A teacher in Moco tops out at 103,634 for a 10 month position. You are looking at the wrong pay scale. The teacher scale (MCEA) is on the second page of that link.

Definitely more inflated. But, I get it. I couldn't image making $135K! I also like our yard though...big city girl is not me!

Anonymous wrote:We are outside of Richmond.

Ok- if you look at teacher salaries, you will see the big differences -

Looks like a Richmond teacher tops out at 90K
http://web.richmond.k12.va.us/Portals/0/assets/HR/pdfs/Teacher%20Salary%20Schedule%202013-2014.pdf

While in Montomery county the top of the range is 132K
http://www.montgomeryschoolsmd.org/uploadedFiles/departments/ersc/employees/pay/schedules/Salary_Schedule_FY2014.pdf

Everything is just more inflated up here.

We are outside of Richmond.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:What did you pay for your house? Do you have kids? Do you pay for daycare? Those are the 2 big ticket items around here that can eat up the better part of one persons salary.

We do not live in DC and bought our home as a foreclosure. Under $200K and we live in a nice neighborhood with an HOA, pool, tennis courts and 2 playgrounds. No childcare costs. We do have children, 4 of them.

Like I said above though, I wasn't trying to pick on you all. Where I live is at a very different price point than DC.

My DH and I combined make about $120K. One kid. $300/mo aftercare costs. We can't afford to buy a house, probably never will due to student loan debt and the fact that we aren't in high salary career fields.

I used to live in a rural area and I would have been rolling in the dough if I made $60K there. I paid $600/mo for rent for more than twice the space (a SFH home on several acres) and only $500/mo for fulltime infant daycare. However, I didn't make $60K, I made $25K. Doing the same kind of work. It completely depends on where you live.

My field is somewhat flexible and stable, DH's is specialized. Our families are in the area as well, so we're here for the foreseeable future. The astronomical housing and childcare expenses are just something we deal with.

OP what part of Virginia? Location is everything. As a teacher and a police officer, you are both in great professions for which there are jobs in all areas.

My DH and myself work in industries that really are only in big city centers. We make a lot of money (300K) but we also will always have to commute into DC, NYC or possibly the close-in suburbs.

I'm looking at townhomes in Fairfax county that start at 700k for 2200 sq ft. We make what we make because it is expensive to live here. Daycare can be $1800-2000 a month.

Anonymous wrote:What did you pay for your house? Do you have kids? Do you pay for daycare? Those are the 2 big ticket items around here that can eat up the better part of one persons salary.

We do not live in DC and bought our home as a foreclosure. Under $200K and we live in a nice neighborhood with an HOA, pool, tennis courts and 2 playgrounds. No childcare costs. We do have children, 4 of them.

Like I said above though, I wasn't trying to pick on you all. Where I live is at a very different price point than DC.

just waiting for flyover country poster

Anonymous wrote:OP are you living in DC? I would be surprised to hear a DC teacher and DC firefighter not making 6 figures combined...

I think many people on this board bought houses when they were cheaper, but it's getting hard to buy now. A 2800 sq ft house can easily start at 700k, easily.

Not living in DC. We live in Virginia. Maybe we need to move though by the sounds of what we could be making.

I wasn't posting this in disgust of what you all make. I honestly have no idea what the home prices are in DC and knowing that 2800 sq. feet could potentially cost $700k is news to me. I've only lived where we are now and most of that time was spent on a farm. Nevertheless, I was just trying to stir up conversation for those of us living on less. That is all.

What did you pay for your house? Do you have kids? Do you pay for daycare? Those are the 2 big ticket items around here that can eat up the better part of one persons salary.

OP are you living in DC? I would be surprised to hear a DC teacher and DC firefighter not making 6 figures combined...

I think many people on this board bought houses when they were cheaper, but it's getting hard to buy now. A 2800 sq ft house can easily start at 700k, easily.

mmmmmmmmmkay

clicking** darn phone!

I'm pretty new to the board. I found this part of the board and started clinking around. Most of the posts have to do with how much you make, how much your mortgage is, what kind of car you drive, how much you are able to save. For us, we have a home that is 2800 sq. feet, 2 decent cars but no where near luxury cars, food in the pantry, heat in the house. I am a teacher. My husband is a police officer. All this to say, where's the people living well enough on just a little bit? We travel. We have clothes. I realize that this forum is based out of DC and I assume that many jobs in the area are high paying. I am in no way knocking the money you all make, just looking at ourselves to see how much we have on the little we make.