[BadlandZ]

I'm looking for work right now, and I am looking at various job offers trying to see the actual impact each might have on our lifestyle. So, I tried to work out a budget.

For the life of me, I can't figure out why it just doesn't work out. For example, $46k is median household income in 2005, I'll throw that number into the calculations. Assume a family of 3 has to live on $46k, and all normal reasonable expences exist. It bearly adds up! I'll comment on some I think are way out of line below.

Take 25% out for Social Security, and all the State, Federal, Local taxes.
Then devide it by 12 months, to get the monthly total, $2875/month.

Item Percent Income Dollar Amount
Housing Rent/Mortgage 21.00% $604
Housing Repairs 1.00% $29
Housing Insurance 1.25% $36
Housing Property Tax 1.25% $36
HOA Fees 0.50% $14
Phone (home+mobile) 2.50% $72
Electricity 3.00% $86
Water 1.00% $29
Gas (heat) 2.00% $58
Trash Pickup 0.50% $14
Cable/TV/Internet 2.00% $58
Car Payments 7.00% $201
Car Insurance 6.00% $173
Car Maintenance 2.00% $58
Car Fuel (Gas) 5.00% $144
Groceries 5.00% $144
Student Loan Repayment 6.00% $173
Retirement 15.00% $431
Life Insurance 3.00% $86
Entertainment 1.00% $29
Clothing 0.50% $14
Medical 2.50% $72
Education/Tuition 0.00% $-
Personal Care (Haircuts, etc) 0.50% $14
Gifts Given (Birthdays, Christmas) 0.50% $14
Savings 10.00% $288
$-
100.00% $2,875


$604/month? I honestly don't know anywhere in town a family of 4 could safely live on that, unless it's some little depressed midwest farming town. If your looking for a "safe" neighborhood, not California, not even Arizona or Nevada, I'm sure almost no where on the East Coast.

I don't know how anyone could have 2 working cars for $201/month, and that insurance amount is WAY below what my wife and I have to pay (granted, she's young, but her car is worth like $800 and she just pays liability now!)

We can alternate months we get haircuts I guess... And our parents can pick Christmas, Birthday OR Mothers/Fathers day to get 1 present a year.

No high speed internet AND cable for that price...

Even the utilities seem like really low numbers...

I hardly think this is an outrageous lifestyle, it seems rather modest, but it leaves NO room for error, and it seems like a very very very tight budget. Am I making some mistake, or overlooking something? Is this real? Is this all we can expect?

The savings is high (10%), but making $48k year, the monthly rent still leaves you lliving in a 1 bedroom apartment at $600/month for 5-10 years before you could save up the down payment on a house...

What am I doing wrong?