Can we live in DFW for $30,000 (Dallas, Katy: daycare, how much, safe neighborhood)

[Moorhen3]

I do not know the city of Dallas or its surroundings, I'm just gonna start with that, but I am familiar with my little corner of Dallas county, specifically Sachse and North Garland. I looked up the rental prices in Sachse cause I know that there are a few neighborhoods that have duplexes or some (a bit ) older homes that the rent is not too expensive and sure enough, there is a duplex (which I have a couple of friends who live there and one has even lived there for over 5 years) and the rent is $750 for 2 bedrooms/2baths. Sachse is a nice city, in my opinion (MY OPINION) and is extremely close to Garland which he could then take the DART. Garland ISD is a very good school district and this area of Dallas county is mostly middle class or upper middle class so crime rates/safety is quite good. The only caveat like some of you have pointed out is, do they have loans they have to repay? Do they have good credit?
Also, I do wonder what the potential is of getting ahead in this job offered to him. Is there advancement opportunities with in a year or two? Does the job offer medical insurance? There are lots of other things to take into consideration that I think could make $30k doable.

[MaryS80]

I am going to flat out say no, not even close. My husband and I each make a little less than that a year, are combined income is about $50-55k annually. We have no kids, and while we aren't struggling it can be hard to makes ends meet sometimes. I couldn't imagine trying to support a a spouse and one child on my income alone, let alone three kids.

First and foremost you need a place to stay, a three to four bedroom house or apartment. Rentals for something that size aren't cheap I would say absolute bare minimum for a three bedroom rental would be $1000/mo. The cheapest complex in my area has two bedrooms that run almost $800/mo. The complex I am living in has one bedrooms starting at $720 and three bedroom runs almost $1400/mo. I really can't imagine finding a big enough place to live for $800 or less a month. Granted there are some very cheap complexes, but they are often in unsafe areas, not a place to raise a family.

[Grainraiser]

Some of you people need to drive around the city of Dallas and ask yourself how people actually live on 30k or less. You would be shocked at how many people live on this type of salary. No one is saying you will anything close to a lavish lifestyle but people do it everyday. Lakewooder gives some excellent advice. Live in east Dallas and take public transit to work. Buy a monthly DART pass and your transportation issues will be taken care of. A two bedroom place is would be the best bet. A 3 bedroom is going to be to expensive. It the OP plans thing carefully he can certainly make it on 30k barring any large emergencies. I will offer the OP this advice. I would make the move if I knew 30k was just a starting point. Be he gets another job or wife goes to work it would make the move if I knew this salary was temporary. I would not make the move with the mindset that 30k is going to provide for me and family for a indefinite period of time. At some point living hand to mouth is going to wear on him and his marriage and the stress level will go thru the roof. I learned during my college days that a person really can survive on very little if pushed to it. I work with unemployed/underemployed people everyday who have found this to be true. If 30k is a starting point I say make the move. If 30k is the start and end please stay were you are until you can do much better.

[TurtleCreek80]

Grainraiser, can't rep you again but your post is spot-on. As for the posters saying "you'll never find a 4-5 bedroom home for $800/mo"....yes, you are correct. But you're oblivious to the fact that many, many families have multiple kids in 1 bedroom. A bunk bed and a twin bed for a 2nd bedroom is all OP needs. It worked for the Brady Bunch, right?

The median household income in Dallas is $40k. That means 50% of Dallasites make under $40k so certainly hundreds of thousands of Dallasites are living on $30k & under. It can be done. And East Dallas is a GREAT springboard for this family- walkable, short commute using bus or possibly DART rail, cheap groceries due to plenty of Hispanic owned meat stores/ bodegas/ fruit stalls/ etc, and good public schools.

[TurtleCreek80]

Ok, I actually did some research.

$800 will get you a 2 br/2 bath/ 1,000sf near Lovers Lane & Skillman. GREAT neighborhood- zoned to award winning Exemplary-rated Stonewall Jackson Elementary School. Complex has a pool. Walking distance to 2 grocery stores, the lovers Lane DART station (can commute downtown), the Katy Trail for walking/ biking, Zion Lutheran Church which has a great kid's playground, a bookstore, pharmacy, dozens of restaurants (fast food & sit down). Very safe neighborhood!

[loves2read]

How much take home will he have left after witholding for govt stuff and insurance?

30K divided by 52 weeks = 576.92 or 2500 a mo w/o any taxes/deuctions for ins or anything else
insurance alone can break a budget--so they probably can't afford to take out company ins unless it is heavily subsidized--which means any medical expense means trip to Parkland for treatment or finding low-cost clinic

800 a mo will take a third of their budget before any deductions--and take home will be less--
so the rent will be larger portion of net--
almost everything on Internet about ratio of rent to income says that 30% is max and 25% is much better--
33% might be ok IF there is more net to work with so hopefully there would be more disposable income in case of emergency

find another job is my suggestion--
if that is not doable then suggest to your wife that she and the children stay with the inlaws while you come to Dallas to work
rent a room from someone vs rent an apt--
there are ads on Craigs list for that--some people are still feeling the pinch of the economy/job loss from the past couple of years
maybe you can find one that is close to bus line and not need a car
bare minimum of everything and try to save what you can
as someone pointed out -- you still claim all your exemptions whether they are with your inlaws or you--so you will pay minimum income tax
don't know what you are doing about ins now but you probably can't afford it here

you are going to be living/working like migrant who left his family behind--save as much as you can and hope you earn lot of overtime
see if you can get second job on weekends since you can't afford to go home that much

[TurtleCreek80]

They would net about $2,000/mo with a $350/mo health insurance payment. That's the employe's share of a family plan at my company, at least. Also, remember the family would very likely not pay any federal taxes and would receive about a $1,000 refund each spring. Additionally, they would qualify for about $300/mo in food stamps (Texas SNAP) based on size of family and income AND the school-aged child would most likely qualify for free lunch and possibly breakfast at school.

Assume no credit card debt and no car payment.

$2,000 net pay
- $800 rent
- $250 monthly bills- phone/ Internet/ heat & cool (remember, for a 1,000sf apartment only)
- $300 food (total food expected to be $600 or $150/wk. Half paid for with SNAP)
- $100 DART pass for commuting
- $100 car insurance
- $150 gas
- $100 misc household (laundry, pharmacy/ toilet paper, etc)
- $50 Kids expenses/ activities
- $50 Clothing / haircuts
- $100 Savings

Tight? Heck yes. Possible without debt? Yes.
-

[Philip T]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

They would net about $2,000/mo with a $350/mo health insurance payment. That's the employe's share of a family plan at my company, at least. Also, remember the family would very likely not pay any federal taxes and would receive about a $1,000 refund each spring. Additionally, they would qualify for about $300/mo in food stamps (Texas SNAP) based on size of family and income AND the school-aged child would most likely qualify for free lunch and possibly breakfast at school.

Assume no credit card debt and no car payment.

$2,000 net pay
- $800 rent
- $250 monthly bills- phone/ Internet/ heat & cool (remember, for a 1,000sf apartment only)
- $300 food (total food expected to be $600 or $150/wk. Half paid for with SNAP)
- $100 DART pass for commuting
- $100 car insurance
- $150 gas
- $100 misc household (laundry, pharmacy/ toilet paper, etc)
- $50 Kids expenses/ activities
- $50 Clothing / haircuts
- $100 Savings

Tight? Heck yes. Possible without debt? Yes.
-

How 'bouts . . . . Grossly Irresponsible? Oh Holy Cow!

You ever have a family and kids?

Two things that have a hard time staying in the lines are: Kids with a coloring book AND family budgets. Probably the kids' coloring books are easier.

But that assumes that budget was even going to cover things. It is not.

I see you have them paying $100 for car insurance -- but no car payment or repair budget. Real world says you are paying one or the other -- but never neither.

Are you figuring 100% medicaid to fill in for the kids? Dentist? Shots?

On a larger modeling sense, if you really do not understand what you are missing -- it is RISK. Stuff happens. But it is interesting to see -- the math you are playing is what has helped caused the foreclosed McMasions. Just go X5 or X10 or so down the list, and the modeling is the same.

In real life there is no "football math." No "110% Coach!" There is only what there really is at the time to work with. Foods Stamps do not come through one month -- hard upside down. New tires, brakes, or a hit-and-run on the car. WAY upside down. Single paycheck bounces -- Homeless shelter.

Overall THIS is grossly irresponsible planning. If we can even call it "planning." More like hoping -- and hope is not a plan.

Sorry TC80, I do not mean to jump you at all, and what you may be presenting is a fair approximation of DFW regional thinking -- but it also explains why the area has some of the highest debt defaults in the nation.

[mumbles under breath -- Dallas ought to bulldoze SMU Business School and put up the Dave Ramsey School of Hard Knocks ]

[kazyn]

Originally Posted by TurtleCreek80

They would net about $2,000/mo with a $350/mo health insurance payment.

I take home about 2200/mo after tax, no health insurance at 35k

[5stones]

I am going to add something...
Summer is comming, so kids won't get free lunch at school. (OP oldest is going into 2nd grade so guessing second is probably in kinder, and youngest preschool.)

I suggest as another did, esp. for summer, LEAVE the wife and kids at the inlaws. They have food and shelter and free child care...Have mom get a part time job to build up savings...ie emergency fund. (even 300.00/per month will help alot!!) Run in home daycare etc....
You find a cheap small studio apt. (6mo lease if able) work your butt off do overtime and get a weekend job. BUILD up your savings!!! Pay off any loans etc... DO NOT use a credit card.
Try to find a better paying job or "move up" with the current job.
While here you will be able to find areas that will meet your requirements for bring the family.
SAFE, Good Schools and CLOSE to job.

I wish you luck in doing this and understand you want to live on your own and support your family. BUT to rush into this I feel is a mistake.

You are leaving family...no support system.
You have 3 kids...you need an emergency fund. plain and simple. I have 3 kids and know emergencies pop up all the time!! and $300/month for groceries is a drop in the bucket for a family of 5.