What do you guys do to make $60k+ and what lifestyle?

[SolanoSt]

Nah, that's fine as long as your renting and it's just the two you.

Originally Posted by wenzit420

I bet me and my wife could make it in SD for under 65K combined. Is that a stretch?

[futo555]

Go to work for Home Depot , bust your ass for 5 years and become a Ast. Mngr. They make 60k a year and can bonus 25% of base pay. But, you have to be 110% for 5 years , college would have been much easier .

[PhotogRyan]

I've seen and known a few kids where they've had everything given to them, and to this day,they are still leeching. A lot of my college friends, both guys and girls, are living with their parents (24-26 year olds) in Vegas, and I really think they would have a hard time being a "real" adult. I don't envy them, because a lot of the time they take what they have for granted, and just makes me more appreciative of how far I've come along.

Back to the topic, I went to college and graduated with an MIS degree a little less than 3 years ago (financed myself). I first got a job at 40k here in SD, now working as a contractor $58k (you really have to sell yourself on the interview). I also do photography as a side gig and bring in about $3-4k last year, and it looks like I'll be getting about 4-5k (although most, if not all goes back to buying camera gear) for '08. I'm trying to pursue photography as a full-time profession, but since it's quite a long and costly process, I use my degree to find jobs with stable income.

The life I live.. it's good for me at this point. We have no kids, share a 3bd/2ba little italy apartment with roommates, and pay about $1300 incl. utilities. I still save where I can, buying in bulk from costco and/or food4less, filling my tank with 5 gallons of gas every four days (more mileage due to less weight), and find activities that don't require lots of cash. I haven't gone shopping for a couple years (my clothes are starting to show wear though, but will be shopping at Burlington Coat Factory), and I party once in a while. Groceries are about $100/wk for the two of us, and since we're both on a diet, it works out nicely. We eat out probably once every 1-2 weeks, and at modest places with total tabs of $30 or less.

My gf and I are so used to saving money now, it's become habit to research our purchases before buying. We buy discount amc movie tickets ($6.50 for movies out after 10 days), walk our dog a lot, and use her civic to travel since I have a V6 that only gets 21 mpg on premium (mistake from when I first got a job, lol). I do a few photo gigs every couple weeks, as opposed to one of my roommates who somehow drinks himself a $200 tab at the bar and comes home in boxers

I automatically deduct $75/week into savings, but will be upping it to $85 and then $100 this year. This is my emergency fund that I'm trying to build. I also pay my CC ($250 left) and other bills first before doing anything else.

It was a turbulent transition to go from CC-dependent college kids to financially responsible adults, but we're both happy with our results (our credit scores are now mid-700's). The education system REALLY needs to make personal finance a required course in high school AND college.

[hotornot]

Originally Posted by sav858

I think some people just don't know how to learn to live with less. I make an average salary ($45k) and get by fine. I don't own a home though and am wondering where the hell did you find a place for under $200k? even in a bad neighborhood that seems hard. But kudos to you for doing so. I drive a 10 year old 96 Geo Prizm, haha, and could care less. The more gas goes up the more I love my 35mpg reliable econo car. I live in a small crappy apt, dont eat out during the week, have a 27in tube TV, ect... and I am happy. Some people just need a whole bunch of unnecessary crap to be happy. I think SD is a great place to live a simple lifestyle b/c you have so many great things to do that don't cost much or any money. The beach and outdoors is free. You can play sports and be outside year round. Not everyone or the majority of people in San Diego are materialistic like that, you just probably notice them more b/c they like, and want to, stick out.

Someone should put your post in the hall of fame. I see homeless people on the boardwalk who look happier than some people who have a number of material possessions and I've spent a lot of time on the boardwalk. Other than that, I have heard, but not confirmed, that there are a lot of trust fund babies living in Pacific Beach. That's heresay, for now.

I live super close to the boardwalk/beach. I still act like a little child in that once I get home from work I have to immediately go outside and play. And that might be bicycling, excercising in the park or at the gym, riding my bike to the library, going out into the streets to take pictures, walking or biking on the boardwalk, inline skating at Mission Bay Park, ect. If you place a higher priority on the rejuvenating quality of fresh air or are more inclined to being outside on the move then San Diego is where it's at. If not, if you're a couch potato, SD is a waste of money. You might as well live in Houston. The sun is a powerful magnet, it draws me outside. I know some people where I live that hardly ever go outside. I just don't get that.

This one young man who lives right next door to me (a single guy) is a virtual homebody, he hardly ever goes down to the beach or boardwalk. To me, that's almost like a sickness. I'm single, so I don't have any encumberments that tether me to my apartment. I'm free, and freedom is my religion, I guess. And the boardwalk is a little like a church to me. Time slows down to a crawl out on the boardwalk. It's the kind of place where you marvel and stand in awe of mother nature, or stand in amusement of the different types of people you'll find there. You can't drive around in a BMW out on the boardwalk. Wealth, power and superiority is a non-factor. Just the opposite of Orange County.

[caliguy92832]

do you know whats funny. here san diego is one the most expensive places to live in the US but most employers really dont want to pay you anything. alot of jobs start out at $8 to $10 an hour. how can you survive on that. one big reason is because we're right next door to mexico. you get these mexicans who are willing to work for slave wages and that brings down the salaries. and in tijuania, its not expensive. you could get a 1 bedroom apartment for $150 a month, a nice house for $400 a month.