Middle Class

[SplashMtnCrew]

I am going out on a limb here and someone will probably come along a flame the mess out of me, but this is just an observation from my job standpoint. Rant over and I have gone off topic of my own thread.

Suzanne

The part about going off topic on your own thread has me cracking up!

 

[HugsForEeyore]

I am floored reading this thread. Where I live in NJ, the OP would probably be homeless! Or at the very least, being forced to live in a relative's basement or something. $40,000 a year won't even get you a one bedroom apartment - you probably wouldn't even be approved. Well, maybe a $40,000 income can get a tiny place in the not-so-great areas close to or in Newark, but not anywhere you actually want to live. Cost of living is insane here.

Funny - I asked a question on the Budget Board not long ago for a coworker - she makes about $40,000 and was trying to get a one bedroom apartment, and was looking at a place over $1100 a month (almost every apartment is at least that much around here), and was wondering what was feasible. Most responses said she absolutely couldn't afford it alone, she needed at least a roommate! So the OP making $40,000 and owning a house???? Unheard of!!

 

[Pin Wizard]

Yup, insane is right. That's why we left in 1989. I'll never go back.

 

[ZPT1022]

I really feel for those of you in such expensive places. It must be very, very stressful at times. We're looking at fixer-uppers in our area with a target budget of 50-60K; the houses we're looking at do need work, but most are livable (though ugly) as is. I found one that I think we'll be making an offer on - an 1800 sq ft 1904 Victorian on a half acre for 59K. I can't even imagine trying to scrape together 350K for a duplex!

I can't imagine being able to buy a house for $50,000. We're in CT, not even in the most expensive part and you couldn't buy a crappy condo in a bad area of town for under $150,000

 

[PrincessSuzanne]

I am floored reading this thread. Where I live in NJ, the OP would probably be homeless! Or at the very least, being forced to live in a relative's basement or something. $40,000 a year won't even get you a one bedroom apartment - you probably wouldn't even be approved. Well, maybe a $40,000 income can get a tiny place in the not-so-great areas close to or in Newark, but not anywhere you actually want to live. Cost of living is insane here.

Funny - I asked a question on the Budget Board not long ago for a coworker - she makes about $40,000 and was trying to get a one bedroom apartment, and was looking at a place over $1100 a month (almost every apartment is at least that much around here), and was wondering what was feasible. Most responses said she absolutely couldn't afford it alone, she needed at least a roommate! So the OP making $40,000 and owning a house???? Unheard of!!

I don't think it is so unheard of around here. I live in east Central Alabama on the AL/GA state line (almost literally). I guess I never really envisioned myself ever making $40,000 a year only 17 years out of high school. Now, I do have to say some of that is DH's income as well. I could still afford this house even if I wasn't married. They did a Market Analysis of the houses in our neighborhood about 2 years ago and the average was $65,000 to $102,000. My grandparents paid $7,500 for this house in 1950. Now, it has been added onto 3 or 4 times and DH and I paid $75,000 for it 57 years later. It is a 3 bedroom, one bath with a living room, dining room, den kitchen and 2 basements (not "finished" like rooms, but shops) To me the cost of living is not great, but compared to other areas of the country, we're doing great.

My MIL and Step-FIL live in California about 2 hours from LA and they live in a pop-up camper on a camp ground and have for the last 8 years. They can afford to do better (at least a mobile home), but they don't. I don't know where there money goes Step-FIL makes alot of money and his company provides his vehicle and gas, I think MIL smokes it. You couldn't pay me to live like that and I won't even go visit, because I am not a camper.

Suzanne

 

[DawnM]

That is why 90% of your state either has moved to NC or plans to.

This is also why my DH wanted to move from LA. I just want to move back, small home or no small home. But we could afford it, we just would have a smaller home.

Dawn

I am floored reading this thread. Where I live in NJ, the OP would probably be homeless! Or at the very least, being forced to live in a relative's basement or something. $40,000 a year won't even get you a one bedroom apartment - you probably wouldn't even be approved. Well, maybe a $40,000 income can get a tiny place in the not-so-great areas close to or in Newark, but not anywhere you actually want to live. Cost of living is insane here.

Funny - I asked a question on the Budget Board not long ago for a coworker - she makes about $40,000 and was trying to get a one bedroom apartment, and was looking at a place over $1100 a month (almost every apartment is at least that much around here), and was wondering what was feasible. Most responses said she absolutely couldn't afford it alone, she needed at least a roommate! So the OP making $40,000 and owning a house???? Unheard of!!