Two-career couples: how much do you spend outsourcing household chores and child care?

[Anonymous]

The income tax burden change for the switch from one to two earners generally favors the one earner mode. 130k joint filers pay federal at what, 15 percent? Add another 100 k from second earner and joint filers would pay at 30 or so percent on the 230k. State income tax affected too. Above is approximates only to illustrate the point. Also, Higher incomes push you out of being able to use many of the categories of itemized deductions. Oh and alternative minimum tax lurks too.

[Anonymous]

HHI $140k
Fulltime daycare $9,000/year
We take care of our own household chores.

[Anonymous]

HHI ~230k

Nanny $34,800/year
Cleaning service $3,600/year

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I spend about $7,000 a year on clothes just for me. Wow at you ladies who spend next to nothing.

You must like to shop and LOVE clothes. I hate to shop and am "eh" about clothes, so I don't spend more than I need. (My sister used to threaten to turn me into Stacy and Clinton, I can rest easy since they have "retired")

I have a personal shopper. I spend about $2,200 about three times a year.

I spend around $8,000 annually just on me. I really don't see how people are spending less than $4,000 on a family and not looking dumpy. Even with thrift store I'd think some items are purchased new.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:HHI $140k
Fulltime daycare $9,000/year
We take care of our own household chores.

So you sew your own business suits with fabric you wove on your loom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I spend about $7,000 a year on clothes just for me. Wow at you ladies who spend next to nothing.

You must like to shop and LOVE clothes. I hate to shop and am "eh" about clothes, so I don't spend more than I need. (My sister used to threaten to turn me into Stacy and Clinton, I can rest easy since they have "retired")

I have a personal shopper. I spend about $2,200 about three times a year.

Don't the clothes last more than a season? I think I could buy myself an entire wardrobe with $2200.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The income tax burden change for the switch from one to two earners generally favors the one earner mode. 130k joint filers pay federal at what, 15 percent? Add another 100 k from second earner and joint filers would pay at 30 or so percent on the 230k. State income tax affected too. Above is approximates only to illustrate the point. Also, Higher incomes push you out of being able to use many of the categories of itemized deductions. Oh and alternative minimum tax lurks too.

An extra hundred thou gross is still worth it IMO

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I spend about $7,000 a year on clothes just for me. Wow at you ladies who spend next to nothing.

You must like to shop and LOVE clothes. I hate to shop and am "eh" about clothes, so I don't spend more than I need. (My sister used to threaten to turn me into Stacy and Clinton, I can rest easy since they have "retired")

I have a personal shopper. I spend about $2,200 about three times a year.

Don't the clothes last more than a season? I think I could buy myself an entire wardrobe with $2200.

Yes, they do last more than a season, but you're talking dresses in the $200 to $300 range to it's not like disposable clothes from H&M or Uniqlo.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The income tax burden change for the switch from one to two earners generally favors the one earner mode. 130k joint filers pay federal at what, 15 percent? Add another 100 k from second earner and joint filers would pay at 30 or so percent on the 230k. State income tax affected too. Above is approximates only to illustrate the point. Also, Higher incomes push you out of being able to use many of the categories of itemized deductions. Oh and alternative minimum tax lurks too.

An extra hundred thou gross is still worth it IMO

Well, maybe. If the total state and fed taxes are 40 percent on that 100 g, and you need to pay nanny 50k, you are up 10k for working all year. At best.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The income tax burden change for the switch from one to two earners generally favors the one earner mode. 130k joint filers pay federal at what, 15 percent? Add another 100 k from second earner and joint filers would pay at 30 or so percent on the 230k. State income tax affected too. Above is approximates only to illustrate the point. Also, Higher incomes push you out of being able to use many of the categories of itemized deductions. Oh and alternative minimum tax lurks too.

An extra hundred thou gross is still worth it IMO

Well, maybe. If the total state and fed taxes are 40 percent on that 100 g, and you need to pay nanny 50k, you are up 10k for working all year. At best.

But they won't be. Who pays 40%?? My effective rate was 13% last year.

[Anonymous]

$22,000/year for a nanny share ($425/week).

But that's it - I still do all the cooking, cleaning etc. Yardwork. Everything.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I spend about $7,000 a year on clothes just for me. Wow at you ladies who spend next to nothing.

You must like to shop and LOVE clothes. I hate to shop and am "eh" about clothes, so I don't spend more than I need. (My sister used to threaten to turn me into Stacy and Clinton, I can rest easy since they have "retired")

I have a personal shopper. I spend about $2,200 about three times a year.

Don't the clothes last more than a season? I think I could buy myself an entire wardrobe with $2200.

Yes, they do last more than a season, but you're talking dresses in the $200 to $300 range to it's not like disposable clothes from H&M or Uniqlo.

I have plenty of $30-50 dresses from Marshalls/TJ Maxx which have lasted for years.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:HHI $140k
Fulltime daycare $9,000/year
We take care of our own household chores.

So you sew your own business suits with fabric you wove on your loom?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I spend about $7,000 a year on clothes just for me. Wow at you ladies who spend next to nothing.

You must like to shop and LOVE clothes. I hate to shop and am "eh" about clothes, so I don't spend more than I need. (My sister used to threaten to turn me into Stacy and Clinton, I can rest easy since they have "retired")

I have a personal shopper. I spend about $2,200 about three times a year.

Don't the clothes last more than a season? I think I could buy myself an entire wardrobe with $2200.

Yes, they do last more than a season, but you're talking dresses in the $200 to $300 range to it's not like disposable clothes from H&M or Uniqlo.

That is still 7-10 dresses/outfits every season.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I spend about $7,000 a year on clothes just for me. Wow at you ladies who spend next to nothing.

You must like to shop and LOVE clothes. I hate to shop and am "eh" about clothes, so I don't spend more than I need. (My sister used to threaten to turn me into Stacy and Clinton, I can rest easy since they have "retired")

I have a personal shopper. I spend about $2,200 about three times a year.

Don't the clothes last more than a season? I think I could buy myself an entire wardrobe with $2200.

Yes, they do last more than a season, but you're talking dresses in the $200 to $300 range to it's not like disposable clothes from H&M or Uniqlo.

I have plenty of $30-50 dresses from Marshalls/TJ Maxx which have lasted for years.

Well not all of us work in professions where a $30 dress from Marshalls passes muster.