Comments on: Living Large on $25,000 a Year in Southern California. http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/ How I Learned to Love Southern California and Forget the Housing Bubble Tue, 06 Jan 2009 22:21:21 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.2.2 By: Antinous http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/#comment-12793 Antinous Sat, 03 May 2008 19:56:42 +0000 http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/#comment-12793 Most insurers give you such a big discount on car insurance if you carry two policies with them that renter's insurance ends up being free. Most insurers give you such a big discount on car insurance if you carry two policies with them that renter’s insurance ends up being free.

]]> By: Reena http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/#comment-12309 Reena Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:29:09 +0000 http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/#comment-12309 Here is the current reality check for Northern California: Rent: $1150 - 2 bedroom 2.5 bath Townhouse in a very decent town 3 blocks away from my daughters highschool. Commute to work: 30 miles round trip a day. About 15 miles to get there and 15 back. Gasoline: Yikes... we are at 3.85 to 3.95 a gallon. Since I own Honda Accord, 6 Cylinder - my gasoline bill ranges around $50 a week. No, we don't make trips to Roseville and Sacto. anymore... Good news... I own my cars (2nd one is parked permanently) Sorry, have a strange phobia - if one of them breaks down I literally hyperventilate and have to have a back-up option.) There is NO way to use public transportation to get to work since we only have city buses and I work in another town. Better Half has a an old Toyota Truck, 4 Cylinder. Commute to work: 3 miles round trip. Don't know what he spends on gas... only know that he usually uses my Honda whenever he needs to run to store... we had multiple discussions about his and mine. Sofar he still insists that his is his and mine is there to be used.... I grumble.. but at least I am the Title holder of both of my cars... Car Insurance for the 2 cars I own: $277 for 6 months. Have "perfect" driving record, never had a ticket, etc. In 20 plus years of driving have never been pulled over. Knock on wood... I did get my license in Germany... and still don't understand the definition of speed limit, but do use my rear view mirrow for more than the occasional glance... Phone: Around $65 - this includes wireless internet. When you have a 14year old with her own laptop you need wireless if you ever want to be able to go online yourself. Daughter also has a Cell Phone. Team Mobile contract - Favorite 5, 300 whenever minutes, plus unlimited Internet AND unlimited Text Messaging. Around $65 a month. It was worth it... since Offspring decided to become record holder in "text messaging" She sends/receives in average 5000 a month. Could you imagine the bill if I had to pay 10 cents for each? Trust me, I know of other parents that have received the infamous $700 phone bill because their kids ran up the bill. We do have satelite T.V. - another $57 a month. Electric/Gas - ranges anywhere from $120 at it's highest to $70 at it's lowest. Remember that both adults work full time and daughter does go to school. We don't run the A/C 24/7 and wash our laundry in cold water. Have done so for years and it is a tremendous savings. Last winter we used the fire place to heat the house - Firewood can be scavenged... and since heat rises it warmed the upstairs bedrooms just fine. Groceries: We go shopping a lot at places like "dollar store" - you would be amazed what you can get there. Shampoo, cleaning products, even groceries. Better Half is a great "bargain hunter" and studies the grocery ads before making a decision on what to buy. But main rule: No driving out of our immediate range to chase a stupid bargain - gas costs too much. Entertainment - satelite T.V. - Internet - various game consoles entertain a horde of Teenage girls on the weekend to keep daughter occupied. Real simple... we don't need alot of costly entertainment and usually just happily loaf around the house and work in my garden. Advice about cutting back on spending: Don't stop at a store for no reason or hop in your car to go and look at stuff... Altogether - we don't spend over our limits and manage to keep a comfortable level in our checking accounts at all times. Another one of my phobias - If I don't have at least 6 months worth of living expenses sitting in my savings accounts I hyperventilate... Rebate check? - Great - whatever. Consider it a Bonus. It will probably just end up in a savings account for a rainy day. Reena Here is the current reality check for Northern California:

Rent: $1150 - 2 bedroom 2.5 bath Townhouse in a very decent town
3 blocks away from my daughters highschool.

Commute to work: 30 miles round trip a day.
About 15 miles to get there and 15 back.
Gasoline: Yikes… we are at 3.85 to 3.95 a gallon.
Since I own Honda Accord, 6 Cylinder - my gasoline bill ranges
around $50 a week. No, we don’t make trips to Roseville and Sacto.
anymore…

Good news… I own my cars (2nd one is parked permanently)
Sorry, have a strange phobia - if one of them breaks down I literally
hyperventilate and have to have a back-up option.) There is NO way to
use public transportation to get to work since we only have city buses
and I work in another town.
Better Half has a an old Toyota Truck, 4 Cylinder. Commute to work:
3 miles round trip. Don’t know what he spends on gas… only know that
he usually uses my Honda whenever he needs to run to store…
we had multiple discussions about his and mine. Sofar he still insists
that his is his and mine is there to be used…. I grumble.. but at least
I am the Title holder of both of my cars…
Car Insurance for the 2 cars I own: $277 for 6 months. Have “perfect”
driving record, never had a ticket, etc. In 20 plus years of driving have never been pulled over. Knock on wood… I did get my license in Germany… and still don’t understand the definition of speed limit, but do use my rear view mirrow for more than the occasional glance…

Phone: Around $65 - this includes wireless internet.
When you have a 14year old with her own laptop you need wireless if
you ever want to be able to go online yourself.

Daughter also has a Cell Phone. Team Mobile contract - Favorite 5, 300 whenever minutes, plus unlimited Internet AND unlimited Text Messaging.
Around $65 a month. It was worth it… since Offspring decided to become
record holder in “text messaging” She sends/receives in average 5000 a month.
Could you imagine the bill if I had to pay 10 cents for each? Trust me, I know of other parents that have received the infamous $700 phone bill because their kids ran up the bill.

We do have satelite T.V. - another $57 a month.

Electric/Gas - ranges anywhere from $120 at it’s highest to $70 at it’s lowest.
Remember that both adults work full time and daughter does go to school.
We don’t run the A/C 24/7 and wash our laundry in cold water. Have done so
for years and it is a tremendous savings. Last winter we used the fire place
to heat the house - Firewood can be scavenged… and since heat rises it
warmed the upstairs bedrooms just fine.

Groceries: We go shopping a lot at places like “dollar store” - you would be amazed what you can get there. Shampoo, cleaning products, even groceries.
Better Half is a great “bargain hunter” and studies the grocery ads before making
a decision on what to buy. But main rule: No driving out of our immediate range to chase a stupid bargain - gas costs too much.

Entertainment - satelite T.V. - Internet - various game consoles
entertain a horde of Teenage girls on the weekend to keep daughter
occupied. Real simple… we don’t need alot of costly entertainment
and usually just happily loaf around the house and work in my garden.
Advice about cutting back on spending: Don’t stop at a store for no reason
or hop in your car to go and look at stuff…

Altogether - we don’t spend over our limits and manage to keep a comfortable
level in our checking accounts at all times. Another one of my phobias - If I don’t have at least 6 months worth of living expenses sitting in my savings accounts
I hyperventilate…

Rebate check? - Great - whatever. Consider it a Bonus. It will probably just end up in a savings account for a rainy day.

Reena

]]> By: Jes http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/#comment-12308 Jes Wed, 30 Apr 2008 05:17:00 +0000 http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/#comment-12308 AnnScott's 3:51pm comment makes an interesting point! As people in general get poorer, public health will worsen. TB is already making a huge comeback in the third world and is cropping up even now in schools and other public institutions in SoCal. We can expect more TB, and also more hepatitis (so ya wanna eat salad, do you?), more of all of the "kid's" stuff like chicken pox, measles, mumps, whooping cough. More of pretty much anything contagious, especially anything that thrives when conditions are less sanitary and people are more crowded together. AnnScott’s 3:51pm comment makes an interesting point! As people in general get poorer, public health will worsen. TB is already making a huge comeback in the third world and is cropping up even now in schools and other public institutions in SoCal. We can expect more TB, and also more hepatitis (so ya wanna eat salad, do you?), more of all of the “kid’s” stuff like chicken pox, measles, mumps, whooping cough. More of pretty much anything contagious, especially anything that thrives when conditions are less sanitary and people are more crowded together.

]]> By: lisa http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/#comment-12296 lisa Wed, 30 Apr 2008 02:37:34 +0000 http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/#comment-12296 great job and fantastic comments. great job and fantastic comments.

]]> By: FINLwhiz http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/#comment-12240 FINLwhiz Tue, 29 Apr 2008 15:18:31 +0000 http://www.doctorhousingbubble.com/living-large-on-25000-a-year-in-southern-california/#comment-12240 I travel extensively and can confirm that the dollar isn't what you want to be exchanging these days. Even developing countries that used to be pleasure on the cheap are becoming expensive. I travel extensively and can confirm that the dollar isn’t what you want to be exchanging these days. Even developing countries that used to be pleasure on the cheap are becoming expensive.

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