Shelly's ideas are good too but I think mine are more realistic and practical going forward. The ramen is GREAT tip. Try deep frying for something different.
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How Can Anyone Afford to Buy?
- Thread starter luvthebeach57
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TooFarTampa
SoWal Insider
Not if you only buy what you can afford, right SHELLY?
: Way to "think outside the box" TTT!!
There are a lot of families in the service industry who have been here since before the real estate boom who have a little singlewide in the woods on some of those dirt roads north of 98.
As for other areas, if you don't have to be right on the beach, Bluewater Bay really does have a strong Columbia, MD influence- variety of different types of housing, many recreation opportunities (which are for the most part a la carte, so you aren't paying for tennis courts you won't use) and designed to be walkable/bikeable. You can find some smaller SFHs for less than $250K, and some very nice larger options for less than $400k. In terms of covenants and HOAs, it's a mixed bag- some older neighborhoods have no HOAs, others have very strict covenants and HOA presences.
Demographic tends to be rocket scientists (Defense Department weapons folks), Air Force officers, and other professionals. Sometimes I feel kind of dumb because, unlike my neighbors, I only have one masters degree.
As for other areas, if you don't have to be right on the beach, Bluewater Bay really does have a strong Columbia, MD influence- variety of different types of housing, many recreation opportunities (which are for the most part a la carte, so you aren't paying for tennis courts you won't use) and designed to be walkable/bikeable. You can find some smaller SFHs for less than $250K, and some very nice larger options for less than $400k. In terms of covenants and HOAs, it's a mixed bag- some older neighborhoods have no HOAs, others have very strict covenants and HOA presences.
Demographic tends to be rocket scientists (Defense Department weapons folks), Air Force officers, and other professionals. Sometimes I feel kind of dumb because, unlike my neighbors, I only have one masters degree.
What??
Park at the old Elephant Walk/Finz and carry your beach stuff 200 yards to the beach. You can't do this?? 
We do it all the time.
Eat in a lot?Reuse the same towel to save on power and it doesn't wear out the towel as quick (this doesn't work for wash cloths I don't know why); Save some money by skipping regular dental care; Buy shoes without laces so there is nothing to replace; Fold the toilet paper over one more time at least and double the efficiency (I once knew someone who folded 6 times
man what a savings!). More money saving tips later- as they come to me I'll pass them along to you. Oh and buy a Shammy-Wow. I saw their ad on t.v the other day, you'll never have to buy paper towels again the guy said--sign me up for 2!
Thanks for such a good laugh before turning in. See that's why I'm addicted!!Originally Posted by SHELLY
....2 jobs, credit cards, HELOCs, 401K loans, ramen--lots and lots of ramen (five different flavors).
Strange as it may sound, there are some people out there in the world that have a lot of money. There are also some that bought years ago.
There are even people who pay off their credit cards each month, don't borrow from their 401ks, and have never eaten ramen.
....2 jobs, credit cards, HELOCs, 401K loans, ramen--lots and lots of ramen (five different flavors).
Strange as it may sound, there are some people out there in the world that have a lot of money. There are also some that bought years ago.
There are even people who pay off their credit cards each month, don't borrow from their 401ks, and have never eaten ramen.
Yes, there are people that have worked very hard, saved their money and bought for their own enjoyment. Perhaps that sounds too simple.
P.S. I don't know if it was around in the 70's, but ramen would have been on our dinner rotation! ;-)
I would venture to guess that someone reading this thread would also wonder how luvthebeach could afford to live in her own community!
TooFarTampa
SoWal Insider
back Kimbug!
We fall into the hard working, sensible, and thrifty category. My husband and I are in our early 50's. We have $600,000 in equity in our home with a few years left on our 15-year fixed rate mortgage (4.25%). We pay cash for our cars. We have no credit card or other debt. We have already saved up enough money to send our teenage daughter to a quality 4-year college. We have hundreds of thousands invested for our retirement years. Plus, my husband will receive a pension from his job. I clip coupons and buy items on sale. The one thing that I like to spend money on is our vacations. I wouldn't consider us to be rich, but we are financially comfortable. Yes, it would be possible for us to buy a $1 million home at the beach, but we would feel that it was beyond our means. It's all about comfort level.
Too many people in our country are deep in debt and have bought homes they never could afford. We are now seeing the repercussions of this on our global economy. But that's an entirely different issue.