Can you live on $80,000 a year in Northern VA (Arlington: townhouses, high school)

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by live_strong28

Maryland schools are top notch around the Potomac, Bethesda, and lower Rockville area.

Also, if your kid can get into Montgomery Blair's magnet program, it's top notch also. I'd venture to say if Montgomery Blair was all magnet, it'd give TJ a run for its money.

Not all the magnets at Blair are great, but you are right about the math magnet. It is as good as TJ's program. The problem is, the whole school isn't as good as TJ. Math and science classes in the magnet are terrific, but the other classes, not so much. The other students? Definitely NOT so much.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by ScranBarre

I guess I just don't expect much out of life. I just had tortellini alfredo for dinner, and that was the best I've eaten all week!

Great to hear! I am glad that we won't have to hear anymore of your complaints about your poor salary, where you have to live, how awful NOVA is, etc. Glad to hear that you have lowered your expectations to reality and are happy with that.

[Denton56]

Originally Posted by ZakAttack

That first sentence is the understatement of the century.

I think there is no perfect answer to the OP's original question here. It is all relative to your debt, savings, who else may be supporting you, inheritance, etc. Just become some people like to drive a nicer car, and treat themselves to Starbuck's coffee doesn't make them evil as Scranbarre would perceive. It sounds like he is jealous and I bet you as soon as he is making a little more money he will be in line to order a mocha-chocha-latte, boot up his laptop and hit on some college girls while he stares out the window at his new Audi.

ALL sounds accurate, until this part "hit on some college girls". Scranny hits on guys, not girls. He is of the gay persuasion.

[MacUser85]

I should say I agree with the folks who say $80,000 can be doable here. My hesitation is simply that while we can all eat out less, buy less fancy clothes, etc., there are certain expenses with kids that change the dynamic. With kids, you'll probably definitely pick the PPO versus the HMO, you'll want to budget extra for at least one activity for each child, clothes, school supplies, etc. When you add expensive housing and a long commute to that, it just requires some extra time and calculation.

Life is all about choices and I just feel so fortunate to live in a country where we all have such opportunity!

[HEATHER72]

Originally Posted by Denton56

Great to hear! I am glad that we won't have to hear anymore of your complaints about your poor salary, where you have to live, how awful NOVA is, etc.

We can only hope.

[Artsywoman]

I live in Nova on $13,000 per year, because I am on disability. It is definitely a change from my 40k job, but I have adapted pretty well. Sometimes it is hard on me, as I love to go to movies etc. Overall it has been a challenge, but I know it can be done. In fact, I am going to write a book about it. I do get assistance with housing, but have to pay utilities and medicare premiums, co-pays and medicine expenses. I do not have a car and take the Metro or bus. It gets me anywhere I need to be. Mostly I try to walk a lot, which I love. I do not eat out much and I shop at goodwill and Ross. I decorated my entire apt from Ross and Goodwill. It looks marvelous! Things do get tight at times, but I survive. I can't imagine not being able tolive on 80k, but if you are buying a house it may be tight, as the housing prices are off the wall here. Still, you should be fine as long as you do not have to live large!!

[Artsywoman]

Oh please, I hate that Northern Virginia Stereotype. I grew up here and I have never owned a car etc. Not everyone here is a snob and drives a fancy car etc. We are also not rude and unfriendly. I think there are a variety of people here and it is a great area to live. I am tired of these whiny people who complain about the high cost of living. At least you can get a good salary here. I lived in Florida and everyone there complained about the low salaries. At least we have a lot here. There is a reason why things are high here, because we have a lot to offer.

[NOVAmtneer82]

Exactly! People in Northern Virginia and the DC area in general get a bad rap for allegedly having some obsession with materialism that simply doesn't exist on a higher level than any other major metropolitan area. It's part of the competitive rat race and welcome to it!

Do some people prefer the finer things in life? Yes, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with that. Should we apologize for having a Blackberry and getting a Starbucks latte every morning or having a martini after work because someone else doesn't have or want those same things? No thanks. I'll worry about my own life and could really care less if someone else thinks I'm "posing."

[mac10]

Originally Posted by Artsywoman

Oh please, I hate that Northern Virginia Stereotype. I grew up here and I have never owned a car etc. Not everyone here is a snob and drives a fancy car etc. We are also not rude and unfriendly. I think there are a variety of people here and it is a great area to live. I am tired of these whiny people who complain about the high cost of living. At least you can get a good salary here. I lived in Florida and everyone there complained about the low salaries. At least we have a lot here. There is a reason why things are high here, because we have a lot to offer.

I have to agree with you. I grew up here also and Northern Virginia was not always a flashy place. Tysons was once a two story mall and Reston Town Center did not have high rises. I went to high school in Mclean (not Langley). Most families were well off, but kids didn't drive to school in BMWs.

Northern Virginia used to be a reasonable place to live, especially when compared to the Northeast. It wasn't until the people started moving here in flocks in the 90s, when housing prices and everything else started to increase. That was also when I noticed the increase in rudeness and snobs. People came here for the jobs and along came their attitudes and fancy cars.

I don't have a problem with people driving fancy cars. I do have a problem with people trying to run you off the road with their fancy cars and think they are better than everyone else.

[VRE332]

Originally Posted by mac10

I have to agree with you. I grew up here also and Northern Virginia was not always a flashy place. Tysons was once a two story mall and Reston Town Center did not have high rises. I went to high school in Mclean (not Langley). Most families were well off, but kids didn't drive to school in BMWs.

Northern Virginia used to be a reasonable place to live, especially when compared to the Northeast. It wasn't until the people started moving here in flocks in the 90s, when housing prices and everything else started to increase. That was also when I noticed the increase in rudeness and snobs. People came here for the jobs and along came their attitudes and fancy cars.

I don't have a problem with people driving fancy cars. I do have a problem with people trying to run you off the road with their fancy cars and think they are better than everyone else.

I agree on your point. I know a few natives here, and they're the nicest people around. One couple I know still lives in Vienna and another moved out to PWC.