How do people afford to live?

[RangerWickett]

This article says that in the Northeast, to live a good life with high quality stuff (basically, to be a Yuppie), your family of four needs to make at least $211,000 a year.

http://moneycentral.msn.com/content/invest/forbes/P121206.asp?GT1=6584

Now sure, I just graduated from college last year with an English degree, so it's not like I expect to be rich yet, and sure, the article is from Forbes so it might carry an air of unnecessarily high conceptions of wealth, but even the best jobs I'm seeing that someone with an undergraduate degree could get are around $40,000 a year. Me, I'm working 20 hours a week and will likely get about $12,000 a year, plus however much I make from E.N. Publishing and other writing work.

I'm guessing that both parents work, so that means $105,500 a year per parent. Or, if we say a 40 hour work week and 52 weeks a year, that's $50 an hour.

What I want to know is, where can I find a job like that? *grin*

 

[Teflon Billy]

I don't have the faintest idea.

 

[Treebore]

According to job statistics, very few jobs are in that pay range. Besides, taxes probably take that down to $130,000.00 of actual spending money. Then paying into 401K's and health insurance, car insurance, and house insurance probably knocks that down to $100,000.00.

Then their mortgage and two car payments probably eat up another $36,000.00 per year. Still, a fair amount of money to have fun with left over.

 

[IamTheTest]

Well, look at the lifestyle in question. Do I need two brand new Lexus's, a boat, and swimming pool? Nah. Id live just fine with a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home in a nice neighborhood and that certainly wouldnt cost 200k.

 

[trancejeremy]

I think this article goes well beyond being a yuppie though. Not many yuppies have 2 brand new luxury cars, a house worth nearly a million bucks and another vacation house worth even more....

They also are apparently paying college tuition out of their pocket...and private school for their other kid.

And of course, there is not listing for "Latte" or Starbucks, so they clearly aren't yuppies.

 

[Turanil]

What I want to know is, where can I find a job like that? *grin*

You can't of course, but nothing is lost: at least your D&D characters will probably kill dragons and get tons of gold!

 

[Angel Tarragon]

Thankfully, through Social Security Disability checks that are direct deposited into my joint account with my parents. It covers my food, utilities (my share of the water and cable bill) and rent. Yes rent. Though I do live with my parents, they require a large portion of the money I get every month just to let me live with them. And on top of this I have to earn part of it, by doing chores for my parents. Sigh.

Thankfully, they (my parents) will be footing my entrance fee into college next year, in full, that is if I don't join the Army first.

 

[IronWolf]

Yeah, I think this article goes beyond what one might consider a typical "yuppie" lifestyle. It is my belief you really don't need *that* much money to be happy. Just try not to fall victim to the keeping up with the neighbor game and you can be just fine (and this doesn't mean you can't drive a newer model car, live in a decent sized house, etc.).

 

[Mystery Man]

The things you own end up owning you.

 

[Bront]

Well, look at the lifestyle in question. Do I need two brand new Lexus's, a boat, and swimming pool? Nah. Id live just fine with a 3 bedroom, 2 bathroom home in a nice neighborhood and that certainly wouldnt cost 200k.

Realy depends on where you live. I know in several states a 2 bed/1 bath 1100 square foot home can go for almost $400,000. I do know in my area, you're lucky to find a house that size (3 Bed, 2 bath) for $250,000, and even then you're talking no basement, and probably under 1800 square feet. Housing is expensive, and has gone up a lot (15%+ in 2 years in the case of my home, and I'm in one of the lower priced neighborhoods that I'd still feel comfortable living in.).