How do households live on less than 100k a year?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have $100k with 3 kids in Arlington. It's not terrible at all.

-We live in a small house rental but also own a small condo in College Park that DH lived in and paid off before we met.
-Vacations 1-2x year within driving distance, renting a cottage in the country for a few days. More often day trips like yesterday to Luray Caverns + dinner at a diner.
-Food is never Aldi. To get the good stuff but within out budget, I buy heirloom beans, grains, spices, meats from smaller suppliers - Rancho Gordo, Anson Mills, Polyface Farms.
-Clothes for kids only well made bought on end of season sale, mostly Hannan Anderson and Tea because convenient to be on their mailing lists and just wait. DH and I dress less well but I won't have my kids mistreated for looking poor.
-For recreation, cheap hobbies - exploring local parks, gardening, trips to little regional museums, etc.
-Older daughter takes 6 extracurriculars (1 sport + 4 arts, reading tutor) to supplement what I think is bland APS
-old car fully paid of with regular maintenance

I've no idea how but we live within budget. No debt, credit card set to auto-pay the balance in full monthly. Somehow we have enough cash for car repairs and legal emergencies. I've no idea how it's some kind of math magic. But so far so good.

I make 50k and my kids only wear Moncler and Golden Goose. Won't have them mistreated for looking poor!!! We also do 10 extracurriculars per kid.

Hannah and Tea cost $10-$15 new on sale, nothing especially extravagant about that. Worth the wait for sale because fabrics are sturdy and don't sag like target, old navy, etc.

And yes - extracurriculars are a tradeoff - put $ into college savings or spend on training while child is young? I thin training while young makes far more sense. I expect my kid to have competent marketable skills by the time she's 16 and largely on her own for college payments.

Lmao your kid still looks saggy. The sadness of being a poor kid with a striver mother.

[Anonymous]

Public schools, used car, bargain shopping at stores like walmart, if kids want to go to college they get scholarships and/or loans, no fancy vacations/any vacations, small house/condo or renting somewhere smaller, no where close to max retirement contributions, pray there’s no unexpected expenses.

These seem like the biggest lifestyle differences.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Public schools, used car, bargain shopping at stores like walmart, if kids want to go to college they get scholarships and/or loans, no fancy vacations/any vacations, small house/condo or renting somewhere smaller, no where close to max retirement contributions, pray there’s no unexpected expenses.

These seem like the biggest lifestyle differences.

Financial aid means a family making 50k is better able to afford private than many making 200k.

[Anonymous]

I think there's a few things here -- so, for instance, $100K total with two working parents is much worse than $100K total with no kids, or with only one working parent. Because if both parents are working, you're losing a big chunk of that to childcare.

I wonder also how PP upthread is going to do when her kids hit the teen years. I was so good at bargain shopping for kids clothes/shoes, but you just can't do that for teens. The sneakers are insane, especially if they play sports. I have three and they literally wear holes in their sneakers; we buy them on sale at DSW and I'm still probably spending $1K/year just on sneakers and athletic shoes.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Public schools, used car, bargain shopping at stores like walmart, if kids want to go to college they get scholarships and/or loans, no fancy vacations/any vacations, small house/condo or renting somewhere smaller, no where close to max retirement contributions, pray there’s no unexpected expenses.

These seem like the biggest lifestyle differences.

Huh? We can comfortably afford a state college and grad school no debt. We spend a fortune on activities. And, have plenty in savings. It’s all about choices. And, new cars when the old ones die but we keep them forever.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think there's a few things here -- so, for instance, $100K total with two working parents is much worse than $100K total with no kids, or with only one working parent. Because if both parents are working, you're losing a big chunk of that to childcare.

I wonder also how PP upthread is going to do when her kids hit the teen years. I was so good at bargain shopping for kids clothes/shoes, but you just can't do that for teens. The sneakers are insane, especially if they play sports. I have three and they literally wear holes in their sneakers; we buy them on sale at DSW and I'm still probably spending $1K/year just on sneakers and athletic shoes.

I buy adidas on their eBay store or directly from them and they are $25-50. They have good deals on clothing too. So does UA. You just don’t know where to shop.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have $100k with 3 kids in Arlington. It's not terrible at all.

-We live in a small house rental but also own a small condo in College Park that DH lived in and paid off before we met.
-Vacations 1-2x year within driving distance, renting a cottage in the country for a few days. More often day trips like yesterday to Luray Caverns + dinner at a diner.
-Food is never Aldi. To get the good stuff but within out budget, I buy heirloom beans, grains, spices, meats from smaller suppliers - Rancho Gordo, Anson Mills, Polyface Farms.
-Clothes for kids only well made bought on end of season sale, mostly Hannan Anderson and Tea because convenient to be on their mailing lists and just wait. DH and I dress less well but I won't have my kids mistreated for looking poor.
-For recreation, cheap hobbies - exploring local parks, gardening, trips to little regional museums, etc.
-Older daughter takes 6 extracurriculars (1 sport + 4 arts, reading tutor) to supplement what I think is bland APS
-old car fully paid of with regular maintenance

I've no idea how but we live within budget. No debt, credit card set to auto-pay the balance in full monthly. Somehow we have enough cash for car repairs and legal emergencies. I've no idea how it's some kind of math magic. But so far so good.

I make 50k and my kids only wear Moncler and Golden Goose. Won't have them mistreated for looking poor!!! We also do 10 extracurriculars per kid.

Hannah and Tea cost $10-$15 new on sale, nothing especially extravagant about that. Worth the wait for sale because fabrics are sturdy and don't sag like target, old navy, etc.

And yes - extracurriculars are a tradeoff - put $ into college savings or spend on training while child is young? I thin training while young makes far more sense. I expect my kid to have competent marketable skills by the time she's 16 and largely on her own for college payments.

This makes no sense. We do both activities and will pay for college and grad school. Expecting a teen to pay for college because you refuse to save and live over your means is selfish. Young kids don’t care if they are in target or Hannah and tea and those clothes are meh.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have $100k with 3 kids in Arlington. It's not terrible at all.

-We live in a small house rental but also own a small condo in College Park that DH lived in and paid off before we met.
-Vacations 1-2x year within driving distance, renting a cottage in the country for a few days. More often day trips like yesterday to Luray Caverns + dinner at a diner.
-Food is never Aldi. To get the good stuff but within out budget, I buy heirloom beans, grains, spices, meats from smaller suppliers - Rancho Gordo, Anson Mills, Polyface Farms.
-Clothes for kids only well made bought on end of season sale, mostly Hannan Anderson and Tea because convenient to be on their mailing lists and just wait. DH and I dress less well but I won't have my kids mistreated for looking poor.
-For recreation, cheap hobbies - exploring local parks, gardening, trips to little regional museums, etc.
-Older daughter takes 6 extracurriculars (1 sport + 4 arts, reading tutor) to supplement what I think is bland APS
-old car fully paid of with regular maintenance

I've no idea how but we live within budget. No debt, credit card set to auto-pay the balance in full monthly. Somehow we have enough cash for car repairs and legal emergencies. I've no idea how it's some kind of math magic. But so far so good.

I make 50k and my kids only wear Moncler and Golden Goose. Won't have them mistreated for looking poor!!! We also do 10 extracurriculars per kid.

Hannah and Tea cost $10-$15 new on sale, nothing especially extravagant about that. Worth the wait for sale because fabrics are sturdy and don't sag like target, old navy, etc.

And yes - extracurriculars are a tradeoff - put $ into college savings or spend on training while child is young? I thin training while young makes far more sense. I expect my kid to have competent marketable skills by the time she's 16 and largely on her own for college payments.

Lmao your kid still looks saggy. The sadness of being a poor kid with a striver mother.

Better than having a boorish, ugly harpy like you for a parent.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have $100k with 3 kids in Arlington. It's not terrible at all.

-We live in a small house rental but also own a small condo in College Park that DH lived in and paid off before we met.
-Vacations 1-2x year within driving distance, renting a cottage in the country for a few days. More often day trips like yesterday to Luray Caverns + dinner at a diner.
-Food is never Aldi. To get the good stuff but within out budget, I buy heirloom beans, grains, spices, meats from smaller suppliers - Rancho Gordo, Anson Mills, Polyface Farms.
-Clothes for kids only well made bought on end of season sale, mostly Hannan Anderson and Tea because convenient to be on their mailing lists and just wait. DH and I dress less well but I won't have my kids mistreated for looking poor.
-For recreation, cheap hobbies - exploring local parks, gardening, trips to little regional museums, etc.
-Older daughter takes 6 extracurriculars (1 sport + 4 arts, reading tutor) to supplement what I think is bland APS
-old car fully paid of with regular maintenance

I've no idea how but we live within budget. No debt, credit card set to auto-pay the balance in full monthly. Somehow we have enough cash for car repairs and legal emergencies. I've no idea how it's some kind of math magic. But so far so good.

I make 50k and my kids only wear Moncler and Golden Goose. Won't have them mistreated for looking poor!!! We also do 10 extracurriculars per kid.

Hannah and Tea cost $10-$15 new on sale, nothing especially extravagant about that. Worth the wait for sale because fabrics are sturdy and don't sag like target, old navy, etc.

And yes - extracurriculars are a tradeoff - put $ into college savings or spend on training while child is young? I thin training while young makes far more sense. I expect my kid to have competent marketable skills by the time she's 16 and largely on her own for college payments.

Lmao your kid still looks saggy. The sadness of being a poor kid with a striver mother.

Better than having a boorish, ugly harpy like you for a parent.

You think kids prefer Hannah and tea when they are too young to know or care over a college fund?

[Anonymous]

Single mom of teen here, around $25k/yr HHI.
We are on Snap which brings in $350 per month for groceries; we are in a small subsidized apartment, free internet due to being on SNAP. No car loan, ex pays insurance plus all medical costs for kid. I have free medical insurance due to being low income.
It’s doable if you know how to manage the money and have well off relatives who can help with some things.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Single mom of teen here, around $25k/yr HHI.
We are on Snap which brings in $350 per month for groceries; we are in a small subsidized apartment, free internet due to being on SNAP. No car loan, ex pays insurance plus all medical costs for kid. I have free medical insurance due to being low income.
It’s doable if you know how to manage the money and have well off relatives who can help with some things.

Dad also buys clothes for the teen which is extremely helpful.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Single mom of teen here, around $25k/yr HHI.
We are on Snap which brings in $350 per month for groceries; we are in a small subsidized apartment, free internet due to being on SNAP. No car loan, ex pays insurance plus all medical costs for kid. I have free medical insurance due to being low income.
It’s doable if you know how to manage the money and have well off relatives who can help with some things.

Dad also buys clothes for the teen which is extremely helpful.

If your ex pays for everything and child support with government assistance your income is deceiving and you probably are not working full time. You are lucky to have relatives as sone of us are on our own.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:People have such a hard time living off 200k because of lifestyle inflation, not because of high cost of living. Many people with that income have two new SUVs, live in an expensive area and travel internationally once a year, and can't imagine anything less than that. At the same time, they look up to multimillionaires who drive luxury cars, live in mansions located in even more expensive areas and probably travel several times a year to more lavish destinations, so they feel average in comparison.

The truth is, the median household income in the US is around 75k and the majority of households survive on less than 100k a year. The majority of americans live in condos and smaller houses in cheaper areas, many of them aren't homeowners. They drive used cars or use public transit. International travel for them is a once in a lifetime experience or something they do once every a few years. Real life isn't a DCUM bubble.

Lots of poverty in the US

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Single mom of teen here, around $25k/yr HHI.
We are on Snap which brings in $350 per month for groceries; we are in a small subsidized apartment, free internet due to being on SNAP. No car loan, ex pays insurance plus all medical costs for kid. I have free medical insurance due to being low income.
It’s doable if you know how to manage the money and have well off relatives who can help with some things.

Dad also buys clothes for the teen which is extremely helpful.

If your ex pays for everything and child support with government assistance your income is deceiving and you probably are not working full time. You are lucky to have relatives as sone of us are on our own.

Well not for everything; I wish!
I work part time yes
And yes like I said it’s doable with relatives who can help out a bit

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We have $100k with 3 kids in Arlington. It's not terrible at all.

-We live in a small house rental but also own a small condo in College Park that DH lived in and paid off before we met.
-Vacations 1-2x year within driving distance, renting a cottage in the country for a few days. More often day trips like yesterday to Luray Caverns + dinner at a diner.
-Food is never Aldi. To get the good stuff but within out budget, I buy heirloom beans, grains, spices, meats from smaller suppliers - Rancho Gordo, Anson Mills, Polyface Farms.
-Clothes for kids only well made bought on end of season sale, mostly Hannan Anderson and Tea because convenient to be on their mailing lists and just wait. DH and I dress less well but I won't have my kids mistreated for looking poor.
-For recreation, cheap hobbies - exploring local parks, gardening, trips to little regional museums, etc.
-Older daughter takes 6 extracurriculars (1 sport + 4 arts, reading tutor) to supplement what I think is bland APS
-old car fully paid of with regular maintenance

I've no idea how but we live within budget. No debt, credit card set to auto-pay the balance in full monthly. Somehow we have enough cash for car repairs and legal emergencies. I've no idea how it's some kind of math magic. But so far so good.

I make 50k and my kids only wear Moncler and Golden Goose. Won't have them mistreated for looking poor!!! We also do 10 extracurriculars per kid.

Hannah and Tea cost $10-$15 new on sale, nothing especially extravagant about that. Worth the wait for sale because fabrics are sturdy and don't sag like target, old navy, etc.

And yes - extracurriculars are a tradeoff - put $ into college savings or spend on training while child is young? I thin training while young makes far more sense. I expect my kid to have competent marketable skills by the time she's 16 and largely on her own for college payments.

It’s low class and shortsighted to pay for Hannah and tea to impress others instead of college.