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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Similar income and similar Ivy PhD husband with a solid GS-15 job, just over the FC border 1/2 mile into Arlington.

We ARE upper middle class. You ARE upper middle class. Anyone in middle America would look at our $1M 2400sq ft 1940s colonials and just see a $1M house 5 miles from DC. My friends back home in small town Ohio would look at the quality of our public schools, the types of people my kids are exposed to, the quality and range of restaurants and stores that are easily accessible to us and be jealous. I grew up where my friends parents were all teachers, skilled factory workers, plumbers, truck drivers, and small business wonders. Small business like the local carpet and tile store, not a boutique IT firm consulting on Federal contracts. The adults in my kids lives are all lawyers, lobbyists, GS15s and SES execs, journalists at nationally known publications, authors who get interviewed on the news, experts who contribute thought leadership on national policy.

What part of upper class / upper middle class life do you want that you are missing? 
A big, fancy house like on HGTV? Move west to Ashburn or Leesburg. 
International vacations? Private School? Prioritize your budget. 
Galas, balls, and society events? Find some causes or organizations you are passionate about and volunteer and get involved. 
Sending your kids to cotillion? You can do that. 
Joining a country club? You can do that. But unless it benefits your career with connections and a place to entertain, I suggest the middle class NoVa networking version - join a pool and put your kids on summer swim team. 
Plays, concerts, and fancy dinners? You can do that. D.C. is a quick Uber ride away.

But what is any of this for? 
Are you networking to make career moves to increase earnings? 
Are you positioning your kids to have peers that will also be striving for elite colleges and whose parents might serve as connections for internships and career advice? 
Do you just want more interesting adult friends to talk to?

I find that so many people in the DC metro area have fascinating and impressive jobs and accomplishments that aren’t lucrative. Also a lot of smart and interesting people come to this area because they felt called to public service and if they didn’t come from family money, their life looks a lot like your current life. If you are writing off people in your current orbit, ask yourself why. If you are scheming and strategizing your friendships and your social interactions, people will see through your insincerity and you will end up worse off than if you just organically and sincerely cultivate relationships.
[/quote]

OP here. We actually rent an apartment. SO, not owning a house is one reason for feeling poor.[/quote]

I would start with buying a home in McLean, Chevy Chase or Potomac.

Yeah, renting an apartment would not really classify as making it. How old are you?[/quote]

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