How much money after everything is paid for?

[Crow Hunter TN]

Out of curiosity, I checked our grocery spend.

For the last 3 months we averaged $267.33/month which would be roughly $9/day for 2 people (assumed 30 day month).

I don't know what my wife eats during the day, probably nothing since she usually only drinks coffee and eats supper, but I normally eat a bowl of instant oatmeal or a protein bar and a cup of milk for breakfast, a peanut butter sandwich and a banana or apple or box of raisins for lunch and then whatever my wife fixes for supper. Something like Ritz cracker rolled chicken tenders with steamed broccoli and some kind of little potatoes sliced up and some fruit for dessert. We also try to buy whatever we have coupons for and eat that.

On weekends we eat a real breakfast which is usually 2 eggs and 2 frozen biscuits and some milk or she makes flapjacks/pancakes with real Canadian maple syrup (that she gets cans of when she is in Quebec). Then we usually skip lunch and have something cooked nice for supper/leftovers. (Meatloaf, shells and cheese, green beans, mashed potatoes were last weekend through Tuesday night)

We usually "cycle" one month will be a $350+ grocery bill and the other will be less than $200. When she is traveling, I usually just eat a sandwich since I don't cook. (That is most of the cheap months )

We only eat out on very special occasions or if her company pays for it. We might get steak once a year if we find a good deal.

 

[KsRancher]

200k for a household doesn't seem that high to me. In my example, It took me nearly 20 years in my "career" field and a masters degree to make 80k/year. As far as comparing ourselves to others, I constantly wonder how much I'd be earning in another career field after 20 years and a masters degree. I'd imagine any engineer or something would be making closer to 120k/year with that amount of time and education. Get 2 engineers or other professionals together and that 200k amount docent seem high.

I was just looking the other day and saw truck drivers with CDLs making more than me, heck at the hospital in my town, I don't believe anybody there is making less than 50-60k to start as in entry level work in rural Alaska.

Now if we're talking about non skilled, jobs that just don't pay great, yeah, not many households are going to have a factory worker and a librarian (not that there's anything wrong with those jobs) bringing in 200k + per year.

I suppose it's a regional thing. Starting entry level at our local Ks hospital would be low $30,000 range. CDL truck driver in my area would be around the 50-60k which is right at the national average for company drivers. The percentage of people making over 75k in my area would be well under 1% of the population I would guess

 

[Afhunter1]

I wanted my wife to stay at home with our kids (3) so I kept going to school at night until I had a bachelors degree in accounting. Then after about 10 years in I went back for an MBA.

I make a decent salary (CEO small business)
I also have purchased 2 rental buildings that net us 2.5K each month
I started a beef farm and have about 30 pairs of angus + chickens for eggs and meat
I buy and sell a few things over the year too for some extra cash

My oldest just graduated from college in May, Middle child just started her 3rd year in college, youngest is graduating high school this year.

My wife is now starting to look for a job to go back to work

We have had years where we didn't save much and years we saved a good bit but the one thing we did right we started early. I started maxing out our roth's and my 3% employer match when I was 22.

Now at 43 we have a sizeable retirement portfolio and hope to be out of the game at 55. We have paid for most of the kids college also. There is always ways to make more money if you want to put in the effort and stick to a budget.

 

[Crow Hunter TN]

Not to pry too much, but have you and your wife looked into adopting? There are plenty of children born every day that could use a loving and stable home life. Infant adoption is generally expensive but it sounds like you and the wife can handle the cost. Raising children is definitely rewarding in many ways, just not financially usually


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We looked at it very seriously. However, we ultimately decided against it due to my personal experiences growing up.

 

[307]

So, somewhere between $.50 and $25,000.00...

 

[HuntHarder]

I'll ask again, can you show me what a $10.71 day looks like?

Breakfast: What are we having?

Lunch: What are we having?

Dinner: What are we having?

Snacks: What are we having?

Assuming we are only drinking water.

Instead of challenging others to make a grocery list, challenge yourself. I did that very thing a couple years ago. It was really easy to eliminate crap and also make better, healthier meals.

 

[HuntHarder]

I suppose it's a regional thing. Starting entry level at our local Ks hospital would be low $30,000 range. CDL truck driver in my area would be around the 50-60k which is right at the national average for company drivers. The percentage of people making over 75k in my area would be well under 1% of the population I would guess

I'd imagine you are a quite a bit low on cdl drivers. National averages are only straight time comparisons generally. In Az, we hire grunts, who have to have CdL's, at around 80k before OT. They all approach or surpass 100k

 

[thinhorn_AK]

I suppose it's a regional thing. Starting entry level at our local Ks hospital would be low $30,000 range. CDL truck driver in my area would be around the 50-60k which is right at the national average for company drivers. The percentage of people making over 75k in my area would be well under 1% of the population I would guess

It's definitely regional, nurses where I live who have flight nurse training make ~185k/year, even teachers can make 100k/year around here. There's some local/regional entities here where a basic office job starts at 60-70k.

My dads wife son just got a nursing license and he started at like 70k in Las Vegas, Im not sure what the cost of living or rent is there.

 

[KsRancher]

I'd imagine you are a quite a bit low on cdl drivers. National averages are only straight time comparisons generally. In Az, we hire grunts, who have to have CdL's, at around 80k before OT. They all approach or surpass 100k

Wow. That pretty good. The only truck drivers around me making that kind of money are the ones that own amd drive the truck.

 

[KsRancher]

It's definitely regional, nurses where I live who have flight nurse training make ~185k/year, even teachers can make 100k/year around here. There's some local/regional entities here where a basic office job starts at 60-70k.

My dads wife son just got a nursing license and he started at like 70k in Las Vegas, Im not sure what the cost of living or rent is there.

Dang. My wife is a HS english teacher and makes in the low $40k gross

 

[HuntHarder]

Dang. My wife is a HS english teacher and makes in the low $40k gross

out of curiosity, would you say your total cost of living is lower than most? At the end of the day, you have to figure out what works for you. I have buddies who live in rural North Dakota. They make a lot less money than I do, but their way of life is also a lot different. The Concrete jungle life is expensive. I'd say my buddies rural life seems wealthier in terms of life satisfaction than mine. Kids from a 10-15 mile radius all go to the same school. Here in Az, we have a school every mile it seems.

Money is great, but there are tradeoffs. If you are happy and making it, keep at it.

 

[KsRancher]

out of curiosity, would you say your total cost of living is lower than most? At the end of the day, you have to figure out what works for you. I have buddies who live in rural North Dakota. They make a lot less money than I do, but their way of life is also a lot different. The Concrete jungle life is expensive. I'd say my buddies rural life seems wealthier in terms of life satisfaction than mine. Kids from a 10-15 mile radius all go to the same school. Here in Az, we have a school every mile it seems.

Money is great, but there are tradeoffs. If you are happy and making it, keep at it.

Definitely cheaper than most. I would say that the biggest savings would be our housing.

 

[KenLee]

Just curious whats left over every month after all bills, food, and gas are paid for. I just recently made some big moves in life and am thinking about my budget. On a regular old month, with no extra income or side jobs, I should have atleast 2k per month to do whatever I want to do with. Save or spend. I'm not sure if thats good, bad, or indifferent.

Are you meaning after booze and wild women, cause that's 2 very different numbers?

 

[KenLee]

I budget 450 every two weeks for a family of 5. My wife is consistently telling me 900 a month for food is simply not enough

I keep telling her our food budget is ridiculously high.

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Tell her $450 every 2 weeks is actually $975 per month. Then back away.

 

[SDHNTR]

Just curious whats left over every month after all bills, food, and gas are paid for. I just recently made some big moves in life and am thinking about my budget. On a regular old month, with no extra income or side jobs, I should have atleast 2k per month to do whatever I want to do with. Save or spend. I'm not sure if thats good, bad, or indifferent.

You’re looking at this wrong.

1. First required expenses.
2. Then required savings to meet future financial goals.
3. Discretionary spending.

In that order. If you try and group 2 and 3 together, 2 will never happen. Savings must come before spending.

And ultimately, your question is impossible to answer without knowing more, a lot more. A formalized financial plan would be highly advisable. And how anyone else’s situation may be similar to or different than your own is entirely irrelevant. What matters, and all that matters, is that your family is cared for, and your financial goals are on track to be met. That’s unique to you and you alone.

 

[WKR]

Are you meaning after booze and wild women, cause that's 2 very different numbers?

Booze falls into the food category
And wild women definitely fall into the bills category

 

[KenLee]

Booze falls into the food category
And wild women definitely fall into the bills category

That explains why I'm 70 pounds overweight and broke!!!

 

[JackButler]

God is all powerful and omnipotent, why would he need 10% of my paltry income?

10% tithe. The good Lord gives us health and talent, we are just temporary stewards. Just my .02.

 

[go_deep]

God is all powerful and omnipotent, why would he need 10% of my paltry income?

He doesn't need it. He wants you to want to give it.

 

[JackButler]

He doesn't need it. He wants you to want to give it.

But seriously why? Especially if he doesn’t need it, it seems kinda strange to require it, just to prove you are willing to be a little more miserable.