What’s the Perfect Budget?

[svelte]

Five years ago I would never have believed I would be saying this, but I agree with Marion that having a woman’s nails done is practically a necessity. At $12/pop, it’s well worth it. And extremely sexy.

As for what one can afford for $100K/yr, all I can tell you is that when we bought our first place, our household brought in about $75K/yr and we sweated making our $1800 p&i&taxes a few times. We were really tapped out – no vacations, nothing extra except a $200/mo car payment and daycare of $100/week. It was during those years that we decided never to be in a house that ate up every penny of our income ever again. And we haven’t.

[jpinpb]

svelte – I hear you about not being in a house that eats every penny. I was in that very situation. It starts out so innocuous. You have no problem at first. Happy even. Then some little thing happens and throws off the whole budget and it’s a bumpy ride and not fun. I ran the numbers and made sense at the time, but $hit happens and no amount of planning could avoid it.

Been there, learned my lesson and gonna try not to repeat and get in over my head again. Probably the main reason I didn’t get on the Subprime Express.

[jpinpb]

svelte – I hear you about not being in a house that eats every penny. I was in that very situation. It starts out so innocuous. You have no problem at first. Happy even. Then some little thing happens and throws off the whole budget and it’s a bumpy ride and not fun. I ran the numbers and made sense at the time, but $hit happens and no amount of planning could avoid it.

Been there, learned my lesson and gonna try not to repeat and get in over my head again. Probably the main reason I didn’t get on the Subprime Express.

[jpinpb]

svelte – I hear you about not being in a house that eats every penny. I was in that very situation. It starts out so innocuous. You have no problem at first. Happy even. Then some little thing happens and throws off the whole budget and it’s a bumpy ride and not fun. I ran the numbers and made sense at the time, but $hit happens and no amount of planning could avoid it.

Been there, learned my lesson and gonna try not to repeat and get in over my head again. Probably the main reason I didn’t get on the Subprime Express.

[jpinpb]

svelte – I hear you about not being in a house that eats every penny. I was in that very situation. It starts out so innocuous. You have no problem at first. Happy even. Then some little thing happens and throws off the whole budget and it’s a bumpy ride and not fun. I ran the numbers and made sense at the time, but $hit happens and no amount of planning could avoid it.

Been there, learned my lesson and gonna try not to repeat and get in over my head again. Probably the main reason I didn’t get on the Subprime Express.

[jpinpb]

svelte – I hear you about not being in a house that eats every penny. I was in that very situation. It starts out so innocuous. You have no problem at first. Happy even. Then some little thing happens and throws off the whole budget and it’s a bumpy ride and not fun. I ran the numbers and made sense at the time, but $hit happens and no amount of planning could avoid it.

Been there, learned my lesson and gonna try not to repeat and get in over my head again. Probably the main reason I didn’t get on the Subprime Express.

[Coronita]

It's kinda funny who I thought was a guy on hear is. Well, it's cool either way. Things are still the same. fwiw jpinpb, things haven't changed. I'll still be the occasionally crude type of person. Afterall, I am equal opportunity jackass at times.  Plus you get bonus points for driving an audi, double bonus points if it's a stick, triple points if you are somehow related to Dana Patrick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danica_Patrick

On topic:

It seems like with a $100k income, it would be a tight budget to own a SFH home at present levels, though if one wanted to, it's probably about doing some initial tradeoffs and penny pinching. A few things would I would think is 

1) area that doesn't have an HOA or MelloRuse

2) Cable/Net/Phone: some of this has to go. It's pretty expensive. Cable is like $50/month, and net is about $20-30 and landline phone is like $20, cell is like $40. It adds up. I get basic cable just to get news because we don't watch too much tv. We had no landline because we care a cell phone. And the plan we're on is the lowest cell plan. We do most of our yapping after 7pm when it's unlimited. Of course, if you want net, you need either cable of phone, so forexample, we just get basic phone with no other service. Total bill is like $19/month for internet and a phoneline we don't use.

3) Food is expensive if you buy at costco. Costco is cheaper than vons's normal price, but still more expensive than on sale places. We tailor what we eat to what's on sale. We don't clip coupons, though if we had time we would.

4) Car: ideally there should be no loan on it and fairly reliable transportation that is also decent to insure. Anything german is pretty much out of the question if you're on a $100k household income AND want to buy a home here. Maintanence/reliability will kill you. Also, some cars are much cheaper to insure than others. Hondas/Toyotas ironically are more expensive to insure because they are often stolen and ripped apart for parts. 

 

5) Eating out a lot has to go too. Plus it's probably healthier for you anyway. Also means more brown bagging to work.

 

 

 

[img_assist|nid=5962|title=selfportrait|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=80]

—– Sour grapes for everyone!

[Coronita]

It's kinda funny who I thought was a guy on hear is. Well, it's cool either way. Things are still the same. fwiw jpinpb, things haven't changed. I'll still be the occasionally crude type of person. Afterall, I am equal opportunity jackass at times.  Plus you get bonus points for driving an audi, double bonus points if it's a stick, triple points if you are somehow related to Dana Patrick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danica_Patrick

On topic:

It seems like with a $100k income, it would be a tight budget to own a SFH home at present levels, though if one wanted to, it's probably about doing some initial tradeoffs and penny pinching. A few things would I would think is 

1) area that doesn't have an HOA or MelloRuse

2) Cable/Net/Phone: some of this has to go. It's pretty expensive. Cable is like $50/month, and net is about $20-30 and landline phone is like $20, cell is like $40. It adds up. I get basic cable just to get news because we don't watch too much tv. We had no landline because we care a cell phone. And the plan we're on is the lowest cell plan. We do most of our yapping after 7pm when it's unlimited. Of course, if you want net, you need either cable of phone, so forexample, we just get basic phone with no other service. Total bill is like $19/month for internet and a phoneline we don't use.

3) Food is expensive if you buy at costco. Costco is cheaper than vons's normal price, but still more expensive than on sale places. We tailor what we eat to what's on sale. We don't clip coupons, though if we had time we would.

4) Car: ideally there should be no loan on it and fairly reliable transportation that is also decent to insure. Anything german is pretty much out of the question if you're on a $100k household income AND want to buy a home here. Maintanence/reliability will kill you. Also, some cars are much cheaper to insure than others. Hondas/Toyotas ironically are more expensive to insure because they are often stolen and ripped apart for parts. 

 

5) Eating out a lot has to go too. Plus it's probably healthier for you anyway. Also means more brown bagging to work.

 

 

 

[img_assist|nid=5962|title=selfportrait|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=80]

—– Sour grapes for everyone!

[Coronita]

It's kinda funny who I thought was a guy on hear is. Well, it's cool either way. Things are still the same. fwiw jpinpb, things haven't changed. I'll still be the occasionally crude type of person. Afterall, I am equal opportunity jackass at times.  Plus you get bonus points for driving an audi, double bonus points if it's a stick, triple points if you are somehow related to Dana Patrick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danica_Patrick

On topic:

It seems like with a $100k income, it would be a tight budget to own a SFH home at present levels, though if one wanted to, it's probably about doing some initial tradeoffs and penny pinching. A few things would I would think is 

1) area that doesn't have an HOA or MelloRuse

2) Cable/Net/Phone: some of this has to go. It's pretty expensive. Cable is like $50/month, and net is about $20-30 and landline phone is like $20, cell is like $40. It adds up. I get basic cable just to get news because we don't watch too much tv. We had no landline because we care a cell phone. And the plan we're on is the lowest cell plan. We do most of our yapping after 7pm when it's unlimited. Of course, if you want net, you need either cable of phone, so forexample, we just get basic phone with no other service. Total bill is like $19/month for internet and a phoneline we don't use.

3) Food is expensive if you buy at costco. Costco is cheaper than vons's normal price, but still more expensive than on sale places. We tailor what we eat to what's on sale. We don't clip coupons, though if we had time we would.

4) Car: ideally there should be no loan on it and fairly reliable transportation that is also decent to insure. Anything german is pretty much out of the question if you're on a $100k household income AND want to buy a home here. Maintanence/reliability will kill you. Also, some cars are much cheaper to insure than others. Hondas/Toyotas ironically are more expensive to insure because they are often stolen and ripped apart for parts. 

 

5) Eating out a lot has to go too. Plus it's probably healthier for you anyway. Also means more brown bagging to work.

 

 

 

[img_assist|nid=5962|title=selfportrait|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=80]

—– Sour grapes for everyone!

[Coronita]

It's kinda funny who I thought was a guy on hear is. Well, it's cool either way. Things are still the same. fwiw jpinpb, things haven't changed. I'll still be the occasionally crude type of person. Afterall, I am equal opportunity jackass at times.  Plus you get bonus points for driving an audi, double bonus points if it's a stick, triple points if you are somehow related to Dana Patrick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danica_Patrick

On topic:

It seems like with a $100k income, it would be a tight budget to own a SFH home at present levels, though if one wanted to, it's probably about doing some initial tradeoffs and penny pinching. A few things would I would think is 

1) area that doesn't have an HOA or MelloRuse

2) Cable/Net/Phone: some of this has to go. It's pretty expensive. Cable is like $50/month, and net is about $20-30 and landline phone is like $20, cell is like $40. It adds up. I get basic cable just to get news because we don't watch too much tv. We had no landline because we care a cell phone. And the plan we're on is the lowest cell plan. We do most of our yapping after 7pm when it's unlimited. Of course, if you want net, you need either cable of phone, so forexample, we just get basic phone with no other service. Total bill is like $19/month for internet and a phoneline we don't use.

3) Food is expensive if you buy at costco. Costco is cheaper than vons's normal price, but still more expensive than on sale places. We tailor what we eat to what's on sale. We don't clip coupons, though if we had time we would.

4) Car: ideally there should be no loan on it and fairly reliable transportation that is also decent to insure. Anything german is pretty much out of the question if you're on a $100k household income AND want to buy a home here. Maintanence/reliability will kill you. Also, some cars are much cheaper to insure than others. Hondas/Toyotas ironically are more expensive to insure because they are often stolen and ripped apart for parts. 

 

5) Eating out a lot has to go too. Plus it's probably healthier for you anyway. Also means more brown bagging to work.

 

 

 

[img_assist|nid=5962|title=selfportrait|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=80]

—– Sour grapes for everyone!

[Coronita]

It's kinda funny who I thought was a guy on hear is. Well, it's cool either way. Things are still the same. fwiw jpinpb, things haven't changed. I'll still be the occasionally crude type of person. Afterall, I am equal opportunity jackass at times.  Plus you get bonus points for driving an audi, double bonus points if it's a stick, triple points if you are somehow related to Dana Patrick. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Danica_Patrick

On topic:

It seems like with a $100k income, it would be a tight budget to own a SFH home at present levels, though if one wanted to, it's probably about doing some initial tradeoffs and penny pinching. A few things would I would think is 

1) area that doesn't have an HOA or MelloRuse

2) Cable/Net/Phone: some of this has to go. It's pretty expensive. Cable is like $50/month, and net is about $20-30 and landline phone is like $20, cell is like $40. It adds up. I get basic cable just to get news because we don't watch too much tv. We had no landline because we care a cell phone. And the plan we're on is the lowest cell plan. We do most of our yapping after 7pm when it's unlimited. Of course, if you want net, you need either cable of phone, so forexample, we just get basic phone with no other service. Total bill is like $19/month for internet and a phoneline we don't use.

3) Food is expensive if you buy at costco. Costco is cheaper than vons's normal price, but still more expensive than on sale places. We tailor what we eat to what's on sale. We don't clip coupons, though if we had time we would.

4) Car: ideally there should be no loan on it and fairly reliable transportation that is also decent to insure. Anything german is pretty much out of the question if you're on a $100k household income AND want to buy a home here. Maintanence/reliability will kill you. Also, some cars are much cheaper to insure than others. Hondas/Toyotas ironically are more expensive to insure because they are often stolen and ripped apart for parts. 

 

5) Eating out a lot has to go too. Plus it's probably healthier for you anyway. Also means more brown bagging to work.

 

 

 

[img_assist|nid=5962|title=selfportrait|desc=|link=node|align=left|width=100|height=80]

—– Sour grapes for everyone!

[jpinpb]

Oh, it’s a stick. I can’t imagine ever driving an automatic, and certainly not the TT. Do they make a TT that’s automatic? That should be criminal.

FLU- There are definitely sacrifices to be made w/100k income and a house. All those mentioned are fair game. I’d say the little things add up that sometimes you don’t notice. Even just Starbucks can add up.

P.S. Dani is very cool. Not related 🙁

[jpinpb]

Oh, it’s a stick. I can’t imagine ever driving an automatic, and certainly not the TT. Do they make a TT that’s automatic? That should be criminal.

FLU- There are definitely sacrifices to be made w/100k income and a house. All those mentioned are fair game. I’d say the little things add up that sometimes you don’t notice. Even just Starbucks can add up.

P.S. Dani is very cool. Not related 🙁

[jpinpb]

Oh, it’s a stick. I can’t imagine ever driving an automatic, and certainly not the TT. Do they make a TT that’s automatic? That should be criminal.

FLU- There are definitely sacrifices to be made w/100k income and a house. All those mentioned are fair game. I’d say the little things add up that sometimes you don’t notice. Even just Starbucks can add up.

P.S. Dani is very cool. Not related 🙁

[jpinpb]

Oh, it’s a stick. I can’t imagine ever driving an automatic, and certainly not the TT. Do they make a TT that’s automatic? That should be criminal.

FLU- There are definitely sacrifices to be made w/100k income and a house. All those mentioned are fair game. I’d say the little things add up that sometimes you don’t notice. Even just Starbucks can add up.

P.S. Dani is very cool. Not related 🙁

[Author]

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