工资比上不足比下还行。 两人四十尚不足,三十已有余。一博一硕无小孩。biotech and high tech工作。存款四万多点。
养了两辆车,一辆Mazda, 一辆Subaru, 贷款每月$400
(最怕被人称为Camry, Accord owner, 又不富,又不酷)。
吃:每月超市Safeway/Trade Joe's $400, Whole Food $200); 偶尔永和买些中国调味品,食品什么的,S50; Walgreen/Walmart 日用品$50; 也去Costco, $50.
外出就餐 (西餐70%,中餐30%, 中餐的顾虑是味精太多,所以很小心, $200 +$50 (小费给的很足,20-30%)
穿:正尔八经衣服大部分在Banana Republic/Ann Taylor Loft/Macy买,有时也去Gap买Jeans, T-shirts, casual shirts, cargo pants/shorts. Average &300; Gal/guy cosmetics, $20; Hair cut/dry cleaning/laundry $80.
用:Book store, 喜欢去Borders买book/CD/DVD, $100, 也去书源(Soyodo), $50; Gas/public commute ticket. $250; Car/life/Health Insurance/Co-pay $350.
住:One-bedroom in an APT complex with pool but no gym, rent/utility/phone/internet, $1200,close to downtown.
玩:大约每年五千,算每月$400.
Shopping: annual budget for electronics/computer/software/cool gadgets, $5000, 细算了一下可能还不够。 每月就算$400. 因为我们都是苹果迷, 所以Dell之类的低档货是绝不考虑的, 家里有几个iPod, 几台苹果电脑, 总价可能超过许多有房族的所有家具电器价格。
Donation/membership/Journal: $100
这样下来, 每月at least $4650.
无论老中老外,认为我们过得还算潇洒。
再减去401 (maximal) 什么的,每月能攒一两千就不错了。
湾区买房?对我们来说有点渴望不可及了。只好放万把快钱在股市上了, 也不知什么时候能翻番变成downpay。
不过有一点我们很certain:
When we look back, we will be happy that we have enjoyed our life while we are still reasonably young.
We are happy that we are just lucky enough to experience Bay area life. Owning a house or not really is no big deal for us.
当你成为一把老骨头时,守着百万存款大房有何用呢?