Some might make less than 60k a year, LBYMNot me, but there are enough folks on this site who live on less than 60k.
Hopefully you get some responses.
Some might make less than 60k a year, LBYMNot me, but there are enough folks on this site who live on less than 60k.
Hopefully you get some responses.
I guess we define "consumer debt" differently, I think taking out a loan to buy a car counts.We also have a 2018 Audi Q3. Loaded again. Low miles yet we have traveled to every state east of the Mississippi, to Maine, to Florida a dozen times or more. I owe $19,000 on it. At 1.9 interest rate.
We have no consumer debt.
What on earth do you eat? Ours is $500 a month for 2 people. I would hate to think what RobbieB's is?
I'm a single and spend $400/month. That excludes alcohol but includes cleaning products, etc. and dietary supplements. I'm practically a vegetarian so no crab legs or wagyu beef in there. I weigh 124 so it's not mass quantities, either. I'm sure I could whittle it down but glad I don't have to.
Oh man! if you still happen to have any of that ham left in your freezer this is a killer cold wet weather recipe:
https://www.allrecipes.com/recipe/2...eferringContentType=Search&clickId=cardslot 3
Been wanting to make it again but used up the ham we had already.
Jezz .. my cousin in Illinois pays $10,000 a year for an old 1970s house. What's your state.
In my experience cooking at home using basic ingredients (meaning no beef/certain kinds of fish/organics) is inexpensive if you have flexible tastes. Packaged foods incorporate various degrees of markup, even at the discount chains, plus I haven't found many to be very impressive in their taste.
I guess I grew up a bit on the lower side of middle-class in the midwest, and I'm sure when I was young, one of the primary motivators for me to do well in school was to live better. Now that I'm the same age as my dad was when I was a teenager, I find I'm happy living at exactly the same standard I was raised. Anyway to answer the OP question-- our rent is 2k per month, and "everything else" is approximately $500/month so my total spend is about 30k per year excluding income taxes and employer-provided health insurance.
That's a bit fancy but I'll have to try that sometime! My usual casserole is mixing it into Aldi Mac & Cheese ($0.34 per box) along with some chips and peas (Russets were $0.69 for the 10lb bag a couple of weeks ago and their frozen peas is $0.69 for 12oz I recall) to dilute the >1000mg sodium. I carved it up yesterday and slow cooked a soup out of the bone and gristle, and even though it's marked "fully cooked" boy did that soup turn out fantastic!
But then I'd have to live in Tennessee (no offense to those who do). Currently, the Atlantic Ocean is about 300 feet from my bedroom.
I consider myself frugal but am having a hard time believing you only spend $30k per year when $24k is rent and $2400 is food, That only leaves $3600 a year or $300/month for everything else in your life? Especially in San Jose.I guess I grew up a bit on the lower side of middle-class in the midwest, and I'm sure when I was young, one of the primary motivators for me to do well in school was to live better. Now that I'm the same age as my dad was when I was a teenager, I find I'm happy living at exactly the same standard I was raised. Anyway to answer the OP question-- our rent is 2k per month, and "everything else" is approximately $500/month so my total spend is about 30k per year excluding income taxes and employer-provided health insurance.
We spend 1200 monthly, which includes groceries, dining out and alcohol.
This area is one of our pleasures in retirement. If we didn't have to cook, we rarely would do so.
I'd probably be better off commenting on the "How High Can You Go" thread. I don't consider us wasteful spenders and the biggest part of our spending involves college and gifts to kids. Once the last kid is totally off the payroll, we should get down to a more reasonable figure - maybe around $80K. At least that's the hope.
That is impressive! I thought we were doing good around $1800 for everything including taxes and health insurance.
No no sorry let me clarify, we spend 1200 monthly just on food which includes groceries, dining out and alcohol. lol
Our total spend in 2020 was 72k, which was lower than normal due to no travel and lesser entertainment.
I consider myself frugal but am having a hard time believing you only spend $30k per year when $24k is rent and $2400 is food, That only leaves $3600 a year or $300/month for everything else in your life? Especially in San Jose.
I can see someone living on $30k annually pretty easily but not when $24k or 80% of it is rent.
Do you have any of the following: internet, cell phones, gifts, charities, a vehicle, clothes to wear, insurance deductibles, fuel, rental insurance, entertainment, pets, recreational equipment, audio/video equipment, shaving items, toiletries, utility bills, alcohol or other vises, vacations , income taxes etc.
You get the point. I am certainly not criticizing your lifestyle at all just can't get my head around everything else in life only being $300/month.
Another San Jose resident here. I spend around $33K annually, which includes property tax around $13K and some occasional overseas travels. Health insurance is sponsored by employer, therefore the cost is included but it is not significant. Plan is to spend around $42K annually when retired, with addition solely due to individual healthcare cost.I was thinking the same thing. I live fairly close to San Jose and my wife and I spend $400/month for each car. That includes insurance, registration, gas, maintenance and repairs.
But then I'd have to live in Tennessee (no offense to those who do). Currently, the Atlantic Ocean is about 300 feet from my bedroom.
If you live in a LCOL area and don't really care about being near water (very overrated IMO), then it can be pretty inexpensive to live.
Mine is $1500
Sure, housing prices (which matters to the extent you're still paying a mortgage or are renting), home insurance and most taxes are likely to be higher near the coast, but the prices of cars, computers, groceries, clothes and other everyday items are within a fairly narrow band just about everywhere.If you live in a LCOL area and don't really care about being near water (very overrated IMO), then it can be pretty inexpensive to live....
We spend $18k a year on food and dining.