Agreed with Sweeps.
In the last decade we have made $20k - $100k, and everything in between. Last year I pulled almost $75k.
My income tells little of my story. We saved the most when we were first out of school and only making $30k each (because we were young and had little in expenses/obligations). We probably saved the most when we brushed up against six figures. But then we dropped to one income and lived on $40k for a few years. Wasn't very difficult because we had never lived up to our income (and had considerable savings as a result).
We moved 2 hours away for considerably cheaper housing. That is what makes us able to afford much more on little income. It's just all relative. I know a lot of our friends here think we came here with equity or riches. Honestly, we just REALLY appreciate the opportunity to not have 75% of our income go to rents/mortgages. When you are used to that environment you learn how to stretch a dollar far. We have a fair amount of luxury and save plenty as far as I am concerned. But I find we just manage our money better than most of the people we know. Income has little to do with it. I find our views on money very relative. They are so different from people who grew up with affordable housing.
I have to share a story in reply to syracusa. When we moved here we were able to buy a very nice house for less than we paid for our little condo back home. We moved into a very upscale community and wondered much about this choice. We really thought our neighbors would be quite snobby.
Au contraire. Out of all the people I have met in this city I will prefer my neighbors any day. Most of them are either in our boat (moved here from the Bay) or are wealthy off of their own hard work. I have friends who drive brand new cars and are all into brand names and would never buy anything used, but make $30k/year or something. My neighbors? Consider more down to earth and frugal. They are the only ones I can talk to about thrift store shopping without being ridiculed. I realize that is how most of them got where they are. Lesson learned.
I have also learned most of my "broke" friends make well over six figures. So I realized at that point that appearances are very deceiving.
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