[b3b0p]

Wow, living in Oklahoma these numbers are mind blowing to me.

I understand cost of living comes into play, but 2x-3x what I make currently? If I was making 6 digits where I am would be living like a rockstar, seriously.

What is it like living in San Francisco, New York, Seattle, etc with $120k - $180k salary lifestyle wise with that high of a pay check? How comfortable financially are you?

I'm about $52k or so at about 4 yrs out of school, comfortable (so I think), living in a one bedroom apartment and saving about $2k per month after all my bills, expenses, taxes, food, etc. I don't think I get a bonus. I really don't keep track that much as I don't spend much, I don't think about it.

Edit: spelling/grammar

[notimportant]

Info for NYC:

At $110k (but as a sole breadwinner currently) I still live paycheck to paycheck. After taxes I am looking at approx $78k a year; my bi-weekly take-home is a couple dollars shy of $3k and my rent was $1800 for a small 2 bedroom condo but we have downgraded to a basement studio for $500 so we can pay off all our debts (wife's schooling, far too many credit cards, a far too expensive wedding and various other things). So far we have made a huge impact on our debt and we will soon start saving for a house.

If you were living directly in the city, you would need to double or even triple the rent. I do end up paying for it in commute time (2 to 3 hours worth of travel each day), but it allows us to get by just that little more.

[notimportant2]

I hear ya. I work in finance and I make 110+60 bonus about 7 years out of college. I could afford rent, but I'm living very cheaply to save up for a down payment for a market that refuses to go down. My commute is an hour and change (in Brooklyn) but I hate it everyday.

[TheSOB88]

Sounds like you really are having a tough time of it. 3 hours of commute, and you're not even excited by your job. It does sound like you need a change of pace.

You should look into working from home some days - it'd probably make you much happier. If you haven't read Tim Ferriss's 4-Hour Work Week, it has a great section on how to convince your boss to let you work from home. It's a good book - overrated, but good.

[notimportant]

At times I do work from home - but generally it's because I was up until midnight coding to meet some deadline that is highly unrealistic, and not planned out appropriately. Working from home is highly "frowned upon" by upper management and not something that is generally accepted, even though I have everything I need and more at my home office.

[TheSOB88]

Who says upper management has to know about it? If you know it'd make you happier, and you know you can deliver the results, you should go for it. There's always gonna be obstacles you have to overcome. Don't let them stop you.

[eof]

I am in VT in about the same position (making a smidgen more, probably paying significantly more for rent). However, I didn't finish school and came to this position with only about 16 months of established free lance work.

[smackfu]

Well, housing costs alone will be 2x-3x and that is your greatest cost of living. A decent house in the midwest or south may be $150-200k, and in a high-demand suburb on the coasts will be $400-500k.

[b3b0p]

Here where I am at, $200k to $300k buys a seriously large luxurious lavish home in nice quiet comfortable upscale new or old neighborhood. On the country club or not.

$500k+ will put you in/on Karsten Kreek. Considered one of the best golf courses in the country, it's private, green fees are between $180 and $300+ a round.

[notimportant]

Here in NYC, or more specifically within the 5 boroughs, you can get an attached house with a small backyard for around $550k to $650k. $350k will get you a small condo or townhouse if you are lucky. As soon as you want something a little more private, such as a detached house you are easily looking at $800k and above.