I am Jealous

I had to write this post today as I sit here reading other blogs about how people complain about the housing market and how expensive their mortgages are, and yet many of these bloggers are complaining about mortgages of about $150,000. Around here that wouldn't even buy you a studio apartment. Many of these blogs also mention that their household incomes are between $40,000 and $55,000 (i read several blogs and all are posting things about end of year finances). Anyway, I began wondering what do people (average people. like me) do that allow us them live in the neighborhoods we grew up in. I have wondered this alot lately, as the price of houses where I grew up are ridiculous.

I have been talking to people lately about this at work and found out how some of them have done it - and I am jealous. A friend of mine from high school, after she married, moved in with her parents. They lived their for almost 7 years. While there, they had their first child, and since her mom was retired and right there to babysit. She continued to work afterthe baby was bron. They did not have to pay rent but helped with some of the utilities, and even after her son was born did not have to pay for daycare, since Grandma could watch the baby. Now I can relate to her the most because she and her husband are "average people" she worked as a secretary and he was a landscaper. It took them 7 years of living "home" in order to save enough money to buy a house where we grew up. And I am jealous to say that now that she has a house and a small mortgage (about $125,000) they are able to live on just his income and she is now a stay at home mom and thinking of having her second (her first is now 8). I would love to be a full time stay at home mom- but I don't' think we will get there before my kids are out of school.

The second person I was talking to at my daughter's pre-school said that she and her husband and 3 kids (with a 4th on the way) have been living with her parents for 2 years and plan to be there at least 1-2 more. They realised they would have to do this in order to buy a home in the area. She is a stay at home mom to her little bunch and although he works in the city-- it just isn't enough to buy a house around here.

The last person I saw recently does have a house in my hometown and when she dropped her daughter off for pre-school in her Lincoln Navigator with her knee high designer boots and large coach bag... I wonder HOW?? She is younger than me and is a stay at home mom- how then?? with a $500,000 mortgage, and most likely $700/month car payment, can she still afford to buy these luxury items- her outfit must have cost over $1000. and she has a different designer bag almost every day. I would drive a 10 year old Ugo and wear the same clothes everyday just to have been able to live in my home town and here is a person who not only gets to do this, but also be a stay at home mom, and has the extra money to blow on a gas-guzzling luxury SUV and designer clothes.. I can't help but be jealous.

I tried to do it right-We have always keep a mortgage we could afford on one income, so I could be at home. We have no luxuries, walmart clothes, ask for shoes and coats as gifts for birthdays or christmas and cut our hair at home. We have worked hard in hopes of being able to have at least one of us home with the kids. I had hoped to be able to be a full time stay at home mom-- but somehow that isn't where we are at and if it takes me 5-7 years to get back to that point where I can be at home full time, my oldest will be driving and almost out of high school. I need it to happen faster! I want it now! So I can have more time with my kids now, while they are young and while they want me around, and not to finally have the time later, when they will be beginning to have lives of their own.