Comments on: The Perfect $46,000 Budget: Learning to Live in California for Under $50,000.

By: Deejunk

Deejunk — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 02:09:54 +0000

While I don’t live in Cali, I spend less than $800 a month for everything for my personal lifestyle……. course I grow my own food and meat and bought my house for under $3K… I think the whole living in Cali is highly over-rated… One could live where I am living by buying a gym membership at the Y for $30 a month. They have free camping, showers and facilities. Laundry and shopping w/in walking distance – quarters for laundry and free wi-fi. Could get a crappy magic jack phone to saddle with the free wireless for like $20 per YEAR!… One could get by EASILY under $800 if you had a $100 a week food/grocery budget. — I spend less than $500 total in expenses for the luxury of two other huge self sufficient homes… crazy living in Cali! – Come to Western Maryland!

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 25 Sep 2009 00:30:10 +0000

Beaches are not free, $10 parking a day is the norm, and that’s if you can find a space on a nice day, good luck. Having to return to the parking meter every 2 hours is not a good option but its cheaper.

Little or no insurance is a very bad idea in Lawyer Town CA.

I also agree with Craigs last paragraph. I was making a decent but average wage in HB at a young age (born and raised 21 years) and still had to budget wisely to stay there. I felt like a chump knowing that budgeting would not even be an issue if I lived elsewhere. And contrary to popular belief, there are nicer places to live in the U.S. than SoCal. So I moved to Maui for 10 years and lived like a king, then to Washington State where I found it also a truly nicer place to live than CA, UNTIL, the California exodus arrived. Rents Jacked up, traffic, and the California attitudes came with it an wrecked it. So here I am on now on Alaskas beautiful Kenai Peninsula working as a Programmer Analyst (yes there are tech jobs). The funny part is that I make around 60k, yet bought a very nice 30 year old 2400 sq ft home on a large lot ( for $200k), and my wife stays at home with the kids, and I come home for lunch from 1 mile away. I drive 4 miles a day on average and fill the tank once a month. We have no State taxes and also collect a State Dividend for every man woman and child. This years will be over $2,000 each (our family will get over 8k).

South Central Alaska is not cold (relative to the midwest, northeast and Seattle areas) if you live on the coast (we do). Nearly everyone has a view of the ocean, and when comparing beauty, California doesn’t even rank. There are lots of outdoor activities here and the people are truly better than any place I have ever lived. Most Californians don’t really know what class is, driving a BMW is not proof.

So, weigh the option:

Work hard at an above average CA pay so you can drive around in an old Toyota coffin, live paycheck to paycheck and live in a studio apt.

-OR-

trade in great weather (I admit CA has it if its not smoggy that day), the “oh I am so cool” factor with your paid for ZIP code;
And instead work in a gorgeous relaxing environment own actual land, live within your means while saving money?

It was a no brainer for me, I feel like I am retired at 38 years old. My young kids are going to grow up in an amazing place.

This is just one story, and much only my opinion, but I now have friends from all over the country and have traveled. CA is NOT the best place to live, there are too many problems there to make life comfortable, even for the wealthy. INSANE traffic, crowds, high gas prices, high taxes, and crime areas that one always has to pass through to get anywhere there. Summer heat and cold ocean water almost year round (OK Maui spoiled me) not to mention the amount of superficial people and scammers you have to deal with in business, its counter productive. It just overall isn’t work the cost or headaches. The cost of living there is inflated and has been for a long time.

Alaska may not for you, but there are many other options.

Oregon, Washington State (away from Seattle), Cour D’ Elaine/Northern Idaho, Wyoming, Montana, Utah, all offer a much better quality of life without overextending yourself to the point of budgeting or living on credit.

Californian’s, enjoy your little slice of heaven (and please stay there, lol) ;-P

By: Jeff

Jeff — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 04:17:11 +0000

I stumbled upon your website and this article. I give you and your readers/those that posted a comment credit. You are quite insightful.

Thanks

By: TheLadyatHome

TheLadyatHome — Mon, 17 Aug 2009 19:24:31 +0000

I manage a budget for a family of four on a very similar income. We live in Texas, not California, and we own our home. Our mortgage payment is much cheaper than that rent, but for phone, gas, and electric, we pay SO much more. Around 400/mo total. I wish we had money for saving and entertainment, but we’re having to pay off credit card debt from when we had a lower salary and worse budgeting skills.

My point is this. Yes, it’s possible. It’s just not always easy and I think the poster had this same point.

And tgsf, I agree!

By: tgsf

tgsf — Wed, 12 Aug 2009 19:31:21 +0000

I see several legitimate criticisms of the otherwise very good post, but I also see everyone – not just here, but all over the country – missing the core point: the idealized leisure-society of comfort living is just that: a lofty ideal. A myth. We’ve successfully brainwashed ourselves into buying this sack of B.S. for the past 60+ years or so because we want it, and we want it bad, but it’s A PRIVILEGE. We can’t sit around all day and complain that cars and housing are too expensive, and how can I afford even cheap entertainment like a Netflix subscription unless “austerity” forces me to eat “cheaply” by cooking beans & rice at home, etc. etc…..
If you have a solid roof over your head, a paying job, some vestige of health insurance, and decent food on a daily basis – maybe, just maybe, you should count your damned blessings. Add a decent car and a nice tv and computer, and you’ve got it made. Seriously.

I’m not saying we should all take a step back and live like the Amish, blessing each grain of rice we get to eat, but I am saying that complaining that life is too expensive, while largely true, also amounts to whining that you don’t get a pony too just like the kid down the road got.

The leisure society, surrounded by creature comforts and conveniences, is NOT a right, and life is NOT fair.
(And I’m not a Republican either.)

By: Biff

Biff — Sat, 04 Jul 2009 19:35:02 +0000

Sorry guys, but living at that budget in LA means living in poverty. Anybody who says otherwise is either full of shit or lives in the slums.

By: Bud

Bud — Thu, 18 Jun 2009 02:53:06 +0000

I’m guessing when you say “Groceries” you mean just what you put in your mouth. I have kept a ledger and used money management software for the past 20 years but never took grocery store recepts and split groceries from laundry and kitchen supplies. I could live on $150 for food but I’m married and my wife does the shopping. She doesn’t like big bags of beans or rice. Like Angela she has medical problems preventing her from working. Her pills are costly like Abilify and WellbutrinSR. My take home was less than $24000 but we have no debt and own our home and car. I’m currently unemployed so living on as little as possible is a must.

By: andrea naylor

andrea naylor — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 22:56:48 +0000

I live in California, and you are crazy. Electricity alone, in almost ANYWHERE in So. Cal is going to run you way more than your estimate. So will car insurance, depending on where you live,
and a few other things.

By: Jordan

Jordan — Thu, 07 May 2009 01:02:08 +0000

Re: Matt and convincing wife not to tithe on 55k income.

I, my wife, and our newborn daughter live on 32K a year, we pay a full tithe and are very glad that we do. If you can’t pay tithe on 55k, it will only be twice as hard at 100K, and you are much less likely to get there.

Health insurance is a must for the budget.

By: EX-Californian

EX-Californian — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 11:38:52 +0000

So I had a good chuckle at this budget.. not because it is not doable but simply that there are some items that @ 45k a year your not going to care about and some that were so far off base it took me a few minutes to wipe the tears from my eyes…

Mainly it’s the costs for Internet (needed these days) , phone, Heating, power, and the oft mentioned lack of insurance. My last year in CA (2005) My Internet was $59 (not the fastest but not the intro rate), my phone was a land line but $10 for a cell phone? if thats your only line good luck with that!, my gas bills during the winter were $100+ , and my power even in nice temp months was over $100 let alone the summer months where no AC = hospital visit, which ends with health insurance… Without heat and or cooling and no phone to call a doctor your looking at an ER visit 2-4 times a year @ 300-5000+ per visit for payments that could reach $1500 a month… (worst case scenario besides death).