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Old 05-29-2010, 12:58 PM
 
15 posts, read 49,753 times
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Hi Would anyone care to share an example budget for a family of 4 (2 adults 1 toddler 1 baby)
  • Looking to Rent in FiarFax Area
Any examples?
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Old 05-29-2010, 01:02 PM
 
216 posts, read 631,653 times
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Do you mean how much of your budget you should spend on rent? I heard that a good guideline is spending 50% of your take-home income on rent, utilities, food and other "mandatory" expenses, save 20% and have 30% for travel, clothes, entertainment, etc.

If you asking how much it costs to rent in Fairfax County, please provide the size of place you are looking for and exactly where, and perhaps someone else can help you.
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Old 05-29-2010, 01:07 PM
 
15 posts, read 49,753 times
Reputation: 13
Yep .. kinda.. i know we kinda have and idea about rent..
Just wanted some genreal example fiugures for smiliart family size (as a guide) for:
  • Groceries
  • Medical
  • Clothes
  • Child Care
etc... i just wanted to get a general idea of costs.. on the regular items in the are.
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Old 05-29-2010, 03:22 PM
 
Location: Northern Virginia
4,489 posts, read 10,922,714 times
Reputation: 3698
Quote:
Originally Posted by creaz View Post
Yep .. kinda.. i know we kinda have and idea about rent..
Just wanted some genreal example fiugures for smiliart family size (as a guide) for:
  • Groceries
  • Medical
  • Clothes
  • Child Care
etc... i just wanted to get a general idea of costs.. on the regular items in the are.
I don't know that anyone can answer that for you. Groceries depend on if you buy generic or name brand or organic cheerios, if you clip coupons, if you shop sales, if you buy bulk. Medical depends on what you need (specialists? Yearly physicals?) and if you have insurance. Where are you shopping for clothes, and what are your habits? (Clothes are pretty much the same price anywhere in the country, but do you buy new shoes once a year or once a month?) For childcare, are you looking for a babysitter, preschool, daycare, what?

You can browse the weekly ads for grocery stores and your favorite clothing stores online, and I would guess you could find ballpark ranges for childcare online as well, depending what type of place your looking for.
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Old 05-29-2010, 04:59 PM
 
8,983 posts, read 21,114,952 times
Reputation: 3796
Quote:
Originally Posted by creaz View Post
Yep .. kinda.. i know we kinda have and idea about rent..
Just wanted some genreal example fiugures for smiliart family size (as a guide) for:
  • Groceries
  • Medical
  • Clothes
  • Child Care
etc... i just wanted to get a general idea of costs.. on the regular items in the are.
If you go to www.city-data.com you can look at statistics for various cities and towns, including a cost of living index. For example, Fairfax City has an index of 120.4. You can find your hometown and compare too.

From where are you relocating? Northern Virginia/DC in general is one of the more expensive metros in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic which itself has a generally higher cost of living than most everywhere outside of Seattle and coastal California.

EDIT: I just looked at your previous posts and see that you're coming from the Caribbean which would make the cost of living comparison useless for your purposes. That said, I'd predict the cost of living would be the same if not lower if only that the cost of shipping goods here may not be as expensive as to the islands. On the other hand, not unlike housing, commercial property is expensive as well and the retailers pass on that cost to the customesr.

Last edited by FindingZen; 05-29-2010 at 05:12 PM..
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Old 05-29-2010, 05:10 PM
 
15 posts, read 49,753 times
Reputation: 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by Tone509 View Post
If you go to www.city-data.com you can look at statistics for various cities and towns, including a cost of living index. For example, Fairfax City has an index of 120.4. You can find your hometown and compare too.

From where are you relocating? Northern Virginia/DC in general is one of the more expensive metros in the Northeast/Mid-Atlantic which itself has a generally higher cost of living than most everywhere outside of Seattle and coastal California.
I am actually coming from outside of the US.. caribbean...i will look at the cost of living index as you suggested... to see if i understand it.
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Old 05-29-2010, 05:19 PM
 
8,983 posts, read 21,114,952 times
Reputation: 3796
Quote:
Originally Posted by creaz View Post
I am actually coming from outside of the US.. caribbean...i will look at the cost of living index as you suggested... to see if i understand it.
Yes I realized that after I initially posted but it looks like I edited myself too late.
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