This problem is RAMPANT in the DCUM crowd

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:honestly even $500K isn't a lot in DC if your kids are in privates

Yeah, but the "If your kids are in privates" part means that you've chose an expensive privilege the rest of us really can't consider if we want to make ends meet.

That's your Porsche, your second home, all rolled up in one.

Face it, you're still rich. Even if you hang around with a lot of people who have the same amount of money. Your income is not average. Your money management skills may, however, be poor.

Bought and paid for with self-earned money. How is that a privilege (ie, a special right, advantage, or immunity granted or available only to a particular person or group)?

But you're choosing to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on private school. You can't whine about being broke

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:300 in DC is not much

Not this again. Yes, it is. By every measure it is.

It’s a ton of money. If you can’t figure life out in that budget you definitely have lost the plot.

If you want a house in a good school district, no it’s not that much. DC also has the most expensive childcare in the country. So sure you. An live on 300k but you won’t save much if you are paying for child care or to be in a good school district and not spend 2 hours commuting everyday.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:I grew up what I'd consider lower middle class, as in, there was never a question of "what do you want for dinner tonight?" It was always leftovers or whatever was on sale that day at the supermarket. We were never hungry, though, so I wouldn't say I grew up poor.

DH and I bring in around $350K. We live in a 3 bedroom row house in Adams Morgan. I walk to work. We pay a nanny and have older kid in private half-day preschool. We travel to Canada and Europe at least once a year to see family and we take another vacation within driving distance. I shop at Nordstrom Rack and Trader Joe's and get all the "necessary ingredients" (bread, some produce, fish) at Whole Foods. We have pension funds and our house is almost paid off.

I feel very very rich on $350K. SURE, we're not raking in millions but we have options, we are safe, and we do feel responsibility to support others, including by donating to charities and being active volunteers in our community.

Anyone living on annual income on this order of magnitude should feel very lucky indeed.

As for the article, it misses the point entirely but I have a 3 month old who wants milk so can't type why at the moment...

You feel rich b/c you aren’t paying for private school yet or tried to buy a home with good public schools (though I guess if you stay in a townhouse that will give you options — but good luck with frat boy neighbors playing video games till 4 am (our townhouse experience).

We're zoned for Oyster and there are no frat boys in the neighborhood...