<p>plscatamacchia</p>
<p>Apparently, the federal government sees things a little differently than you</p>
<p>Section 8 Income limits for subsidized housing assistance
effective 3/19/00
Westchester County NY</p>
<p>4 Person Household: Low Income - $75,050
1 Person Household: Low Income - $52,550</p>
<p>You just posted for one of the most expensive areas in NY. Good try. Not only that but you’re data is TEN YEARS OLD. During one of the greatest boom in incomes this country has ever seen. This is going to be fun…</p>
<p>[FY</a> 2009/2010 Federal Poverty Guidelines - LIHEAP Clearinghouse](<a href=“http://liheap.ncat.org/profiles/povertytables/FY2010/popstate.htm]FY”>http://liheap.ncat.org/profiles/povertytables/FY2010/popstate.htm)</p>
<p>Take your foot out of your mouth now. It may be tough to concentrate on me making you look silly.</p>
<p>Sorry, it was much LOWER than I originally thought.</p>
<p>Maybe you need some help understanding what you posted means? That means for that area of NY. The HIGHEST you can make to be considered for subsidized housing are those amounts. The MEDIAN income for that area for one person is 75k. SERVED.</p>
<p>“Westchester County ranks number two (number one being Manhattan) for wealthiest counties in New York State and the seventh wealthiest county nationally”</p>
<p>Engineers make the most money if we are only talking about jobs with a bachelors degree.</p>
<p>Plscatamacchia</p>
<p>My, you are full of yourself for someone still in school (or just out)</p>
<p>“You just posted for one of the most expensive areas in NY.”</p>
<p>Yes I did. It is also one of the most densely populated areas in NY. But it is not THE most expensive nor is it THE most densely populated area. In New York, that would be NYC.</p>
<p>Nowhere in your pronouncements on this thread did you qualify regarding location. </p>
<p>“I just don’t understand the idea of a “good salary” people have on this board. Consider that an average household (mother, father, 2 children) brings in 35-40k per year, TOGETHER…and an engineer starts out making 65-75k and people think that it’s not good long term, what the heck do these people’s parents do?</p>
<p>The poverty level for an average family is 35k. Divide that by two and you have two people making 17.5k. That means at 75k you are making 4.5 times above the poverty level. You live in a fantasy world if you can’t live on that.</p>
<p>Etc.”</p>
<p>Your comments were absolute. So it only takes one example to demonstrate the flaw.</p>
<p>The cost of living varies. Therefore the cost of “living comfortably” varies.
(Although I can’t think of anywhere where the “average” family of 4 consists of 2 adults both basically making minimum wage and two children.)</p>
<p>This is definitional. HUD defines a single person making $52,000 and a family of 4 living in Westchester County as “Low Income”. This definition makes them eligible for taxpayer funded rental subsidies. In much of North Carolina, a family of 4 would need to make less than $24,950 to be so defined. (These are 2009 numbers – my typo before.) </p>
<p>Simply put, it is not reasonable to consider an income level defined as “Low Income” by the government to be living comfortably. It is safe to assume that the government does not consider people at the income level they define as “ Low Income” to be living comfortable – else they wouldn’t be subsidizing them.</p>
<p>(Granted, the IRS may consider some people “rich” whom HUD defines as “low income”, but that is another discussion.)</p>
<p>Even you may find that the income you now consider necessary to “live comfortably” will change. Your folks had been helping you, you’ve got two brand new cars, (who pays the insurance?), but still have 60k of debt. Things are going to look different as the cars age, (repair or replace?) and the rent, furniture, commuting, utilities, food and insurance bills continue to come due – while you try to pay off that school debt… </p>
<p>and god help you if your wife gets pregnant before you are ready …
Can you get through it – absolutely. It might even be enjoyable. It just isn’t likely to be all that “comfortable”.</p>
<p>…and some here might consider needing for financial reasons to wait until they are past 30 to have kids in and of itself “uncomfortable”</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Never took a statistics course, did ya? I didn’t need to state that. Nobody else did, thus it was assumed that we were discussing things on a national scale. Thus when I say national poverty level I am going along with the discussion. When you try to refute me by giving me statistics to an area which has one of the highest costs of living in the country it holds ZERO value. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>EXACTLY. This is WHY we were talking about things on a national scale. It would be an endless argument if we discussed things on a national scale. Guess what…INCOME changes as LOCATION changes. </p>
<p>You realize that when data mining companies like payscale come up with an average pay-level the number arises based on different incomes in different areas, right? Not every engineer in every corner will make 70k…In westchester they may make 80k. In NC they may make 50k. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Reading comprhension degrades the further you get away from formal education. I guess thats your problem. I said the average family (3 people, as defined by the government) on POVERTY level makes 35k. I DID NOT say an average family makes 35k. </p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Please point out where I said a family on the poverty level is living comfortably? Seriously…what are you reading? </p>
<p>Your entire response was based on a few things:</p>
<p>1) I said the poverty level was comfortable living…Don’t understand why someone with any education beyond high school could have interpreted this from what I wrote.</p>
<p>2) That I am talking about living comfortably on 75k in a family of two, because you mention 2 cars, wife, kids, etc.</p>
<p>I already explained that I am baffled how you got #1 from what I wrote…please do explain.</p>
<p>As for #2 - I was using the poverty level to show how much money 75k is for ONE person…let me say it again…ONE PERSON. If a family of 3 making 35k is considered poor, than 75k as a single individual is a LOT of money. So, you talking about having kids and 2 cars is really pointless.</p>
<p>IF you come back and say “I was saying as life progresses you will encounter these problems.” I say this…as life progresses #1 that debt goes down, #2 your income goes up. It’s up to each individual to buy cars within a reasonable price range (and for an engineer it won’t be a hoopty), to rent a place within 25-30% of their take home, etc etc. </p>
<p>We weren’t talking about relative situations. We were talking about average situations and for the average engineer coming out making 75k they are going to be living comfortably. If they can’t it is their fault and has nothing to do with what we define as low-income, they are simply irresponsible.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>Perhaps I don’t have those life experiences of paying for unexpected expenses, but do you have the life experiences of being in a family living paycheck to paycheck? I do. And I can tell you my “meager” starting salary of 52k (20k less than my engineer friends) has afforded me a very nice rental property, a nice new car, and a huge emergency fund so far. I also go out all the time, eat out, and just paid for (ALL BY MYSELF! NO HELP FROM MOMMY AND DADDY, guess you got that) a trip to Brazil. I guess some people grow up appreciating the value of what saving and smart financial planning can do and others(obviously you) decide not to plan for the unexpected and get pushed to our financial limits when problem arise even though they make more than 80% of the people in this country.</p>
<p>PS - Served again.</p>
<p>☺</p>
<p>You are funny. Not terribly coherent. But funny. I responded directly to your personal history and situation as posted by – you. …and you didn’t even recognize it. Just too funny.</p>
<p>1) Only a few months ago it was you who was wondering if a couple could survive on $80,000 AFTER taxes. </p>
<p>plscatamacchia;04-19-2010 “Is this a reasonable amount considering a salary after taxes of about 72k-80k combined? … Is it more than just “manageable”? Will we be able to live comfortably?”</p>
<p>2) What happened to your wife?
… and your $60K in debt?</p>
<p>plscatamacchia;04-19-2010 "My wife and I will both graduating nursing school with a combined debt of 60k… </p>
<p>3) … and your two new cars paid for in full?
… and your folks paying off your other debt?</p>
<p>plscatamacchia;04-19-2010 “2 Brand new cars, fully paid for. No debt in our names other than this. We’ve done all that we can while in school to avoid these things. However, this debt was unavoidable. On top of these loans parents are paying for some more, as they did not save for college but commited to helping me pay off loans that they approved of.”</p>
<p>4) Still saving up for a house?</p>
<p>plscatamacchia;04-19-2010 “We will not own a house for several years”</p>
<p>5) … and that baby?</p>
<p>plscatamacchia;04-19-2010 “Woo, seen it happen to family memers…AIN’T gonna happen. Protection in many forms until we are 30.”</p>
<p>It seems you’ve gone through quite a transformation in the last 5 months.</p>
<p>As for your current story, the $52k salary works out to $4333 gross and about $3389 net per month. You’ve had what, 3 months pay? (July, Aug, Sep) So that’s about $10k total net to you - which you claim “has afforded me a very nice rental property, a nice new car, and a huge emergency fund so far. I also go out all the time, eat out, and just paid for (ALL BY MYSELF! NO HELP FROM MOMMY AND DADDY, guess you got that) a trip to Brazil.”</p>
<p>Figure $700/mo for the car payment, insurance, gas and maintenance.</p>
<p>Figure $1000/mo for that “very nice” rental property including heat, Gas & Electric, Phone, Cable, Internet, cellular, renter’s insurance, parking and garbage pickup. </p>
<p>Figure another $1000/mo for food and entertainment- all that “going out all the time and eating out”. </p>
<p>So that leaves for everything else about $2000 total - maybe enough for that trip to Brazil… But leaving nothing for that “huge emergency fund” or apartment set up items like Appliances, Furniture, Blinds and Drapes, Dishes, Glasses, Silverware, Pots, Pans, etc., etc. etc. or … clothes.</p>
<p>More curious still is how someone in their first three months of permanent employment managed to get the paid vacation time to be able to make that trip to Brazil. :)</p>
<p>It seems plscatamacchia that you have just been owned by OdysseyTigger.</p>
<p>Also my idea of “comfortable” living would have to include living where I want to live not where I am forced to live due to financial circumstance. We have already established the fact that living in NYC would cost way more than living in somewhere in NC. But consider this, the income being earned in any given area is not always being properly adjusted for the cost of living in that area so while making 50k would afford a nice living in NC, making even 75k in NYC would not afford the same lifestyle.</p>
<p>Jesus, guys. Get a life.</p>
<p>If they both graduated nursing school and are both earning the same income, then you have entire person’s worth of income for saving/leisure spending.</p>
<p>Only pansies fight via the interwebz. I think you both should get into a cage and last man/woman standing wins. I’m serving some lulzsauce for dinner if anyone wants some.</p>
<p>Extra lulzsauce and I’m in.</p>
<p>Read this article, you will see it proves my point exactly:</p>
<p>[America’s</a> wealthiest (and poorest) states - Yahoo! Finance](<a href=“http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Americas-wealthiest-and-cnnm-3345919960.html]America’s”>http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Americas-wealthiest-and-cnnm-3345919960.html)</p>
<p>The article also does state:</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>OP</p>
<p>In response to your original question:</p>
<p>Best Undergrad College Degrees By Salary - Full List
BEST UNDERGRAD COLLEGE DEGREES BY SALARY STARTING MEDIAN PAY MID-CAREER MEDIAN PAY
Petroleum Engineering $93,000 $157,000
Aerospace Engineering $59,400 $108,000
Chemical Engineering $64,800 $108,000
Electrical Engineering $60,800 $104,000
Nuclear Engineering $63,900 $104,000
Applied Mathematics $56,400 $101,000
Biomedical Engineering $54,800 $101,000
Physics $50,700 $99,600
Computer Engineering $61,200 $99,500
Economics $48,800 $97,800
Computer Science $56,200 $97,700
Industrial Engineering $58,200 $97,600
Mechanical Engineering $58,300 $97,400
Building Construction $52,900 $94,500
Materials Science & Engineering $59,400 $93,600
Civil Engineering $53,500 $93,400
Statistics $50,000 $92,900
Finance $47,500 $91,500
Software Engineering $56,700 $91,300
Management Information Systems $50,900 $90,300
Mathematics $46,400 $88,300
Government $41,500 $87,300
Information Systems $49,300 $87,100
Construction Management $50,400 $87,000
Environmental Engineering $51,000 $85,500
Electrical Engineering Technology $55,500 $85,300
Supply Chain Management $49,400 $84,500
Mechanical Engineering Technology $53,300 $84,300
Chemistry $42,400 $83,700
Computer Information Systems $48,300 $83,100
International Relations $42,400 $83,000
Molecular Biology $40,200 $82,900
Urban Planning $41,600 $82,800
Industrial Design $42,100 $82,300
Geology $44,600 $82,200
Biochemistry $39,800 $82,000
Political Science $40,100 $81,700
Industrial Technology $49,400 $81,500
Food Science $48,500 $81,100
Information Technology $49,600 $79,300
Architecture $41,900 $78,400
Telecommunications $40,000 $78,300
Film Production $36,100 $77,800
Accounting $44,600 $77,500
Marketing $38,600 $77,300
Occupational Health and Safety $52,300 $77,000
Civil Engineering Technology $48,100 $75,600
International Business $42,600 $73,700
Advertising $37,800 $73,200
History $38,500 $73,000
Philosophy $39,100 $72,900
Biology $38,400 $72,800
Microbiology $40,600 $72,600
American Studies $40,900 $72,500
Fashion Design $37,700 $72,200
Communications $38,200 $72,200
Environmental Science $41,600 $71,600
Global & International Studies $38,400 $71,400
Geography $39,600 $71,200
Business $41,100 $70,600
Public Administration $39,000 $70,600
Landscape Architecture $43,200 $70,300
Biotechnology $47,500 $70,100
Zoology $34,600 $68,800
Drama $40,700 $68,300
Nursing $52,700 $68,200
Health Sciences $38,300 $68,100
Radio & Television $39,200 $67,800
Hotel Management $37,900 $67,600
English $37,800 $67,500
Forestry $37,000 $67,200
Journalism $35,800 $66,600
Hospitality & Tourism $36,200 $65,800
Literature $37,500 $65,700
Public Health $37,800 $65,700
Liberal Arts $35,700 $63,900
Public Relations $35,700 $63,400
Anthropology $36,200 $62,900
Psychology $35,300 $62,500
Animal Science $34,600 $62,100
Sociology $36,600 $62,100
Human Resources $38,100 $61,900
Kinesiology $34,400 $61,600
French $39,600 $61,400
Multimedia & Web Design $40,100 $61,200
Photography $35,100 $61,200
Health Care Administration $37,700 $60,800
Organizational Management $41,500 $60,500
Fine Arts $35,400 $60,300
Humanities $38,600 $60,100
Sports Management $37,300 $59,800
Agriculture $42,300 $59,700
Theater $35,300 $59,600
Fashion Merchandising $35,000 $59,300
Medical Technology $43,800 $59,300
Exercise Science $32,800 $59,000
Spanish $37,100 $58,200
Criminal Justice $35,600 $58,000
Visual Communication $36,800 $57,700
Social Science $38,100 $57,200
Art History $39,400 $57,100
Music $36,700 $57,000
Graphic Design $35,400 $56,800
Nutrition $42,200 $56,700
Interior Design $34,400 $56,600
Interdisciplinary Studies $35,600 $55,700
Education $35,100 $54,900
Art $33,500 $54,800
Religious Studies $34,700 $54,400
Dietetics $40,400 $54,200
Special Education $36,000 $53,800
Recreation & Leisure Studies $33,300 $53,200
Theology $34,700 $51,300
Paralegal Studies/Law $35,100 $51,300
Horticulture $35,000 $50,800
Culinary Arts $35,900 $50,600
Athletic Training $32,800 $45,700
Social Work $31,800 $44,900
Elementary Education $31,600 $44,400
Child and Family Studies $29,500 $38,400</p>
<p>OdysseyTigger, where do you get your figures from about the cost of living? Who spends $1000 a month food? How do you know how much his car payment is? I drive a 2010 Camaro and my payment is $350. I pay rent, utilities, gas, food, all the expenses except car insurance. I’m saving about $500 a month and I still live comfortably on about $45k a year. </p>
<p>plscatamacchia mentioned he and his wife are nurses correct? So thats a 6 figure income between the 2 of them. SO, lets re calculate here according to your phantom #'s. They make about $70k after taxes. Thats roughly $5800/month. Subtract your $1k for rent and housing costs, 1k for food/entertainment, and $700 for car costs. That gives us $3100 saved between the two of them whichs is about $9300 after 3 months. I’d say thats plenty of money for a vacation. Lets say the vacation to brazil did cost what according to you probably $1500 thats still about $7500 extra between the two of them over 3 months. That looks like a pretty nice emergency fund to me 
By the end of the year they will have roughly $15000 after allt he expenses you named.</p>
<p>Then, Tiger, you go on to mention not enough for household items. The guy is renting, why would he bye drapes hahaha. This tells me you know nothing about the “real world”. How much do you think it costs to buy household items? You can got o Wal-Mart with a few hundred bucks and have everything you need. You don’t have to buy silverware from the 3rd floor of Macy’s.</p>
<p>Next, Tiger, you want to know how he got vacation after 3 months of employment. When you get a job you will find out that full benefits usually kick in sometime during the first 3 months. BUT when your talking about GOV benefits then they more often then not kick in day 1. He is a nurse so maybe the guy works for the GOV. </p>
<p>P.S. I’m still trying to figure out how you got that $1000 for food and entertainment…</p>
<p>“Westchester County ranks number two (number one being Manhattan) for wealthiest counties in New York State and the seventh wealthiest county nationally” </p>
<p>So your going to disregard his data because it is for one of the most expensive counties in the US? So what? Lots of people live in expensive areas. I live in a neighboring county that is nearly just as expensive as Westchester.</p>
<p>I don’t understand how anyone can live without making a million dollars a year :D</p>
<p>FootballBanker you claim that you are living comfortably on 45k but you don’t pay for car insurance so I am assuming you live with your parents because that is only way for them to pay your car insurance on their policy. I am also assuming you are a recent college grad and your parents probably paid off your education and therefore you do not have loans since you made no mention of student loans.</p>
<p>Homer. Welcome to the conversation. He was trying to say that what I was saying was the national poverty level was wrong by pointing out westchester. I told him comparing westchester to the national poverty level was ridiculous considering how high of an income people have that live there relative to everywhere else. </p>
<p>You lost yet?</p>
<p>No, my parents are paying my insurance until I turn 25. And no I’m not a graduate, I’m still in school. I pay for school on my own. Used to have a scholarship playing football but I got hurt. I will be getting some help with tuition reimbursement through my company. I’m not going to take out any student loans. I recently checked back in to my parents place 1 month ago because I took a raise in which I had to relocate back home to Southern Cali. I’m living at my parents to make the transition smoother while I search for my own place.</p>