SwingmanSealegz t1_j9e28mx wrote on February 21, 2023 at 6:11 AM

I’ve been “earning decent” at every job until I wasn’t a few years later despite reasonable raises. Cost of living will tear you a new asshole unless you give up considerable comfort. MANY moving here severely underestimate it.

I have to pick up jaws from the floor whenever I tell my visiting foreign family how much I make and how much is left after my necessary expenses.

romeo2413 t1_j9h3tdt wrote on February 21, 2023 at 10:52 PM

How much do you make and how much do you have left after necessary expenses?

SwingmanSealegz t1_j9hdxjt wrote on February 22, 2023 at 12:01 AM

Pre-tax annual ~115k between me and my wife, monthly take-home after tax, SSI, healthcare, and savings deductions ~6,500.

I’m not gonna list all my expenses, but we live pretty frugal sharing one car, but rent in a HCOL area in Southern CA. I’ll be lucky to have 2k in fun money at the end of the month, but it usually falls short. I would love to own a home here and that’s where the leftover should be going toward, but that’s unlikely within the decade.

TootsieNoodles t1_j9hmbuh wrote on February 22, 2023 at 1:01 AM

I fully agree with your message but I am honestly confused how you could think that 2k in fun money PER MONTH is not very much.

SwingmanSealegz t1_j9iiqxg wrote on February 22, 2023 at 5:21 AM

I’m supposed to be saving for a goddamn house.

FHA is not an option. A 10% down payment is literally $90,000+ anywhere within 30 mins of where my wife and I work. Ideally, I would love to put down 20%, and even then I’m still competing with cash offers.

Sure, an extra 2k is a lot for someone who likes living paycheck to paycheck. I don’t like that. I won’t like being a forever renter. I don’t want to start a 30-year mortgage when I’m 40. I want real estate to pass onto my kids because this economy will be even more fucked in time.