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Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by Pulaski
(Post 11436447)
I think "Kardashianian era" is the description you're looking for. :nod:
Certainly as far as I can tell a lot has changed in the last 20-25 years. I can't help but wonder if part of the change is the fact that many people aren't getting married until much later in life, if indeed at all, therefore parents are more willing to splurge on HS graduation celebrations now than if they had a wedding to fund a few years later. :unsure: You may have a point about the wedding thing. I wonder if fewer young people expect or want their parents to fund & organize their wedding, than was the case in earlier generations. |
Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by WEBlue
(Post 11436087)
No, these instruments weren't school provided either--the school and music teacher went to great pains to point this out--but rather parents were given the name of a music shop in town, with whom parents could sign a rental contract if desired. Or the parents could purchase instruments outright from the shop as well. So I guess the same as your arrangement.
But for most parents we knew back then, it was best for at least the first year NOT to buy, because who knew if their child would even like that instrument? Maybe they'd want to switch to another one, or quit altogether. Also, I know from my own experience that it's necessary to play for while--at least a year, perhaps more--before parent and student can even tell what constitutes a decent quality of instrument for purchasing.... Eldest's "bells" for 6th grade percussion (ie xylophone) were $450 new, but he was expected to lug them to and from school every day - he goes on his bike, so that wasnt practical, so we ended up buying 2 sets off craigslist for $200 each and he kept one at home and one at school. All the schools use the same ones, so there is a good market, and we could have sold 5 times over at the end of 7th grade for the price we paid for them - so it actually worked out free in the end (ignoring cost of capital!). If we'd rented it would have cost 550 for one set of bells, and over 1500 for the marimba. Bottom line, if we'd rented we'd have been in the hole for over 2 grand - by buying second hand and selling, we came out even. Not sure if we will be as lucky with younger sons trumpet, but fingers crossed. |
Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
(Post 11436242)
They had to wear long white dresses...not really the sort of dress that could be worn again.
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Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
(Post 11435694)
OK, I'll have a go at the school thing for you...I have 2 in JH and 1 in Elementary.
- Official School Supplies - average $50 per kid per year - School supply "extras" - $10ish/k/y - Yearbook (if you buy them - most seem to) around $50/k/y - "spirit" shirts - $10-15/k/y - "specialist" shirts - band, 5th grade, 8th grade etc - $0-15/k/y - JH Band - we have to buy our instruments - 6th grader is doing trumpet - $500. 8th grader did percussion - $400 in 6th, and recommended home practice instrument in 7th was $:scaredhair:3000. We bought the same on Craigslist for $700, and sold it this year for the same price:thumbup: - JH Band - despite above, all members get a $100 per year instrument fee to cover the "big stuff" - Euphonium, Tuba, bass drum, trailer to cart it all round in - JH PE kits - $15/k/y (laundered by school for free!) - Specialist equipment is extra - fortunately mine are in cheap sports (swimming and soccer) rather than Football.... - Fundraisers - normally a check writing option, we stick in $100 per kid. Then a few weeks later, the fundraisers come home..............:mad: - School Parties - $10/k/y - EOY teacher gifts - elementary we used to give $25 gift cards to all their teachers - ranged from 3-6 teachers per kid depending on year. JH I only send to the ones that I feel have put in extra - like my eldest's ELA teacher last year - she earned a Caribbean cruise with all the extra effort she put in for him. However life is unfair and she only got a gift card..... - Field trips - vary from $0-25 /k/y in Elementary, but more in JH - Band did an end of year water park trip that was I think $45 I'm sure there is stuff I've missed - most of it comes at the beginning of the school year, and then its just like a slow continuous drip drip drip of money throughout the year. |
Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
(Post 11435697)
One other thing I was thinking about reading this thread, is an obvious but maybe not so obvious one....Its all well and good looking at these things on a "monthly" basis, but bear in mind that a lot of them will "clump" around your arrival time - we got here around Thanksgiving, so our car insurance, life insurance, home insurance, umbrella insurance etc all come at the end of the year, which is also when the Property Tax, HOA fees etc come in, and of course, Christmas. Something like 90% of our fixed costs fall within a 2-3 month window - getting organized is essential!
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Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by AmerLisa
(Post 11435662)
I want to add that I've been shopping at WalMart (started a few times in August and a few more in September) and while there are cheap prices on some things, on the whole my local Fred Meyers (Krogers is parent company) was cheaper.
I also agree your food bill for a family of 5 is pretty low. As is your car insurance and cell phone bill. Our cell phone bill for 3 is around $280. When we first arrived here our car insurance bill was about $250 a month for two cars. |
Re: How much is enough – Northeast
yet another breakdown of costs, does it seem reasonable, too low, too high, can you have it compared to
your own monthly NET spendings? Summary: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - $ 900 groceries - $ 250 car insurance - 2 cars - $ 60 car tax - 2 cars - $ 20 Umbrella Insurance - $ 50 internet - $ 50 tv - $ 200 propane based heating / air conditioning (avg) 3 bedroom (~2000 sq./ft.) - $ 150 electricity (avg / month) 5 people - 3 bedroom house (up to $200 - 250 month) - $ 150 3 cell plans , including fixed line - $ 250 (70c / litre / on avg 3050 km shared by 2 cars per month with avg 10l / 100km) - $ 50 water (n/a if renting ? - avg / month)* - $ 25 trash pickup * - $2000 rent - 3 bedroom (~200 sq./ft.) - $1000 medical insurance - ($300 to $1500) family of 5 depending on work based benefits (if any) and an income - $ 100 (33 per month / child - 3 children) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GT: $5195 Pointers: ———— ! heating might be underestimated as it is (heating system and costs will be dependent on the actual house) * might be covered by rent - get a job with medical insurance included, - rent a house, with efficient / modern heating system preferably propane based - condo?, - rent a house within (even small) city area, it would lower gas costs, sort out winters - $35 per storm for ploughing, so it can be anything up to $700 a year - long driveway, cost shared with a neighbour. {Oil heat - $3-4,000 a year fairly big house in Southern Maine near Portland} {oil based NE - might be as much as about $600-800 per month from November-March, overall yearly 6K - 3,000 sq ft.} {$1000 extra school spendings (in school and after school activities including sport related, holiday care)} |
Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by Yorkieabroad
(Post 11436518)
None of them planning a white wedding then? .....
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Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by Pulaski
(Post 11436880)
I suspect that, by the time they get married, very few women would fit into a dress that had been bought for them when they were 15 years old. :rolleyes:
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Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by robin1234
(Post 11436886)
OK, probably true. Is that why so many go straight out to Syria when they are 15 or 16?
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Re: How much is enough – Northeast
In between middle school and high school graduation parties we had cotillions. :lol:
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Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by Pulaski
(Post 11436880)
I suspect that, by the time they get married, very few women would fit into a dress that had been bought for them when they were 15 years old. :rolleyes:
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Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by dan_j
(Post 11436848)
yet another breakdown of costs, does it seem reasonable, too low, too high, can you have it compared to
your own monthly NET spendings? Summary: ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- - $ 900 groceries - $ 250 car insurance - 2 cars - $ 60 car tax - 2 cars - $ 20 Umbrella Insurance - $ 50 internet - $ 50 tv - $ 200 propane based heating / air conditioning (avg) 3 bedroom (~2000 sq./ft.) - $ 150 electricity (avg / month) 5 people - 3 bedroom house (up to $200 - 250 month) - $ 150 3 cell plans , including fixed line - $ 250 (70c / litre / on avg 3050 km shared by 2 cars per month with avg 10l / 100km) - $ 50 water (n/a if renting ? - avg / month)* - $ 25 trash pickup * - $2000 rent - 3 bedroom (~200 sq./ft.) - $1000 medical insurance - ($300 to $1500) family of 5 depending on work based benefits (if any) and an income - $ 100 (33 per month / child - 3 children) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GT: $5195 Pointers: ———— ! heating might be underestimated as it is (heating system and costs will be dependent on the actual house) * might be covered by rent - get a job with medical insurance included, - rent a house, with efficient / modern heating system preferably propane based - condo?, - rent a house within (even small) city area, it would lower gas costs, sort out winters - $35 per storm for ploughing, so it can be anything up to $700 a year - long driveway, cost shared with a neighbour. {Oil heat - $3-4,000 a year fairly big house in Southern Maine near Portland} {oil based NE - might be as much as about $600-800 per month from November-March, overall yearly 6K - 3,000 sq ft.} {$1000 extra school spendings (in school and after school activities including sport related, holiday care)} This is what I would be asking. The price of bread, phone contracts is incidental. Is this move going to provide a significant career boost? Will my wife be prepared to start over in her career? Will my kids benefit, specifically the teenager, who will experience a significant change academically and socially? Does this job provide health cover for me and my family (you don't really want to be faffing around on the exchanges, although at least things are better than they were). Does this job provide a salary in line with industry norms and compare favourably to my UK salary? Is it in an area where I actually want to live - climate, culture etc.? What are my long-term plans - stay in US or move again? If the latter, can I deal with leaving the kids in the US? |
Re: How much is enough – Northeast
Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
(Post 11436890)
In between middle school and high school graduation parties we had cotillions. :lol:
Wife try to get eldest son to go to cotillion classes with his "friend that is a girl" last year. He was quite keen, but she was absolutely not on for it, and her folk couldn't persuade her. |
Re: How much is enough – Northeast
I hear you Sally, these are great - very important questions, and I'm positive on all of them,
in fact those are the ones we had to address before I even applied for the Visa: I have great job offer in my hands, which more than doubles my UK salary, my oldest son is on his pre GCSE year working on extended math exam this year, so moving over, right now will be difficult for him, however he is looking forward for a chance to study at MIT in the future (hence the NE area) he is aware about drawbacks and possible benefits, though. We are looking forward for proper summers and winters (comparing to gloominess of 11 out of 12 months here), as well, that would be a benefit. What future brings we cannot tell, we might go back to UK - children might remain in US, every man is the architect of his own fortune, there is nothing we can do as a parents (who can anyway) to keep them with us even if w stay in UK. However - again - i would't move abroad w/o understanding immediate financial impliciations we will have to deal with after move so thats why I wanted to collect this info. it was a great exercise anyway I already learnt some stuff i was not aware of nor prepared for. |
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