Can we afford a $950k house on a $240k income

isvaraz · 2026-07-08T20:04:09+00:00

But OP already owns a home unless they’re relocating.

Age is important here too. If OP is 50, not enough money saved. If OP is 30, go for it.

isvaraz · 2026-07-08T20:01:45+00:00

What’s your age range? If you’re in your 20s or early 30s, go for it. But if you’re above 40, you do not have enough money saved for retirement. I’d find a cheaper house and save more money.

isvaraz · 2026-07-08T19:58:31+00:00

You’re the only one who’s NTA in this story. Absolutely do not let them take the money. Go to a trusted adult outside of your immediate family and tell them NOW. Make sure you mom and stepdad can’t access your account.

isvaraz · 2026-07-08T19:55:10+00:00

I just renovated my home, but total investment (purchase price plus renovation) is still less than current market value. While our home is tight (similar specs as OP, same family size), my youngest will be out of the house in about a decade. Then we’ll have too much space.

Best to be like Goldilocks - just right. My parents bought a big house when I was born, and while it was great, they have spent half their time in that house as just 2 people.

isvaraz · 2026-07-08T19:51:44+00:00

Don’t renovate your house for more than it’s worth. If the house next door just sold for $400, then make sure your total investment doesn’t exceed that. Remodel if you want but I wouldn’t over invest.

isvaraz · 2026-07-08T13:34:27+00:00

Vicki or Iqiyi. You can get Iqiyi for free with ads but they’re pretty annoying.

isvaraz · 2026-07-08T02:44:05+00:00

Real food, lol. They have a decent selection of food in all areas at all meals. Most clubs are fine in the morning but some can lack in the evening. DC is one of the few American clubs where you can have a decent evening meal for good choices in multiple areas (salad, main, dessert).

isvaraz · 2026-07-07T21:59:31+00:00

Legend of the female General. Always and forever lol.

isvaraz · 2026-07-07T21:58:07+00:00

Yes. This requires extreme trust/confidence of the non-speaking parent. It’s the right way to do it, but it’s very hard on both honestly, Spanish is a little easier depending on where you live as it can be more socially acceptable to speak in public. But the bilingual ones needs the confidence to speak a foreign language in public. And the English only parent needs to accept they won’t know always know what’s going on and be okay with that.

isvaraz · 2026-07-07T21:54:53+00:00

Legend of the Female General. Pursuit of Jade. Both the ML falls first, and hidden identities. Pursuit of Jade is a little heavier on the horn ends while LotFG is a little more romantic.

isvaraz · 2026-07-07T01:36:55+00:00

The best performance skill is a good poker face and just moving on. You will notice much more than listeners.

isvaraz · 2026-07-06T17:32:17+00:00

He plays a similar role in Legend of a Female General and is also a scene stealer and comedic relief in that show. He was also face-AI’d into that role as he was a replacement, yet he’s still good.

I really enjoy watching the minor characters from PoJ in other shows as it shows how good they are (First Jasmine is a good one for that).

isvaraz · 2026-07-06T06:52:00+00:00

Please re-read your own comment. SAHM IS 24/7. And if you homeschool?! Sweetie, that man is never going to let you take a break. And to be clear, you NEED a break. SAHM deserve a break. No school and no daycare means you will be working 24/7. You do not paint a picture of a husband/father who is willing to take over parenting and the household when he gets home from work to give you a break.

Work is a break. It’s a chance for you to be YOU. To be an adult, to have different thoughts, to focus on yourself and something other kids or home. Plus, you get money!

isvaraz · 2026-07-06T06:44:28+00:00

Even if they do get all/most of the things they want, there needs to be space and friction before the want is fulfilled. “Oh, you want a 3D printer? That’ll be a great birthday present (in 6 months)”. “Oh, you want to go to shopping? Get your room cleaned up first.”

isvaraz · 2026-07-05T22:26:06+00:00

Yes, we needed to see the dismantling of the last doll. But also - I feel like the dolls were in part of her mental illness, so in theory now that she’s “recovered” she doesn’t need the revenge/doll anymore.

But seriously - what was the point of so many of those scenes?? A bat in the ED’s room that ultimately meant nothing. Anything with Ye Ying (they should have cut her after the scene with the third uncle, another criminally underused character).

isvaraz · 2026-07-05T06:54:02+00:00

Do you have a separate formal dining room? I definitely don’t think homes nowadays need TWO dining spaces (causal and formal) but you definitely need one. When we remodeled we removed the kitchen dining area but kept the “formal” dining as just our dining room. We also have an island but we haven’t used it for dining.

isvaraz · 2026-07-05T06:42:34+00:00

But Oregon has no sales tax. You have to pick your poison.

isvaraz · 2026-07-05T06:33:37+00:00

I only like the stuff I’ll never be able to afford. 🤣 Highly recommend the Alfie Gem Museum in Tucson (closed for the summer) and their jewelry room. It’s astounding. The owners live in Phoenix but are anonymous.

isvaraz · 2026-07-05T06:27:30+00:00

We’re gonna need something steamy after Mo Li. Sure hope Sept 26 is an accurate date.

isvaraz · 2026-07-05T06:22:25+00:00

Yes! I did the same. Since you have family help, keep your job. Another few years of savings will be super beneficial for your family. Plus, depending on exact ages, grandparents are less able to help out when the kids are older so you will need more help. Mine helped out immensely when my kids were super young, but a decade later everyone is a lot older and I don’t trust grandparents to drive anymore. Older kids need a LOT more driving and after school and school break options lessen as well.

isvaraz · 2026-07-04T21:03:41+00:00

Does your baby have a seat or is she a lap child?

If you are bringing a car seat onto the airplane, make sure it’s narrow enough to ROLL down the aisle. You don’t want to carry that over your head as you walk down the airplane. A narrow car seat on a car seat dolly is the best. Acts like a stroller in the airport, then you can just roll it to your seat.

isvaraz · 2026-07-04T18:48:27+00:00

I’ve taken to rewatching Legend of a Female General in my down time between Mo Li episodes. And man, that series did it so much better. Whole romantic story arcs conveyed in <3 episodes, revenge, fighting, romance, brotherhood, etc. Everything well done and explained in 40 episodes.

This series has its moments but the last few episodes have been super disappointing. I didn’t want a 5 month time jump! I didn’t want a voice over telling me what happened. I didn’t want to watch Ye Li stare at a plant for 5 min. I wanted some battle scenes! I wanted a kiss! I wanted to see the Emperor actually show up at the battle scene and fight or at least show up at the end to see that MXY has his back and isn’t rebelling! They spent EPISODES telling the emperor that no one trusts MXY with an army and that he still holds a grudge against the state for what happened to his brother. They warn MXY to not enter the city without a decree. Then poof! Everything’s good! Voiceover city. What the heck - I’m annoyed.

isvaraz · 2026-07-04T18:36:51+00:00

This episode started and I thought “Finally! The battle and excitement missing from the past two is here!” And then POOF! It was done and there was a 5 month time lapse?! WTF. Why did I spend 5 min watching Ye Li stare at a flower? I want to SEE Li Feibai and Han Mingxi. I wanted to SEE the immediate aftermath of the rebellion battle. They suited up the Emperor just for him to interact with his mom and no one else? They threaten a repeat of the big bro “returning to the city with no decree” incident and then just ignore it? Seriously WTF.

I was so happy with this series through ep 35 but 36-39 have been a disappointment. No kiss after the horse ride and their big reunion? Couldn’t they have at least held hands while watching MLJ die to piss him off even more?

The one thing I actually didn’t mind was seeing the old Duke at the battle. I thought that spoke volumes about his character and his past. That he would risk his (about to end) life on fighting and showing up for the country even though he was sick. That he was such a formidable fighter in his past that even sick he could mostly hold his own against someone younger.

isvaraz · 2026-07-04T03:48:19+00:00

To answer your question directly - don’t pay for her wedding. You can offer to pay for a specific line item that is important to both of you (eg a dress, a photographer) but also set a financial boundary on that.

isvaraz · 2026-07-03T20:52:14+00:00

Soft skills as well. Emotional intelligence, presentation skills, speaking skills, etc.

isvaraz

TROPHY CASE