For anyone who thinks that my vacations and entertainment expenses are extravagant, here is another way to look at our lifestyle.
While we can afford things that others may not, I cannot afford things that many take for granted. Here are some of them:
A yard. Any yard, even 8x8' is a luxury. Or a balcony, a terrace... any outdoor space at all.
A tree outside the window.
Reserved parking space near your residence.
Commute of less than 3 hours a day. People who commute less than that and complain drive me crazy.
More than one bathroom in the apartment - amazing luxury! - not even friends with over million dollars in the bank have that. But people outside NYC almost expect it. "I have kids so we couldn't make it with one bathroom." Yes, you could, it is just not as much fun. But second bathroom is a luxury, not a basic need.
A kitchen that could fit a dining table over 31" in diameter. People don't appreciate it. New Yorkers understand. Today I served brunch to 5 people on that table and it was completely normal for everyone, as their apartments are similar.
A walk-in closet - ohhhhhhh.
A washer and a dryer!
And in general - SPACE. 800sf would be fine with us even if we had a baby. 1000sf would make me completely happy. 1200sf would make me feel like a queen. (in the city, that is).
So if I was not spending 20K a year on getaways and was saving the money instead, it would not bring me much closer to owning an 800sf co-op at ($1,000-$1,400 per square foot with 1k+ monthly maintenance on top of that.) Neither would few thousand dollars a year spend on eating out. So I max out retirement, but don't feel all that hopeful about homeownership and just live entertainment rich life. What else am I to do?
But no, I don't want to move from NYC. So I guess I am not willing to give up the life I have now for house bliss and these luxuries. But I just wanted to remind people that these are luxuries that they are lucky to enjoy and not necessities. That people can adjust to live without them. I think a lot of these things are taken for granted by those who have them.
Luxuries that others take for granted.
January 25th, 2009 at 05:23 am
January 25th, 2009 at 05:32 am 1232861533
We have 1 1/2 baths, 2 acres of old oak trees (at least 40 of them) we have a nice dining area...house is about 2k sq ft...our 3 labs have a 60x60 pen to run in....and it is about 10 minutes to the wide open spaces...30-1 hour to lakes, mountains. etc....my house pymt...$1200 per month. You have made me realize how blessed I am...thank you!
January 25th, 2009 at 06:12 am 1232863972
It takes us the same amount of time to commute. I use public transport (couldn't park in midtown and traffic is horrible) and DH hits guaranteed traffic daily going across Staten Island.
January 25th, 2009 at 12:17 pm 1232885866
we are trading renting (at $420 per week) a 500m2 block, 4 bedroom home with 2 bathrooms, 2 streets away from the beach, 7 minute drive to work for me, 5 minute drive to work for DF, suburbia, modern home (less than 5 yr old), large modern kitchen, huge dining area, huge lounge, double lock up garage
for
4 bedroom 30 year old home with one bathroom, for approx $470 a week or more ($320k), a quarter of an acre lot, 30 minute drive to work for me, 25 minute drive for DF, 35 minute drive to the beach, small kitchen that's ten years old, small dining area, an area that we will have to CHANGE into a double lockup garage.
i've realised we are gaining a lot, and sacrificing a lot at the same time. i guess it is just up to the person to make that call and feel comfortable with it.
January 25th, 2009 at 01:31 pm 1232890275
January 25th, 2009 at 01:59 pm 1232891968
January 25th, 2009 at 02:31 pm 1232893899
January 25th, 2009 at 03:02 pm 1232895760
January 25th, 2009 at 03:25 pm 1232897115
January 25th, 2009 at 03:32 pm 1232897527
January 25th, 2009 at 03:36 pm 1232897786
January 25th, 2009 at 03:54 pm 1232898856
For those of us who live in little apartments, there are lots of luxuries, and they mostly have to do with the precious gift of time:
- Being able to get away with cleaning only on the weekends.
- Not having to repair the roof, siding, etc after a storm blows through.
- Not having to maintain the building's structures or yard.
- Having a perfectly acceptable reason not to have the in-laws come stay with you.
For one year when I was a child, the 6 of us lived in a 2-BR apartment. We 4 kids shared 1 bedroom...My "bed" was a foam pad on the floor. I just entering adolesence and I will admit that was tough. That was the one living arrangement of my life that I could not find a way to feel good about. Now, as long as I don't have to sleep more than 3 to a room, and I have a real bed or a decent futon to sleep on, I'm hunky-dory.
January 25th, 2009 at 04:16 pm 1232900214
January 25th, 2009 at 08:31 pm 1232915494
January 26th, 2009 at 02:40 am 1232937621
January 26th, 2009 at 04:13 pm 1232986405
Cars are also a luxury. We don't have a car, and when we're looking for employment, entertainment, healthcare providers and even sustainable friendships, we can only consider things that are in walking distance or on the bus line. It can be done, and you can live well, yet people say that you "must" have a car because of this or that. Nope, but you'd have to adjust your lifestyle significantly if you didn't have one.