Reply to Ok can we stop saying $300k is "rich" in DC?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Married with 1 kid, living in NWDC.  HHI is about $275k gross.  We feel pretty dang well-off.  Here is where our money goes:

- Taxes: $65k (includes federal, DC, and FICA)
- House: $40k (includes PITI plus HOA plus utilities)
- Daycare: $22k
- Student loans+kid's 529: $16k
- Restaurants: $11k
- Travel: $9k
- Groceries: $8k
- Insurance + Medical: $8k
- Clothing: $6k
- Cable and Cell phones: $5k
- Discretionary/uncategorized/entertainment: $12k
- Savings: $73k (includes 401k, IRA, brokerage, etc.)

It's hard to feel anything other than "rich" when you're living well and still saving $70k per year.  I don't know how the rest of you feel, but spending nearly $1k every month on restaurants is downright luxurious.  (We like to cook generally, but when we go out to eat we usually go somewhere nice).

This isn't to brag but rather aims to give a reality check to people who say $300k is "middle class" in NW DC.  It isn't.  It's extremely comfortable and privileged.[/quote]

Our HHI is about half that, and we don't save anywhere near what you do - and we still feel extremely comfortable and privileged. I guess maybe this just boils down to what you expect - I just feel (knock wood) incredibly lucky that we don't have to think twice about going to the movies or going out to eat, that our family - people and pets - can get whatever medical care we need, if I need new shoes I can just go buy them, etc etc etc. This is so much more than I expected to have in life.[/quote]

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