Anonymous wrote:We are a family of 4 with 2 kids under 5, and we spend on average about $11k a month.

WOW!!! Seriously? We spend about $4k and I think we're well off.

Anonymous wrote:We are a family of 4 with 2 kids under 5, and we spend on average about $11k a month.

OP here.
PITI is about 3000
Childcare 2500
Food 1100

Insurances, vacations, utilities, house maintenance stuff, transportation, clothes/shoes, diapers, gifts, student loans take up the rest. Money goes quite fast and it doesn't really feel like we splurge all that much besides our 1-2 week yearly vacation.

$11K - family of 5

Mortgage - $2100
childcare - $4000
utilities (power, gas, water, internet, phone) - $500
food - $1000
gas - $250
student loans - $800
loan repayment - $250
life insurance - $50
doctor/prescriptions - $60
shopping (amazon, CVS, clothes activities) - $650
charity - $300

Anonymous wrote:These numbers are insane! I can't imagine ever spending that much on a regular basis.

Family of 3, living in a TH along the Arlington orange line, spend about $4,500/month:

Mortgage: $1,900
Pre-K: $600
Food: $700
Utilities/fuel/car insurance (1 car): $300
Metro fare for DH: $200
Fun/Entertainment/Other: $800

I'll admit that we do manage to run a lot of expenses through our employers, such as phones and internet. In addition, my MIL provides afternoon childcare to DD, so we don't have that expense.

Some people included other things in their expenses such as healthcare and taxes. Your list does not include those.

Your utilities are quite cheap at $300 per month including gasoline for a car and car insurance! What does your heat/ac and water run per month?

We are a family of four (includes two teenage boys) and we spend about $6,000 a month (but we have no mortgage).

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are a family of 4 with 2 kids under 5, and we spend on average about $11k a month.

$11K per month! That's about what I spend every 6 months! What in the world are you spending this on?

I posted previously that we spend about 11k/mo. It boggles my mind that we reach that high, especially given our reasonable mortgage. We're working on reigning in some of these categories, but here's the approximate breakdown of monthly averages:

PITI - 2500
Childcare - 2000 (one daycare, one shool aged)
Food, non-food groceries, & dining out - 1200
Transportation (one car payment, gas, parking, public transit) - 1000
Personal spending for each spouse - 1000 (this goes for each spouse's clothes, work lunches, independent activities and savings)
Utilities - 500
Travel - 600
Charity - 600
Home maintenance/repairs/furnishings/electronics - 500
Medical expenses (mostly dental, we both have bad teeth) - 500
Misc - 675 - includes cleaning service, gym membership, life insurance, kids activities and bday parties, random entertainment

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are a family of 4 with 2 kids under 5, and we spend on average about $11k a month.

$11K per month! That's about what I spend every 6 months! What in the world are you spending this on?

I'm not that PP but we spend the same.

Mortgage: $4300
Nanny: $3200 easily
Preschool: $1550

All the rest makes up the balance.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents spend 1,000 per month . Everything is paid off and they are very frugal

Well, that's all fine and dandy...

I have a mortgage and a kid in private school so 7k a month right there.

A child is private school is a lifestyle choice. You chose to spend that money so don't eye roll someone else who didn't. Nobody held a gun to your head to force you to send your child to private school.

No duh. My parents are like the old retired couple above with all kids grown and everything paid off and they live in the middle of nowhere fly over country where their 4000 sq ft house was bought in 1970 for 65k.

Comparing how little my parents spend on a monthly basis compared to mine is ridiculous.

My rent is appr. $1200/month or so. It includes some utilities like water.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:We are a family of 4 with 2 kids under 5, and we spend on average about $11k a month.

$11K per month! That's about what I spend every 6 months! What in the world are you spending this on?

What is your rent/mortgage?

Family of 3, one kid in K, NW DC.

We spend about $4500 each month.

60% of that is on rent.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:My parents spend 1,000 per month . Everything is paid off and they are very frugal

Well, that's all fine and dandy...

I have a mortgage and a kid in private school so 7k a month right there.

A child is private school is a lifestyle choice. You chose to spend that money so don't eye roll someone else who didn't. Nobody held a gun to your head to force you to send your child to private school.

Anonymous wrote:We are a family of 4 with 2 kids under 5, and we spend on average about $11k a month.

$11K per month! That's about what I spend every 6 months! What in the world are you spending this on?

6K
Family of 4 (kids in elementary school)
Bethesda
Half of that is house-related.
We do our best to be frugal.

The numbers on this thread are eye-opening.

$8,900 for a family of four in close in NOVA. $3,600 of that is our mortgage. This number includes everything but savings (meaning vacation, insurance, etc. are included).