Wonder how many cyclists already figured this out?

[mimitabby]

our mortgage is $1400 a month but it will be paid off in 9 years (we got a 15 year refinanced mortgage) It's hard to compare to people living in Arkansas and Illinois and Missouri, but we compare very well with people who live in large urban centers.

We DO sometimes have car payments, but after the car is paid off we make those payments to ourselves, so when we are ready to buy the next car, we have a considerable start. This year might end up a little different because of all the bikes coming into the family (ack, cough, choke ) but this is the way we've managed for the most of our marriage. We also don't have credit card debt. (yet!)

[Pax]

our mortgage is $1400 a month but it will be paid off in 9 years (we got a 15 year refinanced mortgage) It's hard to compare to people living in Arkansas and Illinois and Missouri, but we compare very well with people who live in large urban centers.

We DO sometimes have car payments, but after the car is paid off we make those payments to ourselves, so when we are ready to buy the next car, we have a considerable start. This year might end up a little different because of all the bikes coming into the family (ack, cough, choke ) but this is the way we've managed for the most of our marriage. We also don't have credit card debt. (yet!)

Just curious Mimi, what are property taxes like in Seattle?

Here on a small house (900 sq ft like my old one) they're about $1800 a year, for a typical 1400 sq ft 3/2 house they'd run around $2600-$2900 a year.

[mimitabby]

Interesting, my property taxes are about 1800 dollars. my house is worth about $300,000 if you can believe that. the house is about 2000 square feet

[Geonz]

I just noticed that there are stars at the bottom for "ranking" the article. (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...ke.aspx?page=1 )

if you click on it, they'll know people are reading it

[Pax]

I just noticed that there are stars at the bottom for "ranking" the article. (http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com...ke.aspx?page=1 )

if you click on it, they'll know people are reading it

Thanks for pointing that out, if we let mainsteam media know that writing about bikes matters...maybe they'll write more?

[roguedog]

hmm.. i've got 3 cars... i dunno why but growing up i always liked cars. i wanted one for every season.

that being said. i don't have a car payment.

my 4rnr is going on 20 yrs old. still love it. it's my baby and my old trusty
my miata is going on 10 yrs old. bought used. paid off.
my acura is 8 yrs old... actually i'm trying to decide whether to keep this one cuz of the insurance payments. the insurance payments were never part of my childhood dream this is my dad's car and he just wanted to give it to me if i wanted it..

in fact, that's one of my to do's this morning is call on the insurance quote for it.

it's weird but they're kinda like shoes to me.

if i wanna take the dog or the bike.. i take the 4rnr (kind alike my hiking shoes)
if i wanna be zippy i take the miata (like my riunning shoe.. even tho i hate running)
if i need more than 2 ppl in the car, i'd take the acura (like my keens!)

but i agree with the article. i don't know why people spend so much on their cars. i've always wondered that. where i live, there's an apt complex and when i drive by i see really nice cars parked in there and try to figure out how they can afford the car and live in an apt complex.

but i think it's partly status thing. to look like something else. but for those folks that don't have much.. my theory is, if they can't own a house they can at least own the next big ticket item.. a really nice car. me? people tell me to get rid of my 4rnr cuz it's a pos but i can't cuz it's served me so well and why should i? it runs, it does what i need it to do. why add to the junk pile when it's still going strong?

wow.. i'm looking at your housing prices and am envious. living in the sf bay area.. anything below 400k is amazing. condos go for like 500k around here.

[Geonz]

I'm that way ("it's like shoes") about my bicycles. It was an easy transition Parade? Get out the Green Racer. SHiney but OLD and elegant. Party? THe Xtra cycle with the blender of course!!! Formal occasion? The Gazelle in all her statuesque glory. Time Trial? that Sunday-go-to-century Trek...

[Pax]

Interesting, my property taxes are about 1800 dollars. my house is worth about $300,000 if you can believe that. the house is about 2000 square feet

Our taxes here have gotten ridiculous, I have a friend who bought a new 1200 sq ft house in a small "bedroom" community about 10 miles away from town, she paid $114,000 for it three years ago. Her taxes are up to $3000 a year now and she lives in a town with no professional police force or fire dept.! I can't figure out what they're spending the money on???

[ridethewind]

Our taxes here have gotten ridiculous, I have a friend who bought a new 1200 sq ft house in a small "bedroom" community about 10 miles away from town, she paid $114,000 for it three years ago. Her taxes are up to $3000 a year now and she lives in a town with no professional police force or fire dept.! I can't figure out what they're spending the money on???

Public schools. There is way too much reliance in Illinois on property taxes for school funding.

[Crankin]

Property taxes pay for public schools everywhere in the US. It is the responsibility of the states, which give it to the local districts. I know that everyone complains about taxes, but generally, with schools, you get what you pay for. Education won't be equitable until we have an equitable method to fund our schools...

I am shocked that some of you pay $700.00 a month for a mortgage. I am "older" than a lot of you and my first mortgage, 27 years ago, in Chandler, AZ (not an expensive place at that time) was that much! You would faint if you knew what my mortgage was here in New England. I think people make choices on what to spend their $ on. When my kids were younger, I wanted them to have certain opportunities that were a stretch for us at the time. But it was worth it. The only debt I have is my house, but for a long time we lived on the edge. It's just a choice me made and I don't regret it.

[ridethewind]

Interesting, my property taxes are about 1800 dollars. my house is worth about $300,000 if you can believe that. the house is about 2000 square feet

Yikes! I live in central Illinois and my house is about 1700 sq. ft. Last year, I paid $3,000 in property taxes. The house is worth between $100,000 and $150,000.

[mimitabby]

hey guys, my house only has 1500 sq feet i just checked with the assessor's office stuff on line.

[hikeandbike]

Wow, our house payment is only $343 a month. Granted it is a fixer upper but it is warm and dry and we are fixing it up. Just saved $6000 on vinyl siding by buying it online versus locally, I live in Oregon. People my husband works with earn the same money and pay $1500 a month for the big houses, and another $500 for the new suv. That doesn't leave a whole lot of take home pay to keep up appearances on. He says it looks like a new car lot where he works, he takes the bus. His Taurus wagon is 20 years old and still runs great, a little tempermental at times--but aren't we all.
A different way of looking at how much it costs to drive is figuring your miles per dollar. My ranger gets 21 miles per gallon and I just filled up for $2.59 a gallon which when you divide mpg by the cost per gallon of gas, comes up to 7.5 miles per dollar.

[mimitabby]

Wow, our house payment is only $343 a month. Granted it is a fixer upper but it is warm and dry and we are fixing it up. Just saved $6000 on vinyl siding by buying it online versus locally, I live in Oregon. People my husband works with earn the same money and pay $1500 a month for the big houses, and another $500 for the new suv. That doesn't leave a whole lot of take home pay to keep up appearances on. He says it looks like a new car lot where he works, he takes the bus. His Taurus wagon is 20 years old and still runs great, a little tempermental at times--but aren't we all.
A different way of looking at how much it costs to drive is figuring your miles per dollar. My ranger gets 21 miles per gallon and I just filled up for $2.59 a gallon which when you divide mpg by the cost per gallon of gas, comes up to 7.5 miles per dollar.

wow, I'm impressed with your house payment.
I didn't know that you could find houses that inexpensive in Oregon!
by your calculations, i am getting 11 or 12 miles per dollar!

[Pax]

Yikes! I live in central Illinois and my house is about 1700 sq. ft. Last year, I paid $3,000 in property taxes. The house is worth between $100,000 and $150,000.

Do you live in CU too?