$50k income in OC? (Tustin: health insurance, buying a house, buying)

[shakedotazz]

ty for the feedback everyone.. back to the drawing board for me.

[pacific2]

Originally Posted by shakedotazz

I'm married... close to debt-free.

I'm just not very confident of the school system here in Las Vegas, in addition to being extremely home sick. I would really like to move back, but just stressing out on how to make it work.

If I were in your shoes, I would stay put; strictly limit TV watching, video game playing and computer time for the kids; become active in the school; read to the kids as often as possible; make sure they have library cards and visit frequently; take them to museums, plays and art galleries; and visit CA during vacations.

But, that's just me.

[Coldjensens]

Originally Posted by shakedotazz

I'm married... close to debt-free.

I'm just not very confident of the school system here in Las Vegas, in addition to being extremely home sick. I would really like to move back, but just stressing out on how to make it work.

Problem is, on $50K with three kids and a husband (is that total household income by the way, or just your income?), you are not going to be able to afford any place with good schools. The better the schools, the more you will pay in rent or purchase prices. If you really want to work at it, you can find decent schools in bad school districts. For example, Santa Ana is generally cheaper than many OC cities because they have generally terrible schools. However there are fundamental schools within the Santa Ana system that are decent. You have to work at getting your kids into the fundamental schools and you may have to drive them to school every day, but most of the fundamental schools are substantially better than the regular district schools (where we were originally told our kids would be taught only in Spanish). There are also some excellent charter schools in Santa Ana, but they do charge a fee (about $300 per year give or take a little), and require parental participation in fund raisers and other school events.

You may find something affordable in Tustin, but it is not likely. I would consider the better neighborhoods of Santa Ana, Orange, Anaheim and possible Garden Grove, Westminster and Fountain Valley. IN all of that you should be able to find a decent apartment, or possibly even a small rental house within your budget. Just be careful about location, all of those cities have some questionable or worse areas. Then you have to get to work on schools.

[certsevtxert]

Originally Posted by shakedotazz

Hi all,
Is it idiotic to try moving back to Orange County (Tustin area) with a $50k income?

You can live anywhere with only $10,000 income. (Except a rich neighborhood of course, or NYC)
Some have lived with as low as $5,000 income (yes per year). And I don't mean homeless or in the projects. Although the 5K people were really roughing it.

It all comes down to: What quality of life are you expecting? How much money do you waste on pointless crap per month?

$50,000 is plenty to live a perfectly happy and satisfied existence anywhere in the country. It might mean you can't have that multimillion dollar condo or get $400 manicures every monday, wednesday, and friday, or eat $60 meals at fancy restaurants 10 times a week, or you might not afford the newest year model of Lamborghini or that $100,000 country club membership that only buys you a couple rich pretentious friends who never do anything for you but gossip. But if you want a normal middle-class life with more food than you could ever eat and all the recreation you want and all your needs met and enough to keep you occupied and happy while not working, then $50,000 is more than enough to keep you happy.

[killer2021]

don't waste your time.

[russlancea]

Originally Posted by Sondeera

I live in a great area in Santa Ana. On $50K a year with three kids, you're going to be hard-pressed to find an affordable lifestyle. Our apartment is up for rent now for $1350/month with 2bd 1ba and a garage with w/d hookups and people are clamoring to rent it because there are few affordable places. Don't forget that you are going to be hit with a very high income tax coming back to California.

Wow, that really is cheap rent for a place like that. It probably isn't, but Santa Ana can be a pretty bad neighborhood.

[kasuga888]

Originally Posted by certsevtxert

You can live anywhere with only $10,000 income. (Except a rich neighborhood of course, or NYC)
Some have lived with as low as $5,000 income (yes per year). And I don't mean homeless or in the projects. Although the 5K people were really roughing it.

It all comes down to: What quality of life are you expecting? How much money do you waste on pointless crap per month?

$50,000 is plenty to live a perfectly happy and satisfied existence anywhere in the country. It might mean you can't have that multimillion dollar condo or get $400 manicures every monday, wednesday, and friday, or eat $60 meals at fancy restaurants 10 times a week, or you might not afford the newest year model of Lamborghini or that $100,000 country club membership that only buys you a couple rich pretentious friends who never do anything for you but gossip. But if you want a normal middle-class life with more food than you could ever eat and all the recreation you want and all your needs met and enough to keep you occupied and happy while not working, then $50,000 is more than enough to keep you happy.

Please share how one would live a 50k a year life in the OC?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by kasuga888

Please share how one would live a 50k a year life in the OC?

One [person] could easily do it, that would be $1400 or a month for rent.

Here:

$1300 - $1400 in OC

However for a family, there was only one three bedroom:

https://www.padmapper.com/show.php?t...24208&src=main

[BuickGS]

Originally Posted by shakedotazz

Hi all,
Is it idiotic to try moving back to Orange County (Tustin area) with a $50k income?

Well, My cousin and his wife live in Westminster. Their home is paid for free and clear since 1996 or so

They both have full time jobs and make roughly $60k combined. They do still complain about the cost of living in California even with no mortgage/rent payment

[Charles]

Originally Posted by BuickGS

Well, My cousin and his wife live in Westminster. Their home is paid for free and clear since 1996 or so

They both have full time jobs and make roughly $60k combined. They do still complain about the cost of living in California even with no mortgage/rent payment

they probably complain about the weather too