What was your parents' anual income when you were growing up?

[Anonymous]

About $12,000 in 1972. With a SAHM, 3 bedroom house, and a pool in a blue collar neighborhood in Florida.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No idea. Money was not discussed like that. We were comfortable bit not wealthy.

Here too. We had no idea how much our parents made and it was rude to ask. We had what we needed, and a few wants.

[Anonymous]

When I was born my parents were renting a one bedroom apartment in the Philly burbs. Both came from very, very poor backgrounds. They bought a SFH in 1983 which cost $205,000 and it was a HUGE stretch for them. SAHM Mom for all of my childhood and still to this day. By the age of 12 my Dad was doing well enough that they joined a country club. By 14 they bought a house at the Jersey Shore. By 25 my Dad set up annual gifting to us as part of their estate planning. By 31 they were gifting both my husband and I the annual max (so $56K per year) and doing the same for my 2 siblings and their spouses. At 32 I was told that they had set up an actual trust fund for me. That trust is just over 10 million today, and they have done the same amount for each sibling, and started annual gifting to all of our (10 all together) children. I feel very fortunate to have what I have now, but also lucky to have come from a background where I didn't lead a spoiled childhood or have my every want granted. We are trying very hard to raise our kids the same way.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:$18k-$50k in the 1970's-1980's. PhD physicist working for the federal gov. Retired at a GS14.

In suburban Boston, they bought the house we grew up in in 1970 for $35k. Same house is now $750k. My uncle bought a house for $35k in Iowa at the same time. That house is now worth $250k.

The incomes people are quoting mean nothing if they do not have a year and a region of the country tied to them.

We were UMC.

+1

We moved to rural New England in 1970 where my father had a 20K job offer. Mom was a SAHM, it was plenty of money for a family.

[Anonymous]

I don't know for sure, but under $100K, for sure.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$18k-$50k in the 1970's-1980's. PhD physicist working for the federal gov. Retired at a GS14.

In suburban Boston, they bought the house we grew up in in 1970 for $35k. Same house is now $750k. My uncle bought a house for $35k in Iowa at the same time. That house is now worth $250k.

The incomes people are quoting mean nothing if they do not have a year and a region of the country tied to them.

We were UMC.

+1

We moved to rural New England in 1970 where my father had a 20K job offer. Mom was a SAHM, it was plenty of money for a family.

+1

Isn't this obvious? Do people know nothing about economics? Wow.

[Anonymous]

My mom made about 70k as a teacher. My dad owns a small business, and some years he made over 500k, but other years less than what my mom made.

We had a horse farm in Western PA and a beach house in South Carolina and split time between the two places. I think we were solidly middle class.

[Anonymous]

$35k in NYC in the 80s and 90s.

[Anonymous]

No idea.

They refused to tell me and said it was none of my business. When I applied for college, they had me complete the form except that part, then they filled out their income part in private, sealed it, and mailed it so I wouldn't see.
I also had no idea how much the mortgage was, how much the average electric bill/water bill, etc. was... I was told it was none of my business.

But with the knowledge I have now, as an adult....I would guess it was around $150,000/year. We lived in a high cost of living area (Orange County, CA.)

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No idea. Money was not discussed like that. We were comfortable bit not wealthy.

Me too.

[Anonymous]

I think the family probably made $100-120ish in the early 2000's in southern california. But...the house cost $200k when they bought it in the 80's, not the $800k it would cost today. It was paid off by the time I was in high school, which I know freed up some discretionary funds.

We took modest vacations (always driving to visit various family members out of state or to go camping in state parks). I always had what I needed and a lot of what I wanted.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:No idea.

They refused to tell me and said it was none of my business. When I applied for college, they had me complete the form except that part, then they filled out their income part in private, sealed it, and mailed it so I wouldn't see.
I also had no idea how much the mortgage was, how much the average electric bill/water bill, etc. was... I was told it was none of my business.

But with the knowledge I have now, as an adult....I would guess it was around $150,000/year. We lived in a high cost of living area (Orange County, CA.)

I posted 20k/1970/NE, which in today's dollars would be about 150K, solidly UMC in rural New England.

If you don't give a timeframe, your number is meaningless.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No idea. Money was not discussed like that. We were comfortable bit not wealthy.

Me too.

Me three.

We lived well though. SAHM of 6, father owned his own company, lived in a cutom built house on family land. Never did without.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I actually just found this out recently... When I was around 7 years old, we were a family of 4, and my dad was making $24K as a medical resident (1989/1990). When I was 18 (family of 5) and getting ready for college, his salary was around $270K (2000). Now that I'm 34, his salary is at least double that.

Not bad for a man who came to this country with $214, a wife, a kid, and a huge dream. We may not have had it all when I was growing up, but he's worked his ass off to give us the world and he still works his ass off just to continue giving us all that he can.

(My mom has never worked outside the home. She's a SAHM and her FT job has always been our family, which is a huge undertaking.)

Bro, can we stop saying shit like this? Working moms' jobs are ALSO their families. They just have to be energetic enough to do TWO FT jobs (one for pay, and one for free).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My mom made about 70k as a teacher. My dad owns a small business, and some years he made over 500k, but other years less than what my mom made.

We had a horse farm in Western PA and a beach house in South Carolina and split time between the two places. I think we were solidly middle class.

No dear, you were not. Solidly middle class = / = vacation home and horse farm. That's upper middle.