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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]
The bottom line is, you prioritize what you really want out of life, and you go frugal on the rest. Then you can live very happily on a middle-class budget. The middle class has to make financial choices, unlike the wealthy.

Family of 4 on 100K.

Organic food. 
Tiny house, in an expensive neighborhood with good schools and a 5 minute commute to work.
No impulse purchases and no spending on consumables, like eating out and cinema, etc.
International vacation once a year.
Expensive extra-curriculars for the kids.

Not possible. All these 100k posters claiming to be living 5 min from their jobs, organic food and international vacation need to provide a breakdown if their budget because all this isn't happening on 100k.

[/quote][/quote]

Different poster, but most of the above applies to us.

Income: about 100k
Mortgage PITI: $1450 per month
Other bills: $300 (gas, electric, water, internet, phones)
Childcare (a couple of days aftercare per week, plus some camps): $130 per week, plus $2k in summer
Food/groceries/eating out: $800 per month
Vacation: not sure, about $3k, perhaps?  We got a couple of tickets on FF miles for European trip this year, and stay with family, do international trip every other year, and 5-6 weekend trips per year (camping, or 4 star hotels at good prices on Priceline)
Gas: $40 a month?  We don't drive much, walk to work, live close to downtown
Clothes/toys etc: we don't spend a lot, often buy from thrift stores

What have I missed?  I max 401k, husband doesn't have access to one (we have about $400k in retirement between us so far).  We save a couple of thousand to college savings per year but already have more than $50k for our two kids age 3 and 5. Kids don't do any organized activities, but we do a lot of activities together as a family, often low cost (though that's not a huge consideration).  We have a good life.  We definitely aren't struggling.[/quote]

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