How "rich" are you - or not?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

I think the OP must be the healthiest person on DCUM.

No, you should see her nasty posts on the "Why doesn't the AD pay attention to me" website. Seriously manipulative and mean.

WHAT?????I am the OP - I am not the poster on that other thread. Where did you get that impression?

They are baiting you to see what they get. If it's not you, don't worry about it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the OP - I did not pose this question to invite competition. I just thought this is one of those things that people don't talk about and since this board is anonymous - we could see what others are doing. From this very limited response - I actually feel good seeing what a wide range of situations people are in and while some are a lot lower in net worth than others - the respondents seem to be posting because they feel secure about how they are handling their personal situation. I think almost all of us would love to have more - esp. when we hear about these few who seemingly have a lot in savings, equity etc. But when someone with a high net-worth posts - why do we have to attack them and assume they are not "happY' or whatever. Can you only be poor and humble and happy?

You can't just dismiss the people who object to this thread as being jealous of people who are wealthier, or insecure, or something. That's stupid, and bad logic. We've explained, but you don't want to hear it. Please stop wasting our time by miscasting our arguments.

I'm a new poster to this thread. I don't see where this PP gets that, in this post, the OP is miscasting arguments. I took away from this thread the same thing the OP did - it seems as though those with a lower HHI do seem to be defensive about it. And this post actually proves it: why so hostile?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I am the OP - I did not pose this question to invite competition. I just thought this is one of those things that people don't talk about and since this board is anonymous - we could see what others are doing. From this very limited response - I actually feel good seeing what a wide range of situations people are in and while some are a lot lower in net worth than others - the respondents seem to be posting because they feel secure about how they are handling their personal situation. I think almost all of us would love to have more - esp. when we hear about these few who seemingly have a lot in savings, equity etc. But when someone with a high net-worth posts - why do we have to attack them and assume they are not "happY' or whatever. Can you only be poor and humble and happy?

You can't just dismiss the people who object to this thread as being jealous of people who are wealthier, or insecure, or something. That's stupid, and bad logic. We've explained, but you don't want to hear it. Please stop wasting our time by miscasting our arguments.

I'm a new poster to this thread. I don't see where this PP gets that, in this post, the OP is miscasting arguments. I took away from this thread the same thing the OP did - it seems as though those with a lower HHI do seem to be defensive about it. And this post actually proves it: why so hostile?

I haven't really seen anyone be hostile on this thread. I just think it's an odd thread. People who have family wealth are raised to never speak about money, so even in an anonymous forum, it would seem weird to post about it. Similar to posting about what sexual positions you and your spouse engaged in last night. Anonymous or not, many people wouldn't feel comfortable posting. So when people "do" post.....it just feels like TMI.

[Anonymous]

From what I can tell, most of the families on this message board are very well off financially, if not very wealthy. They live in huge, expensive homes, drive fancy cars, and buy lots of luxury items for themselves. I am NOT. Totally opposite. I'm just barely making a living, living paycheck to paycheck, live in a small house, drive an old car, etc,... can not afford too much extras....

My question is are these people really happier in life ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:From what I can tell, most of the families on this message board are very well off financially, if not very wealthy. They live in huge, expensive homes, drive fancy cars, and buy lots of luxury items for themselves. I am NOT. Totally opposite. I'm just barely making a living, living paycheck to paycheck, live in a small house, drive an old car, etc,... can not afford too much extras....

My question is are these people really happier in life ?

I think it all depends on the individual and how well they know themselves and their limitations. There are many studies out there that say money itself won't make people happier in the long term. I personally wouldn't want to put in the hours that (I assume) are necessary to make a $400k salary. At least not at this point in my life, with children. But for others, it might work out really well. Some people (not me) are desperately in love with their job/profession, and more power to them. A good indicator of wealth, IMO, is a person who is able to achieve a content balance in life among work, family, and other interests.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:From what I can tell, most of the families on this message board are very well off financially, if not very wealthy. They live in huge, expensive homes, drive fancy cars, and buy lots of luxury items for themselves. I am NOT. Totally opposite. I'm just barely making a living, living paycheck to paycheck, live in a small house, drive an old car, etc,... can not afford too much extras....

My question is are these people really happier in life ?

I think it all depends on the individual and how well they know themselves and their limitations. There are many studies out there that say money itself won't make people happier in the long term. I personally wouldn't want to put in the hours that (I assume) are necessary to make a $400k salary. At least not at this point in my life, with children. But for others, it might work out really well. Some people (not me) are desperately in love with their job/profession, and more power to them. A good indicator of wealth, IMO, is a person who is able to achieve a content balance in life among work, family, and other interests.

I personally did not have a lot of money growing up, we did not do without, but we did not have many extras and our circumstances would have been dire if my father lost his job. As a result, I put a lot of time into education, so that I could get a high paying job. I then put in a significant number of hours at work over the years. I'm an attorney and while big firm attorneys are given 4 weeks a year vacation, I don't know many who have time to take it. Instead, I would worked most federal holidays and, when I did take two weeks off, would still work during vacation (emails, calls, reading and editing materials). The PP above is correct, if you want to make over $200K, you need to be prepared to work an average of 60-80 hours a week. After years of working those hours, paying off debt and putting money away, I took a position that now pays 40% of what I could be making. To me it is worth it, at 41 with a 3 mo DD, I don't want to keep working the hours necessary to bill 2000 hours. I doubt on my death bed that I will regret not spending more time at work. All in all I am happier. Money made me secure, but not happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I guess I am the minority. DH and I are 25 and 28. I SAH he works as a Progect Manager. We take home about 80k a year. Our rent is 1200 a month car 518. That's it none in savings.

You're young.

[Anonymous]

28 isn't young.

[Anonymous]

Yes it is!

[Anonymous]

This is like the 17th thread coming around where everyone is asked to post their income and other stats.

First of all, the people who are responding are not representative of DC. They may not even be representative of this board. Last time I checked, most people living in DC were middle class or on the poverty line. And they have kids. They don't have the time or inclination to come here.

Second, you don't really know who you are talking to. Someone posting as earning 250K may be some fat man in a midwestern basement drinking a cold one and laughing at all of us.

But then I think about the kind of person who would respond to this poll with all of the information requested AND MORE. I can't picture any of my friends participating. I was laughing to my husband last night about what the chances were that Dr. Sarafian (our neighbor) was participating. The idea is ludicrous. Her sitting at a computer, typing in this information. Why? Because she is above it.

I somehow do not see Dr. Pardo taking her lunch hour to respond to this poll, either. Again, above it.

So go ahead and poll, but take it for what it is worth (next to nothing).

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:28 isn't young.

Of course it is!

When I was 28, I was making 38K/yr. I'm 5 years older and now am making 116K/yr. I would have never imagined I'd be here at 28.

Our combined HHI is just around 300K/yr. it has tripled since we were 28.

[Anonymous]

I was laughing to my husband last night about what the chances were that Dr. Sarafian (our neighbor) was participating. The idea is ludicrous. Her sitting at a computer, typing in this information. Why? Because she is above it.

I somehow do not see Dr. Pardo taking her lunch hour to respond to this poll, either. Again, above it.

Are you REALLY naming names or are you just trying to get a rise out of people??? This is a weird post.......

[Anonymous]

I'm thinking of two people I know who others are likely to know. And I;m asking you to picture either of these two women (or their spouses) typing their income, assets, investments and debts onto some internet message board. The idea of absurd. And that's why I put it out there: think about the kind of people who are most likely to be responding to this poll. Because they are a self-selective group and as I've said before, I don't know anyone who would participate. No one. It has nothing to do with naming names. I was trying to provide context. Lost on some.

[Anonymous]

I googled those names - so I guess you mentioned them because they are part of a busy, OB/GYN practice and many DCUM'ers might know and respect them as patients or otherwise? Maybe. Personally, I think it was a stupid thing to do! First of all if you are trying to imply that you are so ABOVE all of this - why are you even here? Secondly, I cannot believe you threw out someone's name like that - if I were them - I would be pissed! Last thing - how do you really know who is on this site and not? We all have our little things - junkfood, so to speak. I watch "MTV Cribs" and listen to Howard Stern and have a weakness for Cheese Doodles - but you would never know that based on my profession, education and to meet me in the circles I travel in.
Anyway - back to my point - I feel bad you decided to use actual names of people in the community to try and make your point.

[Anonymous]

I revealed nothing about them. Just that I know them and, despite the facts that their numbers might look nice, they'd rather die than post them here. Something to think about.