DC or FL???

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your life would be a nightmare here on $60K. That salary is some kind of sick joke.

Every night you would go to sleep dreaming of the gaudy colors, shining orange skin and warm sands of your homeland, while listening to the oppressive rumble of the beltway. You would wake to the drizzle and traffic with tears already streaming down your increasingly pale cheeks.

But seriously OP, do not come here. You'll hate it on that salary. Hate it. I make many times that and we're living an incredibly middle class existence. I can't imagine living here on $60k. You have a nicer house now than people who make $400k here. Really.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I did notice the housing cost per square foot. It is expensive! I actually thought FL errands and shopping are way more convenient here. I can get to a Walmart in about 15 minutes or less. Again, i don't know DC that well.

I really like the professional level of the DC area which is more suitable for both of us. FL is mostly retired people, park employees and tourists as well.

The commute to my work is another reason to think about. Right now I can use my own vehicle and get to my final destination in about 35 minutes with minor traffic delays. Living on DC would require to use the metro which I know is very crowded by locals and tourists.

And about the weather.... Well, that a no brainier, if this decision would be made weather wise only FL would be the option but sometimes you have to sacrifice some to get other benefits

Where will the jobs be? DC, MD, VA? That makes a big difference.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did notice the housing cost per square foot. It is expensive! I actually thought FL errands and shopping are way more convenient here. I can get to a Walmart in about 15 minutes or less. Again, i don't know DC that well.

I really like the professional level of the DC area which is more suitable for both of us. FL is mostly retired people, park employees and tourists as well.

The commute to my work is another reason to think about. Right now I can use my own vehicle and get to my final destination in about 35 minutes with minor traffic delays. Living on DC would require to use the metro which I know is very crowded by locals and tourists.

And about the weather.... Well, that a no brainier, if this decision would be made weather wise only FL would be the option but sometimes you have to sacrifice some to get other benefits

Where will the jobs be? DC, MD, VA? That makes a big difference.

The job would be on DC

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I really like the professional level of the DC area which is more suitable for both of us. FL is mostly retired people, park employees and tourists as well.

This is a knock on DC, not you, but with that salary, you will not be a part of that scene. Sorry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did notice the housing cost per square foot. It is expensive! I actually thought FL errands and shopping are way more convenient here. I can get to a Walmart in about 15 minutes or less. Again, i don't know DC that well.

I really like the professional level of the DC area which is more suitable for both of us. FL is mostly retired people, park employees and tourists as well.

The commute to my work is another reason to think about. Right now I can use my own vehicle and get to my final destination in about 35 minutes with minor traffic delays. Living on DC would require to use the metro which I know is very crowded by locals and tourists.

And about the weather.... Well, that a no brainier, if this decision would be made weather wise only FL would be the option but sometimes you have to sacrifice some to get other benefits

Where will the jobs be? DC, MD, VA? That makes a big difference.

The job would be on DC

Many people commute into D.C. from other places. I am a little confused though - your husband has a job in DC and you do, too? Are you going to be living off of 60K total between the two of you or is that just his salary?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP, I'm from Fla. (Go Gators!) and live in NoVa. I say this with love: STAY. You will hate life here on $60k. You might hate it here for $600k. But $60k here is like $30k (or less) in Orlando. You would be CRAZY to come here under the circumstances described.

Also, every jurisdiction around here has state income tax. And annual property taxes on your car (which has to be annually inspected). Seriously. I'm not making that up. I didn't believe it either when I moved here.

Stay. Stay. Stay. Stay.

Why would I hate there independent of the salary? The total income is 120k both. His job offer is around 60k

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did notice the housing cost per square foot. It is expensive! I actually thought FL errands and shopping are way more convenient here. I can get to a Walmart in about 15 minutes or less. Again, i don't know DC that well.

I really like the professional level of the DC area which is more suitable for both of us. FL is mostly retired people, park employees and tourists as well.

The commute to my work is another reason to think about. Right now I can use my own vehicle and get to my final destination in about 35 minutes with minor traffic delays. Living on DC would require to use the metro which I know is very crowded by locals and tourists.

And about the weather.... Well, that a no brainier, if this decision would be made weather wise only FL would be the option but sometimes you have to sacrifice some to get other benefits

Where will the jobs be? DC, MD, VA? That makes a big difference.

The job would be on DC

Many people commute into D.C. from other places. I am a little confused though - your husband has a job in DC and you do, too? Are you going to be living off of 60K total between the two of you or is that just his salary?

I have my own income 60k/year. His job offer is for additional 60k

[Anonymous]

Total income of 120k is managable. If you need Metro access, I'd look into Silver Spring, Rockville and PG county. Metro accessible areas of Virginia are more expensive, but there seems to be more jobs in Virginia than Maryland (something to consider if you are looking for a job).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I did notice the housing cost per square foot. It is expensive! I actually thought FL errands and shopping are way more convenient here. I can get to a Walmart in about 15 minutes or less. Again, i don't know DC that well.

I really like the professional level of the DC area which is more suitable for both of us. FL is mostly retired people, park employees and tourists as well.

The commute to my work is another reason to think about. Right now I can use my own vehicle and get to my final destination in about 35 minutes with minor traffic delays. Living on DC would require to use the metro which I know is very crowded by locals and tourists.

And about the weather.... Well, that a no brainier, if this decision would be made weather wise only FL would be the option but sometimes you have to sacrifice some to get other benefits

Where will the jobs be? DC, MD, VA? That makes a big difference.

The job would be on DC

Many people commute into D.C. from other places. I am a little confused though - your husband has a job in DC and you do, too? Are you going to be living off of 60K total between the two of you or is that just his salary?

I have my own income 60k/year. His job offer is for additional 60k

Are you aware that infant daycare costs about $1800 a month here?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Why would I hate there independent of the salary? The total income is 120k both. His job offer is around 60k

It's a very, very different place. People are just not as cordial here as they are in central Florida. It's much more like Miami. Everyone lives in a bubble. Drivers are really nuts. Also, you have a young child; I hope you got on the daycare waitlist within 10 minutes of when you met your husband.

Setting aside the money, you might like it, you might not. My "$600k" comment was just that I know people with money here who hate it. Becuase this is a very different place. I would not take less money to come here for any government job just to hang out with *swanky* DC professionals. You pretty clearly learn that that everyone cares where everyone went to college.

$120k is more doable. But it's still tough here. It just is. You will not be buying a decent house anywhere near a metro.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Why would I hate there independent of the salary? The total income is 120k both. His job offer is around 60k

It's a very, very different place. People are just not as cordial here as they are in central Florida. It's much more like Miami. Everyone lives in a bubble. Drivers are really nuts. Also, you have a young child; I hope you got on the daycare waitlist within 10 minutes of when you met your husband.

Setting aside the money, you might like it, you might not. My "$600k" comment was just that I know people with money here who hate it. Becuase this is a very different place. I would not take less money to come here for any government job just to hang out with *swanky* DC professionals. You pretty clearly learn that that everyone cares where everyone went to college.

$120k is more doable. But it's still tough here. It just is. You will not be buying a decent house anywhere near a metro.

The drivers are not as nuts here as Miami. They are just as erratic and unpredictable, but here they are going at 30 mph vs. 90 in Miami.

[Anonymous]

We make about $165 with an infant. We spend $2200 a month on rent for a 2BR apartment in a nice area, $1300 a month on daycare (and that's a good price at an in-home daycare for a toddler--expect more like $1500-1600 for an infant).

We're looking to buy a house where our mortgage won't be much different than our rent, but we'll each have 45-55 minute commutes each way when you factor in daycare drop-off. We don't have family in the area, but we have good friends.

Think hard about what your life will be like. Look at Redfin and put in your parameters and see where houses and townhouses come up--then measure that against your commutes (google maps does drive times and public transit).

If you like having a relaxed life with a lot of space in your house, don't come. If the driving force of your career makes the meaning and opportunity of what you can do here a benefit that outweighs the cost of living, then come, and welcome.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Around 60k

HAHAHAHAHH

HELL NO.

DONT COME.

[Anonymous]

I wouldn't come with a total HHI of $120K. Even on that, you will be crunched to live anywhere in the city or close in, especially if decent schools are a priority to you. My DH is from FL and every time we go back, we're amazed at the nice lifestyles people with a fraction of our HHI have.

And don't forget to take into consideration state income tax, which can range from 7-9+% around here vs. 0 in FL.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I would also be careful of taking a job because you think in the long run fed benefits will be much better. First, they may not be as good as you think, and they may not be as good as what you have. For example, the health insurance is not cheap, new employees have very little vacation, and there is no paid parental leave (except accrued sick leave).

There is a partial pension plan, but I would be leery of making life decisions based on that being around in its current form in 20-30 years. The R's clearly would like to save some money by cutting it back and there are precious few elected officials who actually want to go to bat for federal employee benefits.

Plus, unless Congress gets its act together (and we all know how likely that is) the sequester will continue to hit for a number of years in the future, which may mean furloughs or even RIFs at agencies.

Seems like there is more info out there that I am not aware of and it is not a safe job after all....