New York Magazine

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Compare Spending and Saving Habits
TEACHERS (↓) • SUITS • SERVICE WORKERS

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(Photo: Eric McNatt)

TEACHERS

Gender
Male . . . 29
Female . . . 71

Age
20–29 . . . 43
30–39 . . . 29
40–49 . . . 11
50–59 . . . 15
60 and over . . . 2

Are you married?
No . . . 52
Yes . . . 38
Living with partner . . . 10

How many kids do you have?
None . . . 69
1 . . . 11
2 . . . 16
3 . . . 1
4 or more . . . 3

What’s your approximate salary?
Less than $35k . . . 9
$35k–$50k . . . 42
$50k–$75k . . . 29
$75k–$100k . . . 16
$100k–$150k . . . 1
$150k–$250k . . . 3

Are you underpaid or overpaid?
Underpaid . . . 77
Overpaid . . . 0
Paid the right amount . . . 23

How much would someone need to live comfortably in New York?
$100,000 . . . 41
$300,000 . . . 36
$500,000 . . . 8
$750,000 . . . 2
$1 million . . . 4
$10 million . . . 1
It’s never enough . . . 4

Do you worry that New York is becoming a city only for the wealthy?
Yes . . . 88
No . . . 11

Where do you live?
Brooklyn . . . 50
Inwood . . . 2
Downtown . . . 16
Harlem . . . 2
Queens . . . 7
New Jersey . . . 1
Upper East Side . . . 6
Long Island . . . 1
Upper West Side . . . 5
Staten Island . . . 1
Bronx . . . 3
Westchester . . . 3
Other . . . 3

Do you rent or own?
Rent. . . 67
Own . . . 31

How much do you spend each month on housing?
Under $1,500. . . 62
$1,500–$3,000 . . . 34
$3,000–$5,000 . . . 3
$5,000–$10,000 . . . 1

What’s your biggest money worry?
Retirement . . . 29
Housing . . . 17
Tuition/college loans . . . 16
Kids/family . . . 8
Health 3
“That I’m 45 and don’t own a house or car,” “my variable interest-rate mortgage,” “buying a house big enough to raise a family”

How much credit-card debt do you carry?
Pay it off every month . . . 56
Less than $5,000 . . . 26
$5,000–$10,000 . . . 10
$10,000–$15,000 . . . 2
More than $15,000. . . 5

How much do you save for retirement?
At least 10 percent of my monthly income . . . 44
I put a little away when I can . . . 34
I’ll start saving when I make more money . . . 15
None. I’ll work until I die . . . 7

How often do you eat out each week?
Never. . . 8
Once. . . 45
Twice . . . 27
Three times . . . 14
Almost nightly . . . 6

What’s the most you’d spend on dinner for two?
$0–$24. . . 2
$25–$74 . . . 21
$75–$149 . . . 40
$150–$249. . . 23
$250–$499. . . 4

The most you’d spend on a pair of shoes?
$25–$74 . . . 15
$75–$149 . . . 49
$150–$249. . . 22
$250–$499 . . . 2
$500+ . . . 1

Do you ever think twice about taking a taxi because the subway is less expensive?
Yes. . . 89
No . . . 11

Which of the following do you consider necessities?
Cable TV . . . 44
Gym membership. . . 42
Car . . . 28
Vacation . . . 13
Private school for kids . . . 12
Place to go away on weekends. . . 11
Eating out at least four days a week. . . 8
Designer clothes. . . 6
Maid/nanny . . . 5
“A doorman,” “good, non-designer shoes,” “dance and music lessons for kids,” “non-Starbucks coffee,” “life insurance,” “NBA League Pass,” “nice makeup,” “comic books,” “live-in hedge-fund boyfriend,” “air-conditioning,” “Seasons 1 through 4 of 24,” “weekly manicures”

What item have you splurged on in the last year?
Season 3 of Arrested Development . . . $23
Marijuana . . . $50
Haircut . . . $120
Bass guitar . . . $200
“Night in a New York hotel” . . . $400
Vacuum . . . $500
Bonnaroo weekend . . . $600
“An Aeron desk chair because I herniated a disk” . . . $675
Surfboard . . . $750
Big-screen TV. . . $1,400
Tempur-Pedic mattress . . . $1,500
Cello bow . . . $3,000
Apartment renovations . . . $60,000
New house . . . $450,000