What is your house value / your 2015 income?

[Nutria]

I cannot speak for OP, but sometimes questions like these are a way of assigning numbers to look at whether we are living within our means.

Personally, I like to calculate non-financial assets (primary residence, car, etc) as a percentage of our net worth. Others may not think it's an important number, but for me it is. If someone has a lot of "stuff" but hardly any financial assets that is a red flag.

1. It's my business whether or not I'm living within my means.
2. sv2007 isn't asking this of a n00b who's in $100K of CC debt, he's asking a bunch of people who already have their financial acts together.

[disneysteve]

1. It's my business whether or not I'm living within my means.
2. sv2007 isn't asking this of a n00b who's in $100K of CC debt, he's asking a bunch of people who already have their financial acts together.

If you don't like the question, you don't have to answer it.

[Nutria]

If you don't like the question, you don't have to answer it.

I haven't...

EDIT: Let me clarify that "but sometimes questions like these are a way of assigning numbers to look at whether we are living within our means" is IMO an intrusive question to people who aren't asking for help. That's why it's my business, not sv2007's or scfr's.

[disneysteve]

EDIT: Let me clarify that "but sometimes questions like these are a way of assigning numbers to look at whether we are living within our means" is IMO an intrusive question to people who aren't asking for help. That's why it's my business, not sv2007's or scfr's.

I tend to think when people ask questions like this it's more to judge how they stack up to others as opposed to intruding on their privacy. How am I doing? Is my situation normal? If everyone else spends X and I'm spending Y, maybe I need to reconsider what I'm doing. That sort of thing.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I haven't...

EDIT: Let me clarify that "but sometimes questions like these are a way of assigning numbers to look at whether we are living within our means" is IMO an intrusive question to people who aren't asking for help. That's why it's my business, not sv2007's or scfr's.

I don't think scfr is asking you to publicly explain yourself, but pointing out how some questions can help people focus for themselves.

And then, while I agree that most people posting in this section of the forums lately do seem to be doing okay financially, that will not be the case of all readers. Some are at the very beginning of their adult financial lives, some are looking for first time tips and info, so have screwed up in various degrees, some will think they are okay but reading here will actually discover that they want to handle their financial lives quite differently than they have been. Hopefully the forums offer something for everyone.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

I tend to think when people ask questions like this it's more to judge how they stack up to others as opposed to intruding on their privacy. How am I doing? Is my situation normal? If everyone else spends X and I'm spending Y, maybe I need to reconsider what I'm doing. That sort of thing.

That's probably true for me. It surprises me sometimes how my similarly ratios align with those of others who I know have twice the income or more.

[Nutria]

I tend to think when people ask questions like this it's more to judge how they stack up to others as opposed to intruding on their privacy. How am I doing? Is my situation normal? If everyone else spends X and I'm spending Y, maybe I need to reconsider what I'm doing. That sort of thing.

That's perfectly reasonable (and is in fact why I came to SA). But sv2007 isn't a statistical sociologist with expertise in surveying many thousands of people and then statistically presenting the aggregate data in a meaningful yet anonymous manner.

[disneysteve]

sv2007 isn't a statistical sociologist with expertise in surveying many thousands of people and then statistically presenting the aggregate data in a meaningful yet anonymous manner.

Neither is anyone else who comes here and asks, "How much do you spend on groceries?" or "How much is your cell phone bill?"

[Nutria]

Neither is anyone else who comes here and asks, "How much do you spend on groceries?" or "How much is your cell phone bill?"

sv2007's recent questions, though, are IMO a bit too intrusive.

[disneysteve]

sv2007's recent questions, though, are IMO a bit too intrusive.

Feel free to ignore them.

If you'd really like, you can even ignore a user's posts entirely so that you don't even see them.

[corn18]

I wonder what sv2007 is calling his income since he is retired with a net worth of over $5M.

[scfr]

Feel free to ignore them.

If you'd really like, you can even ignore a user's posts entirely so that you don't even see them.

Yes! For anyone who does not know how to do this, click on "Control Panel" and then "Edit Ignore List" to add members you wish to ignore entirely. In my many years here on SA, I have only added 2 members to my Ignore List. I generally enjoy hearing and discussing questions and exchanging opinions with people with different points of view, but once in awhile I realize that there are some with whom I'd prefer to have no interaction.

[DaveInPgh]

Feel free to ignore them.

If you'd really like, you can even ignore a user's posts entirely so that you don't even see them.

[Nutria]

Deleted.

[dawnwes]

Yes! For anyone who does not know how to do this, click on "Control Panel" and then "Edit Ignore List" to add members you wish to ignore entirely. In my many years here on SA, I have only added 2 members to my Ignore List. I generally enjoy hearing and discussing questions and exchanging opinions with people with different points of view, but once in awhile I realize that there are some with whom I'd prefer to have no interaction.

I can't ignore......even people who irk me, I just can't. The forum will say, "Sally Stupid has posted, you have her on ignore, would you like to see what she posted? Click here" and I click. I can't help myself.