Family of Four on 90k - An Upper Middle Class Existence

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Miserable dcum posters love to descend on threads that have a positive message and try to rip it apart.

Why are you ladies so miserable with life?

This is OP, signing off.

This was not a positive message: "Enough of the poor mouthing on dcum - you folks are pathetic." Also, OP's predictions to the Millenial ("you'll get there") might turn out to be naive. I do admire the ability to cut down to the bare bones and make it work to raise a family, but several factors are at play that the OP is not recognizing.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:This math is difficult, OP.

HHI is 90k

Max out TSP and Roths for a combined 19,500 in 2014 - down to 70.5k

Assume for the sake of argument that you pay 15% in federal and state taxes, Medicare, and social security. That's 10.5k, down to 60k.

You tithe 10% gross - down to 51k. That's 4250 each month. Even assuming you have a tremendous amount of equity in your home (and if you don't think there is luck involved in your real estate purchases, you're nuts) assume your mortgage is $1000/month. Down to 3250 per month. Out of that, you pay for health insurance, car insurance, car repairs, new cars, fuel, electric, food, cable, Internet, cell phones, land line, entertainment, annual trips to CA, other entertainment, and I'm sure there's a host of other things I'm forgetting.

Can it be done? Sure. Is it upper middle class? Sorry, no.

In sure OP doesn't waste money on cell phones and uses the library for entertainment and Internet. That's what we do!

You're probably right- but doesn't that prove the point? If your budget doesn't permit you to "waste money" on cell phones or have the internet at home, you know what you're not? Upper middle class.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Yup, you read it right.

I'm SICK of reading the "500k, woe is me threads". I'm also sick of seeing the bashing going on towards the single woman in the other thread.

We make 90k pretax. DH is civil service. I stay home with both kids, 3 and 8 months.

We have two cars, max out TSP and each of our Roth IRAs. I was a music teacher in a previous life, and volunteer lessons weekly. Considering charging for my services in the near future, but I enjoy the set up. We own (and are paying mortgage on) a 3 bedroom home in a nice, safe neighborhood. We will likely homeschool our kids because public school isn't in line with our worldview.

Husband gets every other Friday off. We eat healthy food, and take yearly vacations to california to see my family. We have an active, healthy family - physically and socially.

Enough of the poor mouthing on dcum - you folks are pathetic.

Why I don't see why folks got so rude to OP, she started off on such a civil and courteous tone.

I was looking forward to the story of how DH bought a TH at 22, has to be either family money or No money down mortgage. Exemplary financial prudence, that is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is your worldview?

Do you tithe?

Christian.

Yes. 10% gross.

Love you, OP! Similar situation but older kids. Built home before the first boom. Is there a blog for people like us?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Miserable dcum posters love to descend on threads that have a positive message and try to rip it apart.

Why are you ladies so miserable with life?

This is OP, signing off.

Your OP called everyone pathetic. Where is the positive message in that? You kinda opened yourself up for this.

+1. OP take some responsibility. You set the tone. You didn't post here saying, hey, I have some helpful info...

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Meaning you live in a safe but not very desirable area.
Home school. Hahaha.

Wrong. We live in a very safe and desirable neighborhood.

Northern VA

22304?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:
Thanks for your post.

When we were younger, times were tougher.

You'll get there.

Additionally, priorities are different for each fam. No issues there.

I just couldn't stand folks ganging up on the frugal single girl all the while posting that they can't make it on 6 figures.

Middle class is by definition somewhere around the median income. If higher percentile a of income aren't upper middle class (75th and above), then what is?

Just because the middle class lifestyle has changed doesn't mean that upper incomes are now middle class.

Your post title is "an upper middle class existence", suggesting that your quality of life is that of an upper middle class. However, none of what you proceeded to describe qualifies as upper middle class.

Your HHI of 90k is actually below the median income for the area. So you are certainly not upper middle class even by that measure.

Stop pretending that you are somehow better than others. You are just average, very average.

[Anonymous]

If you think about it, the OP has a roof over her head, gives to charity/her church ever month, goes on an occasion vacation, and still spends less than what she makes. Sounds like upper middle class to me given that most Americans can't live on what they make and are in debt up to their eyeballs.

[Anonymous]

Upper middle class does not involve home schooling. IMO you are denying your children of much needed social interaction, by keeping then out of a structured learning environment.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What is your worldview?

Do you tithe?

Christian.

Yes. 10% gross.

Love you, OP! Similar situation but older kids. Built home before the first boom. Is there a blog for people like us?

I found one! I'm sure there are others.

http://ladyatheist.blogspot.com/2011/06/top-ten-reasons-why-religion-is.html

[Anonymous]

You voluntarily teach the challenging skill of playing and reading music. You're a fool, don't come complaining to us. Your 90K HHI could easily be 100K.

[Anonymous]

Upper middle class starts at 300K, but think whatever you want.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:You voluntarily teach the challenging skill of playing and reading music. You're a fool, don't come complaining to us. Your 90K HHI could easily be 100K.

Hah, true. But don't disparage her career choices. She was probably home schooled. I am genuinely curious how home schoolers teach calculus, lab science, etc. how do you practice debates or simulate lively discussions about history or politics? Do you team up Keith other home schoolers? Contract an expect instructor or rent out a lab?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Miserable dcum posters love to descend on threads that have a positive message and try to rip it apart.

Why are you ladies so miserable with life?

This is OP, signing off.

Your OP called everyone pathetic. Where is the positive message in that? You kinda opened yourself up for this.

To defend OP, she was only calling out those who stirred the pot first. A lot of dcum folks are pathetic whiners - why come in and try to disrupt a thread with off topic posts?

To contest OP, we make a touch over 400k, and we feel very middle class. I think lack of real estate plus student loans is a game changer for even slightly younger folks these days.

I didn't see anyone post anything off topic, and if her original post starts off calling people pathetic whiners, just how well could she have expected it to go?

Exactly. OP set the tone and no one else is to blame.

[Anonymous]

I usually like the posts where someone describes how they live on much less than the usual DCUMers, but this one was just annoying. Not as awful as the "broke on 400K" ones, though.