Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, the point, my dear, is to answer the question. You too could buy a house for a similar amount of money than I did and have a similar budget than I did. When I bought, most people were too snobby to buy in my neighborhood (and a fixer upper at that), just as you are too snobby to buy for $300k now. those houses exist within DC even now. Or close by. But if you’re hung up on a fully renovated single family home in upper NW you’re out of luck. I'd be buying in Mount Rainier or Hyattsville if I was in that situation now. And you'll come back with some excuse why that isn't practical to which I will say that I've been saying this on DCUM for at least 8years and been told "but I don't have a time machine" while readers lament their misfortune for not getting the prices that we did years ago. Well, if you'd listened to me back in 2000, or even 2012 you'd have hundreds of thousands in equity even now. When I bought I thought, "if only I'd been in the market two or five years ago I'd have a cheaper house".

Many of us were still in college in 2000.

I was in high school in 2000!

I now have a toddler and a baby. Tell me again how I should have bought when I was a sophomore in high school??? My husband is also my age so we couldn't afford to buy until we were about 30. For the PPs plan to work I would have had to marry a man who is at least 10 years older than me - probably more like 15...

I do stay home now, but we live in Rockville, no way could we afford inside DC (or Bethesda!)

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, the point, my dear, is to answer the question. You too could buy a house for a similar amount of money than I did and have a similar budget than I did. When I bought, most people were too snobby to buy in my neighborhood (and a fixer upper at that), just as you are too snobby to buy for $300k now. those houses exist within DC even now. Or close by. But if you’re hung up on a fully renovated single family home in upper NW you’re out of luck. I'd be buying in Mount Rainier or Hyattsville if I was in that situation now. And you'll come back with some excuse why that isn't practical to which I will say that I've been saying this on DCUM for at least 8years and been told "but I don't have a time machine" while readers lament their misfortune for not getting the prices that we did years ago. Well, if you'd listened to me back in 2000, or even 2012 you'd have hundreds of thousands in equity even now. When I bought I thought, "if only I'd been in the market two or five years ago I'd have a cheaper house".

Many of us were still in college in 2000.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, the point, my dear, is to answer the question. You too could buy a house for a similar amount of money than I did and have a similar budget than I did. When I bought, most people were too snobby to buy in my neighborhood (and a fixer upper at that), just as you are too snobby to buy for $300k now. those houses exist within DC even now. Or close by. But if you’re hung up on a fully renovated single family home in upper NW you’re out of luck. I'd be buying in Mount Rainier or Hyattsville if I was in that situation now. And you'll come back with some excuse why that isn't practical to which I will say that I've been saying this on DCUM for at least 8years and been told "but I don't have a time machine" while readers lament their misfortune for not getting the prices that we did years ago. Well, if you'd listened to me back in 2000, or even 2012 you'd have hundreds of thousands in equity even now. When I bought I thought, "if only I'd been in the market two or five years ago I'd have a cheaper house".

Many of us were still in college in 2000.

So many posters with so much anger and so little reading comprehension. PP said there are still many bargains to be had but folks here are interested in making those trade offs. I think she's right.

And there were tons of deals from 2008 to 2011 or so.

So millennials-- just be honest. You aren't willing to compromise your champagne tastes to live on a beer budget. No shame in that. But don't insist no one could possibly live on said beer budget.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, the point, my dear, is to answer the question. You too could buy a house for a similar amount of money than I did and have a similar budget than I did. When I bought, most people were too snobby to buy in my neighborhood (and a fixer upper at that), just as you are too snobby to buy for $300k now. those houses exist within DC even now. Or close by. But if you’re hung up on a fully renovated single family home in upper NW you’re out of luck. I'd be buying in Mount Rainier or Hyattsville if I was in that situation now. And you'll come back with some excuse why that isn't practical to which I will say that I've been saying this on DCUM for at least 8years and been told "but I don't have a time machine" while readers lament their misfortune for not getting the prices that we did years ago. Well, if you'd listened to me back in 2000, or even 2012 you'd have hundreds of thousands in equity even now. When I bought I thought, "if only I'd been in the market two or five years ago I'd have a cheaper house".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, the point, my dear, is to answer the question. You too could buy a house for a similar amount of money than I did and have a similar budget than I did. When I bought, most people were too snobby to buy in my neighborhood (and a fixer upper at that), just as you are too snobby to buy for $300k now. those houses exist within DC even now. Or close by. But if you’re hung up on a fully renovated single family home in upper NW you’re out of luck. I'd be buying in Mount Rainier or Hyattsville if I was in that situation now. And you'll come back with some excuse why that isn't practical to which I will say that I've been saying this on DCUM for at least 8years and been told "but I don't have a time machine" while readers lament their misfortune for not getting the prices that we did years ago. Well, if you'd listened to me back in 2000, or even 2012 you'd have hundreds of thousands in equity even now. When I bought I thought, "if only I'd been in the market two or five years ago I'd have a cheaper house".

Hmm if you have a 4 and 7 year old and bought in 2000, I suspect your husband is much older and actually the one who bought a house in 2000.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, the point, my dear, is to answer the question. You too could buy a house for a similar amount of money than I did and have a similar budget than I did. When I bought, most people were too snobby to buy in my neighborhood (and a fixer upper at that), just as you are too snobby to buy for $300k now. those houses exist within DC even now. Or close by. But if you’re hung up on a fully renovated single family home in upper NW you’re out of luck. I'd be buying in Mount Rainier or Hyattsville if I was in that situation now. And you'll come back with some excuse why that isn't practical to which I will say that I've been saying this on DCUM for at least 8years and been told "but I don't have a time machine" while readers lament their misfortune for not getting the prices that we did years ago. Well, if you'd listened to me back in 2000, or even 2012 you'd have hundreds of thousands in equity even now. When I bought I thought, "if only I'd been in the market two or five years ago I'd have a cheaper house".

Many of us were still in college in 2000.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, the point, my dear, is to answer the question. You too could buy a house for a similar amount of money than I did and have a similar budget than I did. When I bought, most people were too snobby to buy in my neighborhood (and a fixer upper at that), just as you are too snobby to buy for $300k now. those houses exist within DC even now. Or close by. But if you’re hung up on a fully renovated single family home in upper NW you’re out of luck. I'd be buying in Mount Rainier or Hyattsville if I was in that situation now. And you'll come back with some excuse why that isn't practical to which I will say that I've been saying this on DCUM for at least 8years and been told "but I don't have a time machine" while readers lament their misfortune for not getting the prices that we did years ago. Well, if you'd listened to me back in 2000, or even 2012 you'd have hundreds of thousands in equity even now. When I bought I thought, "if only I'd been in the market two or five years ago I'd have a cheaper house".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, the point, my dear, is to answer the question. You too could buy a house for a similar amount of money than I did and have a similar budget than I did. When I bought, most people were too snobby to buy in my neighborhood (and a fixer upper at that), just as you are too snobby to buy for $300k now. those houses exist within DC even now. Or close by. But if you’re hung up on a fully renovated single family home in upper NW you’re out of luck. I'd be buying in Mount Rainier or Hyattsville if I was in that situation now. And you'll come back with some excuse why that isn't practical to which I will say that I've been saying this on DCUM for at least 8years and been told "but I don't have a time machine" while readers lament their misfortune for not getting the prices that we did years ago. Well, if you'd listened to me back in 2000, or even 2012 you'd have hundreds of thousands in equity even now. When I bought I thought, "if only I'd been in the market two or five years ago I'd have a cheaper house".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, the point, my dear, is to answer the question. You too could buy a house for a similar amount of money than I did and have a similar budget than I did. When I bought, most people were too snobby to buy in my neighborhood (and a fixer upper at that), just as you are too snobby to buy for $300k now. those houses exist within DC even now. Or close by. But if you’re hung up on a fully renovated single family home in upper NW you’re out of luck. I'd be buying in Mount Rainier or Hyattsville if I was in that situation now. And you'll come back with some excuse why that isn't practical to which I will say that I've been saying this on DCUM for at least 8years and been told "but I don't have a time machine" while readers lament their misfortune for not getting the prices that we did years ago. Well, if you'd listened to me back in 2000, or even 2012 you'd have hundreds of thousands in equity even now. When I bought I thought, "if only I'd been in the market two or five years ago I'd have a cheaper house".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, the point, my dear, is to answer the question. You too could buy a house for a similar amount of money than I did and have a similar budget than I did. When I bought, most people were too snobby to buy in my neighborhood (and a fixer upper at that), just as you are too snobby to buy for $300k now. those houses exist within DC even now. Or close by. But if you’re hung up on a fully renovated single family home in upper NW you’re out of luck. I'd be buying in Mount Rainier or Hyattsville if I was in that situation now. And you'll come back with some excuse why that isn't practical to which I will say that I've been saying this on DCUM for at least 8years and been told "but I don't have a time machine" while readers lament their misfortune for not getting the prices that we did years ago. Well, if you'd listened to me back in 2000, or even 2012 you'd have hundreds of thousands in equity even now. When I bought I thought, "if only I'd been in the market two or five years ago I'd have a cheaper house".

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

No, you are missing how virtuous they are because they buy clothes on sale and use the savings to fund a 'too high to tally' vacation.

We don't eat out ever, we have cheaper cell phones, NO TV subscriptions or cable (who needs that there is so much free content), but we bought a house in the last 10 years so both have to work.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:The real answer is that it varies (obviously). If you require the 8000 sqft Hardieplank McMonstrosity, a few European cars in the driveway and the girls at Madiera then the number is a lot higher than if you buy a sensible home that isn't ridiculously oversized and sensible cars and drive them until they actually need replacement. Granted, a certain base level income is needed in order for it to work at all, but that number certainly isn't >200k.

Its not the mcmansions or fancy cars; a run down house within 45 minutes of the city is going to be at least $800k if you want good schools. That's about $3500k PITI, and you can't swing that with standard 1/3 housing cost equation (assuming 20% down) for less than $190k or so. Even GS15 won't make it swing, so you are looking at long commute or crummy schools. Maybe a townhouse would bump that down a little, maybe.

Many save first and have a larger down payment that makes the mortgage feasible.

So save up what $400k dollars before having kids?? That seems pretty infeasible for folks with $100k incomes...

Right, then you can't live here or one of you can't stay home. I don't know why this is such a hard topic on forums. $100k HHI shouldn't take on a mortgage greater than $200k-$250k or so tops. If you can't find housing that works for you in that price range then move further out or to flyover country. Shitloads of people in this area are house poor because they don't seem to know when to say when on the housing budget.

Where the fsck do you find a $320k house with decent schools?? There's saying when and then there is crazy town (though I hear houses there run abut $200k!)

Moving to flyover country won't be a panacea since most $100k careers don't earn that amount (or exist) there.

Actually 100k professional careers exist in flyover country. We moved to the Kansas City area for my 175k/yr job. Within 3 months of moving here my wife found a job for 125k. We are living amazingly well here. The pace here is also slower. No soul crushing hours, no traffic nightmares. Our mortgage is $1,000/mo because of all the equity we brought with us.

I do like reading these boards when I can't sleep as a reminder of all the "fun" we are missing out on.

No there really aren't that many 300k hhis in Kansas City.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

1400 mortgage!!!
Yes but your experience is not really representative since mortgage is from the 90s or some other exception

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We live very centrally in DC on about $95k. Two kids, one car, don't typically splurge except that we eat out way too much and go on at least two full week or longer vacations each year, plus multiple weekend trips. Vacation overseas at least every other year.

can you post your budget (at least for big ticket items)?

You are being trolled. They inherited a house or something.

No I am not and no I didn't. There is nothing in this question that insists that you have to have bought your home in the past year or two and paid over the top for it.

Mortgage is $1400
We spend about $1000 a month on groceries and eating out
About $40 a month on gas, car is owned outright has very little maintenance costs but other car costs insurance etc are probably a little over $1k a year
About $150 on water/gas/electric
About $95 on cell phones
About $50 on TV subscriptions (no cable)
About $0-$80 on child care (kids are 4 and 7 in school and don't do aftercare, but do get babysitter for occasional date night)
A couple of hundred a month on household costs including repairs etc
We save $18k-$22k a year for retirement (before tax) and a couple of thousand on college savings. Also donate about $1k per year.
Don't spend much on clothes -- use thrift stores and buy in sales, but probably $1k per year max for kids clothes and shoes, mainly.
We spend too much on vacations, I'm a little afraid to tally that up, but we stay use points and stay with family where possible.

Well this is how you can manage. Purchase a home today and increase that amount to 3,500 plus and now you'll require two spouses working. Now of course you could purchase a less expensive home, but the point is a 1,400 mortgage is the main reason you can afford to stay home on such a low salary!