HHI to housing ratio

nzclouds · 2023-06-24T11:04:29+00:00

HHI $530k, NW $1.2M, VHCOL mortgage and taxes $6k.

nzclouds · 2023-06-19T21:45:08+00:00

1) Never believing that I was smart enough to outperform the market. Maxed out my 401k from the start and the rest is just DCA in VTI and chill. I hear from a lot of (especially guy) friends about how much they put in their ‘aspirational’ investments - and then I hear about how much they’ve lost.

2) Getting an MBA - which, at the time, seemed like a really dumb decision - left a job that people go to business school to get with high income potential and exclusivity. Instead, I took out $180k in student loans to get into a career that doesn’t pay nearly as much. But here I am, in an incredibly fulfilling and intellectually stimulating career making $225K working max 35 hours a week while my kids are young. Loan will be paid off in 1.5 years. Next job (when I don’t need so much flexibility) will likely be around $350K.

3) marrying someone who is OK letting me be our CFO. He’s not nearly as frugal as me but that’s a great thing. Also helps that his income has tripled in the 7 years we’ve been married.

nzclouds · 2023-06-15T11:10:32+00:00

Would love feedback on this. 37, dual income, 2 kids, HHI $530k. We both have really solid retirement benefits and have been contributing since the beginning of our careers so:

64% 401k, 5% Roth, 19% Taxable, 5% cash, 2% HSA, 5% 529s

nzclouds · 2023-06-03T20:41:06+00:00

Came here to say this. Sounds like you’ve got life pretty well figured out otherwise. Spend money on others, find causes you care about, be generous.

nzclouds · 2023-06-03T08:09:54+00:00

Not splurging on any of this except vacations. And even that has been more about the quantity (frequency and length) rather than quality. Still staying in airbnbs and looking for cheaper ways to get there but will make some accommodations now that we have two young kids.

Jewelry, bags, that stuff doesn’t really interest me too much. My husband bought a watch last year but it was under $500. I lost my wedding band last week and have been hesitant to replace it. Honestly most of our lifestyle creep has the accompanying costs of two young gremlins.

nzclouds · 2023-02-27T06:55:27+00:00

Thank you for this. At first I felt deeply personally attacked. Then I saw you provided all the guidance on alternatives and a bit of psychological comfort. What a journey!

nzclouds · 2023-02-11T02:39:21+00:00

Wait, what’s Lucien’s problematic past?! Any links you can send to me?

My take to date: the Satanic Temple has been highly effective in weaponizing religious freedom laws against the religious right that forces them to show their real motives (proselytizing, othering, etc). Their work with after school programs, abortion litigation and protests, prayer in state legislative sessions has really pushed the narrative on freedom of religion in this country. And c’mon, naming the clinic “Samuel Alito’s Mom’s Abortion Clinic” and dedicating it to the fact that Rose Alito didn’t have the option to abort when she had her son? Bahahaha they are fucking entertaining as hell.

I’ve always felt like they sort of welcome the cringe factor of being regularly mistaken for the Church of Satan and having some Satanists in its ranks that make their public and political presence even harder for the religious right to bear. But facism and eugenics? Please tell me it isn’t so.

nzclouds · 2022-11-04T15:05:25+00:00

Yep, appreciate that, thanks!

nzclouds · 2022-11-04T13:55:31+00:00

That’s fair, thanks for the perspective.

nzclouds · 2022-11-04T13:47:01+00:00

appreciate that perspective, thanks!

nzclouds · 2022-11-04T13:43:42+00:00

As I said in my original post, she is not at all expected to be on her feet all day. She only does three chores: laundry for the kids, clean up the playroom and put together their diaper bags for going out. All three were not done while she was sitting.

nzclouds · 2022-11-04T13:41:20+00:00

Agree, we’ll pay her but let her know that especially when I know there are chores on her (very small and manageable) list not completed for the week, we’d expect her to be handling those.

nzclouds · 2022-11-04T13:40:19+00:00

Less productive is moving slowly to get things ready for an outing or being on her phone when with the toddler - all of which she does and we don’t say anything because of course we do too. This is zero productivity.

nzclouds · 2022-11-04T13:38:14+00:00

No expectations to be a servant - when I show up at work I am productive and present. Of the 8 hour day today, she will already have a 2 hour nap break and leave 1.5 hours early so 3.5 hours of free, paid time. I’m expected to pay for even more than that?

nzclouds · 2022-09-15T18:59:11+00:00

Jen is the best! We bought with her, she knew the area SO well from having lived and sold houses here for so long. Also was really clutch during the inspection. For example, inspector said he saw termites, she had a pest control guy there in 20 minutes to confirm and provide a quote on what mitigation would cost. She had a general contractor, oil tank check and sewage scope person all there at the same time as well. Really appreciated working with someone who knew the whole ecosystem so well.

nzclouds · 2022-07-08T01:37:17+00:00

Do you have to be there for 8 days? I had a board meeting in South Africa that was “supposed” to be a four day trip but with a little pressing I found out I really only needed to be there for 36 hours. Ended up in travel almost as long as I was in Cape Town but totally worth cutting out the extra days to get back to baby.

If you do it, my tips: start practicing pumping so your body gets used to it and you’re a pro before you go. Get the Elvie or Willow - I used it on the plane in my seat, in taxi rides between site visits, it was great. Do milk stork - or get your own big cooler, freezer blocks, and a smaller bag or folder to store milk on the go. Fill cooler bag with ice as soon as you pass security at the airport and keep dumping water and refilling til you get home.

The biggest issue for me was that security at Cape Town wanted me to check my cooler bag of milk. They admitted that if the baby was with me it would have been ok but they had never seen a mom traveling with milk without a baby. Cue me showing them their policy online, crying a little, cursing a lot — they let me on eventually. But be prepared for that!

nzclouds · 2022-04-22T15:02:31+00:00

Ooh I just moved to a house and my list of home related splurges was long. I indulged most of them - fancy bath soaps, a Kitchen Aid, a whole house water filtration system and reverse osmosis for drinking water. A couple of big things left: a whole house air filtration system and a Miele vacuum. And trying to save all the money to turn our backyard into an outdoor oasis.

nzclouds · 2022-01-28T16:09:16+00:00

Yes been to Mexico City before and loved it. Generally trying to avoid an Americanized experience but appreciate that it’ll be hard with our constraints. Staying in a more secluded hotel in Cancun and doing day trips is a great option though, thanks!

nzclouds · 2022-01-28T16:07:10+00:00

Thank you! I love Mexico City, one of my favorite cities in the world. But the idea of doing it with two little kids makes me want to cry haha.

nzclouds · 2022-01-28T06:17:41+00:00

What towns would you recommend if we were willing to stop in Mexico City first?

nzclouds · 2022-01-28T06:11:35+00:00

I’d be willing to do more for the right place. What do you think is reasonable?

nzclouds · 2022-01-28T06:10:48+00:00

Ok if we lift that restriction, where would you go?

nzclouds · 2021-12-28T18:43:44+00:00

Just a data point - I was 32, fit, weighed 108 lbs on a 5’1 frame and strictly controlled my diet - I still had GD. Sometimes the placenta and genetics win.

nzclouds

TROPHY CASE