Just mapquested the commute from Belle View Shopping center to USPTO -- 11 min.

So, both are pretty close.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Op here - thanks for the input! My income will very likely be higher. I low balled it as a worst case scenario. Speaking to HR they said I more likely would start at 81k. Plus I will receive my reserve pay which is about 12-13k a year. Finally i do get support. He sends 1k a month, so another 12k a year. So factoring in all of that it would be more like 105k pre tax.

OK. I feel a bit better now. I was worried. Whatever you do, get on the after-school care list NOW (as soon as you have a location lined up). The school-based after (and before) care is going to be alot cheaper than daycare-run-aftercare. I still like Kingstowne/Landsdowne/Island Creek for you. But, I could see Belle View as well. It would be nice for you to not have the expense of moving -- maybe it would be good for you to drive around those areas and see what works.

I just did mapquest right now from Landsdowne (right outside belvoir) to USPTO And the time was 16 min.! That is pretty dang good. You would have access to the commissary too. Lots of military and families.

I meant "not have the expense of moving AGAIN in a year". Get settled in a place where you are good with the schools.

Anonymous wrote:Op here - thanks for the input! My income will very likely be higher. I low balled it as a worst case scenario. Speaking to HR they said I more likely would start at 81k. Plus I will receive my reserve pay which is about 12-13k a year. Finally i do get support. He sends 1k a month, so another 12k a year. So factoring in all of that it would be more like 105k pre tax.

OK. I feel a bit better now. I was worried. Whatever you do, get on the after-school care list NOW (as soon as you have a location lined up). The school-based after (and before) care is going to be alot cheaper than daycare-run-aftercare. I still like Kingstowne/Landsdowne/Island Creek for you. But, I could see Belle View as well. It would be nice for you to not have the expense of moving -- maybe it would be good for you to drive around those areas and see what works.

I just did mapquest right now from Landsdowne (right outside belvoir) to USPTO And the time was 16 min.! That is pretty dang good. You would have access to the commissary too. Lots of military and families.

Oh, and the irony is I *think* my son's father is at Fort Belvoir right now and is supposed to be leave a month before I plan to arrive. But honestly I have no idea where he is or what he is doing.

But you are correct, I won't count on that money entirely.

@6:24 - my son's father doesn't see his son as it is. Last time he saw him was June 2013, so I'm not worried about that. He pays that voluntarily not through a court order. I'm guessing he does so out of guilt and so I don't cause problems for him at work. He is also in the military, so he knows I could if I really, really wanted to.

I'm not sure what your relationship with your ex is like or where he lives but if you are moving from Georgia to Virginia he may file for a CS adjustment to account for the travel that will now be associated with making sure he sees his son. I would probably not base my budget around a guaranteed $1k from him.

I enjoyed my life immensely when I lived within walking distance of my office. I worked at an association in old town alexandria on King Street. Lived in a nearby townhouse with roommates. I could even park my car on the street outside my office if I wanted since I had a residential sticker! It was great.

Anonymous wrote:Live close to the pto as possible. No need to add driving stress to an already stressful 1st year probabtionary period.

+1

Live close to the pto as possible. No need to add driving stress to an already stressful 1st year probabtionary period.

Op here - thanks for the input! My income will very likely be higher. I low balled it as a worst case scenario. Speaking to HR they said I more likely would start at 81k. Plus I will receive my reserve pay which is about 12-13k a year. Finally i do get support. He sends 1k a month, so another 12k a year. So factoring in all of that it would be more like 105k pre tax.

OP,

I posted about Landsdowne,... but doing the math, I think you are in a bad situation financially. If you get paid 71k, that's really only about 47k after taxes and deductions....

That comes to about 47000. divided by 12 = $3964/mo.

1700 rent
300 utilities
1200 daycare/preschool
400 food
300 transportation

3900 ---- you are right at your income.

Are you getting any child support? I think maybe you would be better off with a smaller place

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_rent/house,condo,apartment_duplex,mobile,townhouse_type/5XhvMz_bldg/38.765921,-77.139419,38.757422,-77.157422_rect/15_zm/ You could get a one bedroom to save a little.

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_rent/house,condo,apartment_duplex,mobile,townhouse_type/2096658969_zpid/38.768749,-77.142123,38.760249,-77.160126_rect/15_zm/

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_rent/house,condo,apartment_duplex,mobile,townhouse_type/51959145_zpid/38.774666,-77.049974,38.770417,-77.058975_rect/16_zm/

I don't know, OP.... your 71k income doesn't bode well for covering rent, daycare, food and life=happens expenses.

If you can raise that income it will definitely help, but you are still looking at a very small place. I think you are cutting yourself too close to the bone.

Here's a townhouse in LAndsdowne -- easy walk -- just blocks -- to WEgmans, Dairy Queen!!, public library, LA Fitness, gas station, CVS, No. VA. Academy, elementary school, playground, etc.. Community has activities for kids and adults and a pool.

http://www.zillow.com/homes/for_rent/house,condo,apartment_duplex,mobile,townhouse_type/51971305_zpid/38.743352,-77.165367,38.739101,-77.174369_rect/16_zm/

You do not want to be coming from Md. across the Wilson bridge into Alexandria. That is the main flow of traffic -- from Md. into Va. It will be very stop and go..

You are better off in Belle View or Kingstowne (Landsdowne is right outside Ft. Belvoir and they have a community pool and there is a preschool/daycare very close -- Northern Va. Academy). You will have playgrounds and easy access to Target, WEGMANS, walmart, a gym, library, and LOTS of other kids and parents with military connections. Commute to USPTO is not bad. You could stay for Island Creek or Lane elem. schools. Get on the SACC (after care) list ASAP.

Anonymous wrote:Correction - it is 14 miles

14 miles, DC traffic, not good.

Don't do it.