Wonder how many cyclists already figured this out?

[Pax]

Queen,
I am seriously envious at your $750 mortgage.
I don't know anyone who pays less than double that amount in my area (triple is more common)! I've been shopping for an affordable condo for years and can't find anything under $650k. As it is, my rent-controlled apartment is $1200/mo. and well below market value.

Great article - thanks for posting it.

Since I do social work and my SO is a librarian, I can't wrap my head around ANYONE making enough money to buy a $650k place. Right now we're renting a 2 bed/2 bath 1000sq ft condo with a garage for $665 a month, I guess as much as I wish we lived someplace more fun/interesting, there are definite perks to living here.

At this point we have a second car (we're out on the edge of town) but once we buy in town we're ditching the second car and keeping my almost paid-for little Ranger. I'm so looking forward to having my reasons and excuses for NOT riding to work disappear.

[Aggie_Ama]

I would love to be able to ride to work. The housing bust has not hit Austin. The only way DH and I could afford a house is to move out of town. We are 30 miles out- no way not to drive. Our home splits the drive between our works. I am looking into the bus, it will still require me to drive 10 miles. The only way to get there is a busy highway with no shoulder.

A 2 bedroom condo near my work would have been $20k more than our home. Houses in the area are 30+ years old and cost $30-50K more. Usually those homes need at least some repairs.

I just keep watching our car notes getting closer to paid off. The only way we are getting a new car is if we have a baby (we aren't trying soon), DH's single cab truck won't cut it then. I am amazed at my friends who have no plans to keep their expensive cars and continually trade in to be upside down. One of my friends pays $700 on ONE CAR!!

[Bluetree]

I am amazed at my friends who have no plans to keep their expensive cars and continually trade in to be upside down. One of my friends pays $700 on ONE CAR!!

I wonder about priorities, too. My cousin (who is dead broke) is getting married soon and she was given a choice by her father: the $100k wedding she asked for... or the down payment on a house. She chose the wedding.

Then again, my family thinks my priorities are out of whack for riding my bike at 5am in 30° temps.

[mimitabby]

I wonder about priorities, too. My cousin (who is dead broke) is getting married soon and she was given a choice by her father: the $100k wedding she asked for... or the down payment on a house. She chose the wedding.

Then again, my family thinks my priorities are out of whack for riding my bike at 5am in 30° temps.

Did you really mean a wedding that costs 100,000 dollars???

[KnottedYet]

Holy COW!!! $243 a month just for dues??? I guess I'm spoiled her in the middle of nowhere, my last mortgage was only $500 a month, and the new mortgage we're looking at is around $750.

I'm paying more than $800/mo just for rent! And they want to raise my rent $100 when the lease ends in June. I tried finding a cheaper place last June, but no luck.

The rental market here has finally caught up with the huge real estate boom.

Bummer.

[mimitabby]

Yes, and according to the local paper it's no bargain here to buy a condo either.

[Aggie_Ama]

I wonder about priorities, too. My cousin (who is dead broke) is getting married soon and she was given a choice by her father: the $100k wedding she asked for... or the down payment on a house. She chose the wedding.

Then again, my family thinks my priorities are out of whack for riding my bike at 5am in 30° temps.

My friend was given the same choice. A $20k wedding or $20k. She took the wedding. That $20k is nearly the traditional 20% down payment on nice starter homes in Texas. And she and her husband are starting with her med school student loans.

My wedding was extravagant for my family at about $5,000. If my parents had offered me that in cash I would have taken it. My wedding was gorgeous, but one day wasn't worth that much. I don't have the fairy tale love affair with my wedding. With $5k to start us off, my DH and I would have had it a lot easier.

[Pax]

Well, if any of you want to give up beautiful scenery, pleasant seasons, rolling hills, and access to the ocean...Central Illinois will give you the opportunity to own a REALLY nice house for $150k and a dang mansion for $500k.

[Bluetree]

Did you really mean a wedding that costs 100,000 dollars???

Yup. Not too unusual around here, young people can be quite spoilt. My brother's wedding cost $150k (dress alone was $20k), but at least her physician-parents could easily afford it. My uncle, on the other hand, can not, which makes me less inclined to want to go to my cousin's wedding.

Everyone thought my bro's wedding was beautiful. Personally, other than the ceremony, I thought it was ostentatious, wasteful and a bit crass. I mean, what's the point in carpeting an entire ballroom in fresh rose petals? They stuck onto your high heels fer crissakes. People... get a grip!

[mimitabby]

My friend was given the same choice. A $20k wedding or $20k. She took the wedding. That $20k is nearly the traditional 20% down payment on nice starter homes in Texas. And she and her husband are starting with her med school student loans.

My wedding was extravagant for my family at about $5,000. If my parents had offered me that in cash I would have taken it. My wedding was gorgeous, but one day wasn't worth that much. I don't have the fairy tale love affair with my wedding. With $5k to start us off, my DH and I would have had it a lot easier.

I am glad I don't have daughters. It's sad when even I don't think a 5k wedding isn't extravagant... but I bet it could be done nicely for under 1K!

[KnottedYet]

$100,000 wedding! Holy Kamolee!!

I bought the exact car I wanted, when the price was down because the next year's was coming out, and traded in my rust-bucket that needed a new engine for more than it was worth without repairs. (I couldn't sell it because it had failed state emissions test, legally had to replace engine and pass test before I could sell.)

This car should be good for at least 10 years, hopefully 15. It's got a 6 year loan (eeeeek!) but at 4.5% interest. So I don't complain *too* loudly...

It's the first new car I've ever bought, and it was very nerve-wracking to take that step!

[Blueberry]

I can't imagine having that big a wedding! DH and I had a 20 person very informal wedding to make my parents happy (not that they paid for it, but they wanted the wedding). Didn't go into too much debt, but went through the "wedding day" stuff for the wrong reasons. Given our choice, we would have eloped.

[mimitabby]

Yup. Not too unusual around here, young people can be quite spoilt. My brother's wedding cost $150k (dress alone was $20k), but at least her physician-parents could easily afford it. My uncle, on the other hand, can not, which makes me less inclined to want to go to my cousin's wedding.

Everyone thought my bro's wedding was beautiful. Personally, other than the ceremony, I thought it was ostentatious, wasteful and a bit crass. I mean, what's the point in carpeting an entire ballroom in fresh rose petals? They stuck onto your high heels fer crissakes. People... get a grip!

Oh, Blue, that much $$ for a few hour of one day?? sounds like people
do need to get a grip. think of all the bikes... You could buy bikes for hundreds of kids with that money. and helmets too!
or... nice bikes for all the bridesmaids and groomsmen! and they'd still have money left over for a decent wedding, with food and favors and flowers

[indysteel]

She chose a $100k wedding over $100k for a home? Argh!!!!! I work for the United States Bankrutpcy Court, so it pains me to hear the arguably stupid financial decisions that people make. That, and I lack the "big wedding" gene; it's never been a fantasy of mine.

I have always comfortably but below my means, and I prefer to keep it that way. I'm amazed at the lifestyle of many of my friends and colleagues. They either make a lot more money than I think they do or are in debt up to their eyeballs (or a little of both). Why invite that kind of added stress into your life?

[chickwhorips]

i thought people only had those big expensive weddings on tv!

i'm spoiled living here. its going to be hard moving out of the bush. i have VERY cheap rent and no other bills, well besides what i use to play with. i'm trying to save up now, after getting myself out of credit card debt (which was oh so very very nice!) so i don't have to visit indy at her job.

just thinking about rent and purchasing a car, gives me the shivers. when i do though, i want something reliable but won't take me over the deep end.