How the shit do normal people afford to live here?

[Anonymous]

many people who work at places like "Crate and Barrel" are either:
young and do group housing
have no college debt (thanks mom and dad)
college students
retirees
spouse who is primary breadwinner and they are doing it to have independence, help with some nicer things, keep employed while the kids are in school, 2nd job to make ends meet

there are many different models and expectations.

but there are also many different parts of the DC metro area - open a map of DC and see how big it is. When was the last time you explored NE or SE?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:many people who work at places like "Crate and Barrel" are either:
young and do group housing
have no college debt (thanks mom and dad)
college students
retirees
spouse who is primary breadwinner and they are doing it to have independence, help with some nicer things, keep employed while the kids are in school, 2nd job to make ends meet

there are many different models and expectations.

but there are also many different parts of the DC metro area - open a map of DC and see how big it is. When was the last time you explored NE or SE?

Last time I was in SE was 15 years ago to go a nightclub at the time called Buzz.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I get you are trying to be understanding but your tone is off putting. Emergency funds, retirement accounts, vacations, college savings, and health insurance are luxuries. Either pick 1 or pick none. Pay your rent or mortgage, utilities, food and that is how you live on 40k. Stop acting so dumb about it.

This is what is wrong with this country. Health insurance is not a luxury, people, it's not equal to a vacation in the Bahamas!

Oh, well.

If you need that 800 a month for food or a roof over your head, then yes it is a luxury. If you don't understand that, then be glad. If the choice is between being homeless or paying for something you probably won't use- the choice is simple. One is a luxury and one is not.

Welcome to America. Thanks for playing along.

[Anonymous]

They live in PG county. Where I live.

[Anonymous]

50K is student living in DC.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:50K is student living in DC.

based on a parent paying the bills.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:many people who work at places like "Crate and Barrel" are either:
young and do group housing
have no college debt (thanks mom and dad)
college students
retirees
spouse who is primary breadwinner and they are doing it to have independence, help with some nicer things, keep employed while the kids are in school, 2nd job to make ends meet

there are many different models and expectations.

but there are also many different parts of the DC metro area - open a map of DC and see how big it is. When was the last time you explored NE or SE?

Last time I was in SE was 15 years ago to go a nightclub at the time called Buzz.

well drive around - people acutally live there. these is some nice housing stock.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:many people who work at places like "Crate and Barrel" are either:
young and do group housing
have no college debt (thanks mom and dad)
college students
retirees
spouse who is primary breadwinner and they are doing it to have independence, help with some nicer things, keep employed while the kids are in school, 2nd job to make ends meet

there are many different models and expectations.

but there are also many different parts of the DC metro area - open a map of DC and see how big it is. When was the last time you explored NE or SE?

Not always true. Scholarships paid for everything except books and housing when I was in school.

[Anonymous]

When we moved to DC about 6 years ago, we made 45k. Lived in a small old 1br in NW DC for a few years (relative had to co-sign for our rental). We had one old beater car. Expenses were basically car insurance, gas, rent and food. We got health insurance through my job. It was doable. Once Dh got a job, we were up to 70k, and we lived quite comfortably. A 2br would have been out of our reach, and forget a new or 2nd car. When we started a family, we were making 150k and moved to the burbs for more space.

[Anonymous]

I moved to DC in '94. Got a 23K per year job and an efficiency apartment (with a great view) for 600 per month in Cleveland Park. I got laid a lot.

Then the bubble came. I make six times my entry level salary now and have no idea how "real people" make their way here anymore. Price is what you pay, value it what you get. DC sucks, I'm sorry.

[Anonymous]

Oh god. People act like dc is some sort of rich people Mecca. It isn't. Go to LA, SF, Manhatten. There housing is incredibly expensive and yes people work at C and B. DC is actually really affordable IMO. You people gripe about how fast paced and expensive it is out here but obviously you haven't been elsewhere.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I get you are trying to be understanding but your tone is off putting. Emergency funds, retirement accounts, vacations, college savings, and health insurance are luxuries. Either pick 1 or pick none. Pay your rent or mortgage, utilities, food and that is how you live on 40k. Stop acting so dumb about it.

+1

[Anonymous]

DC is very expensive, but so are other large cities and suburbs. Where I used to live (NJ) my property taxes were about 5x what I currently pay now in MoCo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DC is very expensive, but so are other large cities and suburbs. Where I used to live (NJ) my property taxes were about 5x what I currently pay now in MoCo.

Oh -- and the public school in our town wasn't as good as our MoCo public HS (despite the high taxes we paid).

[Anonymous]

We pick and choose which bills we pay each month. We are currently running almost three months behind in bills. I haven't had new clothes in 1.5 years. I have to analyze each item in the grocery store as a want vs. need. I could go on and on.

My current dream is for my husband to be able to afford to go to the dentist. We are both educated, but were hit very hard when my husband was laid off three years ago. It has been a struggle to bounce back from that.