Originally Posted by robin1234

We moved here, to Boston, in 1991. I was lucky to get a job in my field almost immediately. They asked me what salary I expected - in my innocence, I said $18,000. They started me on $22,000!! Our rent was $800 for a very nice two bedroom apt. in a cheap part of town. Kids had to share a room, as they had in England. We did buy a car, but neither of us needed it to get to work. Also, my wife worked in an elementary school, so had pretty much the same schedule as the kids so no childcare needed. Right from the beginning, we were saving money...

Originally Posted by Floridablues

I've lived in the Orlando area for the past 15 years. Two of us, small mortgage and outgoings, 'wine & dine' out a few times a week and normally visit the beach areas a couple of times per month. I'm close to collecting my State pension, my partner, a few years younger. She flies out of State to visit family/friends or concerts at least a couple of times per year (i'm ok at home!) Vehicle each and have an income of half whats being touted, but not suggesting it would work for everyone though!

Originally Posted by robin1234

We moved here, to Boston, in 1991. I was lucky to get a job in my field almost immediately. They asked me what salary I expected - in my innocence, I said $18,000. They started me on $22,000!! Our rent was $800 for a very nice two bedroom apt. in a cheap part of town. Kids had to share a room, as they had in England. We did buy a car, but neither of us needed it to get to work. Also, my wife worked in an elementary school, so had pretty much the same schedule as the kids so no childcare needed. Right from the beginning, we were saving money...

Originally Posted by ddsrph

That is exactly how my wife and I lived. I had great earning potential as a Dentist and Pharmacist but never did either full time and therefore didn't make a lot of money. We lived comfortably but way below our potential. We did save a lot in the process and retired early. Much of our saving came from doing everything for myself including building a very large percentage of two new houses. We haven't owed any money since 1990 and now in retirement can spend without giving it a thought. You can live well here if you pick the right place to live and work and avoid stupid mistakes like spending too much on cars and other junk you don't really need. I constantly wish I had less STUFF.

Originally Posted by Pulaski

Rather than a blanket "nonsense", would you care to comment on my suggested budget items?

Orlando isn't a cheap area, and you are unlikely to find anything habitable for a family of six for less than $1,000, and it might be dangerous in ways that someone in the UK might not expect, and it might be an apartment where Nelly's vision of dining outside isn't realistic.

The federal government sets cost of living (food)/per person/mth, and the barest minimum for one individual in the "frugal" column is $200, and the "low" scale is around $250. Therefore I stand by budget suggestion of $1,500/mth - is a lower number possible for a family of six? Sure, but not by much.

Obviously healthcare is a highly variable number but the scope for cutting it is very limited in any one family's case - "it is what it is", and Americans in poverty often succeed in cutting their health care expenditure by simply not using healthcare, and perhaps using occasional free Healthcare clinics for very basic dental care. For a family of six, who is used to NHS healthcare, I can't see how the budget could be less than $1,000/mth for a family of six even with relatively generous employer-funded coverage, and if one member of the family has had a heart attack, I would suggest that "going without" is unrealistic and foolish.

Vehicles - I only allowed $250/ vehicle/mth total cost (capital-loan, repairs, maintenance, and fuel), and honestly I am not sure how realistic such a low number would be given the cost of insurance - half the $250 could go to insurance for the first couple of years at least .... or are you suggesting that they go without insurance? I suppose they could repair and service their own vehicles too, but even with care and bargain basement insurance I could see $250/mth going on insurance, gas, and some spares and supplies, without assigning anything to loan cost or replacement savings. ... Maybe they could make do with one vehicle, but for six it would have to be a minivan or SUV, and I am not sure you could run much of a minivan on $250/mth.

Utilities? Well you could save most of my budget figure by going without AC, but again, I don't think that is what people expect when they move to Florida to enjoy the high life.

Per CS's and Exclomea's comments above, firstly I don't think they realize how expensive it is to feed and clothe children, not to mention healthcare costs, and secondly I agree with CS, you can save a lot by living in a rural area anywhere as far north on the East Coast as South Virginia, but Nelly has targeted the Orlando area. .... If Nelly just wanted somewhere cheap and hot, then moving to Butthole, Mississippi would likely be cheapest, but life would be very different to what they envision living in the shadow of Disney World if they had the income to fully enjoy the high life there.

Originally Posted by robin1234

Not sure what your point is? I have no argument with your budget detailed above. My beef was with Tom's assertion that happiness could only be achieved with $100k plus family income. In terms of lifestyle, there's lots of ways to skin a cat.

Just one item. Food, there's no way we spent anything like that much when we were on a very low budget, our first few years in the US. Two adults and two kids aged 9+ and 7+, we probably spent about $300 a month on food. We had plenty to eat, probably heavy on the rice, homemade curry sauces, homemade bread, Mac and cheese, etc, no lack of fresh veggies.

Originally Posted by Pulaski

But you're all taking about 25-30+ years ago and/or without children. It is going to cost $1,000 +/- just to feed four children, and then there is healthcare costs on top. .... An occasional bump to the head or bruised joint will cost $200-$400 at urgent care (you won't get a choice - school, after school care, or summer camp will just take them, leaving you with the bill! ), I've funded a couple of those already and I only have one child, who doesn't participate much in sports.

Originally Posted by Pulaski

So your recommendation is that Nelly and her family immigrate to the US in 1991?

Originally Posted by robin1234

Not sure what your point is? I have no argument with your budget detailed above. My beef was with Tom's assertion that happiness could only be achieved with $100k plus family income. In terms of lifestyle, there's lots of ways to skin a cat.

Just one item. Food, there's no way we spent anything like that much when we were on a very low budget, our first few years in the US. Two adults and two kids aged 9+ and 7+, we probably spent about $300 a month on food. We had plenty to eat, probably heavy on the rice, homemade curry sauces, homemade bread, Mac and cheese, etc, no lack of fresh veggies.

And we had one car but both cycled, walked or bussed to work.

Originally Posted by robtuck

The problem, I think, is that everyone spends what they earn - some may save some money each month but they count that in their expenditure, and others may spend more than they earn (I've done so in past years, and paid the price), but nobody comes to the end of the month and thinks, where the hell did that pile of cash come from, that I know of.

Therefore, we all see the world from our own perspective - I don't end up wondering what on earth I am going to do with my spare cash, but I know I have lived on considerably less disposable income than I have now.

Likewise, a better life really can be as simple as the weather. My Dad would jump at the chance to live in a warmer climate with us, his arthritis is not nearly as annoying when he visits warmer climates. That to him, with a porch and a shed to sleep in would be all he'd need to be a happy man.

For the OP, Orlando is also a big place. What one person would mean by Orlando may not be what another means. Is some of the core Lake Buena Vista/Celebration area a bit pricey, probably, as can be Orlando City, but what about Haines City? Certainly looking at a quick search online shows housing prices below much of the South of England for example. Depends very much what you are coming from and what you want.

Originally Posted by Octang Frye

You're all just horrible people. Horrible, horrible people.

Originally Posted by robin1234

in fact, once our kids finished up with their education and got jobs, we did find we had a significant pile of unneeded cash at the end of each month. This was after contributing the legal max to 403b etc. This allowed us to buy a flat in England for cash, and essentially live with little or no income for our first three years of retirement. Just an illustration of "ymmv." Whether our salaries were high or low, they've always been way in excess of needs/desires.

Originally Posted by ddsrph

A person/couple has to pick their future lifestyle early in life or let circumstances dictate your future. We chose to not have children and have saved a bundle on bail and drug rehab. Also tried to pick a profession where I could make a living in any state and any small town. One of my fears early on in life was to get fenced in by some company job which dictated where I lived and mean a possible cross country move if for some reason I lost that job. All I really need to be happy is a warm sunny day where I can go for my run in shorts and tee shirt.

Originally Posted by robin1234

Sounds good! I chose academic librarianship, because I had an idea I'd get free college tuition for my kids, and we'd be able to live in a small New England college town where house prices would be low. Turned out to be New York, but basically went according to plan..