3 ms·

Housing makes that very difficult. Throw in some kids (daycare, summer camps, sports and music enrichment if you want them to have a chance in dog eat dog world

Housing makes that very difficult. Throw in some kids (daycare, summer camps, sports and music enrichment if you want them to have a chance in dog eat dog world) and you need big $$$ to hit 50%. I mean 30% goes to taxes right away!

silverquiet 3y ago
I'd rather be able to retire than have children. I suspect I'm not alone given falling birthrates.
marcusverus 3y ago
50% is high for most, but seems like a good target for the upper-middle class outside of HCOL areas. I'm amazed at how many high-income folks save 5-10% and view the rest of their income as blow money. If you have the means save aggressively, you may well be able to retire 10+ years earlier than the standard. Yet millions people are foregoing a decade of freedom in exchange for the fleeting satisfaction that comes from having marginally better stuff.
- danielscrubs 3y ago
  Have quite few friends who spends nothing and does nothing, I don’t even think they will regret it either because they have nothing to compare to. No ups and no downs. Programming is addictive.
fshbbdssbbgdd 3y ago
A lot of the expensive stuff for kids to “have a chance” is BS, not very relevant to their life outcomes, basically parents being grifted and engaging in status competitions you could choose to opt out of.
- nytesky 3y ago
  When my kids were applying to summer programs, they asked them what they do in their free time, and listing things like reading and practicing crocheting got a very unenthusiastic responses. The expectation is your kid will do a lot, maybe it could be free stuff, but generally free stuff requires more time from the parents.
  - fshbbdssbbgdd 3y ago
    It doesn’t surprise me that one part the status rat race (selective summer programs) cares about another (after-school activities). The big question is how do either of these play into your kid’s overall life satisfaction. You just have to get over the tragedy of them going to U Michigan instead of Cornell.

silverquiet 3y ago

I'd rather be able to retire than have children. I suspect I'm not alone given falling birthrates.

marcusverus 3y ago

50% is high for most, but seems like a good target for the upper-middle class outside of HCOL areas. I'm amazed at how many high-income folks save 5-10% and view the rest of their income as blow money. If you have the means save aggressively, you may well be able to retire 10+ years earlier than the standard. Yet millions people are foregoing a decade of freedom in exchange for the fleeting satisfaction that comes from having marginally better stuff.

danielscrubs 3y ago
Have quite few friends who spends nothing and does nothing, I don’t even think they will regret it either because they have nothing to compare to. No ups and no downs. Programming is addictive.

fshbbdssbbgdd 3y ago

A lot of the expensive stuff for kids to “have a chance” is BS, not very relevant to their life outcomes, basically parents being grifted and engaging in status competitions you could choose to opt out of.

nytesky 3y ago
When my kids were applying to summer programs, they asked them what they do in their free time, and listing things like reading and practicing crocheting got a very unenthusiastic responses. The expectation is your kid will do a lot, maybe it could be free stuff, but generally free stuff requires more time from the parents.
- fshbbdssbbgdd 3y ago
  It doesn’t surprise me that one part the status rat race (selective summer programs) cares about another (after-school activities). The big question is how do either of these play into your kid’s overall life satisfaction. You just have to get over the tragedy of them going to U Michigan instead of Cornell.