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

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I'm an attorney and a classic black wrap dress has always been acceptable. Many of my dresses also come from Macys and Lord & Taylor, but also on sale for <$50. You really dont have to spend that much.

[Anonymous]

Once you're in your mid 40s, and if you have a gut, you need to spend more money for better quality clothes, IME.

[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 why is the nanny's 50K charged against one salary, and not against both? Also, aren't you putting away $17K plus employer match in addition to your net income?

[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.

And what kind of work do you do? Do you have figure flaws, or are you young and well proportioned?

[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.

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

Yep. I spent $2500 in March for the spring season and got 11 pieces of clothing, some for work and some for casual nights out, plus 4 accessories/jewelry for that.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

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.

I'm an attorney and a classic black wrap dress has always been acceptable. Many of my dresses also come from Macys and Lord & Taylor, but also on sale for <$50. You really dont have to spend that much.

I'm an attorney as well and have never seen a lined dress made of a nice quality material at that price point. Many people in dc should be spending more on their clothing. It is an investment in the image you project.

[Anonymous]

DD is 1 month and we're looking at this now, as DW's salary is $72k and mine is $300-450k and I work from home. My position does not offer benefits, so getting health care via her employer saves a big chunk compared to if we had to pay that. We're estimating $30-40k/year for a nanny, which is only a bit under DW's take-home salary, but her working makes more financial sense since we get health care that way, and also her employer matches her 401k.

[Anonymous]

HHI: $250K
Two children, 15yo and 12yo

We outsource housecleaning. 2x/month, $100/visit = $200/month.

Childcare: $0.

Clothes: I work from home, go to the office 2x/month. Most of my clothing budget is for casual clothing.

Convenience/takeout food: Pretty rare. We cook a lot. Maybe 2x/month, so $60-$100/month.

[Anonymous]

One child, HHI $150
Child is now in school, and I time shift so I can meet the bus. No extra care.
We do our own cooking, cleaning, yard work. No household help.
One of us works out of the house, so we have parking costs for 1 person ($180/mo)
Clothes. Eh. I wear the same clothes until they wear out, then sparingly buy more. In total I guess I own 3 pairs of work pants, rotated through the week, 5 tops, a few jackets, a few sweaters, lots of scarves and accessories. 2 pairs of clogs and work shoes. None are dry clean.
I work at an NGO, and I'm not unusually dressed at all.

[Anonymous]

HHI $150k
One child, but we hope to have another once first is in K
Daycare @ $9500/year
We have occasional babysitters for a weekend date night- maybe $50 every other month max.
We do our own housecleaning, etc. HOA takes care of yard, but we have an herb and veggie garden, and other decorative landscaping not provided by HOA- minimal costs.
We both work out of the house full time- no parking costs (my job pays for mine, DH pays for his own metro)
Clothing... I shop at Banana Republic Factory, ThredUp online and other boutique consignment stores in MD/DC. Love it - we are well dressed and spend about $100-150/mo max for all three of us.

[Anonymous]

HHI $220k, two children (one in K, one in preschool)

Preschool - $7,000/year
Au Pair (helps with pickups, drop-offs, date nights, and summer) - $22,000/year

Clothing - I spend about $3-4k on clothing every year, but I'm not sure that would drastically reduce if I was a SAHM. Presumably SAHMs and their families want to look good on occasion too.

We do all the yardwork, cooking, and house cleaning ourselves.

I agree with others that you need to seriously consider the actual costs of staying at home. I'd probably still have had both kids in pre-school, so that would be $10-15k a year. And then I'd want them to do some camps or activities I'm sure.

You'll be eating 3 meals at home and heating/cooling the house all day, plus more playing at home means more cleaning needed. I know plenty of SAHMs who still have housekeepers come. I enjoy cooking and so make dinner almost every night, but there are plenty of SAHMs I'm sure who don't feel like whipping up a home cooked meal after being home with a bunch of kids all day. So I wouldn't necessarily assume you'll cut down on going out either. Heck, you might increase it unless you're really good about packing lunches and snacks for every time you're out with the kids. And I wouldn't assume you'll have tons of time to do the yardwork either as a SAHM. So don't necessarily include that cost either.

[Anonymous]

We pay for a full-time nanny for 1 child, and have cleaning people come twice a week. DH and I work full time. We pay competitively.

[Anonymous]

HHI 180K.

One infant , one 4.5 y.o.

Childcare = 40.5k per year
house cleaner = $100 every 2 weeks.

[Anonymous]

Hire a Filipino nanny. She'll cook, clean, and take care of your kids for $2000 per month. Problem solved!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Hire a Filipino nanny. She'll cook, clean, and take care of your kids for $2000 per month. Problem solved!

We tired to bring one in. Hard to get visas for them coz they jump ship the moment they step foot on 'Murican soil.