Annual income and does it cover

amother

Bellflower

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 2:41 pm

amother Babyblue wrote:

We make about 250k maybe 260k pre tax which is really like 165/170k post tax and 401k match its mostly my husband working as I do everything else for the house and try and work 10 hours a week as working more would just cause us to pay more taxes and we would all need therapy from the pressure it would create. We can bh cover our bills with some put away each month not much but between 100 and 1000 depending plus match a 401k. Live in queens/5 towns area which is a very high cost of living we have 4 kids kh live on the simpler side compared to neighbors,I try to find the happy medium where my kids are happy and not spending too much. What saves us is housing we don’t pay much rent or housing expenses as we live in a family members house which they are happy to have us live here and just cover the expenses of the house they live in apt due to being older. We currently get some tuition break our youngest is currently in upk so it’s government funded but iyH next year will be paying tution for him as well so our tuition bill will prob be like 45k if we continue to receive the breaks we receive otherwise it’s like 60k for 4 kids. Currently am learning shar habitachon to help with my emunah and to realize I’m not in control we are just vessels for parnassah and it’s all decided by Hashem.

Off topic but which schools in 5t/Queens have upk?

Currently looking for my little one

amother

Firethorn

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 3:40 pm

Under 75k LOL

I'm finding it interesting how well the Israelis are doing k"h. I always thought that was the case but so many people seem to disagree.

I have special needs kids, but here they get disability! That is a HUGE help. My kids BH have mild disabilities bli ayin hora. I'm sure for parents of kids with severe disabilities it is not enough. But for the mild disabilities, it really is. I also pay pretty minimally for therapies bli ayin hora because insurance covers most.

Tuition is minimal. My son is IIRC 2500 for the year (NIS) and DD is around 900... then the gan kid is 600...

Insurance is pretty low. It comes off our salaries and isn't a ton. Plus, we pay maybe $100 extra a month to have a better insurance plan. (And this covers even more therapy sessions.)

My rent is under 1k unless the dollar is low. But I don't earn dollars. I do rent something very simple that most people probably wouldn't consider, but I'd rather spend my money elsewhere.

The 2 big things that are super hard for me is a downpayment because it's a huge percentage here. I'm not sure how I will ever own without a miracle. I'm praying for one!

And a car. I've gotten to the point where I could really use a car, but cars are expensive here and the gas is also. I feel like it would make our lives significantly easier but then we'd have to live tighter.

amother

Orchid

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 4:04 pm

amother Hyssop wrote:

We live in israel and make around 200k based on the exchange rate. We live nicely, we pay rent and mortgage on our apartment bought on paper. Our tuition is low, our health care costs are much lower than the USA. We save a nice sum every month in addition to our very good pension plans and work savings plan. It seems like those of us in israel live a lot nicer on these salaries.

That’s amazing. Would you be able to share what you and your husband do for work. Thinking about wanting to move to Israel but the work/financial piece is a roadblock right now.

amother

Hunter

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:23 pm

wow. now I feel jealous. we earn 30k£..., 4 kids, barely making a Shabbos full meal, 1 wk fish, 1 wk chicken, own thousands to gas and electric company as we earnt half tthrough COVID and couldn't pay.
Sounds awful but we manage. and yes it causes stress but ....BH for good health.

edit to add this is pre tax.

amother

Tiffanyblue

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 5:46 pm

amother Firethorn wrote:

Under 75k LOL

I'm finding it interesting how well the Israelis are doing k"h. I always thought that was the case but so many people seem to disagree.

Why surprised? Many israelis do well or just fine. I feel like this site veers to the young and poor. But that is not how most israelis are. There is a big middle class BH.
I personally live in a thriving middle class community. Many have 2 cars, own their houses, go on vacations.

amother

Babyblue

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 6:03 pm

amother Bellflower wrote:

Off topic but which schools in 5t/Queens have upk?

Currently looking for my little one

Almost all the big schools have in queens BYQ bnos Malka Tiferes Moshe and then there are a lot of private preschools that are upk. In 5 towns darchai and tag have and then there are private preschools that have. Is there a particular neighborhood you are looking in

amother

Lilac

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 6:07 pm

amother Darkblue wrote:

5 kids. 180k
Covers all of our expenses

Hoooow??? We make 188K with 4 kids and are drowning in debt. (Okay, the debt is from when dh was in kollel but besides for that we barely make it through the month.)

Are your kids teens? Or little? Do you have camp expenses? Tuition? E"Y or America?

I need some tips!

amother

Mocha

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 6:28 pm

We make a little under $110 and both work 40+ hrs a week. No kids yet, just us. NJ.
Our monthly take home (after taxes and maaser) is 6-6.5k a month.

We're doing ok bh. We save around 2-2.5 a month which is not enough considering the housing market right now- but we're davening things change iyh. We're pretty frugal with our spending (500 on groceries monthly, 200 on clothes...) but we do try to enjoy ourselves a bit with the occasional night out.

We haven't gone on vacation yet together, so we're trying to pick up odd jobs on the side and save up cc points to do that. Ppl keep telling us that once we have a baby it's going to get way more complicated.

We're young and still pretty junior in our careers (we both work in tech) so with Hashem's help and hard work we're hoping we'll have enough to live a comfortable life and support a family one day.

amother

Aqua

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 8:40 pm

amother Mocha wrote:

My advice to you as a new mom is please travel now! Any country you want to see. It’s cheap because it’s just you and your husband, and it will be so enjoyable without kids. I went on two vacations before having my baby and I so wish I’d have done more. Leaving your baby to vacation is a huge deal but so is bringing the baby along. If I were you, I would prioritize traveling over saving so much each month. I definitely wouldn’t wait to get enough cc points. The money you spend will be well worth it in the memories you have for life.

amother

DarkKhaki

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 9:39 pm

amother Babyblue wrote:

What is UPK?

amother

Marigold

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 9:41 pm

amother DarkKhaki wrote:

For all those saying they make $50-70k is it combined or just one income?

Combined. Both low salary jobs with no room for much growth. Just above income limit for government programs.
we would actually be better off if we had more children I'd imagine because then we would qualify

amother

DarkKhaki

Thu, Jan 04 2024, 9:41 pm

amother Marigold wrote:

I’m sorry if this is rude but how do you afford life?