If you have 40,000 and u are comfortable you most likely:

1. Have made a ton of other money on the side (but why would you work for 40k if this is the case)
2. Live at home with parents.
3. Fortunate enough to have equity in your home and a low mortgage payment.
4. Rent a room out of someone's garage.



In all seriousness, if you make 40k, are comfortable, and don't match any of the criteria above, explain?

 

i make 40k and my half of the mortgage comes out to about 1200/mo. That's mortgage alone, then i have a car payment ($250/mo), CC (~$300-500/mo) and all other billls and groceries.

So, i'm not exactly living paycheck to paycheck, in the months where i don't buy any car parts, i'm managing to save a little here and there.

If i didn't have a car payment or spend money on car parts, i'd be more than comfortable. Right now i'd say i'm right at 'comfortable.'

 

Are you able to put any money away Chris?

That's a cheap mortgage!

1200+250+400 = 1900. You make like what, 1400 something take home every 2 weeks? Cell phone/water/electricity/trash/property tax has got to be at least a few hundred a month. Not hating here, just wondering how you do it.

Wife? Second income?

 

I split the $2400 mortgage and all other joint expenses with my gf @ 50%. But i think i'd be doing just as comfortable if i were on my own--I could easily find a 1bdrm apartment for 1200 or under...may not be in Irvine or an equally nice city though!

I can put away some cash if i stop buying car parts!! And is someone buys my CE28s that would help But in all seriousness, there are plenty of areas i could cut costs to save more money: phone (get non-smart phone/no data plan), go out to eat less, drive more reasonably (save gas $$), give up DirecTV, etc.

so yeah, all in all, i think someone could easily live comfortably at 40k a year, just stay out of renting in Irvine or any of the other pricey OC cities and don't spend to luxuriously.

 

Keyword is HALF.

Hate to say it, but the more you make, the MORE you spend. And some people wonder why those pro athletes always go broke. Saving consist lot of self-control, and it can be so hard for me sometimes.

 

I agree with OC S2k, I dont see it happening

Mort 1200 (property tax/ ins??)
car 250
cc 400
utilities + cell phone 250
Food 400
Gas 200
car ins 50
.. Im sure we could easily add more for many people a month..

 

Well I'm not calling his bluff here.

I can draw lines from my own situation and call it possible I think. I'm assuming other things are split perhaps too.

 

Well if he splits rent most likely splits utilities, food bill. Cheaper cooking for 2 than 1. Most single people eat out more, as you typically don't cook for 1. Especially a guy.

I couldn't live without a smart phone/data plan.

Or would want to without the following:
High-speed internet
Cable/DirecTV

Stuff adds up. Comfort is all subjective though, good for him.

Property tax and home expenditures add up also.

 

Definitely possible, we all just have different interpretations of "comfortable." If it works for him, more power to him, we are all looking for our own "Personal Nirvana" in some way or another.

 

agreed.