Reply to I haven't figured out how people raise children in DC

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Maybe I am naive but I haven't found it that difficult (although so far we are just expecting, but I like to plan out budgets). We make well under 300K, heck we even make under 200K and live in S. Arlington (so obviously not D.C. proper). We have an apt in a walkable neighborhood (2 bedroom 1200 square feet) with a school I won't hesitate to send me kid too (and yes I realize some may disagree but I went to school in state that is ranked at the bottom of the US when it comes to education and I managed to survive and get into college/law school).

Anyway, so we can't afford to buy a house right away, but we are able to put a signifigant amount into savings. That amount will of course dwindle when we start paying for day care but we will still put money into savings. Before we had kids we made sure that we had all of our consumer debt paid off (yes I drive a 13 year old car). We will likely be able to buy a SFH (with 20% down) in Arlington within the next 5-6 years (I will be 35). So yes, I may not live a glamorous lifestyle and no, I can't have that house immediately and yes it takes a lot of hard work (for example to pay off consumer debt we went on a spending freeze for 4 months) but it is possible.

Of course, I also find people to be nice here (we have monthly get togethers at my apt complex) and don't care abotu the traffic becuase it is 10 times better than back home. Of course we managed to find a place where both of us can take the bus from our front door to the front door of our work (me in 20 mins, DH in 45). I mean I will admit that backhome some of my friend's sibilings are buying houses at the age of 21 for 120K but I am still incredibly happy.

Now, yes if you make a total of under 100K I think it might suck to be in this area. But honsetly, anything above that and you need to learn to budget (and yes I have 207K in student loans too and somehow I manage). [/quote]

are you my husband??  jk, but seriously, we have the same life.  It's not bad, it's downright awesome.  And we own our place (2br/2ba 1400 sq ft. townhouse in south arlington).  My neighborhood is super walkable, safe, twelve minutes from capitol hill, great schools, public transportation....  We make less than 150k p/yr, I guess we're good with our money?  But not really...we eat out like crazy and drive two gas guzzlers.  If anything, we could save a lot more than we do.  The only thing I'd say is a challenge is that we have zero vacation time, and not very much extra money to travel.  Not bad for two people under 35.  [/quote]

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