My family makes $100k plus a year, its not enough!!

[purbeast0]

More to the point I was replying directly to the suggestion that people making 100K/year must be flinging money around willy-nilly with BMW leases and jumbo 4K TVs.

Do I spend money on things that are not entirely necessary - Yes.

Do I have a new BMW and giant TVs and private schoools for the kids - Not even close.

yeah i know what you mean, because i'm in the same boat, which is why i replied to that guy you replied as well saying that he must not make anywhere close to 100k if he thinks you can buy all that stuff he said in his post.

and back to the "money cant buy happiness" stuff ... while that may be untrue in some cases, i can tell you for damn sure that i'm more happy right now in my life living the lifestyle that my wife and i live than i was 5 years ago living in a 780sqft apartment.

we take multiple vacations every year, have our house in a state that we are really happy with and is to our likings with our home theater and just redid our backyard, and we have our first baby on the way.

i mean sure i was still happy back then, but now i can actually do much of the things i sought out to be able to do once i could afford it.

 

[Belegost]

But do you live in a place where $100k is equivalent to $50k in many other places??? Yes. Yes you do.

I don't recall listing exactly where I live, but the COL index is about 110 (compared to 100 average nationally, and I don't live in Boulder city where the index is 140) so 100k/year here is the equivalent of about 90k/year in an average place, I suppose there are areas well below average COL that it would be the 50K/year equivalent. Of course finding a job as a PhD level electrical engineer in those areas is probably quite unlikely, and probably wouldn't keep the income at my current level.

Of course I moved to this area specifically because I was in SoCal with around 140 index, and that was putting strain on finances (hence the credit card debt and car loan.) I was fortunate to be able to transfer to offices here a year ago and maintain my same income, and our finances have been much healthier for it.

 

[alkemyst]

I've been making between $65k and $150k for the past few years since I joined the military (was making around $100k in corporate IT management for 5 years before that) and I've never felt poor, but I've also been living in some of the poorest, lowest cost places in the world (Oklahoma, Georgia, Louisiana, San Antonio, TX, Afghanistan.)

With all my cars paid off, my fixed expenses (rent, utilities, cell phone, insurance for renting, cars and a home I own in the clear) have been under $1,000 a month for years. My entertainment\food expenses bounce between $300 and $1000 a month.

I just bought a new station wagon, and paid enough down to put payments + insurance at $1,000 a month.

I think what's making people feel "poor" on 6 figure salaries is a) kids and b) debt (student loan & credit card.)

you may want to compare your military benefits and allowances to private sector.

 

[alkemyst]

Please tell me what you are not understanding about my time or income? I can try to spoon feed you more if needed, but I'm not quite sure how I can make it much easier

BAHAHA the internet is complete...spoon feeding enters teh thread!

 

[Belegost]

yeah i know what you mean, because i'm in the same boat, which is why i replied to that guy you replied as well saying that he must not make anywhere close to 100k if he thinks you can buy all that stuff he said in his post.

and back to the "money cant buy happiness" stuff ... while that may be untrue in some cases, i can tell you for damn sure that i'm more happy right now in my life living the lifestyle that my wife and i live than i was 5 years ago living in a 780sqft apartment.

we take multiple vacations every year, have our house in a state that we are really happy with and is to our likings with our home theater and just redid our backyard, and we have our first baby on the way.

i mean sure i was still happy back then, but now i can actually do much of the things i sought out to be able to do once i could afford it.

I liked the quote I saw recently "Money can't buy happiness, but it's much more comfortable crying in a Mercedes than on a bicycle." =P

 

[TXHokie]

I liked the quote I saw recently "Money can't buy happiness, but it's much more comfortable crying in a Mercedes than on a bicycle." =P

"Money can't buy you happiness, but it will let you pull up close right next to it in your big yacht"

 

[alkemyst]

I don't recall listing exactly where I live, but the COL index is about 110 (compared to 100 average nationally, and I don't live in Boulder city where the index is 140) so 100k/year here is the equivalent of about 90k/year in an average place, I suppose there are areas well below average COL that it would be the 50K/year equivalent. Of course finding a job as a PhD level electrical engineer in those areas is probably quite unlikely, and probably wouldn't keep the income at my current level.

Of course I moved to this area specifically because I was in SoCal with around 140 index, and that was putting strain on finances (hence the credit card debt and car loan.) I was fortunate to be able to transfer to offices here a year ago and maintain my same income, and our finances have been much healthier for it.

I just looked mine up...

Overall 95
Grocery 108.4
Health 108
Housing 68
Utilities 100
Transportation 109
Miscellaneous 107

http://www.bestplaces.net/cost_of_living/city/florida/lantana

 

[JM Aggie08]

This is fucking hilarious.

 

[Ns1]

I liked the quote I saw recently "Money can't buy happiness, but it's much more comfortable crying in a Mercedes than on a bicycle." =P

i like this

 

[Atomic Playboy]

Money may not buy happiness, but if you have to choose between the certain misery of being broke or the potential misery of having money, I'd roll the dice and go with "have it." If it doesn't work out, it's a piece of piss to get rid of it.

 

[alkemyst]

This is fucking hilarious.

As a Texan, you are.

 

[Nebor]

I refuse to believe that San Antonio costs more than the average place in the United States:
Overall 106 100
Grocery 83.4 100
Health 96 100
Housing 132 100
Utilities 91 100
Transportation 102 100
Miscellaneous 93 100

Now Leesville makes some good sense:
Cost of Living Leesville, LA United States
Overall 83 100
Grocery 96.2 100
Health 93 100
Housing 56 100
Utilities 86 100
Transportation 98 100
Miscellaneous 99 100

 

[jlee]

Phoenix-
Overall 95
Grocery 102.5
Health 99
Housing 83
Utilities 92
Transportation 106
Miscellaneous 101

Their average must be really high, because food here is cheap.

 

[purbeast0]

i'll do it too since we're all doing it.

Cost of Living Rockville, MD
Overall 154
Grocery 111.3
Health 101
Housing 259
Utilities 112
Transportation 108
Miscellaneous 99

 

[MongGrel]

Rawhide - The Blues Brothers (5/9) Movie CLIP (1980) HD

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RdR6MN2jKYs

 

[jlee]

Hah, I just checked where I used to live...vs three years ago, I have 21% cheaper cost of living (according to that site) and 45% more income.

<3 AZ

 

[Belegost]

Might as well post the breakdown (peer pressure in action):

Cost of Living Longmont, CO
Overall 111
Grocery 98.3
Health 103
Housing 139
Utilities 92
Transportation 98
Miscellaneous 97

 

[Ns1]

CoL index the new ePeen? lol

 

[alkemyst]

Hah, I just checked where I used to live...vs three years ago, I have 21% cheaper cost of living (according to that site) and 45% more income.

<3 AZ

Arizona is a great cheap place to live. Most of my cousins moved there. No ocean. No green. It really depends what you want.

I decommissioned our K. Hovnanian Mortgage office out there 2 years or so after I flew out to set it up. Really sad.

 

[doubledeluxe]

Damn. Where I used to live is almost 700 for housing. Definitely not moving back there. Overall 300. Good weather does not justify a cost of living 3x the average.

 

[rh71]

(some town on LI, NY)
Overall 169
Grocery 119.4
Health 112
Housing 280
Utilities 131
Transportation 111
Miscellaneous 119

It's not the CoL that gets to me. It's the fact that everyone's hands are in our pockets. And it DOESN'T feel good. The only thing outrageous are the taxes - caused by the 6-figure cops and school teachers and all the other unions. I don't care about paying $0.30 more for milk or gas... come on now.

And the other factor about money and happiness - save for the aforementioned union members, a lot of those who make well into the 6 figures on their own are people who have no family time and are always at the office or on the commuter train . I wouldn't do it. Middle ground is best.

 

[Ns1]

Damn. Where I used to live is almost 700 for housing. Definitely not moving back there. Overall 300. Good weather does not justify a cost of living 3x the average.

I ride my scooter 365 days/year

meanwhile, somewhere where the COL is way cheaper...

 

[alkemyst]

CoL index the new ePeen? lol

No, zip it and let the adults talk.

 

[Belegost]

CoL index the new ePeen? lol

But is lower better, or higher?

 

[alkemyst]

I ride my scooter 365 days/year

meanwhile, somewhere where the COL is way cheaper...

please post where.

We all know you live with family. Not your children.