially. Of course, that's not going to be for a while.
It's definitely possible to live comfortably in the DC area on less than $100k, but obviously, $100k doesn't go as far around here as it does in other places. I think it evens out though. I have other teacher-friends who balked at the price of our $280k townhome when I shared the listing--but some of them are making $30k after teaching for almost 10 years. |
Anonymous
Ha! Not really. I work in a private school-- no pension, just what I put in my 403b. I have an employer match up to a certain percent, so that's nice. But haven't you been reading the news? The days of awesome teacher benefits are long gone. To answer the original question-- I am a teacher, husband works at a nonprofit. This tax year I think we will break 100K. in 2011 we were just under (about 95K IIRC). Live in DC. Family of 3. |
Anonymous
Ditto, my life and my kids' life is HEAVEN compared to the way I grew up! 
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Anonymous
+1. They are struggling because of the monthly payments for the Benz instead of the Honda, and mortgage for the $1.5M house instead of the $400k house. |
Anonymous
It works out to just only a couple of weeks more vacation than others. I would not really call that such a wonderful perk. You have to deal with the neurotic entitled parents and the spoiled little snowflakes etc etc, spend a whole day in a room full of loud mouthed badly behaved children. Most leave the profession in less than 5 years |
Anonymous
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OP, ignore the unhelpful self absorbed ones. Statistically, most people in most areas (GASP! even D.C.) make less than $100k. They would probably not admit it. Look around. How many are renting instead of buying in for example, the pricey suburbs? Do your research. |
Anonymous
| PP here. this is not to single out those who are renting. it was just an example. Another example, I know people in pricey suburbs that own mcshacks and don't take care of them. That should give you an idea. Doubtful that most people would tell you what they make OP. Even on DCUM. |
Anonymous
May I ask where you live? Sounds good to me 
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