The realities of being lower middle class

[Anonymous]

Health is wealth
Count your blessings

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:we are blessed with many very high quality public schools.

What are the specific "very high quality public schools" that a lower middle class family can access?

There is an area of Summit Hills apartment buildings in Silver Spring that feeds to B-CC high school. You're lower middle class, right? I would also look into a townhouse in Crofton, Maryland. I'm not very familiar with Virginia, so I can't help you there.

[Anonymous]

Can you afford $322K for a townhome? This one in Crofton has a local elementary that's a 10, a middle school that's an 8, and a high school that's a 7.

The kitchen is ugly, but the house has a full basement and a deck overlooking woods.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you afford $322K for a townhome? This one in Crofton has a local elementary that's a 10, a middle school that's an 8, and a high school that's a 7.

The kitchen is ugly, but the house has a full basement and a deck overlooking woods.

Sorry. Here's the link. https://www.redfin.com/MD/Crofton/1705-Walleye-Dr-21114/home/9969869

[Anonymous]

Here's a very roomy rambler in Dunkirk, MD (Calvert County). Schools are rated 8, 8, and 9.

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Dunkirk/9917-Jonathan-Dr-20754/home/15097349

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Here's a very roomy rambler in Dunkirk, MD (Calvert County). Schools are rated 8, 8, and 9.

https://www.redfin.com/MD/Dunkirk/9917-Jonathan-Dr-20754/home/15097349

$369K

[Anonymous]

The PP above actually posted some helpful links to nice properties. I think there is a Marc stop in Croton. That would get you good public schools at least.

My family’s HHI is $200k. Too much for financial aid, so the expensive privates are out. We can’t afford a huge mortgage and still save for college/retirement. Our local publics in Fairfax County are not great. We ended up putting our three kids in parochial.

[Anonymous]

These expensive private schools are more diverse than FCPS pu kids? I don’t see how that can possibly be true.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Seems like unless you are destitute or rich, you aren’t getting your kid into private school unless s/ he is utterly amazing, right? My DD was a strong candidate but I’m sure there were better. And I think our SES worked against us. This happens to us everywhere. Had to pull out from rec soccer because we can’t afford it but don’t qualify on paper for any financial aid. Yet some months I have to severely limit
Grocery shopping and can barely make bills. There’s no way to get ahead for the middle class.

I don't understand why you don3put your kid in public.

30K private schools are for rich people.

[Anonymous]

LOL at using greatschools ratings as a gauge of quality.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Can you afford $322K for a townhome? This one in Crofton has a local elementary that's a 10, a middle school that's an 8, and a high school that's a 7.

The kitchen is ugly, but the house has a full basement and a deck overlooking woods.

Um, lower middle class people cannot afford a $322K home.

[Anonymous]

Yeah, this. Being able to afford any down payment and mortgage in the DC area requires that you have at least a middle class HHI.

[Anonymous]

So silly to waste time wishing you could afford private school or that big house. Be happy with what you have. Teach your children to be grateful to have health, family, a roof over their heads and food to eat. Private school won’t buy you happiness. In fact, if you are u happy with what you have now, guess how you will feel when you fork over $40,000/ a year for school? It’s not going to be perfect. You won’t be happy.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:These expensive private schools are more diverse than FCPS pu kids? I don’t see how that can possibly be true.

Yes, they are. Thanks to rich international families, international organizations and embassies that cover part of the tuition, and financial aid.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The PP above actually posted some helpful links to nice properties. I think there is a Marc stop in Croton. That would get you good public schools at least.

My family’s HHI is $200k. Too much for financial aid, so the expensive privates are out. We can’t afford a huge mortgage and still save for college/retirement. Our local publics in Fairfax County are not great. We ended up putting our three kids in parochial.

You are not lower middle class or even middle class and choose to have three kids. Your situation isn't comparable to someone lower middle class.