I make exactly $250,000. I live on the westside of LA. I pay an obscene mortgage for a 1900 sq ft house. I pay an obscene amount for daycare for my two children. I manage to put some money in a 401(k). After that we are actually left with very little. Good to know, however, that I'm rich.

Together, my wife and I make less than half of what you make. We bought our 1700 sq ft house in 2006 (at the top of the market) for $680,000. We have but one child in daycare, but it costs half our mortgage payment. Property taxes on a $680,000 house are just short of ruinous. I have no 401(k), no retirement, no pension, and no real savings, though my wife has those.

But we live in Pasadena, and we're squeaking by okay. By comparison, you're rich indeed. If I had your income, my wife wouldn't have to work, and could stay with our 16-month-old daughter, which would make her very happy. We'd save a lot on child care (and gas, these days) if this were the case. We would be able to afford to travel again. Maybe I wouldn't have to drive a 20-year-old car.

But even then, I wouldn't dream of moving to the Westside and living near entitled crybabies who haven't the sense to live someplace (God forbid!) where a quarter-million a year can't keep the Hummer gassed up and the twice-weekly gardener paid.

Who is crazy??

1900 square feet..... to a lot of people, that is a lot of space. Sorry. Plus, having two kids was a lifestyle choice, too. Try making less than $25,000 a year, live in a 500 square foot home, AND have two kids, like my parents did. 401(k)?! Luxury to sooooo many.

You are the crazy one, I'm afraid. Consider this article a little reality check.

I and my wife, our child, and two cats live very comfortably in a two-bedroom apartment in New York City. We make much, much less than 250K a year; true, we don't own a car (don't need one), we don't own a home, but the rent and utilities average out to more than half our combined take-home pay. Yet, we manage to save money every month. I, alone, have managed to squirrel away several thousand dollars (and I have no intention of buying a house). We considered buying a house a couple of years ago, but decided against it.

Just lucky, I guess.

I had a co-worker who complained all the time how bad he had it. Of course, his house cost twice what mine did and while I was rapidly paying mine off, he had to re-mortgage upward each year. I pointed this out to him and he got quite angry.

I now have no sympathy for such people. Those in the bottom 1/3 of income really have few options but those making $250K just have to set their priorities. Tough for those who never had anything but the best. Perhaps they can bump off their parents and get bailed out with the inheritance.

You make more money than 98.5% of the people in the country. You are extremely rich, and your material life is easier than that of nearly everyone else. If you don't realize this, it's only because you only interact with other extremely rich people.

I went to lunch with a guy who was my boss at the time. My wife stays home with our 2 children in a 1200 sf townhouse. I made $80k per year, and I consider myself upper middle class, considering some of the conditions in Baltimore, where I live.

My boss, who lives in a 3600 sf mansion with a custom pool and 4 car garage in a historic community mentions that I'm lucky. He wishes he and his wife could afford for her not to work.

My tongue hurt for a week from biting it so hard.

Ha!