DC on 35K/yr?? (low income, movers, crime)

[dingo050]

I'm making 36K a year, fresh college grad working in DC and living in Arlington with roommates at $800/month, and it's definitely do-able. I've got student loans (went to state school and worked full-time throughout though), but I'm used to living like a student so this actually feels comfortable, compared to my college years. I'm thrifty, but I enjoy life on the weekends, going to bars and taking weekend trips. Where will you be working? If at all possible, try to live within walking distance to work. The amount of money and time you save will be much more than just monetary- your quality of life will be greater. If you look carefully, there are studios to be had for under $1200, even in areas like Dupont. I don't mind roommates and would rather spend that money on other things.

[v3ronika]

Originally Posted by coldbliss

Walk in my shoes for a minute, Mr. Quick-to-Judge.

1. I am paying medical bills because my health insurance coverage only goes so far. By the way, the MAJORITY of American people have this problem with health care coverage. Medical expenses are the number one cause of personal bankruptcies in the United States.
....

As more money goes towards living expenses (shelter, health care, transportation, food), I have less money available for savings and investment.

Healthcare and transportation - if the govt wasnt so good at providing that for their employees, I would *not* be considering DC on 35K, make sure of that!

[mettler]

you just have to get pen and paper and write it all down, add it up, and see if you can make it..your answer will be right in front of you..

Listen to metal

[chiefdc]

When I first lived in DC, I was making $35k a year going out three or four nights a week and I was fine. I didn't eat out at many sitdown restaurants other than the cheap ones, but I was fine. And I had a car. But I also was paying $900 on rent living with one other guy, in a fantastic apartment in Woodley Park.

I think you'll be absolutely fine if you live with another person or just don't go out or eat out as much as I did. But for most people, that's just not an option since part of living in the city is using the amenities.

Don't worry about saving... if you're young and reasonably confident of moving up and making more soon. Good luck! Don't listen to the naysayers... the DC area is a wonderful place to live. It's got a lot going on, and the people you meet are very friendly (especially the ones from the area). Just be as outgoing as possible!

[LIS123]

I agree that you have to put yourself out there when you move here, esp if you don't have a ready-made social network. It's going to be tough for people to approach you, invite you to stuff, etc. One good thing is that, when you do take initiative, there is a chance you can connect with that person as a friend, SO, professional connection or one degree of separation closer to another person who can be one of those things.

I'll also agree that a lot of people are nicer than they come across, esp if you form opinions based on the Metro, standing in line at restaurants, etc.

[chrisherbert]

Groceries, fuel, and public transport costs are not so significant that 60K isn't going to cover them. Also, "barely, BARELY scraping by" to me implies that you are not putting anything away for retirement.

I manage to eat out and blow money on trendy clothes and stupid high-tech gadgets pretty well with a lot less than 60K.

Originally Posted by coldbliss

Walk in my shoes for a minute, Mr. Quick-to-Judge.

1. I am paying medical bills because my health insurance coverage only goes so far. By the way, the MAJORITY of American people have this problem with health care coverage. Medical expenses are the number one cause of personal bankruptcies in the United States.
2. I got student loans from graduate school. MOST people in their 20s and 30s have this financial issue.
3. I am putting more money into my retirement account because I don't want to be a starving old dude.
4. The cost of groceries, fuel, and public transportation have increased significantly in the past year.
5. I don't eat out much or blow money on trendy clothes or stupid high-tech gadgets from Best Buy.

Got a news flash for you...$60K per year doesn't take you very far in the DC region. Sure, maybe back in 1995, you could live the High-Life as a young person making that income. Not today with inflated real estate and food prices. As more money goes towards living expenses (shelter, health care, transportation, food), I have less money available for savings and investment.

I will always tell people to look for employment opportunities in more affordable regions of the country. Decent paying jobs are more scarce outside of the Washington, DC area but if you look hard enough, you will find an exciting job with good pay in cheaper parts of the country. I am pissing away valuable savings and retirement money by living in the DC region. The gridlocked road traffic, crowded and dysfunctional public transit system, and the "judge you by your resume" arrogant DC culture adds more stress and misery.

[coldbliss]

I am putting away money for retirement. You obviously don't understand the DC job market and salary situations here too well. A $60,000 per year salary might sound good in St. Louis, Cleveland or Boise, ID. But it doesn't get you crap in DC.

Look, there are 22 year olds with computer science and engineering degrees getting job offers starting at $60,000 per year. I am not making this up. There are workers in the information technology field making close to $100,000 before they reach the age of 30. I wrote WORKERS...not company executives. Some established DC law firms offer starting salaries at $150,000 to new associates with freshly minted law degrees. Public relations associates with bachelor degrees typically make well-above $60-$70 per year at DC area firms. Most of these professionals are still relatively inexperienced in their 20s. And you wonder why housing and everything else here is expensive compared to other metro regions.

Goverment jobs cannot compete with the corporate sector in terms of salary compensation. Moving up through salary grades at a federal agency takes forever. In the private sector, you are well compensated with bonuses, commissions or hefty raises IF business is vibrant. Promotions move much faster in the business world as opposed to bloated, bureaucratic federal agencies. This is why professionals choose to work for contracting firms that do business FOR the federal government. You might get crappy benefits but the paychecks are PHAT.

I read somewhere you need to make at least $72,000 per year to afford a single-bedroom apartment in many neighborhoods of northwest DC, including the inner suburbs of DC such as Arlington, Alexandria, and Bethesda, MD. I really believe this is true.

You think you can find a condo space near a Metro station on a $35,000 per year salary? Ah...nope. You think you can find a studio or one-bedroom apartment for under $1,000 per month that is close to shops, restaurants and Metro? No, not anymore. Get roommates. Roommate(S).

Making $60,000 is a piece of cake if I lived at home with Mommy & Daddy. If I don't have bills from student loans, car repairs or medical care...piece of cake, dude. If you don't have any kids to feed and clothe...piece of cake. When the average cost of food grows by 15 percent and gasoline by 50-60 percent in one year and your income only expands by 4 percent...yeah, you are going to feel the pinch.

Originally Posted by chrisherbert

Groceries, fuel, and public transport costs are not so significant that 60K isn't going to cover them. Also, "barely, BARELY scraping by" to me implies that you are not putting anything away for retirement.

I manage to eat out and blow money on trendy clothes and stupid high-tech gadgets pretty well with a lot less than 60K.

[v3ronika]

Originally Posted by coldbliss

This is why professionals choose to work for contracting firms that do business FOR the federal government. You might get crappy benefits but the paychecks are PHAT.

I think you underestimate the value of good benefits. Medical bills, like you said before, are the number one cause for bankruptcy. Having govt health insurance in these days of skyrocketing costs makes a huge difference. That phat private sector paycheck better be 250K/yr if you dont want to worry about having crappy company-sponsored healthcare benefits. Even that might not be enough, who knows what might happen?

My brother watched 3 of his friends get very sick last year. The private sector ones (who work in NV hotels and makes loads of $$) had all their savings robbed. They are starting from scratch again. The govt worker was relatively untouched. My brother decided to take a big pay-cut and go work for the county after that. He complains about some of his co-workers being unmotivated, etc. but he says he doesnt doubt his choice for a second.

We waste a lot of money on healthcare in this country, especially individually, but thats a topic for another forum!

[v3ronika]

Originally Posted by LIS123

I agree that you have to put yourself out there when you move here, esp if you don't have a ready-made social network. It's going to be tough for people to approach you, invite you to stuff, etc. One good thing is that, when you do take initiative, there is a chance you can connect with that person as a friend, SO, professional connection or one degree of separation closer to another person who can be one of those things.

I'll also agree that a lot of people are nicer than they come across, esp if you form opinions based on the Metro, standing in line at restaurants, etc.

I have a lot of interests so that helps when trying to meet new people. I do things like join photography and astronomy groups - things that are usually free or close to it and where I know the people I meet will have shared interests.

Also, I dont know if the farmers market people up there do it, but here (Buffalo), you can do a work-share. Meaning that if you help out at the stall on saturday mornings, or whenever, you earn a "share" of the food. My bf does this and he gets bags and bags of organic produce that last all week, sometimes too much food. He doesnt get paid $ but the produce is more than worth it - plus its another good way to make friends.

As for people being nicer than they seem - I understand that one! No people have more walls than NYC-ers! I had to work on getting rid of mine LOL!

[mettler]

black metal, eh? I don't believe that for a second..