Most jobs aren’t worth it financially

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Or we had the American dream stolen from us. One household earner and nice lifestyle with college and vacations attainable.

You aren’t entitled to it; you have to earn it.

Yes you have to work hard for them in the hopes of one day earning it while they keep moving the goal posts farther away

Who is “we”/“us”?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I’m a teacher and have always lived comfortably, even when my husband was unemployed for almost a year. Bought a house, a car, had a kid, have savings. And I’ll really be enjoying myself starting next week. 😂

How is the commute from Manassas?

Hmm, I guess it is hard to make ends meet on under $250k when the only area you acknowledge are DC (NW only), Arlington, Bethesda, etc.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this depressing? Almost all jobs and careers don’t pay enough to live a normal middle class life these days, you HAVE to work in tech/big law/medicine and make 250k+ just to be semi comfortable unless you were born in to wealth. I thank my younger self every day for going in to CS, I almost majored in history because it was an interest of mine (back then I didn’t care about money that much). I would be so screwed now if I did that. My peers who went in to different fields are all broke. Not saying this to brag (I’m not even close to rich), it just sucks that nearly every job pays like s**t

10000000%
although i majored in history and now i make $800k. BUT that aside, everything else you said is true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Isn’t this depressing? Almost all jobs and careers don’t pay enough to live a normal middle class life these days, you HAVE to work in tech/big law/medicine and make 250k+ just to be semi comfortable unless you were born in to wealth. I thank my younger self every day for going in to CS, I almost majored in history because it was an interest of mine (back then I didn’t care about money that much). I would be so screwed now if I did that. My peers who went in to different fields are all broke. Not saying this to brag (I’m not even close to rich), it just sucks that nearly every job pays like s**t

I majored in history and now make $350k doing a much more interesting job than coding…

But I agree with others that you can have a great life on 20 or 30 percent of that.

Lol yeah and I'm sure everyone who goes in to art sells paintings for millions too.

[Anonymous]

There's a bit of hyperbole in the OP, but definitely a kernal of truth. Most jobs are not going to cover child care costs, health insurance, adequate retirement savings, and college costs + housing and quality of life items like activites and vacations. And I don't mean "most jobs that your UMC neighbors have" -- but most jobs that Americans have.

[Anonymous]

Folks I am not in DC but it's because of where you live, it's the housing costs, and the overpriced everything. Move someplace not in a VHCOL area and you can have a really nice house, private school, college and vacations on that salary. Lots of places you can move that still have good schools: Research Triangle, Gainesville, Columbus, St. Louis suburbs, nicer Detroit suburbs (they exist), New England just not Boston, parts of Connecticut, Main Line Philadelphia, Cincinnati, parts of Dallas, Rochester NY, Charlottesville VA, the list goes on. These places are still affordable (for now anyway) and are set to massively appreciate.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got a degree in CS in 2001 and I make $160K working for the Government and my husband also works for the Government, and makes more than me not in Tech with an MBA and we live just fine.

You’re just trying to start trouble. Stop thinking wealthy is middle class.

How do you make this much working for the government? Are you both SES?

Huh? Not OP but look up the GS pay scale for DC. I’m a capped GS-14 and earn $172K.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It's really just housing costs that screwed everything up. We're all spending too much on housing so money feels tight for the other stuff.

College and daycare costs have also skyrocketed, it’s not just housing. Even car prices have gotten out of hand.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Folks I am not in DC but it's because of where you live, it's the housing costs, and the overpriced everything. Move someplace not in a VHCOL area and you can have a really nice house, private school, college and vacations on that salary. Lots of places you can move that still have good schools: Research Triangle, Gainesville, Columbus, St. Louis suburbs, nicer Detroit suburbs (they exist), New England just not Boston, parts of Connecticut, Main Line Philadelphia, Cincinnati, parts of Dallas, Rochester NY, Charlottesville VA, the list goes on. These places are still affordable (for now anyway) and are set to massively appreciate.

What parts of New England are you referring to, in particular?

[Anonymous]

The title and post don’t really match up — I agree with OP that different professions pay differently and it’s a bit unfair although I could do without the smug tone but at the same time, I still think they’re “financially worth it” because it’s not like my options for NOT working my $100k job put me in a better financial position than working it. So it is financially worth it for sure, even if the money doesn’t go as far as I’d like.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's really just housing costs that screwed everything up. We're all spending too much on housing so money feels tight for the other stuff.

College and daycare costs have also skyrocketed, it’s not just housing. Even car prices have gotten out of hand.

Wait until your car and property insurance catch up. Big increases there! Property tax as well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Folks I am not in DC but it's because of where you live, it's the housing costs, and the overpriced everything. Move someplace not in a VHCOL area and you can have a really nice house, private school, college and vacations on that salary. Lots of places you can move that still have good schools: Research Triangle, Gainesville, Columbus, St. Louis suburbs, nicer Detroit suburbs (they exist), New England just not Boston, parts of Connecticut, Main Line Philadelphia, Cincinnati, parts of Dallas, Rochester NY, Charlottesville VA, the list goes on. These places are still affordable (for now anyway) and are set to massively appreciate.

Hmmm and become VHCOL?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's really just housing costs that screwed everything up. We're all spending too much on housing so money feels tight for the other stuff.

College and daycare costs have also skyrocketed, it’s not just housing. Even car prices have gotten out of hand.

Wait until your car and property insurance catch up. Big increases there! Property tax as well.

+1
We are in the housing chain, with equity. No way we can live off just one of our (very good) jobs. That messed up.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Folks I am not in DC but it's because of where you live, it's the housing costs, and the overpriced everything. Move someplace not in a VHCOL area and you can have a really nice house, private school, college and vacations on that salary. Lots of places you can move that still have good schools: Research Triangle, Gainesville, Columbus, St. Louis suburbs, nicer Detroit suburbs (they exist), New England just not Boston, parts of Connecticut, Main Line Philadelphia, Cincinnati, parts of Dallas, Rochester NY, Charlottesville VA, the list goes on. These places are still affordable (for now anyway) and are set to massively appreciate.

Do you think we're in the DC area because we LIKE it?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I got a degree in CS in 2001 and I make $160K working for the Government and my husband also works for the Government, and makes more than me not in Tech with an MBA and we live just fine.

You’re just trying to start trouble. Stop thinking wealthy is middle class.

How do you make this much working for the government? Are you both SES?

Huh? Not OP but look up the GS pay scale for DC. I’m a capped GS-14 and earn $172K.

That’s true, but I’m a 13 at a FinReg and my husband is an SL at another agency (not FinReg).

Still, there are a lot of special pay rates. Many in Cybersecurity and Health professions.