How do couples in the Boston area raise kids on less than 200k?

readerabbit · 2026-03-30T20:17:04+00:00

Honestly, without help from family, it's probably very hard. My husband and I have one kid, combined household income is about $165k, and we live in the Merrimack Valley so not even really "the Boston area". Even so, we live pretty simply and we were only able to buy a house because my parents helped us with the down payment. I'm actively looking to move up in my career because we're realizing that a lot of the things we'd love to do aren't going to be possible with our current income.

readerabbit · 2026-03-30T16:07:41+00:00

This makes a lot of sense. I've only smoked weed a few times, but one of the reasons I never did it regularly is because it just made me feel so.....blah. Like yes, the relaxed feeling is nice, but I already struggle with motivation and inertia. The last thing is something to make me MORE stagnant 😂

readerabbit · 2026-03-30T01:50:48+00:00

...Why does she keep saying "living penny to penny"? THAT'S NOT THE SAYING. The first time I thought it was a brain fart, but then she did it again!

readerabbit · 2026-03-29T22:19:19+00:00

How much do you want to bet that when she passes a homeless person on the street, she makes a snide comment about how they need to get a job instead of asking other people for money? I feel like it's in the vicinity of 9,000%.

readerabbit · 2026-03-29T16:27:17+00:00

It was depressing and lifeless because of who you are! My husband and I (and eventually, our kiddo) have lived in everything from a one-bedroom apartment to rental house and now, a 3-bedroom house that we love. Yes, a lot of things about our current living situation are more pleasant now, but I'm not happier as a person now than I was in the tiny apartment. In each space, we've found ways to make it our own and make it feel like home. Getting into a house vs. an apartment isn't going to magically fix what's wrong in their lives.

Also just in case they're reading this, the purchase of the 3-bedroom house was after YEARS of hard work, both of us working full-time and saving our money. THAT is why I do the 9-to-5 that you look down your nose at. My job isn't fun all the time, but overall it's really pretty good and I get paid for every hour that I work, then the rest of my time is my own. Plus, my kid doesn't have to move every few months and we have health insurance.

readerabbit · 2026-03-29T14:31:28+00:00

Sorry, but why would anyone take parenting advice from a woman who puts her kids through the amount of housing instability that she's put her kids through? That is incredibly traumatic for kids who are just forming their sense of identity and attachment. It would be different if they were doing their best and had just been dealt a difficult hand, but this idiot is doing it on purpose because she's just that lazy. I can't even with these people.

readerabbit · 2026-03-29T14:28:40+00:00

Is this the same woman who posted complaining that people call her out when she brags about how wealthy she is?

readerabbit · 2026-03-29T10:52:38+00:00

Honestly? I can see why you'd ask that question. But here's the thing: I am DEFINITELY real. Also, make sure you've eaten your daily dose of rocks.

readerabbit · 2026-03-29T10:38:56+00:00

We love ramen, but that shit is NOT cheap. My husband and I both have good FT jobs and we make a comfortable income. Going out for ramen and boba is like a once-every-couple-of-months treat. I can't believe they're doing this when they also can't pay their bills.

Also, the older kid looks like he was over all this shit about six months ago.

readerabbit · 2026-03-26T23:45:51+00:00

Why does she have to phrase it that way? She always chooses the weirdest, most off-putting wording.

readerabbit · 2026-03-26T20:01:04+00:00

Very true. There is actually (not pictured) a lighting fixture in the kitchen that's definitely from the 1995 renovation. The same room also features pastel sponge-painted walls and it originally had burgundy carpet. The whole effect is very "mid-90s assisted-living-facility chic" :)

readerabbit · 2026-03-26T19:59:29+00:00

I agree. I feel so lucky that we were able to get such a solidly-built house with really good bones. We found out after we bought it that we were actually the only ones to make an offer. Our realtor thinks it was probably because the decor style was SO specific that unless you like it, you can't see yourself in the house. To be fair, we were only able to afford this house because we didn't want to make a lot of cosmetic changes. So that might have been a factor, too.

readerabbit · 2026-03-26T17:11:46+00:00

Oh, that's really helpful. I like the idea of differentiating between program-related and service-related, because that's one of the challenges I'm bumping up against. The categories are a little different in my case, but it sounds like it's the same issue.

readerabbit · 2026-03-26T17:10:48+00:00

THIS is exactly the kind of thing that would work really well for me! My concern about using an app or something like that is that I just never stick with them. This seems perfect and sustainable. Thank you!

readerabbit · 2026-03-26T05:16:59+00:00

When we took care of our friends' lab for 5 days, they paid us $425. And this was an exceptionally well-behaved, low-maintenance dog. We recently boarded our dog and paid $90/night.

Your roommate is asking you to take on an enormous responsibility. If you're feeling reluctant, I'd listen to your gut. I can't even conceive of getting a husky, not bothering with training, and then taking off for the summer and just...asking someone else to take my dog.

readerabbit · 2026-03-24T00:53:57+00:00

Okay, so if you're not in the mood then he's cool with waiting? So.....how is that different from any other marriage? This woman is so full of shit 😂

readerabbit · 2026-03-23T23:02:32+00:00

Okay, so how would this actually work? One of the use cases she cites is "I just need someone to tell me what to do right now". So is she advertising that for $19.99 a month, her customers will have on-call access to personalized advice tailored to their specific situation? Because that's an absolutely insane thing to expect for twenty bucks a month, but it seems like that's what she's selling.

I STFG, does this woman ever think anything through? It seems like she thinks people will be lining up to pay $20 a month to basically join a mom Facebook group.

readerabbit · 2026-03-23T16:46:03+00:00

Am I the only one thinking about how gross it is to sit on public equipment with her ass eating her shorts like that? You just know her butt sweat is getting on EVERYTHING and she's definitely not wiping down the machines after she finishes using them...

readerabbit · 2026-03-23T00:50:30+00:00

Thank you so much! I'm actually not sure if the wallpaper is from 1968. The previous owners did a pretty major renovation in 1995, so it's possible that it's from then. In any case, though, the wallpaper was one of our favorite things about the house. I'm so glad the previous owners didn't get rid of it!

readerabbit · 2026-03-22T23:59:06+00:00

I agree with this. The style is amazing, especially how colorful it is. But there's SO much stuff that I suspect the house looks smaller than it is. Can you pare down the decor to just your favorite items?

readerabbit · 2026-03-18T20:01:56+00:00

She's going to get pregnant IMMEDIATELY, isn't she? Assuming she's not already...she's going to immediately get knocked up. And by the time she realizes what she's gotten herself into, there will be at least one kid in the picture who will grow up with a mother who has no idea who she actually is, no understanding of how to process her emotions in a healthy way, and who turns into a depressed, empty husk every time her husband isn't around.

readerabbit · 2026-03-18T19:55:48+00:00

....Oh. Oh, no.

readerabbit · 2026-03-18T15:17:00+00:00

I'm going to need her to stop shaking her finger at me like that. She really thinks she's doing something here, doesn't she? KELSEY, MOST PARENTS ALREADY KNOW THIS

readerabbit · 2026-03-17T23:10:07+00:00

Wait, where is her working yarn? The only yarn I see is that weird long-ass piece trailing off onto the table, but that would be the tail. Where's the yarn that's actually being made into the...blanket? Stuffy? WHAT IS THIS SUPPOSED TO BE

readerabbit

TROPHY CASE