We spend around 18K a month, where does it go?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote: Fukc the Dcum wives with their Hermés scarves and their fifty-dollar Balducci artichokes. Overfed faces getting pulled and lifted and stretched, all taut and shiny. You’re not fooling anybody, sweetheart

Odd. I was just at Baldaccis and the artichokes were $3.99. Which Baldacci sells them for $50?

Balducci ^^

You missed the 25th hour reference

I can't keep up with these losers.

[Anonymous]

I identify with the immigrants who had household help. I didn't have it growing up but have spent significant time in areas of the world where it's more common.

It is clear to me I have maybe 1/10 of OP's budget. I cannot even imagine wanting to spend that $ on clothes even if I did have the money.

But I probably spend 2x as much on household help. It makes a huge difference in my life and buys me time. And to the posters who say it's not dignified or American, I remember thinking that way myself.

I don't think it's wrong, and I have guilt sometimes and make an effort to teach my kids the laundry machine, for instance, but I can tell you that my equation:

My kids having a much calmer, available set of parents are benefitting more than they would from knowing how to clean a toilet right now.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I identify with the immigrants who had household help. I didn't have it growing up but have spent significant time in areas of the world where it's more common.

It is clear to me I have maybe 1/10 of OP's budget. I cannot even imagine wanting to spend that $ on clothes even if I did have the money.

But I probably spend 2x as much on household help. It makes a huge difference in my life and buys me time. And to the posters who say it's not dignified or American, I remember thinking that way myself.

I don't think it's wrong, and I have guilt sometimes and make an effort to teach my kids the laundry machine, for instance, but I can tell you that my equation:

My kids having a much calmer, available set of parents are benefitting more than they would from knowing how to clean a toilet right now.

+1
I have always had household help and I am an MC SAHM with teenager kids. The smooth running of my household and the mental peace for my family is worth much to me. I have never ever spent money in getting highlights, facials, pedicures, fake nails, designer clothes, bags, shoes for myself. But, by all that is holy, my cleaning lady comes twice a week and I do not compromise on that.

Yeah, could be an immigrant thing, but, I see it as spreading the wealth to people who need to pay the bills. It is in my power to treat these workers with kindness and dignity. Paying them well keeps them coming back to my house for years. My cleaning lady does not resent me. She resents those that want to stiff her and pay her below market rates.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I identify with the immigrants who had household help. I didn't have it growing up but have spent significant time in areas of the world where it's more common.

It is clear to me I have maybe 1/10 of OP's budget. I cannot even imagine wanting to spend that $ on clothes even if I did have the money.

But I probably spend 2x as much on household help. It makes a huge difference in my life and buys me time. And to the posters who say it's not dignified or American, I remember thinking that way myself.

I don't think it's wrong, and I have guilt sometimes and make an effort to teach my kids the laundry machine, for instance, but I can tell you that my equation:

My kids having a much calmer, available set of parents are benefitting more than they would from knowing how to clean a toilet right now.

+1
I have always had household help and I am an MC SAHM with teenager kids. The smooth running of my household and the mental peace for my family is worth much to me. I have never ever spent money in getting highlights, facials, pedicures, fake nails, designer clothes, bags, shoes for myself. But, by all that is holy, my cleaning lady comes twice a week and I do not compromise on that.

Yeah, could be an immigrant thing, but, I see it as spreading the wealth to people who need to pay the bills. It is in my power to treat these workers with kindness and dignity. Paying them well keeps them coming back to my house for years. My cleaning lady does not resent me. She resents those that want to stiff her and pay her below market rates.

I will preface this by saying that I don’t thing there is anything particularly wrong with this lifestyle (meaning I don’t think you’re bad people) I actually think that un-American is a pretty perfect way to describe it.

And I also take issue with people pretending they’re doing a good deed and spreading the wealth by paying people to coddle them. If you want to spread the wealth you could pay people to do something that is useful and contributes to society (e.g. donating to the arts) rather than paying them to pamper you and your family. Again, doesn’t make you bad people but certainly you’re no saints...

[Anonymous]

Please don’t give advice to cheapskate OP. Let them hire a consultant. Why didn’t OP post their HHI AND NW and age?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We’re about the same. I don’t keep track but we charge most things and my credit card bills are routinely 25k. But otoh, we bring in over 55k after taxes and basic savings.

Lol you’re not “about the same” if you’re spending 6k more every month! That is a lot of people’s monthly paycheck.

Is this Monopoly money to you?!

If I netted 55k/mo, 25k in fixed and disposable expenses is NOTHING.

You all are so pitifully envious of people who have more material success. It's great entertainment to watch you squirm.

No one is ever envious of an asshole, no matter how rich they are.

How is this asshole behavior? OP wants to l is if her spending habits are normal. PP says hers are on par.

Calling people "pitifully envious" is asshole behavior, or even assuming that people are jealous of you. You can spent lots of money without being an asshole.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the housekeeper PP: I have relatives in a different country where the culture is for the wealthy to never have to lift a finger. I totally get wanting to reduce your chore time and to keep time for things you want to do. A housekeeper can be a big part of that. But just be conscious of what you are modeling for your kids. I look at my cousins children and I don’t want my kids to turn out like them. Pick a couple of things you want the family to be responsible for and give your kids a part in making the family work.

Our monthly expenses are lower than yours. So you might dismiss me as hopelessly middle class. But just offering you a different perspective.

We grew up in Mexico with a cook, housekeeper nanny, and gardener. We have a housekeeper here as well along with house cleaners. This is actually very normal all over Latin America. I'll leave to the morally superior toilet cleaning and grout scrubbing to you Americans. My children won't need to clean a toilet if they don't want to when they have their own families. Our parents afforded us the best education money could buy. The same is being given to our kids. No need to do menial tasks.

With all due respect I just don't think you can grasp how peiple.avove your social class live.

With all due respect....lots of us can afford to hire help around the house and will make sure that the children have an outstanding academic education. But holy helplessness, ....they will also know how to pump gas, change lightbulbs, fix a flat, light a fire, clean a toilet, wash a dish, boil an egg, etc, etc. Yes they can hire help but why do you want needy helpless ignorant kids? Give them some life skills.

It's not a question of morality. I don't want them to be dependent on help because they have to be.

Their education will only get them so far if they are idiots who only work to a rubric and won't ever get their hands dirty. This is why Americans are getting lapped by immigrants. Zero drive.

[Anonymous]

We're empty nesters with almost the same budget as OP ($17,500) but we spend it in dramatically different ways. My take from seeing how OP spends her money is that I'd never want to hang out with her. Very shallow.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the housekeeper PP: I have relatives in a different country where the culture is for the wealthy to never have to lift a finger. I totally get wanting to reduce your chore time and to keep time for things you want to do. A housekeeper can be a big part of that. But just be conscious of what you are modeling for your kids. I look at my cousins children and I don’t want my kids to turn out like them. Pick a couple of things you want the family to be responsible for and give your kids a part in making the family work.

Our monthly expenses are lower than yours. So you might dismiss me as hopelessly middle class. But just offering you a different perspective.

We grew up in Mexico with a cook, housekeeper nanny, and gardener. We have a housekeeper here as well along with house cleaners. This is actually very normal all over Latin America. I'll leave to the morally superior toilet cleaning and grout scrubbing to you Americans. My children won't need to clean a toilet if they don't want to when they have their own families. Our parents afforded us the best education money could buy. The same is being given to our kids. No need to do menial tasks.

With all due respect I just don't think you can grasp how peiple.avove your social class live.

This is super ignorant and horrible. Everyone should know how to wash laundry, clean their own toilet, and clean the kitchen. Seriously, WTF!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Please don’t give advice to cheapskate OP. Let them hire a consultant. Why didn’t OP post their HHI AND NW and age?

I am this poster and want to add that I wouldn’t want to be around OP. We are retired with about $13M so not envious just irritated at this thread. Of course OP still has the right to post whatever they want. Surprised so many people engaged and gave free advice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:To the housekeeper PP: I have relatives in a different country where the culture is for the wealthy to never have to lift a finger. I totally get wanting to reduce your chore time and to keep time for things you want to do. A housekeeper can be a big part of that. But just be conscious of what you are modeling for your kids. I look at my cousins children and I don’t want my kids to turn out like them. Pick a couple of things you want the family to be responsible for and give your kids a part in making the family work.

Our monthly expenses are lower than yours. So you might dismiss me as hopelessly middle class. But just offering you a different perspective.

We grew up in Mexico with a cook, housekeeper nanny, and gardener. We have a housekeeper here as well along with house cleaners. This is actually very normal all over Latin America. I'll leave to the morally superior toilet cleaning and grout scrubbing to you Americans. My children won't need to clean a toilet if they don't want to when they have their own families. Our parents afforded us the best education money could buy. The same is being given to our kids. No need to do menial tasks.

With all due respect I just don't think you can grasp how peiple.avove your social class live.

This is super ignorant and horrible. Everyone should know how to wash laundry, clean their own toilet, and clean the kitchen. Seriously, WTF!

I grew up in Europe same as the Mexican PP - housekeeper, gardener, cook etc. I'm a great cook and amazing gardener. I can clean and do laundry but I hate it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You are spending $3k a month on CLOTHES. I just, I can't.

Bookmarking this thread so I can link to it the next time someone claims that rich people are rich because they are better with money.

Do you know their NW or how much they have coming in, in HHI. This could be less than 50% of that or even lesser.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2 cents - personal care is low; my highlights are $300/month add botox, fillers, skincare etc. Clothes $ super high; food about right. House cleaning about right. Cars high but I HATE spending $ on cars and cars in general.

Fascinating... hot mom?

More likely a self-proclaimed hot mom who actually resembles a Frankenstein-inspired science project gone awry...

PPs, please stop. $500 per month for self-care for a family of five IS low. Just look at how outrageously expensive a hairdresser in DC is. And yes, add to that botox, fillers, microderm abrasion, laser, etc. And you know what? Almost every woman (and man) with a decent income is doing it. The "science project gone awry" is seldom and a sign of bad workmanship. My husband is a dermatologist, so I know.

Then I must be doing something wrong. I have no interest in any of that. Absolutely none.

Same. How boring.

Honey, nope. Only the poors use the medi spas and end up looking like an inflatable doll. I use a plastic surgeon and look totally natural. When I'm 55 I'll look like Liz Hurley.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My 2 cents - personal care is low; my highlights are $300/month add botox, fillers, skincare etc. Clothes $ super high; food about right. House cleaning about right. Cars high but I HATE spending $ on cars and cars in general.

Fascinating... hot mom?

More likely a self-proclaimed hot mom who actually resembles a Frankenstein-inspired science project gone awry...

PPs, please stop. $500 per month for self-care for a family of five IS low. Just look at how outrageously expensive a hairdresser in DC is. And yes, add to that botox, fillers, microderm abrasion, laser, etc. And you know what? Almost every woman (and man) with a decent income is doing it. The "science project gone awry" is seldom and a sign of bad workmanship. My husband is a dermatologist, so I know.

Then I must be doing something wrong. I have no interest in any of that. Absolutely none.

Same. How boring.

Honey, nope. Only the poors use the medi spas and end up looking like an inflatable doll. I use a plastic surgeon and look totally natural. When I'm 55 I'll look like Liz Hurley.

You sound lovely. And so secure!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This has to be a troll post.

I don’t think so. I think it’s a pretty typical UMC budget.

All I know is that anyone with this budget is either regularly bringing in $400k+ HHI (which is by no means "typical" - that's the top 2-3% of households in the US) or up to their eyeballs in debt.

As to the original post, the most absurd is $2500 for shopping. How?? We spend maybe a fifth of that on clothes, misc Amazon purchases, etc and we're not exactly penny-pinchers, if we want something we buy it. I can't even comprehend spending that much on random stuff.

Twice-weekly housekeeping seems a bit excessive, we pay 250/mo for twice-monthly and it's enough to keep the house looking nice.

750 seems a tad high for a car payment, but compared to everything else it's not that bad I guess.

400 is pretty reasonable for phone/internet, that's about what we spend for FiOS + two cell phones.