INFANTS IN DAYCARE?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-08-2008
INFANTS IN DAYCARE?
2022
Wed, 11-26-2008 - 12:20am

OK, remember this is a debate board, and I am going to play devil's advocate here, so please let's play nice.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 10-05-2007
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 10:28pm
Are you for real here?

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Ducky

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-08-2008
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 10:32pm

I do get it and realize that you can NOT say someone could live on such and such amount of money. How do you find this true? Not sure if everybody pays the same amount in every single house in your area but I know for sure my next door neighbor pays more in taxes than me and they have the same size house (land a little larger). Even if they paid the same amount for their house, which they did not, I can not assume that their utility bills are the same as myself and that they could live on the same salary as myself.


iVillage Member
Registered: 10-05-2007
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 10:33pm

Does this help?


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Ducky

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 10:38pm
The utility rates are the same for everyone. It's possible to estimate how much certain bills will be. For example, gas-- a family living in a smaller house than I do, will most likely have a lower gas bill. You can predict approximately how much they spend. It's not perfect. They might like keeping their heat at 80 degrees and spend a fortune. Or they could live in a house without any insulation and they pay a ton. Or they could live in a house without gas at all. But assuming they are a frugal family (which was part of the hypothetical situation), this hypothetical family would probably spend less than I do on gas. And it's not too hard to estimate how much they would probably spend.
baby in clothes basket
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-05-2007
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 10:39pm
No, you don't know for sure....but you make an estimate.

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Ducky

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-08-2008
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 10:40pm

This was the original post. Someone said about living on $40,000 and the post indicated how you can. BUT...if these are just "hypothetical", how can they be posted when they might not even work in her "area" since she said these are NOT her bills?



$40,000, after payroll deductions, you'd have


$3,333/mo.


Taxes, Medicare, and FICA- $520/mo.
Health Insurance- $82/mo.
Retirement- $233/mo. + $233/mo. matching = $466/mo. total
Life Insurance and Long Term Disability- $20/mo.


Leaves $2478/mo.


Mortgage- $600/mo. ($100,000 mortgage)
Gas, Electric, Water, Trash, Sewer, Phone- $215/mo.


That leaves $1663/mo.


Childcare for 2- $800/mo. (This might be lower with childcare subsidies . . .)
Groceries- $300/mo.
College Savings- $300/mo.
Gas- $100/mo.
Misc.- $163/ mo.


iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 10:41pm
The hypothetical was that the family was *frugal,* so they probably aren't leaving lights on all the time and such. A family *could* spend more, but if they wanted to save for college and retirement they *could* keep their utility bills to a minimum. I tried to pick average numbers for heating, cooling, water, etc.
baby in clothes basket
iVillage Member
Registered: 10-05-2007
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 10:44pm

It's an ESTIMATE...a

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Ducky

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-08-2008
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 10:44pm

That's amazing that you can figure out in your area that everyone in the same size homes spend the same on utilities. My neighbor had a bill 5x mine with the same size home. I can easily say that she would be close to my bill because of the size of her house but I don't really know her lifestyle. Her oil bill could be much higher too depending on the company she uses. Her water could be higher depending on how much she uses.


It seems like you took your bills and tried to show that you CAN live on $40,000 in your area and assume that since you do, everyone else in your area, in the same type and size house can too.

iVillage Member
Registered: 10-05-2007
Wed, 12-17-2008 - 10:45pm

I

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Ducky

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