Actually, the small choices make huge differences.
It’s the comfort issues that really blow things apart. the TV bill, the phone bill, the cell phone bill, the electric bill, the heat bill and the HUGE two: dining out and food. I know plenty of people with $150+ TV bills, $100+ phone/internet bills, $200+ cell phone bills, $400+ summer electric bills and regular $100+ bills,somehow spend $1000 a month on groceries and yet eat out half the time.
The huge issue isn’t so much bedroom as it is square footage. Do you need 1500, 2000, 2500, 3000? And frankly, location their trumps house. Location drives so many other cost, comfort and opportunity issues.
Houses in commuter-land are cheaper, but you trade relatively small capital for not so small monthly cash flow, time issues. The commute straps time so you spend more on the car, more on gas, more on mainenance, leverage more prepared meals instead of preparing meals and potentially incur more related child care or other expenses due to extended hours.
