I'm so blatantly middle class it's not even funny.

We definitely do not live according to our salaries. I work for a drug company and I feel I make good money. We live very frugally. We don't go out to eat, I clip coupons and shop sales - why pay more for something if you don't have to!
My car has over 150,000 miles and hubby's has over 250,000 miles and there's nothing new in the future!
We love our life and would not change a thing about it!

People are almost always shocked when they learn how much my husband and I make.

To start, for an executive assistant, I make a pretty hefty salary, which most people do not expect. Combine that with the fact that we live very modestly despite our 6-figure plus income, the majority of our friends and acquaintances are usually surprised to hear how much we actually make.

I think people wouldn't be too surprised. We have a mortgage, car loans and student debt, but all in reasonable proportions to our income.

I think my friends might be surprised to know what I make. That might partially be because I'm an admin and there's a definite stigma attached to that job (though I do it because it's easy and affords me time to devote to my artwork--see? enough of a stigma that I felt I needed to explain myself). I make enough money to live on, surely. But I manage money very poorly, something I've been diligently trying to remedy with some success. (Baby steps.)

But Daisy points out that her friends would be more surprised at the amount of her debt--I think that's what would really shock each and every one of us: who owes what. My debt would shock people. (Daisy, I'd trade you in a heartbeat, but karma would kick my ass for saddling you with my debt.) I'm also contributing to my 401(k) pretty heavily, as well as my Flexible Spending account, and my ING savings.

While I don't have much in the way of designer duds, I'm an art and art-supply fanatic. That's probably where a goodly chunk of my debt comes from. (I've implemented a "use everything you have--no more buying until it's all gone--ALL OF IT" policy, which is helping a LOT.) I'm also in Houston (Hi Daisy!) but I got incredibly lucky with an awesome 1,000 sq. foot condo that I've been renting for years. I actually worked a deal with my landlord to lock me in at my current, ridiculously low rent, in exchange for me footing a couple of upgrades on the unit. Okay, so it was my dad's idea. And he wants to make the upgrades for me. I'm along for the ride.

Whoa, I'm rambling. Sorry about that!

Short version: Shock and awe. And another H-town gal representing!

We live in one of the biggest cities in California, and comparatively speaking we make large salaries (well, compared to our families, who live in rural areas of small east coat states), however we also have a large mortgage payment since the housing market is so expensive, and pay more for things like gas. To our families we appear to live the same lifestyle that they do (solid middle class - 1000 square foot house, IKEA and thrift store furnishings, modest holiday gifts, ect...) but in reality if you just look at the numbers on our paychecks without factoring in cost of living expenses we would appear to be rich by their standards. Compared to others in our area we are probably middle class though, considering that I stay at home with the kids and we are only on one income (but I believe that our one income is more than both of my parent's incomes added together). The important things (like others have mentioned) is that we are debt free (except for the mortgage), have a 6-month savings cushion, and that we live below our means.

I'm 23. I believe I live a frugal lifestyle. Actually, I could cut out so much more and live on beans and rice but I choose not to. I am a year out of college. No student debt. No credit card debt. And 30k in savings and investments. I rent a room in a really nice house for $450 including everything. I make a very low $2,000/ month($24,000/yr). To most people that would be crazy low. I spend $40/week on food, $30/wk on gas, $100/month on entertainment. That leaves me $1,170 for a month to do whatever with (save, invest, etc.) I plan on doubling my income within a year and not increasing my spending.
I have to admit that I don't have any dependents and that's a big plus. It would be so much harder with a kid.
My friends (of the same age) are deeply in debt. They make fun of me for being "cheap". Sometimes it gets to me and I may buy something, but most of the time I stick to my goal. Today my one friend that is in debt with a new baby is going out to look at a brand new car. I tried to counsel him but they won't listen.

In some ways we probably look (on paper) like we make more than we do, but in others probably less.

I think they would be shocked to see what I make compared to how broke we are echoing a lot of the readers sentiments.  That's indeed why we are clawing our way out of the debt trap.  I'm now targetting the millionaire next door approach of living well below my means and giving up my penchant for purchasing new cars.  Oh how I do love that smell.

I don't think people would be shocked. My husband makes a decent paycheck but with 4 kids even middle income can be tricky.

My husband and I live on $900.00 a month and we live quite nicely. Besides using all available saving methods we also barter with friends and neighbors which is a big help to the pocketbook. Most folks would be really surprized how little we can exist on.

Acquaintances who haven't seen our house would be surprised. We live frugally, drive sensible cars, eschew designer brands, and feel some pressure from family to upgrade our furniture to match our incomes.

As I retired at a very early age, many of my friends and family have no idea of what my present income is, and its certainly no where near what I brought in when I was actively employeed. (BTW - I just Love, Love, Love being retired)

I still make gifts for most occassions, and I still don't spend a lot on groceries - I'm basically too lazy to cook much.

I still manage to do some traveling throughout the year as I have now for many years.

My hobbies haven't suffered any. The only obvious reduction is eating out - which I used to do a whole lot. Now, I'm pretty much down to once a week .... sad ;-(

So. No. Don't think anyone has a clue.

We have 4 boys and live in a very low income neighborhood. We moved there several years ago when things were tight. Our income changed dramatically in a very short time and now we'll be paying our house off in a few years. Nobody in our neighborhood has any idea we do as well as we do, but my family is always giving us grief about it. They have no room to talk though, they're all in debt up to their eyeballs.

It's common knowledge that my husband and I live off of one income, so I know that people think we don't bring in a lot of money (which we don't). The thing that people would probably be surprised about is how little I spend on groceries. We shop primarily at Aldi, and I clip coupons like there's no tomorrow, so we're actually able to eat pretty well.

I think they would be shocked to find that we are actually able to live as well as we do on what we bring in.

For starters, sometimes I'm shocked at how much we make! My household income has increased 10fold in the past 10 years.

People who see me shopping at Aldi or the thrift store would probably be shocked to know how large our household income is. People who see me out at the riding stable 5 days a week, or the therapist we pay out of pocket to the tune of a gazillion dollars a month, probably think we make more than we do. Indeed, the therapist has often asked why we don't get a housekeeper--because I'm sure he envisions us being in the income class where everyone can easily afford $300/mo to have someone come in and clean the house once a week. And we could--if we ditched the therapist and the riding hobby.

So by living below our means in areas that aren't as important to us, we're able to afford a lifestyle beyond our means in others.

Because I am an engineer and my fiance is a chef, most of our friends know that we bring in a lot of money, 6 figures between the two of us. All of them are surprised by how "crappy" our stuff is. We rent an apartment for $800 a month and live kind of cramped, our tv is not flat, our cars are not luxury brands, and even though I don't need to, we buy all of my high end clothing and accessories on Ebay to save money on those.

Our passion is traveling and that is where people can tell a difference. We go on week long vacations 2 to 4 times a year. Our friends go on vacation once every couple of years, or they have their parents pay for them.

A lot of our friends envy our self control and make jokes or comments about how cheap we are.

I earn a decent wage, but I live very frugally. However, I do splurge on things that I really want or need. So I'm not sure how others perceive me. If you pick one item out of my closet, it appears that I'm rolling in dough. But notice that I always pack a lunch, and then I'm pinching pennies.

People would be surprised at what my husband and I make. They probably think my husband makes tons more and I make tons less. I work at home so many people equate that to no income at all. Its fine with me because people don't rush to ask to borrow money. Unfortunately, they ask my husband for money all of the time. They assume people in his position make millions. With 4 kids, a mortgage, some debt, and the cost of insurance they would be surprised.

I am so tweeting (@Tworkathome) this and I think this will make for a great discussion on a few message boards as well.

People are shocked by what my fiance and I can do with our incomes. I'm a grad student, which means I make $27K a year. In the Bay Area. My fiance makes about twice that, which is still not a high salary for this area.

What people are shocked about is that (1) we've saves $50K in the 4 years we've been in the Bay Area, and (2) we're about to buy a single family home in a nice part of Oakland. No one believes that a grad student has any business buying a home, and most of my student friends can't fathom the possibility, but it's because they spend most of their monthly paychecks on food, housing and travel, and we don't. We don't live like misers by any means (if we did, we'd have $100K saved), but we try to get the best value out of everything we do buy.

For us, it's all about delayed rewards. We think carefully about what we want and what we need to save to get it. We also never accrue finance charges on our credit cards, don't overdraw our checking accounts and pay things on time, which saves SO MUCH MONEY.

While my husband and I live in a nice house, I drive a relatively inexpensive car and I have also turned couponing into an "Extreme Sport". Oh yeah, and I religiously scour Goodwill for furniture or secondhand clothes.

We probably are higher earners than other people think, but as we don't have kids, they figure out we're saving more, which is probably true. A newfound frugality has come over me this year, though. I've seen many friends laid off from their jobs, and the economy has been so thoroughly trashed recently that I simply can't justify paying $29 for a new sweater when I can buy one just as nice for $3.79 at a thrift store. Same for the furniture overhauls I've done. We've wanted a new coffee table for a long time, but inspiration struck and I refinished a $10 coffee table, another Goodwill find.

We're also extremely frugal as of late because our dog has had to have chemotherapy treatments, which while they aren't making us go into debt, have caused us to trim costs wherever we can. Eating out less, bringing our lunches more, etc.

we were talking to a young couple at church about how she needed to keep working after their first baby was born. They'd only make 30,000 if she didn't, she said. I zipped my lips. But we make 30,000, own our home and car and we're a family of 4. What do they spend their $ on, I wonder. I'd like to have another 2-3 thousand per year. At this point, it is hard to save and live on so little.

i dont think people would be shocked, as we all make around the same amount. but they are baffled as to "what is going on" with me, b/c i dont have all the luxuries they all are starting to acquire.

i just feel that i am blessed to make what i make, live in this country, and have no non-mortgage debt. i feel it is my obligation to take a shot at something, so i dont spend the money, as i am saving it for important things. more important than matching dishes, a new car, etc.

I have a feeling that most people would be shocked that my partner and I make so little. In fact, she's the only one with an actual steady income right now, and we both have student loans this year too. I've become very good at saving money on food and activities, so we're definitely not deprived - we're just getting by pretty much.

We live in a 3400 sq ft home, 3 acres, 3 kids- I stay home, my hubby works full time. 3 cars, big garage- my hubby's hobby is racing. Our oldest daughter went to Germany last year and we are involved in alot of activities- all of this on about $35000.00 a year. I know that we make less than most of our friends and family- but money isn't everything!!

Over the past 25 years I've probably earned around $3 million total. Today my net worth is $400K at best...not horrible but far from what it could/should be. I'm doing my best to make up for lost time and teach my daughter so she doesn't make the same mistakes. But if I could only go back and do it over...

None of our friends would be surprised because we tell people - what we make, what we save. I feel like secrets about salary are part of what drives people to make bad decisions - they see other people spending and they think 'well, i'm the same kind of person that person is!' Also I like to counteract the idea that everyone has debt, that it's inevitable.

But other people would be shocked, I think. My son's friends families are generally quite a bit poorer because we live in a working-class neighborhood. An ex-con who worked in the cafeteria at my old job used to offer me a ride home because he felt bad for me waiting for the bus. Also I know our neighbor can't quite wrap his head around what kind of work you could possibly do from home sitting in an office chair - every year he asks at least once if I'm working these days.

I'm shocked, in turn, when I find out that a family that clearly struggles with debt and always complaining about not having enough money has the same income my family does - and that happens pretty often. Suze Ormond says people have a margin of safety they feel comfortable in regardless of how much they make, and more and more I think that's true.

Some of my coworkers are shocked at how much I make relative to them. A couple strategic moves and a Master's degree before leaving school has left me making at least 10k more than many of my peers. That said, I rent a cheap apartment, have an old, beat-up car and barely spend my money. My friends in similar fields make a little less than I do, but all live in much more expensive areas. I think they'd be shocked to learn how cheap it is to live in a dying state.

We recently updated our wills/trust/etc and the attorney asked in the course of the interview how much money we thought we needed to live on. We responded to him and he looked at us like we were crazy. No way he said. We responded that it was only that much because we had paid for our house and kept our monthly needs way low. No way was that possible according to him. But we just smiled...

Some friends would be shocked because it is so low, others because it is so high.

In talking with family and friends in other states, I've noticed that what is considered a "normal salary" can vary widely depending on the cost of living. In the DC area (where I live), a $30,000/year salary for an entry-level job on the Hill is shockingly low given the cost of living (and given what an entry-level job earns in the private sector in this area, which is closer to $50k). In contrast, that same salary in other, more low-cost states would be shockingly high, especially for the entry-level.

So yes, people would be shocked to hear what I make!

I was an interesting case. I earned big money, yet you would not have thought it. My entire income (and that of my wife) was sucked up in debt repayments. We lived like we were unemployed virtually. Always scrimping here and there to make ends meet. I tried my best to keep the outward appearance of wealth but I'm sure the cracks showed towards the end.

Now, I still earn the same money, and you still wouldn't think it! But it's now a GOOD thing. I'm all but debt free, 80% of my income gets put to one side and I still live like I'm unemployed. It's just that now I call it being frugal!

I am always shocked by how much my friends make, so I’m sure they’re shocked by how much I make. My friends are mostly smart, interesting people who have gone into programming and work way too many hours and make 2 – 3 times as much as I do OR MORE.

I have a 40-hour work week in a stable government job and I make the same salary as a first-year teacher in my area. I assume it’s just as difficult for them as for anyone to imagine living on 1/2 or even 1/3 as much money as they earn, but then all you have to do is look at my car, look at my house, notice that I always have roommates, etc., and then it all makes sense.

Fortunately, most of their social gatherings are parties at their houses or occasionally at a restaurant, and all of the expensive things they talk me into (like visiting them while they live in Europe) are things I really want to do and can totally afford.

My family knows I'm wealthier than I look but since most of their incomes are higher, they are too embarrassed to ask me for money. Heh.

I think most people who don't know us and just look at our jobs titles and where live (CA) would be surprised, but with friends and family we're pretty open about what we make b/c I think it's a bit ridiculous that $ is such a taboo in out country. I lived in several other parts of the world when I was growing up, and oftentimes in those places one of the first things a new friend would ask is how much you make. It was rather shocking at first, and as a westerner in an very poor country, it was somewhat embarrassing, but I learned to appreciate the assumptions I didn't have to make by knowing.

My hubby and I make significantly less than his side of the family and on par with or more than my family extended family. The thing that would probably surprise people most is that, though I am self-employed, I make more than he does (though self-employment taxes make my usable income is significantly less than my pre-tax income). Hubby works 1/2 time at a public university and makes about $25,000--much less than he would in a similar position in the private sector. I am a private tutor, and, while many of my (extremely wealthy) clients assume I "do VERY well for" myself, I think they'd be surprised at how little I actually make. Everyone else I know, on the other hand, thinks that tutoring is about one step up from minimum wage and consider it temporary side-work rather than a career. My pre-tax income is about $60,000. I only work during the school year and less than 40 hrs. a week at that. In addition to working 1/2 time, hubby also has 1 month off (also unpaid) in the summer. When we were first married about 7 yrs. ago, we got into about $30,000 of debt over 2 yrs. (I had some health problems, was just starting to build my business, and hubby wasn't working)...after paying that off over the next 18 mo. we started saving and have since purchased a small home and that is and has been our only debt. We have several expensive hobbies, and although we're saving some $ each yr., we're not yet saving enough for retirement, so that is where our attention is now turned.

I have been backpacking around the world for a year-ish now and people are all very incredulous when I tell them not only what I've already seen - but that I plan to keep on traveling for a couple of years from my internet-based work!

It's all about trade-offs I tell them - I make enough to either live frugally and comfortably in the states...or enough for perpetual travel in less expensive countries :-)

Living in L.A. - more specifically Hollywood - for years, I have managed my image. As an actress I have never made a lot of $ - but because how one is perceived = reality, and looking good = success, I have always tried to keep up a stylish image while really cutting costs (see my blog!). So in that sense some people would be surprised. But on the other hand, we live in a rent-controlled apartment - in an area that's getting better all the time, so our rent is low - that's how we can afford our boat and our slip rental! Hearing that we have a boat makes people think we make A LOT more than we do. Then again, my husband, a "respected professional" who works in education really isn't paid according to his qualifications - and what's more, the powers that be are always demanding that he upgrade/renew his various credentials, which costs US quite a bit! With all of our frugality and ingenuity, we live pretty nicely,(with occasional bad streaks) but we do wonder HOW FAMILIES make it!

i am a grad student, and my working friends would probably be amazed at how little you can live on in the big city.

People are shocked that every internship I've had (including my current one) has been unpaid.

My partner and I live on a charter school teacher's and a graduate student's salary. Recently one of my co-workers was shocked when I told him what I'm making - turns out it's a couple thousand dollars less than he makes, though we have the same amount of experience and were both hired at the same time AND I have a Master's degree (he doesn't). He was just a better negotiator than I was when he was hired.

Still, we make it work, we live frugally, and don't feel like we are going without.

I am a tech industry employee, a high performer with the same company for the past 9 years, so with raises, bonuses and stock grants, I make a lot and I am sitting on a nice pile of savings.

But, I calibrate my lifestyle to what works for me, instead of calibrating it to what I could be spending or what 'society' would expect me to spend. This means that I live in a modest house in a modest neighborhood, I drive a 5-year-old car (that I plan to keep for a while) and while I like clothes and buy a few nice pieces every season, I don't have tons and I don't buy 'status' items. I occasionally spend a pile on something nice for the house, but again these items are not 'status' items so unless you really know what you're looking at, you would not know how much they cost. I have little interest in fancy electronics, so except for a nice MP3 player and dock, all my electronics are at least 15 years old.

I DO spend a lot on travel and a fair amount on fun things like eating out with friends, going to events and keeping up my sports equipment. I am sometimes willing to spend extra for convenience.

I save about 20% of my income and and donate about 8%, but these activities are invisible to everyone but my financial advisor.

Some of my friends have probably figured out that I'm pretty well off, but many would be surprised, judging from how they commiserate with me about their finances, or express concern that I might not be able to afford such and such.

I'm proud of the work I have done to be financially successful, so sometimes I feel like 'outing' myself, but since quite a few of my friends are less well-off, I don't want to make them feel uncomfortable.

I have gone through the most of the comments on blog. Yes the speech therapist living on teacher’s salary, {a little shocking
Submitted by Jamie g on September 22, 2009 - 07:13. }
Emily@Under$1000PerMonth on September 22, 2009 - 13:57.
Absolutely!
Submitted by Brent on September 22, 2009 - 11:21.
Now its time for you get shoked

I am living on less than $100 a month and I am very happy , with my

wife two children and good clean neat house, and my family is happy.

i am only bread winner and two children are studing. at all depends on your mind set ,to be happy or keep going unhappy.

I make almost $600 a month as a student worker. My rent is $650/month. Besides that, I have groceries. Thankfully school is paid for through scholarships, but I'm still pinching pennies! And it doesn't help that it's expensive to be in my major, a design field...

Nope, no one would be surprised at all.

Im 29 years old, right now self-emplyed and a full time student. I own a 1992 Lexus LS400 showroom edition. I have been on my own since I was 16, have been working since I was 12, (I couldn't legally worked N since at that time we lived near the park n Shea stadium, I collected bottles n cans) I learned manual labor n at 29 I'm a single parent, make around 7k a month clean just from work, own a couple of houses that provide a steady stream of money, my furniture is at least ten years old. I have ZERO debt n recently bought a new house cash, fixer upper n fixed it myself due to my extended family moving in with me due to financial hardships. My family and friends don't know I own property or how much I make. As far as they go, I'm a full time student n unemployed. I own a vacation home in Florida n looking at a place in Costa Rica, I live well below my means but enjoy my life. I can basically write my own ticket to anywhere to do anything n money wouldn't b an issue but I like spur of the moment events n spending time in nature. My money doesn't define my lifestyle or interests, n I prefer meals at home because I love cooking as much as I live numbers, (I work with them everyday). I never had to depend on my parents n for those of u who just wish you could move in with your parents, wait till they knock on your door n cone hone to roost.

I seriously doubt anyone would be for me personally. I'm a poor college student working in retail.... Hardly a shock. ;) Maybe if they knew I was averaging $11 or so an hour, but that's hardly a shock I think. (Just pretty good for a student working through college I suppose.)

Now, for some people, I think if they found out how much my husband and I together don't make... They might be in disbelief. Everyone seems to want to think we make so much money because of our cars. Well, we don't, honestly. We just have a clear sense of where our priorities lie and spend accordingly.

Thanks for all the great comments. This is exactly what I thought. There are a lot of people making a lot of money everywhere. 6 figure salaries teaching English in Japan in commentary #90!

I shall include the Japan anecdote in my post, "Fortunes, Fortunes, Everywhere! where policeman, fireman and longshoremen make easily $150,000/yr.

It's great to be an American!

It would be nice if you can clarify where you live ,

I live from what I can make at student jobs and teaching and performing, starving artists unite !

I don't think anyone would be shocked by what we earn, but our kids have the idea that they will be inheriting debt, even thought that is not true.

My husband is a pastor and we live in a parsonage. He works crazy hours and loves his job and people. His salary is negotiated every November and is a matter of record for anyone in the congregation. The down side of being public people is that our actions are scrutinzed. So we've encountered some really off-the-wall suggestions for our spending. What people don't realize is how our taxes are calculated, how his long, sometimes irregular, hours impact my work options and availability, or what area colleagues make. When people understand what we actually clear and think through how it's portioned out they're surprised. We've had to be creative in how we manage, and can encourage others in the same boat with some measure of credibility when those opportunities arise. Those are good things. The down side is dealing with oblivious people's expectations.

I'm a grad student, which in and of itself says "HEY, I'M POOR", but I also own a house and have a pretty decent lifestyle. I think if someone met me and didn't know where I worked, they would assume I make more than I do.

When people find out I am an engineer (just 3 years out of school...not licensed yet) working for a consulting firm, they assume that we must be bringing in a ton of money, and can't figure out why we live like we do.

When people don't know what I do for a living and see that we live in an extremely affordable house, have not replaced the 96 dodge I drove in high school, and that my husband is in school again they assume that we are broke!

In reality, we are doing quite a bit better than many people in our area. The median income for our area is around 43,000, and on one income we are quite a bit higher than that.

Friends in similar professions (engineering) but different (i.e., higher paying) industries would probably expect me to make more.

Most of my family would probably be surprised by the hard figures, only because I live in a much cost of living area (Chicago metro) than any of them.

More people would probably be surprised by how much I save and give away, particularly because I don't appear to be more than moderately frugal.

Living in what many consider an affluent part of New Jersey, plus working in the field of medicine (but not a physician) causes most people I meet to assume I'm making far more than my actual salary. The fact I did both my undergraduate and graduate studies at an Ivy also seems to "up" people's estimations on my current salary. I gift friends generously, and people notice I dress well, wear designer suits, and drive a decent car. What people don't always see is my frugal lifestyle- I buy clothing at thrift stores and do alterations myself (or have my mom help) so they are well-fitted; my home is clean but sparsely furnished without the expensive kithchen gadgetry and electronics (I always tell myself I have my whole life to acquire those things); and unlike most 20-30 year olds, I am very much the homebody who stays away from the clubs, bars and expensive costs associated with those places. I save aggressively and still live comfortably on about $2000/mon (that is with mortgage payments). Everyone assumes I have a 6-figure salary and am living it up but in reality I am allocating my budget to cover necessary expenses and then saving up the rest.

My co-worker and I do fundraising for non-profit organizations, employed by a non-profit. We're expected to present a professional appearance as we move among executives in our county, and we manage to do so - but it's an illusion. We shop at resale shops, deep discount stores and garage sales, barely making our monthly family expenses while helping relatives who are in more difficult straits that even we are. Most people we deal with would not believe it, but we qualify for many of the government and charitable services for which we are raising money, including free medical care (we have no benefit package on our job). We usually end each pay period with just a dollar or two in our pockets (sometimes from returning bottles to the grocery store or cashing in our saved loose change). Fortunately, we are dedicated to the work we do and would not change it for a bigger paycheck. We deal with people daily who are far worse off than we are, and it helps keep everything in perspective.

We live in a very exclusive township which used to be primarily an agricultural (read: "farmers") area. We bought our property (where my husband grew up) from my husband's mother for very little and proceeded to upgrade the two bedroom rancher to a 4 bedroom cape cod with a mother-in-law apartment with the money we realized from the sale of our former house. The house now fits the area as it is today. The only clue to our "lower than the neighbors" income that may be apparent is that we have not yet been able to install a great deal of landscaping. We drive reasonable vehicles which we keep in top condition. Our furniture is almost completely second-hand and I decorate with thrift shop finds. We maintain an extensive vegetable garden and I can almost everything we grow. I am an avid coupon user and buy meats almost exclusively from the reduced bin. We entertain at home mostly, but do eat out about once a month using coupons. I'm fairly sure our neighbors would be surprised to find out how much lower our income is than the average for the area.

I would always talk about the "bargain" I got and compare couponing stories with my sister and mom and one day we were talking about a friend that was having serious money troubles. Then my sister said something that got me laughing. she told me that her friend's husband makes the same as me, approx. $60K ayear. I set the record straight that I make under $40K per year. Imagine her surprise that I make that amount and still pay my bills, get groceries, save money and add a little to my mortgage every month and payed my husband's medical bills!! I love shocking people with the news that you can live a "lifestyle" no matter how much or how little you make.

My husband and I made very little money for a long time - both of us free-lance artists, and well, that kind of explains it. We said back then that if we were ever to make decent money, we would continue to live frugally and live way below our means. Over the last 5+ years we have made a very good income, and we stayed true to our initial thinking and we continue to live the same way. We just live very modestly - we have no stress over money-matters, and we are content and thankful for what we have. I hope that no matter what happens income-wise in the future, that we can continue to just be living in this fashion. I think it is a healthy way to go all the way around, and you will have more to give to others.

I think that people in general should be outraged by the difference in the income of their profession as well as others...

If you think about it, you can be BROKE and still be rich (like Donald Trumph) and you can have a huge income and still be BROKE (when you are living your lifestyle based on debt)...

So, the real question is not how much you make (which incidentally should be a social issue as to the gap between CEOS and polititians vs. regular hard working people) but, how much you need to support your lifestyle.

And to answer the specific question, YES, people are always surprised when I tell them that I have NO job and therefore NO steady income even though I have 3 bachellors degrees, one masters degree and two graduate certificates... However, I have NO debts, and I have a house and a car... I can manage...

My friends would definitely be suprised at what I earn. Most of them would think that I earn alot more than I do and at the same time I suspect that they are the ones that are always complaining of 'Bad Luck'.
You may know the type I am referring to. I regard them as the 'Glass is Half Full' friends.

http://www.financeloans.quoteplease.net/

I live frugally, so some people might think I make less than I do. On the other hand, I know for sure some people think I make much more than I do, mainly because I'm good at saving and investing...

I think people are confused by me. I'm a social worker who pulls in approx $43G per year working at a non-profit. I'm 31 & I paid off $47G in debt in the last 5 years (car/student loan). I fund my Roth each year and have $13G in liquid savings. However, from the outside it would look like I'm swimming in debt [if you didn't know me, because my friends all know what a crazy person I am about financial planning]. I go out almost every night (i'm creative, there are always free events like movies and bar openings with free food). I see polo matches on weekends ($5), I go to concerts about once amonth (free from radio winnings), I travel all over the world (use my Starwood cc and stay with friends/get great deals on hotels- love, love travelzoo). I dress in designers (marshalls) and buy knockoff accessories like glasses and purses. My jewelry is all real (thanks, exes!). All my food is free (work) and at home it's organic (garden). Life is good.

That is so bizarre to me. I can't imagine driving over to my uncle or cousin or whatever's house to ask for a loan, even if I was about to be evicted. Seriously. Where I come from, that just isn't even an option.

@ comment 122:
smart, frugal, go-getters will always have a decent partner that will help them. When a man knows you don't need him to survive, they feel less of a man. However, the smart ones know that it's always smarter to marry someone smarter than you. Beauty fades but intelligence increases, and when we are too old to care for looks, it's our conversations that carry us through.

@ comment 126:
sounds to me like you need new friends. Only three of my friends know I will never have to work to pay bills even though they do. I'm retired, they still have ages to go. We all still go out and have fun with each others company. Even though they are in debt, they would never make comments about me being "rich". They know I earned it on my own, it's not like someone gave it to me, they are even proud of me.

Also, it doesn't matter how little or a lot you make, if you don't know how to handle your finances, you will still be poor. I had friends that have been making 300-500k a year only to be burried in debt while others below the poverty level have even managed to fund their IRAs. It's all about how you handle YOUR MONEY an how you choose to allocate it.

Yes, I think people think my husband makes a lot more than he actually does because we live in a nice neighborhood. However, they don't see all my student loan debt and the frustration that I'm unemployed and currently unable to make payments toward the debt as a result.

Most people I know are surprised at how "cheap" I live because most of them know around what I make (because they know what I do for a living, and a couple of big investments I made, etc). I earn in the mid-six figures and live on less than 20% of it. I have a very simple apartment in a nice but not flashy building. I live in NY so I don't have a car, that is no biggie, most people here don't regardless of how much money they have. I have nice suits and business wear but my casual clothes are really cheap, mostly Old Navy and that type. My gf and I eat out at nice restaurants once in a while but both of us like cheaper casual places as well. Mostly though I just don't buy things, outside of furniture I can fit almost everything I own into a couple of suitcases. To me money is about piece of mind, that is the biggest luxury I enjoy. I could lose my job and not have to worry about a paycheck for over a decade. Maybe a couple decades.