Those of you that make over 200,000 combined . . .

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Posted by nov04LIbride

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Posted by cluelessbride

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Posted by MrsERod

Am I the ONLY one that completely does not understand how someone can say they make over $200K, yet still complains that it's NOT ENOUGH!!!!???????????????

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I have a friend who is a lawyer, her husband an architect, and combined they make over 200k but they are also about 175k in student loan debt.

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That's true, but my brother is graduating from an ivy league law school about $150,000 in debt, but got a job out of it making $150,000 to start...He'll have all his loans paid off in 2 years of working, even paying $$ in rent, etc. It pays if the job at the end pays well, but I know people graduating from Touro law who are now working at the mall, unable to get law jobs, and still have to pay back the loans...

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my fh was out of work as an attorney for 2 years...so he has cc debt too....i feel for your bro

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Posted by Preshy7

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Posted by nov04LIbride

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Posted by cluelessbride

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Posted by MrsERod

Am I the ONLY one that completely does not understand how someone can say they make over $200K, yet still complains that it's NOT ENOUGH!!!!???????????????

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I have a friend who is a lawyer, her husband an architect, and combined they make over 200k but they are also about 175k in student loan debt.

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That's true, but my brother is graduating from an ivy league law school about $150,000 in debt, but got a job out of it making $150,000 to start...He'll have all his loans paid off in 2 years of working, even paying $$ in rent, etc. It pays if the job at the end pays well, but I know people graduating from Touro law who are now working at the mall, unable to get law jobs, and still have to pay back the loans...

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my fh was out of work as an attorney for 2 years...so he has cc debt too....i feel for your bro

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No, he was editor of the law review at his ivy league school and makes over $200,000 with overtime at his firm, I'm just saying it only pays if you make enough to pay back being that much in debt since so many law grads. don't find jobs at the end nowadays...

ETA: I can't imagine having those loans and being out of work for two years. That must have been really difficult.

I find it so sad when someone dedicates so many years to fulfilling their education, going into such debt, and then not be able to find a decent paying job to pay it all off...

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Posted by MrsERod

I find it so sad when someone dedicates so many years to fulfilling their education, going into such debt, and then not be able to find a decent paying job to pay it all off...

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Ditto! I have seen my friends go thru this, and its heartbreaking. A buddy has his bachelor's in Wildlife Biology from Colorado University. He busted his butt for so long, and has a chunk of school debt that the Army didn't cover, and makes $10/hr.

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Posted by MrsERod

I find it so sad when someone dedicates so many years to fulfilling their education, going into such debt, and then not be able to find a decent paying job to pay it all off...

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it was really crappy time in our relationship - he was forced to move home with his family b/c he couldnt afford rent. it killed his ego.
meanwhile, me, always struggling, was finally doing well, so that helped. i used to be so stingy but i learned to share and the whole thing made us stronger. hes working now for 2 years so things are much better. it was a blessing in disguise actually. i was always afraid id have a hard time sharing things but i learned quickly that thats not the important thing.

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Posted by CherylBooch

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Posted by tourist

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Posted by CherylBooch

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Posted by nov04LIbride

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Posted by tourist

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Posted by CherylBooch

We're 25 and 28. We worked very hard to get where we are. Especially DH.

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I so need a new job! I have worked hard too & dh went back to school & everything & we make under $90,000 combined & we are 28 & 29.
(fortunately he's a good saver!)

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I know--honestly I think it has little to do with education, though the average salary for those with Masters and Doctorates will be higher than those without. I'm working on a doctorate after finishing my masters last year, and most of my friends working on PhDs want to either be permanent researchers or teach college--and neither pays that well!

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DH and I both only have our BA's. What helped us are the connections we made and networking in our industry. We made reputations for ourselves in industry societies and guilds and made friends with the right people who helped us along.

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Did you switch jobs, too? I think being with the same company for 7 years is really what is holding me back. The raises are ok, but I started so low, it doesn't really add up to much now.

I think that will help DH too, b/c there is definitely room to grow in IT, but he just switched fields so this is his first job in that field & it is in a hospital b/c he worked in a different dept there & did use a personal connection to get this job.

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We have not switched fields. But I have company hopped to get ahead. I have had 4 hops in 5 years.

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yeah, that's what I meant- the company hopping helps , I think. I really need to try that.
DH had to switch fields first , & now I think will have to company hop a little.

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Posted by Hazeleyes33

I have to agree, money is not everything if you HATE your job. My dh and I make 'nothing' compared to everyone else on this board, it seems but we have a house and 2 kids.
I don't think money can necessarily make you happy but it does help. If you never struggle, you can never appreciate the money when you do have it.

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I agree. I hope eventually we will be able to make much more but just so that we could be more comfortable.

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I know--honestly I think it has little to do with education, though the average salary for those with Masters and Doctorates will be higher than those without. I'm working on a doctorate after finishing my masters last year, and most of my friends working on PhDs want to either be permanent researchers or teach college--and neither pays that well!


I agree - I'll defend my Phd dissertation in about a month and the tenure track college teaching jobs that are currently being advertised have a starting salary in the mid thirties to mid forties. . . and the jobs require that you have a Phd and 3-5 years college teaching experience.

Being a professor is great - but dont do it if you want to make a lot of money

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Couldn't agree more (I am a professor). But, at least in my field, there's been huge salary compression in the last 1-2 years, and people starting now, especially if they have multiple offers, are getting close to 100k.

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Posted by nov04LIbride

I have friends from college who are in their late 20s and make this combined...Most are lawyers for large, high profile law firms in the city...

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That's the way to do it. That or investment banking from what I've heard.

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Posted by MrsERod

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Posted by Danielle&Scott

Wow I feel so depressed reading this thread....Now I know I have to go back to school and get out of my dismal job that I have been doing for the past 5 and a half years....I gotta make a move but I don't know where to go...
Scott

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Me too. I bust my butt everyday and don't make anything CLOSE to what these people are making, yet we still manage to have a very nice home

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Posted by ambersmom

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Posted by MrsERod

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Posted by Danielle&Scott

Wow I feel so depressed reading this thread....Now I know I have to go back to school and get out of my dismal job that I have been doing for the past 5 and a half years....I gotta make a move but I don't know where to go...
Scott

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Me too. I bust my butt everyday and don't make anything CLOSE to what these people are making, yet we still manage to have a very nice home

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don't feel bad, we don't even have our own home.

I am so depressed now. DH and I don't make that kind of money. I thought we where doing OK I guess I was wrong.

I need a new career!!!!!

I work 60-80 hours per week and make squat!

DON'T BECOME AN ARCHITECT OR INTERIOR DESIGNER IF YOU WANT $$$$!!!

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Posted by Preshy7

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Posted by Valentinegirl

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Posted by Preshy7

we are close but b/c of my salary. im 25 but in a very niche field. trust me- even 200k/year is not enough to buy any good house or anything. i have to save alot. you should see the little shack were buying in a good area. we are like the poor people on the block. the house needs alot of work.

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Me and DH make around $130k together and have a nice house. It's not a shack at all.

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it depends on the area is all

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if you live on LI, make 200K, and live under your means, you can buy a nice house in a good area and be fine. some people just want to live above their means.

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Posted by JimmysBride

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Posted by Monkeybride

I voted 30's since I am 29 about to be 30 and DH is 35.

A lot depends on career choice. At 23 out of college my first job paid $75K a year plus bonus that is now at $105K plus bonus.

You can't really take a job for money though you have ot be happy with what you do. If you get to have both even better. Like my DH loves his work and makes great money.

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Can I ask what you started out doing out of college?

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I'm a pharmacist and fortunately we're in high demand so we get large raises every year and the company I work for gives bonuses as well so it works out well.
We will fall out of the 200K category after the baby because I only plan to work PT, maybe 2-3 days a week not 5 and I will lose my bonus as well when I do that.

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Posted by MrsERod

Am I the ONLY one that completely does not understand how someone can say they make over $200K, yet still complains that it's NOT ENOUGH!!!!???????????????

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The more you make the more you spend it's really as simple as that. It's not that its not enough but you get used to a certain lifestyle and tend to always want nicer things.
DH and I don't have a fancy house nor do we drive fancy cars. No one would look at us and think we make that much. It's really not 'alot' of money these days. 200K in my opinion is middle to upper middle class it's doesn't get you an upper class lifestyle especially in NY.

We also have student loans which maybe some people in the 200K range have so that puts a big dent in what you bring in because it goes right out.

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Posted by Preshy7

i should have said in a popular area. we are buying in stamford ct which is 43 minutes to the city via express train and next ot greenwich. its a very popular area right now. but even on LI, i mean you really have alot of $ for taxes and stuff. plus furniture. i just find it so expensive! im going to be house poor for a while...
eta - its definitely doable- but i was just trying to put into persepctive that 200k is not as much as it sounds.esp after getting raped by taxes and stuff

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I understood completely and its all good. It doesnt matter WHERE you are, to simply own something has to be better than not owning at all. property taxes are killing my parents who are elderly, but they will never leave their home.

4 kids in my family

7 degrees

Oldest sister BA, MA - Teacher

Second sister BA, JD - Attorney

Myself - BS, MS - Teacher

Brother - BA Advertising Exec


Guess who makes the most $$$? Guess who owns the biggest home? Brother makes about 3 times as much as his sisters combined and we (the three sisters) EACH have graduate degrees.

It just goes to show you, higher education DOES NOT always equal a higher salary. However, I can kick his A$$ in a game of Scrabble and I have all of my hair.

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Posted by danigirl0

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Posted by Preshy7

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Posted by Valentinegirl

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Posted by Preshy7

we are close but b/c of my salary. im 25 but in a very niche field. trust me- even 200k/year is not enough to buy any good house or anything. i have to save alot. you should see the little shack were buying in a good area. we are like the poor people on the block. the house needs alot of work.

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Me and DH make around $130k together and have a nice house. It's not a shack at all.

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it depends on the area is all

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if you live on LI, make 200K, and live under your means, you can buy a nice house in a good area and be fine. some people just want to live above their means.

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The more you make the more you spend. It's inevitable