Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you move to Arlington you could qualify for public assistance. Yes, I agree that you should sell your car and buy two Honda Civics or something similar.

If you move anywhere in NoVA you qualify for public assistance on that income for a family of 3! I'm pretty sure she would qualify for section 8.

I'm quite sure they do not qualify for section 8.

Maybe instead of going used you could lease two Corollas or something basic and reliable at a good rate.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you move to Arlington you could qualify for public assistance. Yes, I agree that you should sell your car and buy two Honda Civics or something similar.

If you move anywhere in NoVA you qualify for public assistance on that income for a family of 3! I'm pretty sure she would qualify for section 8.

This is a joke, right?

Buy 2 Scion's XD's.

Anonymous wrote:If you move to Arlington you could qualify for public assistance. Yes, I agree that you should sell your car and buy two Honda Civics or something similar.

If you move anywhere in NoVA you qualify for public assistance on that income for a family of 3! I'm pretty sure she would qualify for section 8.

Take the time to research how much you could actually get for your used car. There's a good chance it is a lot less than you think, making it more difficult to trade it in for two reliable used cars. You will get more for your car if you sell it privately than to a dealership. You will probably also get a better deal if you buy a used car that way, but you will want to find a good mechanic to go over it, as it won't come with any sort of warranty.

Not knowing where you are in the metro area, but is it at all possible to get by with public transportation + car sharing (like Cars2go or Zipcar)? Can your DH car pool to work? Can you drive him to a Metro or bus stop?

As for finding a job, look into Woodside Temps. Our office has used them and have hired a few to full-time positions.

If you move to Arlington you could qualify for public assistance. Yes, I agree that you should sell your car and buy two Honda Civics or something similar.

OP, I would just caution you to be very careful on what kind of cars you get to replace your minivan. My mom did what you are planning to do. You will lose something in the transaction, especially if you sell to a dealer. My mom sold her car and bought two used cars. They both had major problems within a year. She couldn't afford to deal with all the mechanical issues so she ended up selling both older cars and bought a slightly better used car with that money. So within a year she went from one nice, reliable newish car to one old used, unreliable car.

70K doesn't give you a lot of cushion for major car repairs. If you must do this, choose wisely and buy older reliable cars with low mileage.

Anonymous wrote:not to pile on here, but why did you buy a car that cost around 30 grand? our HHI is much higher than yours was when you lived in chi, and it was pulling teeth to convince me to buy a used car that cost $18k.

Our HHI was fine to afford this car when we both worked. And we really didn't need two cars, so we bought one on an aggressive payment schedule so it could be paid off quickly enough should anything ever change. We liked it and planned on driving it for 12-15 years or until whenever it dies, and needed it to hold extra people like aunties and grandma. DH has a thing about used cars. It's cultural. I'm hoping he gets over it.
Also, in CHI is it not necessary to spend gobs of money on just mediocre housing like it is here. And groceries are a bit less too. I might wait and see. If I can find a job local enough I won't need a rice-burner.

Give up one of the kids as tribute.

Anonymous wrote:Welcome to DC, OP, and ignore the haters. Quality of life is a lot more important than money. And you are right -- a $43K salary here will barely cover taxes and day care.

I agree. We are a family with HHI about 80k. It is definitely doable. You will work it out. Best of luck.

not to pile on here, but why did you buy a car that cost around 30 grand? our HHI is much higher than yours was when you lived in chi, and it was pulling teeth to convince me to buy a used car that cost $18k.

Is the one car the minivan?

HI OP,
Agree with selling your car privately to get the best deal.
Good luck to you!

Welcome to DC, OP, and ignore the haters. Quality of life is a lot more important than money. And you are right -- a $43K salary here will barely cover taxes and day care.