Where are we going wrong??

Posted: Thu, Jun 21 2012, 10:31 pm Post subject: re: Where are we going wrong??

Those are low paying fields that never earn much. I would then recommend moving to a lower cost of living area or changing fields.

The reality is you need to work even longer hrs then that usually to earn substantially more. Doctors, corporate lawyers, people in finance, work much longer hrs for their higher salaries. My husband is in a medical field and earns 6 figures but he works 70 or so hrs a week, and nights and weekends that make that even more most weeks. So when a certain family member of mine makes comments about his salary, I tell her that he works twice the hrs of many men. His hourly salary is not necessarily more.

Gold Member Joined: Apr 11 2008 Posts: 1450

A teacher and a social worker? I'm not sure you'll ever be able to afford a house in NY. Those are white collar jobs, but not necessarily "middle class income" jobs, especially for a frum family.

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Posted: Fri, Jun 22 2012, 4:11 pm Post subject: re: Where are we going wrong??

OP here:

We would LOVE to move out of town! We even have our sights set on a community that has housing in the 200K range and reasonable tuition. There are 2 things holding us back:

1. Jobs in that area are not as easy to come by as they are in Brooklyn, and DH has been looking, believe me.

2. The rent is not much cheaper there than it is here, and we don't have the down payment or security for purchasing a house just yet.

I have taken all of your posts to heart and we plan to start saving every receipt and keeping track of cash outflow so we can see where everything is going. Unfortunately, DH and I sometimes disagree about fundamental spending priorities. He doesn't care about the mini-van as much but would rather me get cleaning help and takeout as I'm a much nicer person to him since I'm calmer Smile

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Moderator Joined: Aug 14 2005 Posts: 4549 Location: Ohio

When we were saving to buy a house, we lived in a tiny, tiny 1 BR apartment. We never ate out or had take-out. We ate meat once a week. No cleaning lady. No extras. We both worked full time and did part-time freelance work on the side.

A close friend of mine talks about when her family was saving to buy a house. Both parents made good money. And they ate mac and cheese or soup five or six nights a week.

Before my inlaws bought their house, they drove a car that was quite literally held together with duct table and coat hangers. You could see the ground through the floorboards.

It doesn't just fall in your lap.
_________________
mommy to 2 girls, 1 boy

"I would rather have my people laugh at my economies than weep for my extravagance."
--King Oscar of Sweden

Posted: Sat, Jun 23 2012, 10:14 pm Post subject: re: Where are we going wrong??

Yes to that. Dh and I married when we were older and had worked a number of years, so we had savings. Still, we lived in a 1 BR apartment, with our kid in our room till we moved (when he was 2+.) No cleaning help, no car, ate very simply, dressed ds in hand me downs, thrift shop stuff or no-name clothes. No new sheitels for me, and almost no new clothes except a very few maternity pieces. Dh worked FT+ and I worked PT. We were able to buy a house after 4 years of marriage, but didn't get a car till three years and two kids later.

Posted: Wed, Jun 27 2012, 4:08 pm Post subject: Re: Where are we going wrong??

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