3 ms·

Saying it's impossible to save is misleading and it's laughable how often this myth about the Bay Area is perpetuated on HN. Unlike a lot of places in the US, t

Saying it's impossible to save is misleading and it's laughable how often this myth about the Bay Area is perpetuated on HN. Unlike a lot of places in the US, the Bay Area has all of the following: * a meaningful degree of racial diversity (makes a big difference if you're not white) * comprehensive public transit (yeah, yeah BART and MUNI suck, but where I've lived in the US previously, they didn't even exist) * an abundance of job opportunities in tech * nice weather I'm able to save 40% of my income and I don't even work at a high-paying company like Airbnb, Google etc. I live in a new apartment with one roommate in an area that's only a 25 minute commute to my office in SF via public transit.

jdmichal 9y ago
This comment, in turn, is laughable from a guy in his 30's with a wife and toddler... We live on a single income and have our own house with a quarter acre of land. And this is in coastal Florida, not a economically-depressed city in the Midwest. We all need to accept that people are looking for different things in life. It's difficult to save money in SF, while also having a lifestyle that's relatively easy to maintain in other places. For instance, living without roommates.
- encoderer 9y ago
  The commenter could be 10 years your junior. I'm mid 30s, wife, kid on the way, and own a home in Sfba with reasonable commute.
- felipellrocha 9y ago
  Approaching my 30s, with a wife and no kids yet. We have about 75% of our salaries. It's possible
- frakkingcylons 9y ago
  You're right that it's difficult if you have a family. But there's a lot of room in between "impossible to save" and "saving is difficult".
  - jdmichal 9y ago
    Overly literal interpretation is overly literal.
model_m_warrior 9y ago
Man, I find this comment annoying.
bitcrusher 9y ago
It's not impossible nor is it misleading. I think, frankly, that what you're saying is misleading. You're able to do that because you're obviously "unattached" or "young"... You live in an apartment with a roommate. That's probably fine when you're single/dating. It's not super appealing when you're a person with a spouse and kid(s)... Also, as one progresses in age, there is a desire to stop having 'roommates' and perhaps even consider owning something. The cost goes up considerably within those parameters. It's "easy" to save 40% of your income if you live like a college sophomore in a dorm. It's not when you have other responsibilities.
storgendibal 9y ago
The racial diversity is huge if you're not white. There are parts of the US where I've walked into a Burger King and gotten cold stared by everyone in there.

jdmichal 9y ago

This comment, in turn, is laughable from a guy in his 30's with a wife and toddler... We live on a single income and have our own house with a quarter acre of land. And this is in coastal Florida, not a economically-depressed city in the Midwest. We all need to accept that people are looking for different things in life. It's difficult to save money in SF, while also having a lifestyle that's relatively easy to maintain in other places. For instance, living without roommates.

encoderer 9y ago
The commenter could be 10 years your junior. I'm mid 30s, wife, kid on the way, and own a home in Sfba with reasonable commute.
felipellrocha 9y ago
Approaching my 30s, with a wife and no kids yet. We have about 75% of our salaries. It's possible
frakkingcylons 9y ago
You're right that it's difficult if you have a family. But there's a lot of room in between "impossible to save" and "saving is difficult".
- jdmichal 9y ago
  Overly literal interpretation is overly literal.

model_m_warrior 9y ago

Man, I find this comment annoying.

bitcrusher 9y ago

It's not impossible nor is it misleading. I think, frankly, that what you're saying is misleading. You're able to do that because you're obviously "unattached" or "young"... You live in an apartment with a roommate. That's probably fine when you're single/dating. It's not super appealing when you're a person with a spouse and kid(s)... Also, as one progresses in age, there is a desire to stop having 'roommates' and perhaps even consider owning something. The cost goes up considerably within those parameters. It's "easy" to save 40% of your income if you live like a college sophomore in a dorm. It's not when you have other responsibilities.

storgendibal 9y ago

The racial diversity is huge if you're not white. There are parts of the US where I've walked into a Burger King and gotten cold stared by everyone in there.