• Psythik@lemmy.world
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    5 months ago

    IDK but my GF does too. Two bedroom apartment-style condo in Gilbert, AZ. 950ft², $918/mo.

    FWIW she bought during that period of COVID when interest rates were at like 2%. And there are also two HOA fees: $315 every month and $270 twice a year. Water is included in the HOA fees. We also pay ~$150/mo for power, and $60/mo for gigabit internet. And then homeowner’s insurance is about $30/year.

    So on an average month (not including the semi-annual stuff), we pay about $721.50 each to have a roof over our heads. But we also have cell phone bills ($35/mo each) and car insurance ($150-300/mo each. Vehicles are thankfully paid off), and have to eat. I make about $400-600/week, and she makes twice as much as me. So once all the bills are caught up and my gas tank + stomach are filled, I’m still living paycheck-to-paycheck. She’s doing much better than I am, cause every day another goddamn package with her name on it arrives at our doorstep.

    • candybrie@lemmy.world
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      5 months ago

      Your bills are ~$1000 and you make ~$2000? Are you spending $1000 on food and gas? Or are you not counting other bills/savings/taxes? And if her bills are similarly $1000, but she makes ~$4000, of course she can afford to shop some.

      • Psythik@lemmy.world
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        5 months ago

        They’re actually closer to ~$1400 once you factor in weed, medications, and psychiatrist visits without health insurance. And I make closer to $1600-1800/mo depending on how many hours I am able to work. (I’ve never made more than that my entire life.) Which leaves me just $200-400/mo left for food and gas. I also try to invest $50-100 each week, but these days I’m taking more cash out of my fund than I’m putting in. $20 gets me about one day’s worth of food on average, whether I eat out or cook. And I cook about 65% of the time.

        Plus I still like to actually go out and do things for time to time, and I try to take at least 1-2 vacations a year to keep myself sane. So you can see how I could easily be living beyond my means while still only covering the bare basics needed to be minimally comfortable and not die of exhaustion during this rat race.