Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
And you can always clean your own gutters and cut your own lawn.
LOL when I was growing up my parents made US do those jobs.
I hated cleaning gutters--my sister and I would inch along the edge of the roof scooping all the crap out and tossing it down to pick up with the wheelbarrow later. It. Was just gross. But even if you don't have kids to give those jobs to, a normal healthy person can do them themselves and save money.
My husband works 60-80 hours a week. His time is better spent working than mowing. I have a 2 year old and am pregs, so no time to take care of landscaping!
Cleaning the gutters in my home is way too dangerous. Our home sits up too high. I would hire someone. But we do our own lawn.
That makes sense not to put your life in danger!
Of course, it makes me wonder that my parents weren't too concerned about sending us kids up on the roof, lol. My father was disabled so he couldn't maneuver as well so we did the things like that that he couldn't do.
If your PITI < 30% of your NET monthly take home, then I say you can afford it.
You make $100k, so you clear about $6k a month give or take.
$6000 x .30 = $1800
Without your wife working, that is what you should be aiming to pay. I live in central jersey, not sure what you mean you cant find a house for $400k and less. Tell your wife that just because it doesn't have stainless steel appliances and granite counters, its not uninhabitable. Live WITHIN your means, buy what you need, not what you think you deserve. Not enough people follow that logic. Not sure what your wife is studying, but unless she is in a STEM field, jobs arent exactly easy to come by, even in STEM field.
So my advise, buy a $350K NOW, and fix it up gradually with your extra income, or B) wait till the wife gets a steady job and then consider buying.
Last edited by TonyStarksNJ; 12-03-2012 at 06:42 AM..
If your PITI < 30% of your NET monthly take home, then I say you can afford it.
You make $100k, so you clear about $6k a month give or take.
$6000 x .30 = $1800
Without your wife working, that is what you should be aiming to pay. I live in central jersey, not sure what you mean you cant find a house for $400k and less. Tell your wife that just because it doesn't have stainless steel appliances and granite counters, its not uninhabitable. Live WITHIN your means, buy what you need, not what you think you deserve. Not enough people follow that logic. Not sure what your wife is studying, but unless she is in a STEM field, jobs arent exactly easy to come by, even in STEM field.
So my advise, buy a $350K NOW, and fix it up gradually with your extra income, or B) wait till the wife gets a steady job and then consider buying.
hey hey hey, don't assume the the WIFE is the one demanding this. i know plenty of guys who are enamored with the outward appearance!
hey hey hey, don't assume the the WIFE is the one demanding this. i know plenty of guys who are enamored with the outward appearance!
You're right, that comment was based on what I have seen on TV and from personal friends looking for their first home as well. Some men do care about this, but most are generally ok with anything as long as the wife is happy.
My husband works 60-80 hours a week. His time is better spent working than mowing. I have a 2 year old and am pregs, so no time to take care of landscaping!
I don't think it's a good idea for you to climb up on the roof right now, either!
I'm in a condo, so the association pays to have those types of things done. But, I'm just saying that for those who are able, money could be saved doing things yourself that people always used to do themselves. Go back 30 years--VERY FEW people hired someone to cut their lawn, unless it was a kid from the neighborhood. Even my father, wearing two prosthetic legs, did as much of our own yardwork as he could (plus had 7 kids to assign jobs to!).
I don't think it's a good idea for you to climb up on the roof right now, either!
I'm in a condo, so the association pays to have those types of things done. But, I'm just saying that for those who are able, money could be saved doing things yourself that people always used to do thmselves. Go back 30 years--VERY FEW people hired someone to cut their lawn, unless it was a kid from the neighborhood. Even my father, wearing two prosthetic legs, did as much of our own yardwork as he could (plus had 7 kids to assign jobs to!).
it's funny, 30 years ago my dad actually did hire a friend to do our gardening, he actually grew a banana plant in our backyard! every summer it was an abundance of tomatoes, cukes, peppers, eggplant. I think for my dad it was more like helping a friend out than actually "needing" it. In general I do agree with you however.
$160,000 income and a $500,000 house? That does not sound smart. You are overestimating your ability to service this debt, and take care of savings, cars, emergencies, unexpected repairs, not to mention having a life and taking vacations and buying home theaters and snowblowers and clothes and what not, all of which should be done with cold hard cash. Cash that you won't have. This would be a mistake.
Exactly what Mark said. Wife and I make a little bit more a year than what you and your wife would make and we have a 300k+ mortgage with 6k+ a yr n prop taxes + one $500 car payment monthly.. We make JUST ENOUGH to live comfortably with unplanned expenses and weddings/baby showers/other events and things that cost money.. and we don't even have children yet and are barely saving money like we want to. So 500k on 160k combined income is way over.. You won't be enjoying anything nice in life with those overhead expenses, trust me!
Last edited by jrzymuscle25; 12-03-2012 at 07:34 AM..
Hey, if someone wants to pay somebody and can afford it, that's their choice and it provides work to others. But I do hear people complain about the cost of some services that they could easily do themselves.
Some of it is how we were raised. For example, I HATE painting and I need my bedroom painted, and someone asked me why I just don't pay someone to do it. I was taken aback by the suggestion. It would never have occurred to me to pay someone for something I am able to do myself. I would feel guilty, I think. It just seems wrong and lazy.
Last edited by Mightyqueen801; 12-03-2012 at 07:35 AM..
Hey, if someone wants to pay somebody and can afford it, that's their choice and it provides work to others. But I do hear people complain about the cost of some services that they could easily do themselves.
Some of it is how we were raised. For example, I HATE painting and I need my bedroom painted, and some asked me why I just don't pay someone to do it. I was taken aback by the suggestion. It would never have occurred to me to pay someone for something I am able to do myself. I would feel guilty, I think. It just seems wrong and lazy.
I generally agree with this philosophy. I have been a homeowner for the past 16 months, and quite honestly, I am surprised with what me and my wife have been able to accomplish as DIY'ers on our own. I am an engineer, OCD too, so I typically attempt to try everything on my own. My problem is TIME. Weekends are my only time to do anything around the house. So if I have a project that I dont think I want to spend a few weekends doing, sometimes I will suck it up and just pay someone out of pure convenience.
I currently have 9 interior doors that have been sitting in an empty bedroom for about 6 weeks. I want to put them in myself, but I am having a hard time with the time. First Sandy, then Sandy cleanup, now the holidays. Every day that passes I am that much closer to calling someone to do it.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
