Change auto insurance. That's too high for 1 car, 1 driver per month.

Your groceries/Door dash bill is crazy high for one person.

You need a second person with a second income and then you will be fine on savings and starting a family.

PP- What does your spouse do and how much does he/she make? Not an equal comparison unless you are spouse doesn't bring in any money.

Anonymous wrote:Income 100k for 35 year old is working poor
Earnings
$8,333.33 After taxes and 10% for 401k is Take Home pay is $5,440.21

RENT $2100
After paying all subductions, Internet, TV, Student loans, VA Dominon Power, Cell Phone $500
Car issuance $180
CAR Payment $350
credit card $2000 (FOOD, GAS, Metro, Drinks, going out, Door Dash, )

I am only able to save about $300 dollars a month. Last year in 2023 I only saved $4000 dollars.
In January and February I was only able to saved $500. I can't start a family

Interesting.
I have two kids. We spend about $450/month on food. We don't eat out except when we go on vacation.
I stopped riding the subway because it was so disgusting and bike to work. Saves me over 2K/year. The Mint Mobile Plan for the family costs around $650/year.
I paid off all my student loans by the time I was 35.
I bought fixer uppers and fixed GC'd them myself so I have mortgage free homes (yes, plural).
As a female architect, I make 110K/year and that's considered a pretty decent salary for my ilk.

If you think your job is just about greasing your consumerist lifestyle, yes, you will be poor in so many ways than just financially.

Sell the car. Use public transit. Make all meals from your kitchen. Get a roommate.

Signed - working poor

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you trying to start a family alone?

Your credit card bill seems high, plus rent is pretty high. If you have a car, are you able to move further away into the suburbs?

Yep, I would focus on reducing credit card debt. That seems like a lot for one person. Maybe cut back on eating out and drinks. There are more cost effective ways to feed yourself.

But I can’t live without my avocado toast and the lattes

Most of you can't read well. You latch onto one thing and flip out.

This isn't a credit card debt. He puts everything he spends on the card. This includes all his food, his groceries and eating out, his gas, his metro fare, his social life. There's certainly room for discussion on cutting back on some of the non-essential spending and learning to be a bit frugal. But he's not living extravagantly either. He's probably including in the 2k other things like car repairs, servicing, any new clothes etc.

A big credit card bill from overspending is still a liability and therefore a debt. Doesn’t matter if he pays it all off everymonth.

You are redefining the meaning of debt to fit your narrative. OP's only debt is his student loan. I put everything on the card for the points and pay off the balance each month. It's smarter than paying cash for things. I get free tickets and cash back.

We aren't talking about you. Are you also crying poverty?

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$500 for your phone!!?

NO,


$100 for Dominion Power, $100 phone, $100 student loan , $129 FIOS TV, $44 for FIOS Internet. about $500

All these expenses are very high, except student loans, if you live alone. Drop the FIOS TV. And at 35 you should have student loans anymore. What is your profession?

$100 for cell service?? Really? Or does that include the price of the phone? I pay $25/month with TMobile and that includes Netflix. And my new iPhone was “free” when I switched over from ATT.

**shouldn’t have student loans anymore.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:$500 for your phone!!?

NO,


$100 for Dominion Power, $100 phone, $100 student loan , $129 FIOS TV, $44 for FIOS Internet. about $500

All these expenses are very high, except student loans, if you live alone. Drop the FIOS TV. And at 35 you should have student loans anymore. What is your profession?

$100 for cell service?? Really? Or does that include the price of the phone? I pay $25/month with TMobile and that includes Netflix. And my new iPhone was “free” when I switched over from ATT.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Get a second job. Why is the rent so high? Shared housing is the way to go to bring down that expense.

+1. Get a roommate or a gf

Don’t get a gf. You’ll be even poorer..

Anonymous wrote:Income 100k for 35 year old is working poor
Earnings
$8,333.33 After taxes and 10% for 401k is Take Home pay is $5,440.21

RENT $2100
After paying all subductions, Internet, TV, Student loans, VA Dominon Power, Cell Phone $500
Car issuance $180
CAR Payment $350
credit card $2000 (FOOD, GAS, Metro, Drinks, going out, Door Dash, )

I am only able to save about $300 dollars a month. Last year in 2023 I only saved $4000 dollars.
In January and February I was only able to saved $500. I can't start a family

Move to a lower cost of living city.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Are you trying to start a family alone?

Your credit card bill seems high, plus rent is pretty high. If you have a car, are you able to move further away into the suburbs?

Yep, I would focus on reducing credit card debt. That seems like a lot for one person. Maybe cut back on eating out and drinks. There are more cost effective ways to feed yourself.

But I can’t live without my avocado toast and the lattes

Most of you can't read well. You latch onto one thing and flip out.

This isn't a credit card debt. He puts everything he spends on the card. This includes all his food, his groceries and eating out, his gas, his metro fare, his social life. There's certainly room for discussion on cutting back on some of the non-essential spending and learning to be a bit frugal. But he's not living extravagantly either. He's probably including in the 2k other things like car repairs, servicing, any new clothes etc.

A big credit card bill from overspending is still a liability and therefore a debt. Doesn’t matter if he pays it all off everymonth.

You are redefining the meaning of debt to fit your narrative. OP's only debt is his student loan. I put everything on the card for the points and pay off the balance each month. It's smarter than paying cash for things. I get free tickets and cash back.

At 35, unless he's a doc/lawyer (and not likely with that income) he should no longer have student loans.

All your expenses are way too high for your salary

Anonymous wrote:Income 100k for 35 year old is working poor
Earnings
$8,333.33 After taxes and 10% for 401k is Take Home pay is $5,440.21

RENT $2100
After paying all subductions, Internet, TV, Student loans, VA Dominon Power, Cell Phone $500
Car issuance $180
CAR Payment $350
credit card $2000 (FOOD, GAS, Metro, Drinks, going out, Door Dash, )

I am only able to save about $300 dollars a month. Last year in 2023 I only saved $4000 dollars.
In January and February I was only able to saved $500. I can't start a family

I budget $500 per week for my family of 5 for food, take out, gas and incidentals. Some weeks I have a few left over (last week $80).

Anonymous wrote:Get a second job. Why is the rent so high? Shared housing is the way to go to bring down that expense.

+1. Get a roommate or a gf

Anonymous wrote:Your rent is too high. That’s what we pay for a mortgage in a SFH in moco. Move or get a roommate or something.

I know what you mean, but not a fair comparison. You can’t even get a 300k townhouse with a 20% down for $2,000 a month these days.