I went from doing fairly well for myself in Michigan to barely breaking even in Chicago. Sometimes I miss my old disposable income, but not enough to go back.

Let me tell you of moving from LA to Michigan.

I expected Joe and I to take paycuts. I didn't expect a $23,000 per year combined paycut.

I expected housing costs to be lower or about the same. I didn't expect everything else to be more expensive. So it's going to be very interesting the next couple of years.

I think the revelation about wealth came to me at a swanky hotel once. I was all, sure, everything in here is more expensive, but it's not altogether nicer.

You remind me of when I was travelling through Europe after my semester abroad. I had saved up for forever for the trip and spent the last three weeks with a friend staying in cheap B&Bs. Just before we finished up in Switzerland, my friend realized she had forgotten about some extra “spending money” her grandmother had given her--$1000, which was more than my whole budget for the summer (after the Eurorail pass)! Since Switzerland was known for its hotel service, we blew it on a fabulous place for the last 3 nights in Geneva. I think it took a lot for her to do so, but the last morning at breakfast, my friend just looked at me and said “the B&Bs were better; thanks for making me stay in them.”

While I am not wealthy, I don't want for anything either. (except for that lady of leisure lifestyle I should have been born into.)

What I'm dismayed at is that someone coined the term "Hangry" and it wasn't me! Of course, I google hangry and erinaceous is there. [link]

ETA: It's been around since 1999! How could I not know?

Why is Kremen an asshole?

1. Because he's pounding himself into the ground to move from the top 0.5% to the top 0.4%. And doesn't sound happy about that fact, but can't think his way out of a paper bag the social-status pursuit he's in.

2. Because when your diamond shoes are too tight, it's asshole behavior to talk about it to the New York Times.

I am sending that hangry link to Bob Bob, who puts up with a lot of that from me.

"Hangry" is brilliant.

I expected housing costs to be lower or about the same. I didn't expect everything else to be more expensive.

Yow, Aimee. That sucks and makes no sense. What's more expensive in Michigan than in LA?

I feel somewhat ashamed that I've 'made' more in severance benefits than some people I know will make all year, and my Unemployment payments will also be more than some people take home per month. On the other hand, I actually have worked hard to get to my professional level of employment, and actually live pretty frugally, considering.

FWIW, researchers have coined 'hedonic treadmill' to describe the illusion of chasing a hardwork carrot at the end of a stick in order to gain happiness.

While I am not wealthy, I don't want for anything either. (except for that lady of leisure lifestyle I should have been born into.)

This. I'd like to get rid of my student loan debt, but I can eat and buy a toy and travel on occasion. I'm doing pretty well.

I think what bugs about that NYT article is how everyone has bought into that idea of the Silicon Valley "lifestyle" and keeping up with the Joneses. These are people who are in the top percentile of the world's wealth, and they're still complaining about their lot. Granted - the article is probably edited to make them seem more shallow than they are, but still. I'm not denying their accomplishments or their work ethic, but it just seems... disingenuous(?) to complain.

EDIT: Or, what Nutty said.

I don't have to worry about what would happen if I lost my job; I don't have to worry about getting sick; I don't have to worry about where next month's rent is coming from. Which is great, but it doesn't mean I don't have lots of other stuff to worry about.