Making $500k and not feeling wealthy in NW

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP here. It's a mindset and this area breeds it. I never thought at this level of income I'd want more, but as your income rises the expectations grow exponentially as well.

This is total BS OP. We make the same in NWDC and feel fabulously wealthy. Our kids did NOT want to go to Disney, they have one pair of shoes, and before anyone says we're too frugal, DH drives an expensive car and our house is decked out. I drive a sexy ugly car. And, we could buy four laptops this month and not feel any crunch. We have tons of friends in the neighborhood and don't feel any pressure to one up them. We make purchasing decisions based on our spending plan and personal interests. If someone is doing tutoring, I think their kid needs it or they like the subject. It's not about me or my choices. Frankly, I think I'm too selfish, too focused on my own family, to try to guess at everyone's motivations. Every once in awhile someone will make a comment or bring up money, but I'm just not interested so cut them off. The rat race is in your head. We NEVER talk about money or gossip in front of the kids, we just don't. Just stop. What a miserable existence.

[Anonymous]

Yeah you need at least 650 to feel ok

[Anonymous]

We make that and live in Vienna and use public schools, but our lifestyle is not one of wealth, either. Then again, we're planning to retire at 60, which is definitely an indicator of wealth for people born in the 1960s.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. It's a mindset and this area breeds it. I never thought at this level of income I'd want more, but as your income rises the expectations grow exponentially as well.

This is total BS OP. We make the same in NWDC and feel fabulously wealthy. Our kids did NOT want to go to Disney, they have one pair of shoes, and before anyone says we're too frugal, DH drives an expensive car and our house is decked out. I drive a sexy ugly car. And, we could buy four laptops this month and not feel any crunch. We have tons of friends in the neighborhood and don't feel any pressure to one up them. We make purchasing decisions based on our spending plan and personal interests. If someone is doing tutoring, I think their kid needs it or they like the subject. It's not about me or my choices. Frankly, I think I'm too selfish, too focused on my own family, to try to guess at everyone's motivations. Every once in awhile someone will make a comment or bring up money, but I'm just not interested so cut them off. The rat race is in your head. We NEVER talk about money or gossip in front of the kids, we just don't. Just stop. What a miserable existence.

WTF on one pair of shoes.

[Anonymous]

Kids grow out of shoes in a matter of weeks. Why on earth would anyone buy them more than one pair?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kids grow out of shoes in a matter of weeks. Why on earth would anyone buy them more than one pair?

They do? Might want to get that checked out...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. It's a mindset and this area breeds it. I never thought at this level of income I'd want more, but as your income rises the expectations grow exponentially as well.

This is total BS OP. We make the same in NWDC and feel fabulously wealthy. Our kids did NOT want to go to Disney, they have one pair of shoes, and before anyone says we're too frugal, DH drives an expensive car and our house is decked out. I drive a sexy ugly car. And, we could buy four laptops this month and not feel any crunch. We have tons of friends in the neighborhood and don't feel any pressure to one up them. We make purchasing decisions based on our spending plan and personal interests. If someone is doing tutoring, I think their kid needs it or they like the subject. It's not about me or my choices. Frankly, I think I'm too selfish, too focused on my own family, to try to guess at everyone's motivations. Every once in awhile someone will make a comment or bring up money, but I'm just not interested so cut them off. The rat race is in your head. We NEVER talk about money or gossip in front of the kids, we just don't. Just stop. What a miserable existence.

WTF on one pair of shoes.

+1

Bad for the feet to wear the same shoes every day.

http://health.usnews.com/health-news/living-well-usn/articles/2012/03/15/9-footwear-dos-and-donts


http://www.premierfootandankle.com/footcare.html

[Anonymous]

Sorry to alarm everyone! My kids go through shoes in about 6-8 weeks. So, no need to worry, though it sounds like we're an anomaly. They also have snow boots, and in the summer they alternate with flip flops or go barefoot.

Wasn't there another thread recently that said that wealthy people get shoe fittings. Not here.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to alarm everyone! My kids go through shoes in about 6-8 weeks. So, no need to worry, though it sounds like we're an anomaly. They also have snow boots, and in the summer they alternate with flip flops or go barefoot.

Wasn't there another thread recently that said that wealthy people get shoe fittings. Not here.

Your kids go through 8 sizes per year? Do they have clown feet?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We make that and live in Vienna and use public schools, but our lifestyle is not one of wealth, either. Then again, we're planning to retire at 60, which is definitely an indicator of wealth for people born in the 1960s.

You have an extremely deluded definition of "wealth." Sad.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to alarm everyone! My kids go through shoes in about 6-8 weeks. So, no need to worry, though it sounds like we're an anomaly. They also have snow boots, and in the summer they alternate with flip flops or go barefoot.

Wasn't there another thread recently that said that wealthy people get shoe fittings. Not here.

Your kids go through 8 sizes per year? Do they have clown feet?

Or maybe she is replacing the shoes when they are/look worn. Outgrowing shoes is not the only reason to replace them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Let's see, if you spent $2000 per year on lawn care, $3000 per year on house cleaning, $50K per year on a nanny (why would you need additional childcare if you have a nanny?!?) that's still only about $55K. You're saying that taking those expenses out from $300K plus taxes of say $75K, that you cannot otherwise live on $175K per year net. There are many, many families with HHI under $100K where one or both parents are working 60-80 hours per week just to make ends meet because they have very low salaries. Those workers have many of the same problems you have, they just have to make more economical choices. I'm sorry, but if you choose a high end lifestyle and spend all of your money, that doesn't make you more sympathetic. There are many people who make significantly less than you that have all of the same demands on their time, many of whom have to pick soime of the support that you have and still make ends meet. We make $200K, both work full-time, still provide for our two children, still get housecleaners, still live in a large house and we can still save for retirement, college, yada yada yada. And we find ourselves not onloy very comfortable but very lucky instead of overentitled like you.

Icky humble brag. Go you! And don't even think of comparing yourselves with those "workers" with the "very low salaries"

The point was that we feel rich, comfortable and very lucky at $200K and there are those at $300K or the OP at $500K who are whining about being middle class and barely making ends meet.

And those "workers" with the "very low salaries" are part of the reason that we feel rich, comfortable and lucky.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Sorry to alarm everyone! My kids go through shoes in about 6-8 weeks. So, no need to worry, though it sounds like we're an anomaly. They also have snow boots, and in the summer they alternate with flip flops or go barefoot.

Wasn't there another thread recently that said that wealthy people get shoe fittings. Not here.

Your kids go through 8 sizes per year? Do they have clown feet?

+1

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Let's see, if you spent $2000 per year on lawn care, $3000 per year on house cleaning, $50K per year on a nanny (why would you need additional childcare if you have a nanny?!?) that's still only about $55K. You're saying that taking those expenses out from $300K plus taxes of say $75K, that you cannot otherwise live on $175K per year net. There are many, many families with HHI under $100K where one or both parents are working 60-80 hours per week just to make ends meet because they have very low salaries. Those workers have many of the same problems you have, they just have to make more economical choices. I'm sorry, but if you choose a high end lifestyle and spend all of your money, that doesn't make you more sympathetic. There are many people who make significantly less than you that have all of the same demands on their time, many of whom have to pick soime of the support that you have and still make ends meet. We make $200K, both work full-time, still provide for our two children, still get housecleaners, still live in a large house and we can still save for retirement, college, yada yada yada. And we find ourselves not onloy very comfortable but very lucky instead of overentitled like you.

Icky humble brag. Go you! And don't even think of comparing yourselves with those "workers" with the "very low salaries"

The point was that we feel rich, comfortable and very lucky at $200K and there are those at $300K or the OP at $500K who are whining about being middle class and barely making ends meet.

And those "workers" with the "very low salaries" are part of the reason that we feel rich, comfortable and lucky.

Do you live in NW DC in a house and go to private schools?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Let's see, if you spent $2000 per year on lawn care, $3000 per year on house cleaning, $50K per year on a nanny (why would you need additional childcare if you have a nanny?!?) that's still only about $55K. You're saying that taking those expenses out from $300K plus taxes of say $75K, that you cannot otherwise live on $175K per year net. There are many, many families with HHI under $100K where one or both parents are working 60-80 hours per week just to make ends meet because they have very low salaries. Those workers have many of the same problems you have, they just have to make more economical choices. I'm sorry, but if you choose a high end lifestyle and spend all of your money, that doesn't make you more sympathetic. There are many people who make significantly less than you that have all of the same demands on their time, many of whom have to pick soime of the support that you have and still make ends meet. We make $200K, both work full-time, still provide for our two children, still get housecleaners, still live in a large house and we can still save for retirement, college, yada yada yada. And we find ourselves not onloy very comfortable but very lucky instead of overentitled like you.

Icky humble brag. Go you! And don't even think of comparing yourselves with those "workers" with the "very low salaries"

The point was that we feel rich, comfortable and very lucky at $200K and there are those at $300K or the OP at $500K who are whining about being middle class and barely making ends meet.

And those "workers" with the "very low salaries" are part of the reason that we feel rich, comfortable and lucky.

Do you live in NW DC in a house and go to private schools?

No, but that would be very inconvenient since NW is not close to our jobs.