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Old 03-21-2013, 03:47 PM
 
Location: Tempe, AZ
74 posts, read 273,564 times
Reputation: 63

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Quote:
Originally Posted by DetroitN8V View Post
$72k after taxes is FAR different than a $72k salary.
The OP didn't specify, but obviously there would be a difference once taxes are figured in. As I said before in my previous post, either scenario is very doable for a single person. You're entitled to not agree with my perspective
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Old 03-21-2013, 03:51 PM
 
9,196 posts, read 16,658,132 times
Reputation: 11328
Quote:
Originally Posted by MommaKD View Post
The OP didn't specify, but obviously there would be a difference once taxes are figured in. As I said before in my previous post, either scenario is very doable for a single person. You're entitled to not agree with my perspective
I don't disagree with your perspective at all. It is a bit misleading though when your family earns almost double what the OP is going to be. No one quotes their salary by the net amount. I've never had a job offered to me in terms of take-home pay, there are simply too many variables. Salary is understood to mean gross salary.
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Old 03-21-2013, 04:12 PM
 
Location: Tempe, AZ
74 posts, read 273,564 times
Reputation: 63
Quote:
Originally Posted by DetroitN8V View Post
I don't disagree with your perspective at all. It is a bit misleading though when your family earns almost double what the OP is going to be. No one quotes their salary by the net amount. I've never had a job offered to me in terms of take-home pay, there are simply too many variables. Salary is understood to mean gross salary.
What was misleading? I used my family of 5 as an example compared to the OP, and with exact figures to boot. When my husband job hunts, we calculate our budget based on take home pay to determine whether the job and location are viable. We make a rough estimate on taxes in order to do so. When you have children, you can't leave room for variables that could ultimately break you. I would rather anyone else looking to move to the area see an alternate opinion rather than be misled by an inflated cost of living. My apologies if you find that misleading.
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Old 03-21-2013, 05:10 PM
 
9,196 posts, read 16,658,132 times
Reputation: 11328
Quote:
Originally Posted by MommaKD View Post
What was misleading? I used my family of 5 as an example compared to the OP, and with exact figures to boot. When my husband job hunts, we calculate our budget based on take home pay to determine whether the job and location are viable. We make a rough estimate on taxes in order to do so. When you have children, you can't leave room for variables that could ultimately break you. I would rather anyone else looking to move to the area see an alternate opinion rather than be misled by an inflated cost of living. My apologies if you find that misleading.
You still think the OP's salary of $72k is the same as your husband's take-home of $72k? You're comparing the OP's $72k salary to your husband's $100k+ salary and telling him if we can do it for a family of five, so can you. While I think the OP will be fine, you're comparing apples to oranges.
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Old 03-21-2013, 05:36 PM
 
Location: Tempe, AZ
74 posts, read 273,564 times
Reputation: 63
Quote:
Originally Posted by DetroitN8V View Post
You still think the OP's salary of $72k is the same as your husband's take-home of $72k? You're comparing the OP's $72k salary to your husband's $100k+ salary and telling him if we can do it for a family of five, so can you. While I think the OP will be fine, you're comparing apples to oranges.
Where did I say that they're the same? You're making some fairly interesting assertions. I wasn't aware that the only people who could comment on cost of living here were those making the exact same amount as the OP. How far out of touch do you think I am to not be able to understand the cost of living for someone who makes less with fewer people to be responsible for? Do you think the OP isn't capable of making a logical comparison with basic mathematics in order to render the difference? As a family of three we started out on $17K a year, we've been on several financial tiers in many different cities so I know a thing or two about finances, budgeting, and cost of living.
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Old 03-21-2013, 05:40 PM
 
10,719 posts, read 20,312,051 times
Reputation: 10021
You guys realize that less than 20% of the population earns 72K or more. According to 2011 criteria, the per capita median income in the United States is 41K and 35K for Arizona so 72K is well above that. I'm sure it's higher now but it gives you an idea. The median household income in the United States according to U.S. Census from 2007-2011 was 52K per year. As hard as it may seem to believe, yes people and families live off less than 72K per year

Per Capita Personal Income U.S. and All States

http://quickfacts.census.gov/qfd/states/00000.html
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Old 03-21-2013, 05:44 PM
 
9,196 posts, read 16,658,132 times
Reputation: 11328
Quote:
Originally Posted by MommaKD View Post
Where did I say that they're the same? You're making some fairly interesting assertions. I wasn't aware that the only people who could comment on cost of living here were those making the exact same amount as the OP.
They're not assertions when I'm simply repeating what you've said:

Quote:
Originally Posted by MommaKD View Post
Former NYer here. To put things into perspective, my husband is the sole earner and makes that and we're very comfortable as a family of five here.
Your husband makes significantly more, and that's why your comment is misleading. I'm sure the OP doesn't expect to support a family of 5 on a $72k salary, but if someone comes across this thread in the future thinking that you get by supporting 5 people on a $72k salary, that's not true and would therefore be misleading. The cost of living is certainly less in most places of the Valley than in NY though.
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Old 03-21-2013, 05:47 PM
 
9,196 posts, read 16,658,132 times
Reputation: 11328
Quote:
Originally Posted by azriverfan. View Post
You guys realize that less than 20% of the population earns 72K or more. According to 2011 criteria, the per capita median income in the United States is 41K and 35K for Arizona so 72K is well above that. I'm sure it's higher now but it gives you an idea. The median household income in the United States according to U.S. Census from 2007-2011 was 52K per year. As hard as it may seem to believe, yes people and families live off less than 72K per year

Per Capita Personal Income U.S. and All States

USA QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau
This is gross (pre-tax) income BTW. I'm pretty sure they're not comparing peoples' net incomes.
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Old 03-21-2013, 05:49 PM
 
Location: Tempe, AZ
74 posts, read 273,564 times
Reputation: 63
Quote:
Originally Posted by azriverfan. View Post
You guys realize that less than 20% of the population earns 72K or more. According to 2011 criteria, the per capita median income in the United States is 41K and 35K for Arizona so 72K is well above that. I'm sure it's higher now but it gives you an idea. The median household income in the United States according to U.S. Census from 2007-2011 was 52K per year. As hard as it may seem to believe, yes people and families live off less than 72K per year

Per Capita Personal Income U.S. and All States

USA QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau
I'm absolutely aware of this which is why I posted in response to the gross inflatation of the cost of living here. It's not realistic for the vast majority of the population, even those composing the 20%, and those with families even more so. I used myself as an example to illustrate my point.
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Old 03-21-2013, 05:51 PM
 
10,719 posts, read 20,312,051 times
Reputation: 10021
Quote:
Originally Posted by DetroitN8V View Post
This is gross (pre-tax) income BTW. I'm pretty sure they're not comparing peoples' net incomes.
Yes, it's gross. All incomes published in statistical reports are gross (pre-tax) unless otherwise specified.
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