What's it like to have money? (Mojave: community college, camper, square footage)

[Dport7674]

You should move to the part of the country where no one is broke. Where everyone has money to travel and invest and save.

[adr3naline]

Originally Posted by TheGoodUsernamesWereTaken

That was also a point I as trying to illustrate about my situation, sure, I can "get by", but just getting by, for all intents and purposes, is miserable.

For some, just getting by on $100k can be worth it. I have friends that fit this bill. They are content knowing that living frugally will be worth it in the long run, given they're building a career trajectory they simply cannot in other areas of the country. So at one point they'll exit the rat race by either purchasing a home in SoCal or moving to live like kings/queens elsewhere.

The question is, does that work for you. For many, it does not.

[TheGoodUsernamesWereTaken]

Originally Posted by adr3naline

For some, just getting by on $100k can be worth it. I have friends that fit this bill. They are content knowing that living frugally will be worth it in the long run, given they're building a career trajectory they simply cannot in other areas of the country. So at one point they'll exit the rat race by either purchasing a home in SoCal or moving to live like kings/queens elsewhere.

The question is, does that work for you. For many, it does not.

But I keep hearing this but it's much to vague to be a point in my opinion.


Worth it why?

How can they not build the same trajectory elsewhere?

I don't know about every industry out there but I know a huge portion of us in urban California work in tech, our jobs are EVERYWHERE, and many can be done remotely, and/or traveling. This isn't 2001 where if you want to work in tech, you need to be in Silicon Valley.


I've been living "frugally" for the last 4 years hear without much to show for it and really not out of choice but because frugal is what keeps me afloat, but at what point do I get to start actually enjoying life? When i'm retired? I don't think so. I want to retire in peace, but I don't want the memories of my life to be "work-gym-sleep" when I get there.

[Finper]

I just did a col calculator for San Fran and Tucson Az at 100,000. You can have the same standard of living for 52000 in Tucson as you do in San Fran so yea you'd live like a king there. You could buy a beautiful house at the Catalina foothills or Oro Valley (check out Redfin). If you stay in Ca you need to move out of that area nothing is worth the COL it is to live there... nothing

[TheGoodUsernamesWereTaken]

Originally Posted by Finper

I just did a col calculator for San Fran and Tucson Az at 100,000. You can have the same standard of living for 52000 in Tucson as you do in San Fran so yea you'd live like a king there. You could buy a beautiful house at the Catalina foothills or Oro Valley (check out Redfin). If you stay in Ca you need to move out of that area nothing is worth the COL it is to live there... nothing

Did you use this one?



Cost of living: How far will my salary go in another city? - CNNMoney


I have been pondering the bolded for almost a year now, and it puzzles me how, despite the numbers showing more people leave than enter the state, why on city-data there is just a refusal to see it this way, but I haven't heard compelling reasons why it IS worth it, lol.

[MtnSurfer]

Originally Posted by TheGoodUsernamesWereTaken

Did you use this one?

I have been pondering the bolded for almost a year now, and it puzzles me how, despite the numbers showing more people leave than enter the state, why on city-data there is just a refusal to see it this way, but I haven't heard compelling reasons why it IS worth it, lol.

I think you have to ask that on the San Jose of SF forums and you will get a lot more reasons why its worth it for those folks. Many of us in CA don't want to live there either based on the price one pays to be 'close to the action, the city on the Bay, etc...' But obviously for some its the best place ever. So, its really very subjective and that's why for you it doesn't really matter... unless it really does for all those same reasons. Which reason, you ask? The reasons that someone else will give you - their reasons, not your own. Since you really don't have a strong personal desire or preference to be there, its simply a waste of your time and money. Basically, you're getting a poor return on your investment. You're not getting what you are paying for which others who love it are. Who cares why they enjoy it more than you do. Their reasons for loving it are just as valid as yours for not. There's no point in living someone else's dream if its not truly your own.

It's sounds like it's time to move, pure and simple. Nothing wrong with that. Then hopefully you'll be content with your same income since you will be giving yourself a raise by lowering basic costs of living. That is unless you go and spend to the max (fancy new house, new car, etc...) and then are back to living paycheck to paycheck again. That easily could happen regardless of whatever smoke others are blowing up your backside about living like a king! CA isn't the only state where people live beyond their means, trust me. I saw it in CO while living there as well. On the other hand, if you live within your means, these things should not really matter as much anymore since you'll have a savings and can still travel, etc...

Derek

[Finper]

You would be a true baller to blow 100k a year in Az.

[goodlife36]

Originally Posted by TheGoodUsernamesWereTaken

But I keep hearing this but it's much to vague to be a point in my opinion.


Worth it why?

How can they not build the same trajectory elsewhere?

I don't know about every industry out there but I know a huge portion of us in urban California work in tech, our jobs are EVERYWHERE, and many can be done remotely, and/or traveling. This isn't 2001 where if you want to work in tech, you need to be in Silicon Valley.


I've been living "frugally" for the last 4 years hear without much to show for it and really not out of choice but because frugal is what keeps me afloat, but at what point do I get to start actually enjoying life? When i'm retired? I don't think so. I want to retire in peace, but I don't want the memories of my life to be "work-gym-sleep" when I get there.

Define frugal.

[goodlife36]

Originally Posted by MtnSurfer

I think you have to ask that on the San Jose of SF forums and you will get a lot more reasons why its worth it for those folks. Many of us in CA don't want to live there either based on the price one pays to be 'close to the action, the city on the Bay, etc...' But obviously for some its the best place ever. So, its really very subjective and that's why for you it doesn't really matter... unless it really does for all those same reasons. Which reason, you ask? The reasons that someone else will give you - their reasons, not your own. Since you really don't have a strong personal desire or preference to be there, its simply a waste of your time and money. Basically, you're getting a poor return on your investment. You're not getting what you are paying for which others who love it are. Who cares why they enjoy it more than you do. Their reasons for loving it are just as valid as yours for not. There's no point in living someone else's dream if its not truly your own.

It's sounds like it's time to move, pure and simple. Nothing wrong with that. Then hopefully you'll be content with your same income since you will be giving yourself a raise by lowering basic costs of living. That is unless you go and spend to the max (fancy new house, new car, etc...) and then are back to living paycheck to paycheck again. That easily could happen regardless of whatever smoke others are blowing up your backside about living like a king! CA isn't the only state where people live beyond their means, trust me. I saw it in CO while living there as well. On the other hand, if you live within your means, these things should not really matter as much anymore since you'll have a savings and can still travel, etc...

Derek

Excellent post!

[maui-intoxicated]

Like asking how the food tastes with my mouth swallowing it... subjective.

I go to concerts, we bring our 2 yr old on vacations with us, Florida, Hawaii, we buy new laptops and phones every other year...live in a 3000 sq ft home on 1acre, commute 20minutes and eat steaks whenever we want.

Going skiing in the mtns, bought new skis rollerblades, a treadmill a new coutch. Life is good but health is wealth IMO.

moved away from California and never looked back. We visit Cali once every couple years though. The lack of sun here can get to a person though.