Study shows that 350k/year is barely scrapping by as middle class

[Anonymous]

You lost me at 1.8 million dollar home.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a “stupid article.” It was vetted by FIRE proponents and they agreed with the estimates. As a family with HHI around $320K in NW DC, these estimates are spot on.

The trick is to get a job in DC or Boston, and then move to a LCOL area while continuing to telecommute with the same job. I have a few colleagues doing this and they are very happy, especially in the young kid years.

It is stupid, they went shopping in the mall of " expenses" and came up with a bad shopping cart. My BIL earns 500K plus bonus, owns 6 properties, 3 are rentals, that bring him at least 3400 per month in addition to his salary. He lives in one of the cities mentioned.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a “stupid article.” It was vetted by FIRE proponents and they agreed with the estimates. As a family with HHI around $320K in NW DC, these estimates are spot on.

The trick is to get a job in DC or Boston, and then move to a LCOL area while continuing to telecommute with the same job. I have a few colleagues doing this and they are very happy, especially in the young kid years.

Vetted by FIRE proponents? Oooh. Who cares?

These people are not middle class. No matter how they waste their money. You don’t get to spend your money on $1.8m house and thousands a month on stupid stuff and then get surprised you have nothing left. No kidding. You spent it all. Math. It is important.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I posted that in another thread. That's not "scraping by middle class." That's living comfortably middle upper class.

Exactly. People do not know what middle class means.

[Anonymous]

I laugh at the idea OP thinks this is a "study." There is nothing scientific about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a “stupid article.” It was vetted by FIRE proponents and they agreed with the estimates. As a family with HHI around $320K in NW DC, these estimates are spot on.

The trick is to get a job in DC or Boston, and then move to a LCOL area while continuing to telecommute with the same job. I have a few colleagues doing this and they are very happy, especially in the young kid years.

What "middle class" neighborhood has a median home price of 1.6 million? It's definitely not Silver Spring, which is my definition of middle class in the DC area.

No that is low class, bad schools and a high proportion of low income people (more than 10%)

Dont be fooled by realtors and other cheerleaders of real estate, Bethesda is middle class, it's just not as affordable as it was in the past.

Nope, and your comment shows why you are out of touch and why claiming this budget is middle class is ridiculous. I live in Silver Spring in a comfortable renovated 2200 sq ft home and send my kids to decent schools. We are not "low class." We have advanced degrees and solid jobs. On my block are people with Ph.Ds, law degrees, MBA's, with well over half the people in professional careers. Everyone looks out for one another, we keep our houses and lawns up, the older kids that I know in the neighborhood have grown up to go off to college or the military. That is not "low class." Just because we have immigrants and people of color in much higher proportions to Bethesda does not mean we are low-income. We make 200k and if I had to guess I'd say my neighbors make anywhere from 80-250k.

I grew up struggling middle class in the 70s and we now have a much higher standard of living than I did as a child.

[Anonymous]

I am very amused at the use of the word "survive".

We live in a @300k townhouse neighborhood in Centreville and most people in our neighborhood I would consider middle class. This budget is not a middle class lifestyle.

[Anonymous]

So sad that their third yearly vacation has to be a staycation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I am very amused at the use of the word "survive".

We live in a @300k townhouse neighborhood in Centreville and most people in our neighborhood I would consider middle class. This budget is not a middle class lifestyle.

We are similar in a townhouse in Gaithersburg and I consider us middle class. That budget is definitely upper middle at least.

[Anonymous]

Okay I’m on a conference call that has nothing to do with my job and I’m bored


I make $70k in a lower cost of living area. According to a COL calculated that’s equal to $123k in DC. 35% of the listed salary. Cutting the budget items by a third is cracking me up! I can live on all of that. I’m not even sure how I would spend $2100 a month in groceries if I had that money available.


Oh and the clothing budget says they spent about $400 per month at Old Navy. I am an avid Old Navy shopper, if you pay full price for something at Old Navy you are probably d oh in the clothing budget says they spent about $400 per month at Old Navy. I am an avid Old Navy shopper, if you pay full price for something at Old Navy you are probably dim. Wait three weeks and it will be 30 to 50% off. Meaning $400 every month in Old Navy goes a really really long way, especially for the two little kids

[Anonymous]

Agree who the hell spends $400 at Old Navy every month? That is a MOUNTAIN of Old Navy clothes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:So sad that their third yearly vacation has to be a staycation.

Why is this sad? We make nearly double these people, take 4 weeks off a year, 2 weeks are staycations. I actually LOVE my staycations. So relaxing and such a great opportunity to really reconnect as a family, more so than being on the go when traveling.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am very amused at the use of the word "survive".

We live in a @300k townhouse neighborhood in Centreville and most people in our neighborhood I would consider middle class. This budget is not a middle class lifestyle.

We are similar in a townhouse in Gaithersburg and I consider us middle class. That budget is definitely upper middle at least.

Yes, I would agree that the outer-ring suburban townhome neighborhoods (centreville, gaithersburg, burke, bowie etc) are most likely the true middle class areas of DC metro. People go farther out for the schools and suck it up commute-wise.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:So sad that their third yearly vacation has to be a staycation.

Why is this sad? We make nearly double these people, take 4 weeks off a year, 2 weeks are staycations. I actually LOVE my staycations. So relaxing and such a great opportunity to really reconnect as a family, more so than being on the go when traveling.

i think that was sarcasm. Very few people get four weeks of vacations every year, wow. count your blessings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:It’s not a “stupid article.” It was vetted by FIRE proponents and they agreed with the estimates. As a family with HHI around $320K in NW DC, these estimates are spot on.

The trick is to get a job in DC or Boston, and then move to a LCOL area while continuing to telecommute with the same job. I have a few colleagues doing this and they are very happy, especially in the young kid years.

Link please. Beucase if you go to the FIRE subreditt, they would rip this to shreds.