Post: #51

That's an observation I've noticed with people I've been around from when they had no money to speak of vs when they had a lot more.
Having more money magnifies who you are as a person.

Post: #52

Correct this is exactly why you need more game the more money you make. Lawyers/wall street/doctors etc have to tread even lighter to not step on toes. All your errors are magnified and all your correct moves are just seen as small moves in the right direction.

As you stated below, if you were a dick, you're still going to be a dick and its going to get worse.

(10-01-2012 01:29 AM)Fisto Wrote:  That's an observation I've noticed with people I've been around from when they had no money to speak of vs when they had a lot more.
Having more money magnifies who you are as a person.

Post: #53

Single guy here in SoCal:

Rent: 1300$
Health Insurance: 300$
Car Insurance: 150$
Gas: 200$
Food, etc: 700$

About 2500$/month. Health insurance is a bitch.

Post: #54

Rent: 1200
Utilities: 275
Fuel: 200
Insuracne: 160
Food/Entertainment: 800
Travel: 900
Misc (clothes, etc): 2000
Save: 800

Post: #55

Mortgage-1200
hotels-1400 to 2000
gas-500 to over 1000 depending on the job I'm on and if I have truck or car
food-1000-1300
auto insurance-150
utilities-150 (600 in winter)
smokes-3-400
misc-500

I work on the road, hence the hotel bills and high food expenses.

Post: #56

Brighton - UK

I'm a student so no council tax.

Rent - £390
Food - £120
Fun - £250

Post: #57

27y/old single male central mexico
all in dollars

health insurance 50 dollars
rent 200 1bdroom apt centrally located
cabletv/internet 30
utilities 20 dollars(weather is temperate so no need for ac or heat)
food 300(high end but as low as 240) (fruits and vegs are very cheap 1lb of avocados is a dollar, 2lbs oranges is a dollar, 2lbs of brocoli 1 dollar, top cuts of steak 1lb is 4 dollars, whole chicken 4 dollars) taco stands are cheap most are 50cent a pop maybe 1 dollar for a quesadilla. in day time there are local restaurants run by mexican moms usually you get to choose an entre with beans or rice and tortillas for 3-4 dollars
alcohol- generally speaking expensive clubs and nice restuarants beers (corona, dos xxs)are 2.5 but it can be as cheap as 1 dollar in more local joints. some clubs charge cover but usually less than 4 dollars.) mixed drinks more expensive but still rare to see something over 5 dollars.
taxis- 2-4 depends how far and how in demand taxis are at night on sat you will pay more than in the day. buses are 50cent

i typically go out 3-4 nights a week and spend anywhere from 5-700 a month on drinking, taxis and going out

my budget is 1200-1300

Post: #58

$$$ 1 million gazillion dollars. $$$

Beyond All Seas

"The individual has always had to struggle to keep from being overwhelmed by the tribe.
To be your own man is a hard business. If you try it, you'll be lonely often, and sometimes
frightened. But no price is too high to pay for the privilege of owning yourself." - Kipling

Post: #59

If it helps, cost of living in Bangalore,India.

Rent : 280-300$ For a 2BHK is a good apartment complex(including all utilities and a maid )
Transportation :50-70$
Food :50-80$(MAX)
Internet (Unlimited 2 MBPS) : 25$
Mobile/Telephone - 20$
Gym - 20$
Pub-80$(20$ approx a time)

Post: #60

Great thread, guys. I'm glad to see such an open and honest discussion around personal finances; I think I learn a lot more here that's applicable and aspirational than much of what's touted out by personal finances media speaking heads.

Living in Augsburg, Germany as a Masters student. Monthly:
230 euros rent
72 euros mandatory health insurance
250 euros food (food's expensive in Germany; I haven't had a full cut of steak or a whole roasted chicken or turkey in a long time; forget fresh seafood; I cook at home alot)
~160 euros public transportation (I definitely see price inflation in public services all across continental Europe)
so around 720 euros is my base expense, that cuts it very thin.

At this point, I would like to be making a much greater income back in the US and see positive cash flow (my folks are helping me out while I tried this Masters program out and I had to dip heavily into my stock portfolio). That'd be my number 1 priority right now, because I'm getting a lot more learning from udacity and coursera and from books "online." I would definitely take away the frugal lifestyle I had to adopt in continental Europe. Note that the 720 euro, which is about $1000, is an absolutely thin budget, where I've cut out my daily coffee run to Starbucks (or some equivalent coffee house) that I loved back in the US, no meat, except for grounded or sausages, and cooking at home. There are many times that life will hit you, sometimes literally, with expensive student or travel visas, new vacuum cleaner that's needed since the last 1 broke, or when a phone malfunctions on you.

My priority right now is getting positive cash flow with a finance gig, and building up a huge nest egg. Yeah, more money would change me. I'd want to be able to throw my dad a new hip or my mom some more exercise, health and wellness classes because they're getting to that age, make smarter financial decisions in terms of not having to trade so frequently and I could invest in a more diversified and conservative portfolio, start my own business. I wouldn't want to own a home until I could pay for it all in cash and have it be only at most 30% of my net worth - and I'd rather pick 1 up in Prague or in a 3rd tier city in Italy or the US South for about $150k. Most important to me right now, if shit happens to me or my mom and dad healthwise, I'll be able to take the hit and not borrow (or at least not borrow at exorbitant interest rates - can't we all borrow from the Fed at 0.75%?)

Post: #61

(10-10-2012 02:30 PM)NoShameAllGame Wrote:  250 euros food (food's expensive in Germany; I haven't had a full cut of steak or a whole roasted chicken or turkey in a long time; forget fresh seafood; I cook at home alot)

Go the Turkish butcher and you'll get 1kg of good halal beef for 7,99€, at least where Im living.

Post: #62

(10-10-2012 02:49 PM)BoiBoi Wrote:  Go the Turkish butcher and you'll get 1kg of good halal beef for 7,99€, at least where Im living.

Thanks, I'll take you up on that. I'm still trying to fix my cash flow problem (not a bottom line problem, but a top line problem, in accountant balance sheet or BS speak).

Post: #63

I spend about 1k a month on average.