Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 13:44     Subject: Re:How many of us make under 100K?
Anonymous wrote:Another teacher here who makes around $45K per year. I have a school aged DD. The summer vacation is nice for about 2 weeks until I start worrying about the bills. I have my credit union stretch my paycheck over 12 months but that makes some months a bit too close for comfort. The only job I can find in the summer that is actually worth it is tutoring and it is competitive out there. There are plenty of tutors and tutoring companies to choose from. We still live relatively well. I may never own a home here but we like where we live and we are surrounded by down to earth families with good work ethics. My DD doesn't go to school with kids who get whatever they want so she doesn't come home asking for her own iPad, ski trips, etc.


May I ask where you live? Sounds good to me
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 13:09     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?
PP here. this is not to single out those who are renting. it was just an example. Another example, I know people in pricey suburbs that own mcshacks and don't take care of them. That should give you an idea. Doubtful that most people would tell you what they make OP. Even on DCUM.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 13:08     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?



OP, ignore the unhelpful self absorbed ones. Statistically, most people in most areas (GASP! even D.C.) make less than $100k. They would probably not admit it. Look around. How many are renting instead of buying in for example, the pricey suburbs? Do your research.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 12:19     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher- I will never make 100K.


Yes, but you get summers off and huge breaks throughout the year, not a bad deal really.
It works out to just only a couple of weeks more vacation than others.
I would not really call that such a wonderful perk.
You have to deal with the neurotic entitled parents and the spoiled little snowflakes etc etc, spend a whole day in a room full of loud mouthed badly behaved children.

Most leave the profession in less than 5 years
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 11:34     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I honestly don't know how you live here on that. We make twice that and I feel like it's a constant struggle. Color me impressed!


See, these comments baffle me. You're living in a different universe to me if you feel like you're struggling on over 140K.


np: I know how you feel that way, OP. When I made in the 70s, it was hard to comprehend, to. But people do tend to live up to their incomes, so it's not that uncommon to hear these complaints. I think the definition of "struggling" is different, however. People with higher incomes aren't really "struggling" to survive so much as "struggling" to have everything they want right now. Their choices aren't between say, food or the electric bill so much as between three summer camps for their children or a family vacation. They may also have tight liquid cash flow b/c while they are higher income, they also have higher fixed expenses (housing, cars). Yes, they could have chosen to have more more modest house or cars, but they didn't... So, not having that cash feels like a "struggle" even though they're perfectly well off.

This is me, anyway.


+1. They are struggling because of the monthly payments for the Benz instead of the Honda, and mortgage for the $1.5M house instead of the $400k house.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 11:06     Subject: Re:How many of us make under 100K?
Anonymous wrote:Am thrilled to have just gotten a raise to 49k. Total HHI is probably just over 100k but we struggle with 2 in daycare. Thank goodness our refi closes on Monday. We are ok though. Only house and a bit of student loan debt- but we shop at Target and a fancy dinner is dropping $50 bucks for the two of us. I'm still worlds above the way I grew up.


Ditto, my life and my kids' life is HEAVEN compared to the way I grew up!
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 11:02     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:I'm a teacher- I will never make 100K.


Yes, but you get summers off and huge breaks throughout the year, not a bad deal really.


Plus teachers get amazing pensions. Actually a great deal.


Ha! Not really. I work in a private school-- no pension, just what I put in my 403b. I have an employer match up to a certain percent, so that's nice. But haven't you been reading the news? The days of awesome teacher benefits are long gone.

To answer the original question-- I am a teacher, husband works at a nonprofit. This tax year I think we will break 100K. in 2011 we were just under (about 95K IIRC). Live in DC. Family of 3.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 10:55     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?
DH and I are both teachers and our HHI was around $90k last year. It is a struggle at times, but mostly because of our own choices. DH took out some student loans recently, and we had to buy a new vehicle when our second DD was born last year, so when those are paid off, I will feel a lot more comfortable financially. Of course, that's not going to be for a while.

It's definitely possible to live comfortably in the DC area on less than $100k, but obviously, $100k doesn't go as far around here as it does in other places. I think it evens out though. I have other teacher-friends who balked at the price of our $280k townhome when I shared the listing--but some of them are making $30k after teaching for almost 10 years.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 10:28     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?
Anonymous wrote:Part-time teacher and a post doc = ~50k. We live well - no payments except a low mortgage. Nice family vacations - no debt worry. Flexible schedules and plenty of quality time with DC.


I like you PP. We used to have a life like that on so much less. We still do in many ways, but I am constantly amazed and disappointed in our lack of discipline now that we make over 120k. That is still low by DC standards in some crowds but very high compared to the rest of the world. We are sometimes check to check because we insist on paying for the kid's extracurriculars year around, coffee at the coffee shop, occasional dining out, a pool membership, satellite radio, cable TV, etc. It's incredible. I may have to pull the plug on everything soon because we are not saving. We're really lucky to do low cost vacations because of the generosity of family and friends who have beach houses.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 10:12     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?
Part-time teacher and a post doc = ~50k. We live well - no payments except a low mortgage. Nice family vacations - no debt worry. Flexible schedules and plenty of quality time with DC.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 10:03     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DH and I combined make less than 80k. I'm a part time music teacher and he is just starting up the ladder at a newish job. We will have 2 in child care just after the start of the year and know it will be tough, but do able. Just wish housing wasn't so crazy expensive here.


I truly don't mean for this to come off snarky, so forgive me if it does, but wouldn't you do better to stop working and stay home than pay for two kids in daycare? I'm just trying to figure out how a part time music teacher salary would cover two young children in daycare.


I wish wish wish we could afford for me to quit, but DH's job does not offer health insurance, just a teeny tiny stipend. So I am basically just working for the insurance benefits right now. After paying part time daycare costs for two, I'll take home about $500 a month. We could not afford to to pay our bills andget good health insurance for a family of 4 on DH's under 50k salary.


Same here. Work part-time for health insurance. Granted, I have a great gig, WFH, school hours, health insurance, retirement, but I have a passion that I'd like to pursue, and would work for free just to pursue my dream. DH made a huge career change in '08, and while it's going great, I still have to wait it out. Thankfully, no mortgage or car payments.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 09:45     Subject: Re:How many of us make under 100K?
I forgot to add that I only know one person (actually a couple) who makes more than $100K and they've been working hard for 10 yrs+ to get to that point. There are PLENTY of people who make less than $100K in this area and they aren't starving to death. Chances are, they are at work instead of frequently DCUM. Any person who works in any kind of store/hotel, drives a bus/cab, teaches, etc most likely make less than $100K (probably much less than that).
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 09:40     Subject: Re:How many of us make under 100K?
Another teacher here who makes around $45K per year. I have a school aged DD. The summer vacation is nice for about 2 weeks until I start worrying about the bills. I have my credit union stretch my paycheck over 12 months but that makes some months a bit too close for comfort. The only job I can find in the summer that is actually worth it is tutoring and it is competitive out there. There are plenty of tutors and tutoring companies to choose from. We still live relatively well. I may never own a home here but we like where we live and we are surrounded by down to earth families with good work ethics. My DD doesn't go to school with kids who get whatever they want so she doesn't come home asking for her own iPad, ski trips, etc.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 08:59     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DH and I combined make less than 80k. I'm a part time music teacher and he is just starting up the ladder at a newish job. We will have 2 in child care just after the start of the year and know it will be tough, but do able. Just wish housing wasn't so crazy expensive here.


I truly don't mean for this to come off snarky, so forgive me if it does, but wouldn't you do better to stop working and stay home than pay for two kids in daycare? I'm just trying to figure out how a part time music teacher salary would cover two young children in daycare.


I wish wish wish we could afford for me to quit, but DH's job does not offer health insurance, just a teeny tiny stipend. So I am basically just working for the insurance benefits right now. After paying part time daycare costs for two, I'll take home about $500 a month. We could not afford to to pay our bills andget good health insurance for a family of 4 on DH's under 50k salary.


Ah, this makes sense. Thanks for understanding I was not trying to dictate your life and values as the PPs thought.
Anonymous
Post 07/15/2012 08:48     Subject: How many of us make under 100K?
Anonymous wrote:
Anonymous wrote:DH and I combined make less than 80k. I'm a part time music teacher and he is just starting up the ladder at a newish job. We will have 2 in child care just after the start of the year and know it will be tough, but do able. Just wish housing wasn't so crazy expensive here.


I truly don't mean for this to come off snarky, so forgive me if it does, but wouldn't you do better to stop working and stay home than pay for two kids in daycare? I'm just trying to figure out how a part time music teacher salary would cover two young children in daycare.


I wish wish wish we could afford for me to quit, but DH's job does not offer health insurance, just a teeny tiny stipend. So I am basically just working for the insurance benefits right now. After paying part time daycare costs for two, I'll take home about $500 a month. We could not afford to to pay our bills andget good health insurance for a family of 4 on DH's under 50k salary.