Reasonable income for family of 4

[Anonymous]

When we lived in exurbs at 250k, it was a very comfortable lifestyle. Our mortgage was $3500 (15 yr), we paid for a part time nanny and never felt stressed about money. Sure, we did not save as much as we do now at 600k but it was a good life.

On 250k, if you’re living in chantilly, that can get you a good lifestyle. Top schools, reasonable ( compared to inner burbs) housing.

[Anonymous]

We're mid-40s, with 3 kids living close-in to DC.

I'd say with 2 kids in our rough area, likely 300k HHI is where you're going to start feeling comfortable handling all the basics and doing ok.

We are both making a good living - HHI is approaching 7-800k, and it's crazy, but we don't feel rich at all. I guess you need to make 7 figures to have it all around here - lol.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:We're mid-40s, with 3 kids living close-in to DC.

I'd say with 2 kids in our rough area, likely 300k HHI is where you're going to start feeling comfortable handling all the basics and doing ok.

We are both making a good living - HHI is approaching 7-800k, and it's crazy, but we don't feel rich at all. I guess you need to make 7 figures to have it all around here - lol.

This is plain crazy to me that you don't feel rich. What do you want that you can't afford now? What do you spend 800k on? You could cash flow college with that income and never have to touch a 529!

Do you feel you aren't rich because you are looking at super wealthy people and can't buy a private plane or yacht? Short of that, I honestly can't imagine what else you would be missing to make you feel rich.

Seems like many are saying around $300k is reasonable. We are not quite there but feel very comfortable.

[Anonymous]

500K HHI living in McLean (Langley specifically) for a family of five and we feel poor. The HHI in this area is insane.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:500K HHI living in McLean (Langley specifically) for a family of five and we feel poor. The HHI in this area is insane.

oh FFS

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:500K HHI living in McLean (Langley specifically) for a family of five and we feel poor. The HHI in this area is insane.

We looked at buying in the Langley zone but decided it's not a good fit, you have to have 10m houses to blend in. I totally understand why you feel poor there.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:500K HHI living in McLean (Langley specifically) for a family of five and we feel poor. The HHI in this area is insane.

We looked at buying in the Langley zone but decided it's not a good fit, you have to have 10m houses to blend in. I totally understand why you feel poor there.

We live in Langley pyramid too. If you choose the cheaper neighborhood there (those below 2mn houses), 500k can be comfortable. We are in a 1.5mn neigborhood (one of the few modest ones in this school zones) with HHI 400k. Once we managed to teach our kids not to compare with neighbor kids' new gadgets and activities, we feel comfortable with our HHI here. But if you stretch yourself into those 2mn+ communities, you will definitely feel poor with 500k. It is your choice.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:500K HHI living in McLean (Langley specifically) for a family of five and we feel poor. The HHI in this area is insane.

We looked at buying in the Langley zone but decided it's not a good fit, you have to have 10m houses to blend in. I totally understand why you feel poor there.

We live in Langley pyramid too. If you choose the cheaper neighborhood there (those below 2mn houses), 500k can be comfortable. We are in a 1.5mn neigborhood (one of the few modest ones in this school zones) with HHI 400k. Once we managed to teach our kids not to compare with neighbor kids' new gadgets and activities, we feel comfortable with our HHI here. But if you stretch yourself into those 2mn+ communities, you will definitely feel poor with 500k. It is your choice.

1.5 and modest should not go together.

[Anonymous]

Obviously much of this is a matter of perspective. We are a family of 3 living in DC on about 230k and I feel very wealthy. No we don't buy luxury cars or do private schools, but those aren't things we want. We do multiple international trips a year and life feels very comfortable. I also grew up with a single mom who worked in retail her whole life, so I have a basis for comparison.

[Anonymous]

We feel comfortable at $250k with two in daycare.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Obviously much of this is a matter of perspective. We are a family of 3 living in DC on about 230k and I feel very wealthy. No we don't buy luxury cars or do private schools, but those aren't things we want. We do multiple international trips a year and life feels very comfortable. I also grew up with a single mom who worked in retail her whole life, so I have a basis for comparison.

Genuinely curious about how you do this: each international trip for a family of four can easily cost 10k above. Several will be 30k? Are you not saving for retirement ?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously much of this is a matter of perspective. We are a family of 3 living in DC on about 230k and I feel very wealthy. No we don't buy luxury cars or do private schools, but those aren't things we want. We do multiple international trips a year and life feels very comfortable. I also grew up with a single mom who worked in retail her whole life, so I have a basis for comparison.

Genuinely curious about how you do this: each international trip for a family of four can easily cost 10k above. Several will be 30k? Are you not saving for retirement ?

Not all international trips cost that much. Ours, for a family of four, usually cost 6K or less.
If you're frugal in other areas of your life, you'll find ways to be frugal when traveling internationally too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously much of this is a matter of perspective. We are a family of 3 living in DC on about 230k and I feel very wealthy. No we don't buy luxury cars or do private schools, but those aren't things we want. We do multiple international trips a year and life feels very comfortable. I also grew up with a single mom who worked in retail her whole life, so I have a basis for comparison.

Genuinely curious about how you do this: each international trip for a family of four can easily cost 10k above. Several will be 30k? Are you not saving for retirement ?

Not all international trips cost that much. Ours, for a family of four, usually cost 6K or less.
If you're frugal in other areas of your life, you'll find ways to be frugal when traveling internationally too.

I call total and complete BS unless your idea is international is a drive to Montreal.

Since we are discussing “families” we all have to travel peak season because our kids are in school. We are headed to Germany this Christmas and got an incredible deal on flights for $800/each. Under your claims for our 8 night stay that would leave us with a $350 budget a day for hotel, food, and transportation. Even if we found an Airbnb for 200/nt(including the crazy taxes) you are not feeding, transporting, and and touring the area for the remaining $150/day.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously much of this is a matter of perspective. We are a family of 3 living in DC on about 230k and I feel very wealthy. No we don't buy luxury cars or do private schools, but those aren't things we want. We do multiple international trips a year and life feels very comfortable. I also grew up with a single mom who worked in retail her whole life, so I have a basis for comparison.

Genuinely curious about how you do this: each international trip for a family of four can easily cost 10k above. Several will be 30k? Are you not saving for retirement ?

Not all international trips cost that much. Ours, for a family of four, usually cost 6K or less.
If you're frugal in other areas of your life, you'll find ways to be frugal when traveling internationally too.

I call total and complete BS unless your idea is international is a drive to Montreal.

Since we are discussing “families” we all have to travel peak season because our kids are in school. We are headed to Germany this Christmas and got an incredible deal on flights for $800/each. Under your claims for our 8 night stay that would leave us with a $350 budget a day for hotel, food, and transportation. Even if we found an Airbnb for 200/nt(including the crazy taxes) you are not feeding, transporting, and and touring the area for the remaining $150/day.

Don't know what to tell you, but our family did it. We don't go for 8 days. We go for 5-6, so that cuts the price down a lot. We don't eat out. If you stay in one airBNB for a week, transportation costs are minimal.

We've done trips to Mexico, the Algarve in Portugal, Paris and London this way. If you want to think I'm lying, go for it. I'm not. I used to be a professional tour guide so I may just be better at traveling frugallly than you?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Obviously much of this is a matter of perspective. We are a family of 3 living in DC on about 230k and I feel very wealthy. No we don't buy luxury cars or do private schools, but those aren't things we want. We do multiple international trips a year and life feels very comfortable. I also grew up with a single mom who worked in retail her whole life, so I have a basis for comparison.

Genuinely curious about how you do this: each international trip for a family of four can easily cost 10k above. Several will be 30k? Are you not saving for retirement ?

Not all international trips cost that much. Ours, for a family of four, usually cost 6K or less.
If you're frugal in other areas of your life, you'll find ways to be frugal when traveling internationally too.

I call total and complete BS unless your idea is international is a drive to Montreal.

Since we are discussing “families” we all have to travel peak season because our kids are in school. We are headed to Germany this Christmas and got an incredible deal on flights for $800/each. Under your claims for our 8 night stay that would leave us with a $350 budget a day for hotel, food, and transportation. Even if we found an Airbnb for 200/nt(including the crazy taxes) you are not feeding, transporting, and and touring the area for the remaining $150/day.

Don't know what to tell you, but our family did it. We don't go for 8 days. We go for 5-6, so that cuts the price down a lot. We don't eat out. If you stay in one airBNB for a week, transportation costs are minimal.

We've done trips to Mexico, the Algarve in Portugal, Paris and London this way. If you want to think I'm lying, go for it. I'm not. I used to be a professional tour guide so I may just be better at traveling frugallly than you?

PP please share tips about traveling as a family of four, especially on how to find accommodation that is comfortably enough for 4 under budget. We recently went to London, and couldn’t find anything below £500 per night for us. It’s very tight room for four of us still.