I Live Comfortably on Less than $70K After-Tax in DC Area

[Anonymous]

When people talk about HHI, they're talking about gross, not net. So you're basically saying that you're doing fine as a single person making nearly 100k. Well, duh, I don't think anyone would find that hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:When people talk about HHI, they're talking about gross, not net. So you're basically saying that you're doing fine as a single person making nearly 100k. Well, duh, I don't think anyone would find that hard.

Holy Shitballs, this.

HHI is GROSS, not net. So your HHI is actually about $100K.

Get the terminology correct before you run around schooling everyone.

[Anonymous]

Even your water and electricity bills go up when you have kids.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people talk about HHI, they're talking about gross, not net. So you're basically saying that you're doing fine as a single person making nearly 100k. Well, duh, I don't think anyone would find that hard.

Holy Shitballs, this.

HHI is GROSS, not net. So your HHI is actually about $100K.

Get the terminology correct before you run around schooling everyone.

+2

Congratulations, OP! You're doing something nearly anyone else could.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people talk about HHI, they're talking about gross, not net. So you're basically saying that you're doing fine as a single person making nearly 100k. Well, duh, I don't think anyone would find that hard.

Holy Shitballs, this.

HHI is GROSS, not net. So your HHI is actually about $100K.

Get the terminology correct before you run around schooling everyone.

to be fair -- the title of the thread does say "after tax".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:well yeah, but most of us would blow our brains out living in a Townhouse in Fairfax County. So take that and convert it into a 4K a month mortgage (or more) and then add another 2-4K on top for child care and your 70K budget doesn't look so good anymore does it?

Dude - that's your problem.

huh? Of course it is. I never said it was anyone elses problem that I would rather live in the middle of everything than way the F out there. And I never complain about feeling poor because I make that choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:well yeah, but most of us would blow our brains out living in a Townhouse in Fairfax County. So take that and convert it into a 4K a month mortgage (or more) and then add another 2-4K on top for child care and your 70K budget doesn't look so good anymore does it?

Dude - that's your problem.

huh? Of course it is. I never said it was anyone elses problem that I would rather live in the middle of everything than way the F out there. And I never complain about feeling poor because I make that choice.

you said "most of us".

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:well yeah, but most of us would blow our brains out living in a Townhouse in Fairfax County. So take that and convert it into a 4K a month mortgage (or more) and then add another 2-4K on top for child care and your 70K budget doesn't look so good anymore does it?

Dude - that's your problem.

huh? Of course it is. I never said it was anyone elses problem that I would rather live in the middle of everything than way the F out there. And I never complain about feeling poor because I make that choice.

You said "most of us." And there is no "us". There's just you and millions of other people. Plus no, you wouldn't blow your brains out.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people talk about HHI, they're talking about gross, not net. So you're basically saying that you're doing fine as a single person making nearly 100k. Well, duh, I don't think anyone would find that hard.

Holy Shitballs, this.

HHI is GROSS, not net. So your HHI is actually about $100K.

Get the terminology correct before you run around schooling everyone.

to be fair -- the title of the thread does say "after tax".

But op compared herself to $300k people claiming to be middle class, and $80k people claiming to feel poor. Those people are using gross numbers, and are also typically discussing family hhi, which includes kids, usually multiple, with childcare and such. To reference those numbers, at a minimum op should have used her gross number.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people talk about HHI, they're talking about gross, not net. So you're basically saying that you're doing fine as a single person making nearly 100k. Well, duh, I don't think anyone would find that hard.

Holy Shitballs, this.

HHI is GROSS, not net. So your HHI is actually about $100K.

Get the terminology correct before you run around schooling everyone.

to be fair -- the title of the thread does say "after tax".

But op compared herself to $300k people claiming to be middle class, and $80k people claiming to feel poor. Those people are using gross numbers, and are also typically discussing family hhi, which includes kids, usually multiple, with childcare and such. To reference those numbers, at a minimum op should have used her gross number.

FWIW the budget OP gave was based on about $80K gross and includes $700 per month in retirement savings.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:When people talk about HHI, they're talking about gross, not net. So you're basically saying that you're doing fine as a single person making nearly 100k. Well, duh, I don't think anyone would find that hard.

Holy Shitballs, this.

HHI is GROSS, not net. So your HHI is actually about $100K.

Get the terminology correct before you run around schooling everyone.

to be fair -- the title of the thread does say "after tax".

But op compared herself to $300k people claiming to be middle class, and $80k people claiming to feel poor. Those people are using gross numbers, and are also typically discussing family hhi, which includes kids, usually multiple, with childcare and such. To reference those numbers, at a minimum op should have used her gross number.

FWIW the budget OP gave was based on about $80K gross and includes $700 per month in retirement savings.

OP said she earned in the 90s gross. Probably close to $100k to have the numbers make sense

[Anonymous]

OP is definitely a dude.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:OP is definitely a dude.

Maybe. But even so...shouldn't there be some kind of beauty expense in there somewhere? Even my rough and tumble husband spends $20 / month on a haircut.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP is definitely a dude.

Maybe. But even so...shouldn't there be some kind of beauty expense in there somewhere? Even my rough and tumble husband spends $20 / month on a haircut.

And gifts / weddings. I feel during certain seasons of life, this easily averages to $50-100 / month.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I've never understood it either OP. We make $200K and have more money than we know what do with.

Same here.