Anonymous
03/08/2014 23:34
Subject: Big Law to Government - Living Expenses
Try 1824 Belmont in Adams Morgan and see if they have openings. I lived in a 1000sf one bedroom there for 2k and moved in dec. you can find a parking spot and do the red line but bus is way better. Where are you trying to get? Embrace the bus.
Anonymous
03/08/2014 22:43
Subject: Big Law to Government - Living Expenses
16:17 again. I lived in Ordway Gardens in CP. I had parking, right by the metro, dogs and cats allowed. I think it was a 75 lb weight limit. No idea what rents would be there. The guy who bought my condo had a dog. Worth checking out.
Anonymous
03/08/2014 21:57
Subject: Big Law to Government - Living Expenses
Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:Anonymous wrote:OP here. Thanks PP. Right, DC is a different market than most of the rest of the US. I almost feel like I'm just going to start pretending I live in NYC. I've paid almost all of my 200K loans - tiny bit left at a very low interest rate, and I pay about 250/mo towards them, although they will be gone very soon.
I take home about 6000/mo (not including the two extra months a year when I get three paychecks) - while contributing enough to retirement to get a match but not maxing it out. With those numbers - just curious what you think would be reasonable. Paying $2100 seems to be getting harder and harder in DC.
Advice from someone who can retire at 58 in part because of it --- max out your TSP from Day 1, it is a "must" IMO to get your retirement benefit up to anything approaching where it might have been under the old system w/ CSRS. Not sure how old you are but 25 yrs. of max. TSP contributions and good investment choices resulted in a high six figure TSP account to draw on.
Pay yourself first.
Thanks, good advice - and a pretty good position to be in. The government retirement system is not what it used to be. I wish it was. New employees pays 1000s more a year towards the pension system and often come in with lower starting salaries, even when coming in laterally. I know that nowadays the benefits really don't keep newer employees in the government - most I've talked to want out in a couple years.
Pp here.. IMO that's mostly irrelevant.
Your goal should be to max your TSP, which you can take with you if you leave (once it vests).
These are the building blocks that make it possible to not have to work to 65-70-75 unless you want to.
Anonymous
03/08/2014 20:38
Subject: Re:Big Law to Government - Living Expenses
What about renting an English basement on Capitol Hill. There are lots of nice basement apartments with W/D that allow dogs and street parking on Capitol Hill is no problem. Or try some of the buildings down by the Navy Yard Metro. The rent will be a lot cheaper, but everything will be a short metro ride away. Since you don't need to worry about the schools, why not live in that part of the city. Again, street parking is no problem and lots of the buildings have it also.
Anonymous
03/08/2014 20:28
Subject: Big Law to Government - Living Expenses
Anonymous wrote:I think you should move into the one of the luxury buildings that allows pets and parking but rent a studio.
+1. Rent a studio. Best of both worlds location-wise and price-wise. And unless you love entertaining at home, it's really easy to live comfortably as a single person in a studio.