I live in Germantown. It's no where near as cheap as Damascus or Frederick.

Commute an hour? Cool, add 200 or more dollars a month to your monthly bills. That 330 just shrunk to 130 and there plenty left off that list to eat it.

That's such BS lol. Milestone 1 bedroom at $1094. The Gables in Waters Landing $1120. The Hamptons $1108

I just googled that real quick.

You can certainly find cheaper if you Craigslist it, or get a 2 bedroom for $1300 and split the rent.

People think middle class means they can have a very nice apartment in a very safe area with a 10 minute or less commute and money to blow drinking multiple nights a week. I disagree.

I lived in a 2 BR apt in Frederick for a bit paying $1150/month because I got a nicer one. Average commute to Rockville was about 30-45 mins. an hour if traffic was thick.

This post was edited by AspenSniper on Jan 14 2015 03:13pm

Not to mention this is real life, where shit happens, like mechanical problems, medical problems, etc.

/e



All more than your $1,000 estimate. Not to mention everything else is going to be more expensive when you live in an area like MoCo.

This post was edited by Mastersam93 on Jan 14 2015 03:13pm

$1000 is fair given that Moco is what, top 10 in most expensive counties to live in in the entire fucking country? lmfao.

Get a job in Frederick, live in Hagerstown. Then rent is only $550/month. That's more normal to the rest of the country anyways

I feel like such an old man thinking kids these days are spoiled brats. I guess I'm bitter like Arsenic_Touch said because I penny pinched like fucking crazy for 3 years spending money on nothing and driving around in a 1995 sentra so that when I got my $35k job, got $5k raises every 6 months from working my ass off, then going into a field that pays commission ontop of it, making a lot more money, I was fortunate to live on easy street. That being said, when I was only making $35k a year driving in my beater of a car, life was still fine. I didn't stress myself out. I just budgeted correctly and when I went out to eat, it was Chipotle, not outback steakhouse.

I just really think life is easier than people make it seem to be.

This post was edited by AspenSniper on Jan 14 2015 03:19pm

I'm not saying you can't live off of 35k, I'm just saying it isn't middle class. Throw a kid into the mix and all of a sudden you're gonna be in debt.

And i'm saying $35k is really an entry level starting point. If you start at a white collar job making $35k and aren't making $45k within 2 years, you dun fucked up, or are working for a really shitty boss/company.

I think $35k qualifies for middle class. It isn't as EASY as making $100k a year, but it's still middle class. All honesty, I make 6 figures now, but I was making $35k just 2 years ago. My life really hasn't changed all that much. I live in a much nicer house, but I still live frugally because I don't feel the need to go out and blow it. My idea of a vacation is 4-5 days at the Sahara Motel in Ocean City ($139 a night in the west building, booyah) which is no different than what I did 2 years ago. I still eat at the same restaurants because I think dropping more than $30 for dinner for 2 is nuts unless it's a special occasion.

I'm just a frugal fuck I guess lol.

This post was edited by AspenSniper on Jan 14 2015 03:23pm

Not every $35k/yr job is a white collar job that comes with advancement opportunity.

This post was edited by Mastersam93 on Jan 14 2015 03:31pm

Even still, I qualify being able to afford the things I initially listed, like an iPhone, cable internet and TV, insurance, an $8000 car, and still have $300 a month leftover for either savings or potentially an emergency fund as middle class.

If I can chill at home, watch some Netflix or some ESPN while piddling on my iPhone and eating take-out with my $400/month budgeted for food and $300 extra a month to spend on whatever, I think that's some pretty middle class shit right there

This post was edited by AspenSniper on Jan 14 2015 03:37pm

AGREED. the reason the middle class is disappearing is the expectation for the middle class has drastically changed. Kim Kardashians phone cover is now a necessity.

We live in an age where every US citizen knows exactly what the Upper class has, and they want it. A dust bowl farmer in the 30s didnt know what the fuck was in Andrew Carnegie's closet so they couldnt want it.