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Old 01-31-2016, 09:01 AM
 
Location: Suburbia
8,821 posts, read 15,277,968 times
Reputation: 4527

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Quote:
Originally Posted by IsThisNameTaken View Post
Really? From what I read on other posts I would think anything under six figures would be down right impossible in this area. My salary is a bit a higher than OP and I almost had a panic attack thinking I wouldn't be able to afford to live out here.
Where is "here" specifically?

Seriously? A panic attack? For an individual salary? The new hires where I work (county school district), make $48k with a BA/BS and $52k with a MA and I think that's doable. Someone with fifteen years experience is in the $72k range.
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Old 01-31-2016, 09:24 AM
 
23 posts, read 26,320 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tgbwc View Post
Where is "here" specifically?

Seriously? A panic attack? For an individual salary? The new hires where I work (county school district), make $48k with a BA/BS and $52k with a MA and I think that's doable. Someone with fifteen years experience is in the $72k range.
Northern Virginia. I just mean I was stressed thinking I wouldn't be able to find a place that I could afford.
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Old 01-31-2016, 09:27 AM
 
23 posts, read 26,320 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by toosie View Post
It depends what your priorities are. The OP is young and hasn't expressed a desire for an expensive car, home, lifestyle. It is an expensive area but, IMO, a lot of people make it much worse than it has to be because they care about status. My colleagues are appalled that I choose to live where I do. I value my 10 minute commute more than I would a spendy house in the outburbs. It's all about choices.
I just graduated college and I am staring my first job in NoVa so we have similar backgrounds. I guess it depends on who you ask. It is obvious though that money doesn't go quite as far in NoVa than it does in other places with a lower cost of living. But I agree it does depend on your priorities I don't believe there is any one size fits all solution.
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Old 01-31-2016, 09:36 AM
 
Location: Bettendorf, IA
449 posts, read 1,390,626 times
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Totally agree. That amount is quite a bit starting out for anyone anywhere.

Quote:
Originally Posted by leavingwash View Post
Unless you have a wild spending spree, I don't see any reason why you would not be able to live on that. (Many people do it on much less!).
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Old 01-31-2016, 10:01 AM
 
Location: Suburbia
8,821 posts, read 15,277,968 times
Reputation: 4527
Quote:
Originally Posted by IsThisNameTaken View Post
Northern Virginia. I just mean I was stressed thinking I wouldn't be able to find a place that I could afford.
I understand.
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Old 01-31-2016, 10:01 AM
 
2,189 posts, read 3,307,384 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by IsThisNameTaken View Post
Really? From what I read on other posts I would think anything under six figures would be down right impossible in this area. My salary is a bit a higher than OP and I almost had a panic attack thinking I wouldn't be able to afford to live out here.
I don't know, I haven't seen many posts like that. Maybe it was a family of 4 or 5 asking how much they needed to make. Could be tight for a large family making under 100k around here but an individual with no kids can live on far less.
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Old 01-31-2016, 11:21 AM
 
1,159 posts, read 1,283,735 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by FCNova View Post
I don't know, I haven't seen many posts like that. Maybe it was a family of 4 or 5 asking how much they needed to make. Could be tight for a large family making under 100k around here but an individual with no kids can live on far less.
I agree. Mostly it's families posting about how they have 2 kids and want great schools and 3 bedrooms etc. That's a whole different ball game from a single guy who may just rent a basement apartment. I also think that people tend to freak out less when a single guy rather than a single woman wants to live in a sketchier area. Just an observation.
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Old 02-01-2016, 06:32 AM
 
Location: West Hollywood, CA from Arlington, VA
2,768 posts, read 3,517,239 times
Reputation: 1575
A lot of the posters on the DC forum are always scaring people about the COL.


For $2000 you can afford all the necessities in the DC area:
Small no-frills Apartment-$1400 (can be found even in Metro-accessible parts of Arlington)
Electric: $50
No-frills Cable/Internet: $50
Groceries: $200
Health Insurance: $200
Cell Phone: $100


If you have a car, add about $300. If you have student loan payments, add about $200.


Of course, some people are prima donnas and spend $3k on a penthouse at the most luxury apartment building in Arlington and then wonder why they're broke...
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Old 02-01-2016, 07:17 AM
 
232 posts, read 360,298 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Ffxdata View Post
I agree. Mostly it's families posting about how they have 2 kids and want great schools and 3 bedrooms etc. That's a whole different ball game from a single guy who may just rent a basement apartment. I also think that people tend to freak out less when a single guy rather than a single woman wants to live in a sketchier area. Just an observation.
Agree. Think the challenge is when a family is moving here and has a very high wish list (SFH, big yard, best schools, certain neighborhood) but need to do it all with a low unrealistic budget. Everything is a compromise, is price cap a higher priority than location? Is school district a higher priority than commute time?

I know people that live in WV (Martinsburg area) that work in DC. They choose the low cost of living but have the major trade off of LONG commute.
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Old 02-01-2016, 07:40 AM
 
9,865 posts, read 14,059,203 times
Reputation: 21690
[quote=gomason;42848924]

For $2000 you can afford all the necessities in the DC area:
Small no-frills Apartment-$1400 (can be found even in Metro-accessible parts of Arlington)
Electric: $50
No-frills Cable/Internet: $50
Groceries: $200
Health Insurance: $200
Cell Phone: $100


[quote]


If you are only bringing in $2000 per month, you CANNOT afford the above. You've paid electric, what about water or possibly gas? The above doesn't include a car, but it also doesn't include any transportation costs (Metro ain't free). It also doesn't include any savings or emergency fund. And, god forbid, you may ever want to buy a shirt or a pair of shoes or a birthday gift for your mom. There isn't any money for any of that.
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