Debt Dumpers 2026

[Bellex917]

I'm with you! 1 hr from Beach, 1 hr to NY or Phl. Several airports, lake, mountains etc. Born and bred. DH would leave tomorrow, I tell him he can go, I'll visit!

It's the best place... the most expensive, ridiculous, overpriced... place lol.

But, the food is so good too. The bagels, the pizza, the Italian food... I guess I'm committed to a life of this lol!

With that said, if my kids both left and went to the same place I'd follow them, but they're still young (14 and 10) so this is not an anytime soon thing.

 

[Sheree]

I unfortunately live in a super high tax town. My property taxes are 14k for a 2400 square foot house on a tiny lot... but... NJ schools are consistently #2-4 in the country, and as a teacher and parent of school aged kids... I'm not leaving that. Plus I make 6 figures as a teacher, which is definitely NOT the norm in other states.

we pay 18k+ for 3400sf on 1 acre which doesn't seem awful in relation! We're in central jersey, North is a lot more
at the shore, a 40x50 lot with 750 sf bungalow on a lagoon is 13k+

 

[Sheree]

It's the best place... the most expensive, ridiculous, overpriced... place lol.

But, the food is so good too. The bagels, the pizza, the Italian food... I guess I'm committed to a life of this lol!

With that said, if my kids both left and went to the same place I'd follow them, but they're still young (14 and 10) so this is not an anytime soon thing.

True! Im always bringing food when we visit friends who have moved. My son and dil live 2 miles from us, I'm not leaving!

 

[Bellex917]

we pay 18k+ for 3400sf on 1 acre which doesn't seem awful in relation! We're in central jersey, North is a lot more
at the shore, a 40x50 lot with 750 sf bungalow on a lagoon is 13k+

I'm central too... we might be neighbors lol!

 

[barkley]

heads up-anyone looking to stock up on laundry/cleaning/paper goods (I did cuz i'm in need AND I suspect prices are going to go up with rising fuel costs)-target is doing their buy $50 and get a $15 gift card deal. it's good through 3/28 so if you REALY want to maximize the deal you can do a $50, wait for the $15 gc to hit your inbox and then turn around and do a subsequent order using that gift card so you only spend $35 and get yet another giftcard.

 

[Sheree]

I'm central too... we might be neighbors lol!

I grew up in Metuchen, now live in Mercer County

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

we pay 18k+ for 3400sf on 1 acre which doesn't seem awful in relation! We're in central jersey, North is a lot more
at the shore, a 40x50 lot with 750 sf bungalow on a lagoon is 13k+

That depends on the shore town. My dad pays that for his shore house and it's 6BR/4BA on a lagoon.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Just wanted to share this.

I think I've posted it before but for anyone new who hasn't seen it, it's a bit old but the principles are timeless.

 

[Sheree]

That depends on the shore town. My dad pays that for his shore house and it's 6BR/4BA on a lagoon.

true. barrier island, but toms river taxes. could get 4x the house, same taxes on mainland TR on lagoon. they screw the barrier island because mostly 2nd homes, no voters

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

true. barrier island, but toms river taxes. could get 4x the house, same taxes on mainland TR on lagoon. they screw the barrier island because mostly 2nd homes, no voters

Yes. He is very close to the bay. I could easily swim to it. That was good enough for them. They were not interested in beaches. They were all about fishing and boating. We used to tease him that he probably kisses the boats good night. Sadly, the big one got tossed across his yard during Sandy. My kids were sadder than he was. By then he was getting older and it was a lot of work for him.
Now at 84, he just likes the view, watching other boats going by and waving.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

meaningless as far as sales price b/c yeah-it rarely reflects what you could actually sell for. I was just curious at what kind of taxable value justifies that much in taxes. mine is valued by the assessors for tax purposes at just about $600K which is easily at least 30% lower than the resales these days-my yearly property taxes are $4892.

The taxes on the house our son bought last year are about $5200/year. It's only about 13-1400 sf on 1/3 acre. Plenty for a single guy but yeah, that's still a lot.

 

[disney-inspired]

Some good money news - I was able to refinance the debt I had (DVC loan and some cc debt from moving) and it'll be paid off earlier (2 years vs the 3.5 years I had previously)) AND I'll have more money leftover to save each month. I may end up just throwing that extra cash to it to have it paid off even faster.

I was able to drop my interest rate from 11.99% to 8% - Super stoked about making faster progress. I've also put away my credit cards to avoid accruing new debt - cash only from this point forward.

 

[barkley]

I may end up just throwing that extra cash to it to have it paid off even faster.

first off-CONGRATS!!!

second off-i HIGHLY recommend throwing the same payment you did on the old loan to the new (and the extra directly at the principal if possible). we did this when we were able to re-fi our home to a lower rate. we knocked years off it-since you've been paying it already you won't miss it-it will just be knocking days, weeks and months off that debt.

 

[ruadisneyfan2]

Some good money news - I was able to refinance the debt I had (DVC loan and some cc debt from moving) and it'll be paid off earlier (2 years vs the 3.5 years I had previously)) AND I'll have more money leftover to save each month. I may end up just throwing that extra cash to it to have it paid off even faster.

I was able to drop my interest rate from 11.99% to 8% - Super stoked about making faster progress. I've also put away my credit cards to avoid accruing new debt - cash only from this point forward.

Yes! The faster you pay it down, the less interest you pay, and the sooner you can be debt free.

 

[DisneyMandC]

I unfortunately live in a super high tax town. My property taxes are 14k for a 2400 square foot house on a tiny lot... but... NJ schools are consistently #2-4 in the country, and as a teacher and parent of school aged kids... I'm not leaving that. Plus I make 6 figures as a teacher, which is definitely NOT the norm in other states.

Ours are over $11k for 1800 sf. on 1/4 acre. Yes, our teachers easily make 6 figures too. They did 10+ years ago when our kids were still in school. Most have a Master's degree. Most went way above and beyond for our kids.
The consensus up here is that anyone moving to FL needs to factor in the cost of private schools if you want the equivalent of what we have here. Also nowadays, their homeowners' insurance is crazy high. Ours is $1700/year. So we'd trade one big bill for another.

we pay 18k+ for 3400sf on 1 acre which doesn't seem awful in relation! We're in central jersey, North is a lot more
at the shore, a 40x50 lot with 750 sf bungalow on a lagoon is 13k+

These numbers are wild to me. Up until this upcoming tax bill, I paid $2600 a year for a 1200 sq ft house on 17 acres in a suburb of Richmond, VA. The house was very poor quality, so we actually tore it down and built a new house last fall. Our new taxes are $4500 for an 1800 sq ft brick ranch.

We do also pay sales tax, income tax, and personal property tax here though. The personal property tax is the only one that really annoys me lol.

 

[Bellex917]

These numbers are wild to me. Up until this upcoming tax bill, I paid $2600 a year for a 1200 sq ft house on 17 acres in a suburb of Richmond, VA. The house was very poor quality, so we actually tore it down and built a new house last fall. Our new taxes are $4500 for an 1800 sq ft brick ranch.

We do also pay sales tax, income tax, and personal property tax here though. The personal property tax is the only one that really annoys me lol.

We pay sales and income... but IDK about personal property... I never heard of that.

 

[afan]

We pay sales and income... but IDK about personal property... I never heard of that.

NC has it too. It's for cars, trucks, boats, atv etc. I only had it for my car. It's separate from license tabs. Paid it the 6 years I lived there and I still don't understand why or what the money goes to.

 

[barkley]

the only knowledge I have of personal property taxes is from an old movie that was about the same family that's featured in 'a Christmas Story' (seems crazy but there are actualy 8 separate movies b/c of all the books) and the parents, ralphie and the little brother are running around the house grabbing and hiding household items b/c it's the day the 'tax man' comes to do an assessment.

 

[DisneyMandC]

We pay sales and income... but IDK about personal property... I never heard of that.

It's where I get to pay sales tax on my car when I buy it, and then registration fees for it every year with DMV, and THEN I get to pay the state a couple hundred dollars every year in tax to continue owning it... I'm really not one to be jumping up and down about "where are my tax dollars going" but it is really annoying.

the only knowledge I have of personal property taxes is from an old movie that was about the same family that's featured in 'a Christmas Story' (seems crazy but there are actualy 8 separate movies b/c of all the books) and the parents, ralphie and the little brother are running around the house grabbing and hiding household items b/c it's the day the 'tax man' comes to do an assessment.

LOL this is really funny. We don't get taxed on anything like that haha, just cars, boats, trailers and the like.

 

[barkley]

It's where I get to pay sales tax on my car when I buy it, and then registration fees for it every year with DMV, and THEN I get to pay the state a couple hundred dollars every year in tax to continue owning it... I'm really not one to be jumping up and down about "where are my tax dollars going" but it is really annoying.

so does that entice more people to lease (or do the leasing companies just bundle the expense into the cost?)? I know nothing about leasing so I don't know if people that do it are on the hook to do the yearly registration fees at minimum.