Why is saving money so hard?

[HeXen]

Also some cities/towns are just a lot cheaper to live in so a couple making $10 an hr each can live in a modest 2 story home with a couple of acres and drive a couple of new/newer cars, have a pool and still be able to buy a new iPad at every release and then some.
You guys try to put dollar amounts on things that vary tremendously per individual and where they live.
In America, you really don't even have to work for a living to have a roof over your head and a TV to watch. Peddle a little marijuana on the side and you can drive a nice ride, have the latest phones to boot all without leaving your front porch...now that's rich.

 

[ultimatebob]

No, buying at the height of the market was the mistake, and maybe they had to buy right then and had no control over that decision so there's no blame there. It was high for years. I don't see many people saying buying a house was a mistake at all.

The funny thing is that I bought at the time I did because people like you were telling me that I was wasting money on rent and that I should buy NOW while the mortgage rates were considered to be low. Little did they know that a housing crisis was going to happen 18 months later and drive down those rates another 2%!

Looking back, I probably should have known better. My job at the time went to hell quickly after I bought, and soon after that I ended up marrying someone who lived on the other side of the state. And, just like that, my attempt at saving money ended up costing me a small fortune when I had to move.

So, yeah, like I said... don't buy a house unless you're sure you want to stay in the area for more than 5 years.

 

[JSt0rm]

$1000 a month is not enough for quality food in a big city.

 

[NikolaeVarius]

$1000 a month is not enough for quality food in a big city.

What. The exact opposite.

Quality food in the big city is damn cheap.

 

[JSt0rm]

What. The exact opposite.

Quality food in the big city is damn cheap.

Im not seeing that. Yes there is that great taco place thats under $10 but any higher end dining for 2 will blow past that 1k mark real fast. Plus you can spend $80 every 3 days at trader joes and what not for 2 people.

 

[Safeway]

Im not seeing that. Yes there is that great taco place thats under $10 but any higher end dining for 2 will blow past that 1k mark real fast. Plus you can spend $80 every 3 days at trader joes and what not for 2 people.

Fine dining goes on the business card. ;D

 

[PricklyPete]

Im not seeing that. Yes there is that great taco place thats under $10 but any higher end dining for 2 will blow past that 1k mark real fast. Plus you can spend $80 every 3 days at trader joes and what not for 2 people.

That is just ridiculous. My wife and I shop at Whole Paycheck, eat exceeding well and are now shopping for two kids and we easily keep our expenses under $1k a month. $750 is a very expensive month where we have had numerous guests. You are eating out too much.

 

[JSt0rm]

That is just ridiculous. My wife and I shop at Whole Paycheck, eat exceeding well and are now shopping for two kids and we easily keep our expenses under $1k a month. $750 is a very expensive month where we have had numerous guests. You are eating out too much.

I spend $200 a month on espresso alone. Plus red wine, bourbon and good ipa. A 6lb prime rib to go with ufc 189 was $120. Best Italian food is gonna be a $300 meal. I do eat out but its not always fine dining.

1000/30 is $33 a day. You have 2 kids? 33/4 = 8.25 per day per person? At whole foods? No.

im not saying you cant get by on 1k per month for a family of 4 but if you are eating and drinking good you will spend more. High end cheeses are $10 for 1/8th a lb.

 

[brianmanahan]

just buy all your food at ALDI, problem solved

 

[JSt0rm]

For real. Drink soylent. $300 per month per person. family of 4 is $1200 just for 2000 calories complete nutrition. $1000 is not a lot.

 

[brianmanahan]

you fatcats need to buy lentils

http://www.reddit.com/r/Frugal_jerk

 

[Safeway]

I spend $200 a month on espresso alone. Plus red wine, bourbon and good ipa. A 6lb prime rib to go with ufc 189 was $120. Best Italian food is gonna be a $300 meal. I do eat out but its not always fine dining.

1000/30 is $33 a day. You have 2 kids? 33/4 = 8.25 per day per person? At whole foods? No.

im not saying you cant get by on 1k per month for a family of 4 but if you are eating and drinking good you will spend more. High end cheeses are $10 for 1/8th a lb.

I'm with you on the coffee habit. I think that we actually spend $1500 to $2000 per month on food, including raw, precooked, and dining out. Maybe more, I'm not sure. We pay our son's nanny a bit extra to do some shopping and meal preparation for us. We were using a Paleo delivery service, but it was $20/meal/person and the food was lack luster.

 

[brianmanahan]

We were using a Paleo delivery service, but it was $20/meal/person

that's the most i ever spent on a meal in my life (at a longhorn steakhouse)

 

[Safeway]

that's the most i ever spent on a meal in my life (at a longhorn steakhouse)

My highest per capita dining bill, inclusive of appetizers, alcohol, and tip, was about $1,200 per person. I threw it all up an hour after I got home, too. Way too much overly-rich food and wine. That said, it was a client development expense that ended up being quite lucrative. And I helped run up a $27k bar tab. But that's another story.

 

[PricklyPete]

I spend $200 a month on espresso alone. Plus red wine, bourbon and good ipa. A 6lb prime rib to go with ufc 189 was $120. Best Italian food is gonna be a $300 meal. I do eat out but its not always fine dining.

1000/30 is $33 a day. You have 2 kids? 33/4 = 8.25 per day per person? At whole foods? No.

im not saying you cant get by on 1k per month for a family of 4 but if you are eating and drinking good you will spend more. High end cheeses are $10 for 1/8th a lb.

Ahh... I got you. You're like Alchy. You enjoy telling us all how you waste money. 8.25 a person is more than enough (as I already said) per person...even at whole foods.

 

[SparkyJJO]

Wow some of you burn cash. $300 per person per month for food? Really?

 

[local]

It is hard because when you expect to have one baby you have more than one. Kinda puts a crimp on plans.

 

[OverVolt]

Wow some of you burn cash. $300 per person per month for food? Really?

Mine fluctuates. Sometimes I blow $60 in a week other times I scrimp and eat for $20 a week.

 

[RossMAN]

My highest per capita dining bill, inclusive of appetizers, alcohol, and tip, was about $1,200 per person. I threw it all up an hour after I got home, too. Way too much overly-rich food and wine. That said, it was a client development expense that ended up being quite lucrative. And I helped run up a $27k bar tab. But that's another story.

My limit is about $25 per entree, maybe $40 if it's a fancy place (at least according to my AAA CostCo standards).

When I see $27k bar tab I think about the new car I could buy and 2 years Roth IRA contributions.

 

[kaerflog]

Wow this thread got entertaining since I last posted. A few comments:

Safeway is definitely out of touch with reality regarding $10k/mo ... although it seems he slowly started to agree and acknowledge it just isn't some lifestyle of extreme luxury, which I agree it is not. It is an income that enables you to live a worry free life if you spend it right (at least for now). Also, sounds like this guy earned his current lot in life, the rest of you haters sound jelly. It's the guy with no determination / ambition that sees the guy driving the Lambo and assuming he's "lucky". Chances are he earned it.

I have no problem with how Safeway makes his money or how he spends it but he's out of touch earlier in the thread when he's think bringing in $10K post tax is somehow the "norm". Making ~$200K/year is in the 5% percentile and no where near the norm.
I'm not one bit jealous. I hit 3 figures for the first time last year and thats double of what I used to make 5-7 yrs ago but my lifestyle haven't change one bit.
Still no car payment. Minimum fixed expenses. Only thing is we bought a nicer house and getting positive rental income from the old house. Owe less than $100K on both houses.
I didn't elaborate on how to save money anywhere in this thread because I know most people can't relate to my situation either.
Why post something when you know your situation is not the norm ?? This is a "why is it hard saving money" not a "how much money I make" thread.
Shit, if I'm taking home $7K a month and only spending $3.5k, it doesn't take a genius to figure out how I'm saving money.

 

[local]

I have no problem with how Safeway makes his money or how he spends it but he's out of touch earlier in the thread when he's think bringing in $10K post tax is somehow the "norm". Making ~$200K/year is in the 5% percentile and no where near the norm.
I'm not one bit jealous. I hit 3 figures for the first time last year and thats double of what I used to make 5-7 yrs ago but my lifestyle haven't change one bit.
Still no car payment. Minimum fixed expenses. Only thing is we bought a nicer house and getting positive rental income from the old house. Owe less than $100K on both houses.
I didn't elaborate on how to save money anywhere in this thread because I know most people can't relate to my situation either.
Why post something when you know your situation is not the norm ?? This is a "why is it hard saving money" not a "how much money I make" thread.
Shit, if I'm taking home $7K a month and only spending $3.5k, it doesn't take a genius to figure out how I'm saving money.

Thank you. Some people are definitely out of touch with reality. Right after our twins were born we lost 40% of our income and our bills increased by about 30%. It was tough but almost two years later and thanks to a couple of good raises we are doing ok. But for the first year it was very scary. Net income was -$1,500/mo owed too much on the house to sell and had no hope. After cutting expenses to the bone and getting about 20% in raises we are at a net positive. Now we are saving by accident but I have to be very vigilant that we do not pick up our spending and waste it all.

That being said our newest car is 10 years old and one big expense can break us. We are not out of the woods yet but can see the light at the end.

 

[JSt0rm]

Ahh... I got you. You're like Alchy. You enjoy telling us all how you waste money. 8.25 a person is more than enough (as I already said) per person...even at whole foods.

uh. No. We are having a conversation about food. Some of you have some seriously malnourished bodies. Why would anyone cheap out on the most important thing for your body? I will never believe you feed a family of 4 at whole foods for 1000 a month.

 

[JSt0rm]

Thank you. Some people are definitely out of touch with reality. Right after our twins were born we lost 40% of our income and our bills increased by about 30%. It was tough but almost two years later and thanks to a couple of good raises we are doing ok. But for the first year it was very scary. Net income was -$1,500/mo owed too much on the house to sell and had no hope. After cutting expenses to the bone and getting about 20% in raises we are at a net positive. Now we are saving by accident but I have to be very vigilant that we do not pick up our spending and waste it all.

That being said our newest car is 10 years old and one big expense can break us. We are not out of the woods yet but can see the light at the end.

How much do you spend on food for a month for your family?

 

[biostud]

I use $3-400 every month on food, but food prices are a lot higher in Denmark than US.

 

[alcoholbob]

Inflation makes saving money hard while on a fiat currency standard.

Much easier to save money while on a silver, gold, or bimetallic standard. US Dollar doubled in value between 1800 and 1914 (average prices dropped by about 60% during this period).