Buford_Van_Stomm t1_j29i7om wrote on December 30, 2022 at 4:57 PM

Reply to comment by Interesting-Dish8894 in Worth looking for a higher paying job? by pookiewook

Regardless of what a family grosses, it's important to a lot of people to be paid what they're worth.

Always worth doing a budget audit, especially for the new year, but 3 kids, med-high COL adds up.

SignorJC t1_j2ayw8q wrote on December 30, 2022 at 10:37 PM

Portland, Maine is not a med-high COL area. It below average COL. OP needs a budget and realistic life expectations. There's nothing in OP's post that says how much they are being paid compared to market value. Considering their absolutely huge perks, they've got total compensation close to $100,000 (they have 5 weeks PTO, so I'd estimate it's actually more than $100,000 total compensation).

Edit: I misread my source- Maine is overall lower than average. Portland is slightly above average. In 2018 when OP moved there, it was about average, maybe slightly above. Unless they bought their home in the last 12 months, they very likely made out like bandits buying a home using NYC salaries.

COL is not the problem for OP. They're making HCOL salaries and living in at WORST a medium cost of living area.

pookiewook OP t1_j2b1vuq wrote on December 30, 2022 at 10:57 PM

Where did you get that Portland isn’t a med COL area? Housing is 29% higher than average across the country.

https://www.payscale.com/cost-of-living-calculator/Maine-Portland

Als, look at this table for 2 working adults with 3 kids

https://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/38860