How to start again

[Muzh]

How about using this as a yardstick? Look in the real estate section of your local newspaper and get the price of your average home. Can we assume a family of three? That would be a typical 3 BR, 2 bath, 2 car garage, located in a decent neighborhood. American communities have been building this house for decades,,, ok?

If the price of this house is beyond your financial reach, that is to say, after a decent down payment, the monthly payment, including PITI, is greater than about 25% of your net take home pay, then you can't afford to chase skirts in the FSU.

jb:

Yardstick or benchmark, your example is right on the money.  Of course, the bigger the house you can afford, the better you are.

However, I would like to ask a favor to those starting here.  Leave the "mansion" pictures behind, and don't make you salary an issue that they have to be aware of, they will eventually figure it out.  Just use terms like "cozy house" and "successful."

[jb]

and also on how old HE is and how young SHE is:P:P:P

Damn~! Did I post this in the *age* section?  I did not intend to make this *age* related.

[Elen]

But such correlation is obvious:P

[jb]

Sorry, I don't see a correlation between stupid and age.

[Bruno]

[line]
How can you afford to live, and at the same time afford save enough to pay for airfares to and back to the FSU so she can visit her relatives even once a year, CIS fees, new clothes, shoes, a decent/safe 2nd hand car for her to drive, added insurance costs for a new driver, health insurance if you are not employed and already have such benefits , International student tuition at the local college for ESL classes, an annual membership at the local health club so she won't lose that girlish figure you are so enamored with, and the list goes on and on.

[line]

For European only : 14.500 $ year ( after tax ) is enough for us... and about other expense :

Visit relative in FSU : cheaper trip for us...

New clothes : in the case of my ex, she have never like confection clothes, she make her own clothes !!!

Shoes : RW have the eyes for choose really good shoes... maybe something a little more expensive but they keep it long time because of the quality...

Second car : i have none... our public transport is enough good and cheap... in special occassion, taxi is possible...

Health insurance : cover partially by state and for around 50 euro year, you can have a private one who cover the rest...

Course : course pay by state for foreigner... integration course, language course and professional course...

Health club : no need... biking, long walk in park, swinning, jogging are free alternative and more pleasant that the four wall of club

Yep, we have chance... myself, with a income after tax around 14000 euro, i have make it... each year, trip to russia for 3, 2 time restaurant each month, holliday for children, several visit to musea, visit to circus, full medical cover, bio food for child and wife ( too late for me :? ), ... and a lot of more

[Elen]

Sorry, I don't see a correlation between stupid and age.
 

what's about such thing as "Senile marasm":D

[jb]

Bruno,

My case was for AM making less than 50K, not europeans.  Yours does not fit the mold of the average American salary.  The point I was trying, maybe badly, is that 20-25K per year here is the equivilant of $250 a month in Russia

[Elen]

is that 20-25K per year here is the equivilant of $250 a month in Russia

Yep!:( 

So what is the end result of this discussion?

What should guy has to be able to allow himself a Russian wife? (house-amount of year income-debts-...???)

 

[jb]

Elen,

You really need to take a chill pill.

You are involved in too many arguments of your own making, and not making much sense in any of them.

[Bruno]

Yep JB, it is why i have write : "for European only"

[jb]

Bruno,

You live in a country the size of Dallas county, perhaps you do not need a car, and a second car, but we in America do need this personal transportation.  We cover more distance in a single day's commute than you do in a month.

New cars are running on average $20K each, picking up a good 2nd hand car with low miles is going to run 7-10K each, why do you argue the point?  All I'm trying to get across to these new guys is this; it will cost a lot of money to do this thing.

We do not have socialized medical insurance here, health insurance can cost hundreds of dollars per month unless covered by a major health plan supported by a big company.

Etc., etc.,,,,

At every point, you counterpoint with information which does not apply here for the average American male.

I don't want to get crossthreaded with you again, but each of your posts apply only to Belgium, and we are mostly AM. When the next European man comes on the board I'd expect you to give him advice if you are in the same circumstance.

However,,,,we are not in Belguim.

[Bruno]

[line]
I don't want to get crossthreaded with you again, but each of your posts apply only to Belgium, and we are mostly AM.
[line]



Same for me, i don't search the fight ... if you read these topic, you can see that i have make post for American man with some statistic about income... where you can see that the average income in US is around 35k...

Because the forum is not only with American man, i have make a post for European man... it was not again your own post but a extension of your post... only for European...

It is not because European are a minority on these forum that they cannot have some information... of maybe you go say that it is a american forum for american man only !!!

For information, one other member is from Belgium, some from UK, one from Italy... and a lot without country in the profil ...

[Elen]

You really need to take a chill pill.

You are involved in too many arguments of your own making, and not making much sense in any of them.

Would not mind to explain yourself?

[Bruno]

How to start again... start very fast because in short time, you will not more find a bride :

For Ukraine :

http://www.lastrada.kiev.ua/tp.cgi?lng=ua&Id=149

There is a clear tendency observed in Ukraine of decreasing quantity of Ukrainian citizens' marriages to foreigners  - informs the informational-advertising agency  "Obozrevatel" ("Observer"). Thus, according to the information of the Central Marriage Registration Department in Kiev, if in the year 2000 864 Ukrainian citizens married to foreign citizens, in the year 2001 - it was 813 Ukrainians, in the year 2002 - 841 Ukrainians, but in the year 2003 this indicator reduced to 779 marriages, during 9 months of the year 2004 - to 722 marriages.

It's mostly Ukrainian women and not men who marry to foreigners. But foreign husbands, especially from far countries, have less and less interest for Ukrainian women.

The quantity of marriages where Ukrainian women marry to persons without citizenship has reduced almost by 80%.

But the quantity of marriages with citizens of CIS countries remains almost at the equal level. Most often Ukrainians marry to Russian citizens. From the countries that are far abroad the most popular marriages are to citizens of the USA, Germany, Italy and Iran - according to the information of the press-service of the Ministry of Justice.

How much trip / dating before find the right one... maybe never...

[TigerPaws]

Bruno,

You live in a country the size of Dallas county, perhaps you do not need a car, and a second car, but we in America do need this personal transportation. We cover more distance in a single day's commute than you do in a month.

New cars are running on average $20K each, picking up a good 2nd hand car with low miles is going to run 7-10K each, why do you argue the point? All I'm trying to get across to these new guys is this; it will cost a lot of money to do this thing.

We do not have socialized medical insurance here, health insurance can cost hundreds of dollars per month unless covered by a major health plan supported by a big company.

Etc., etc.,,,,

At every point, you counterpoint with information which does not apply here for the average American male.

I don't want to get crossthreaded with you again, but each of your posts apply only to Belgium, and we are mostly AM. When the next European man comes on the board I'd expect you to give him advice if you are in the same circumstance.

However,,,,we are not in Belguim.

 

Bruno,

 I am going to agree with jb,  except his figures are bit low, looking through the newspapers a good mid range new car is 30k and a fair used car is 15 to 18k unless you buy a rollerskate to drive (ever heard of the Yugo?). As for the driving jb is right we drive over 25,000 miles (40,233km) a year between 3 cars and that dose not include the motorhome (RV) or rental cars, when we fly (our own airplane) someplace. America is simply a huge country compaired to Europe, where we live now in southwest Florida it is 5 miles (8km) one way the the nearest store let alone any additional shopping.

 jb is also right about the cost of living in America, in California the average home is now $500,000.00 dollars (honestly), add it up yourself:

Mortguage payment                               $2,500.00 per month

House insurance                                          300.00 per month

Car payment (1)                                            325.00 per month  

Car insurance                                                200.00 per month

Utilities gas & electric                                   250.00 per month

Utilities water, sewer & garbage                     75.00 per month

Health insurance (varies but average)          250.00 per month

Telephone including cell phone                      80.00 per month

Food (for 1)                                                     300.00 per month

Gas for car (varies)                                         450.00 per month

Cable or Sat TV                                                85.00 per month

Misc. expenses                                               250.00 per month

Property taxes                                                 250.00 per month

Total                                      $5,315.00 per month in expenses

Now add in about 33% to $5,315.00 for various State, Federal and Local Income Taxes taken out of your pay before you receive your pay check and your monthly income is about $7,070.00 (rounded off) or damn near $85,000.00 per year.

 Sorry Bruno but you have NO idea of how expensive it is to live in many parts of America.

 

[Bruno]

[line]
Sorry Bruno but you have NO idea of how expensive it is to live in many parts of America.
[line]


From where are your fact !!! If i read official website like http://www.bls.gov/cew/home.htm ... the city with the more high average income is New-york with 1300$ week, 67600$ year... if you need 85k year for life, it mean that some people up the average income ( below your 85k ), that people with the average income and the people with lower income that  the average, have not enough money for life !!!  Are USA a dead nation ???

The problem with rich people is that they always complain... the price of the villa with 5 water closet, 2 swinning pool, 25 bedroom is too much expensive, the price of food ( caviar and champagne ) is expensive, the 2 jagar use too much fuel, ...

Stay in your golden tower to complain how much the life is expensive... don't see the average people who have own average home, with a average car...

The average income is around 35k... it mean that all the income of citizen shared between all citizen is these average income... several people are below and are living... some other reach the level of pauvrety... some other are below....

In anycase, a earn the average income will be enough for a average life... rich people need very high income for support her style of life...

Don't worry, i don't anymore dirsturb yourself in your expensive life of rich man

[Timmy K.]

HELLO EVERYBODY, Its Friday, and its payday for this union carpenter from Des Moines, Iowa. 35 K thats about what I make a year plus benefits a very good health insurance plan and a good pension plan for me and my future RW from Ukraine who is also a construction worker/painter, and I have been honest with her and she is fine with becoming married to a regular hammer swinging guy like me. on a perfect year, no rain days or freeze out days or layoffs due to jobsites being finished and no work I can do 48k. OK I am single buying my own home, have a newer chevy pickup and a Triumph motorcycle all paid for so I am able to save up , it took about a year but here I am getting ready to go to Kiev in 3 weeks whole trip will cost me about $4,500 for 25 days altogether. Also I have spent about $1,000 in the last 9 months of trying to do this right, I made a few mistakes and it cost me 2 or 3 hundred.          Yes - a working guy can go to anywhere in Russia and find himself a RW, I have a friend right here in Des Mopines who has been married to a RW for 4 years, he also is a carpenter and she is from ST, PETERSBURG, where all the high class go supposedly. She will eventually become a doctor from where she left off in Russia with her education, right now she is at home taking care of the new little ones 2 of them and they are happy.  I also know another carpenter in Milwaukee, Wisconsin same kind of guy that we are. His new wife to be is there right now on the K-1 and guess what she is staying with him and is happy also. so needless to say no matter wher you are from here in good ole USA, New York or the home of fruits, nuts and flakes California, if youare an average JOE youcan find a RW to be your wife. Remember you must be honestand you should look for an average worker girl there.

[Timmy K.]

 I guess I should add to this a little bit, sure New York is expensive, but at the same time if I were to go to work in New York City I would be making at least 2 times the money to compensate for the difference, wages are higher in the more expensive parts of the country. This is a fact. Or I could go back home to Nebraska where I am originally from head up to a liitle town in the sandhills and have the same lifestyle I have right now for about a third less in expenses maybe even half, and of course my income would be less. For example my house here is worth about 120 k, the same house in the middle of Nebraska is worth about 50 k, if I go to California my house would be worth about 500k or more. So needless to say no matter where you are living in America, if a person lives within his means, as long as you are not in poverty and you meet a genuine RW home town type of girl I believe that you will be happy, I know Russian/American couples who are and they are just average people and HAPPY.  As I was saying though, you have to be realistic in your search, I have been turned down for being honest about being a carpenter.

 

[acrzybear]

As a regular patrol officer in Northern California (San Francisco area) I averaged about $55,000.00 a year, as a Sergeant in Texas I am averaging about $45,000.00 a year and I can afford a better house, have less of a commute (10 minutes versus one hour each way) and over all have a better quality of life making less money.

In the city of New York a starting Police Officer makes $44,000.00 a year, now granted (s)he can make $70,000.00 plus after five years (that's including average overtime) but the cost of living is greater and you have the longer commute to work.    

 Everything just depends on the cost of living of where you live, I can afford to travel to Ukraine/Russia once or twice a year and still do most of the things I enjoy.

Just another two cents worth from me:cool:

 

[Vaughn]

My brother-in-law, a tax attorney, once told me "Expenses usually rise to meet income." Having spent the bulk of my 54 years in a lower-middle to middle income range, I know exactly what he means. Our 3BR home is paid for, yet we're not rich - and we live within our means. I admire Tiger Paw's accomplishments - in the same breathe, I am awed at his living expenses. Perhaps we are fortunate to live where we do, and enjoy a fairly comfortable standard of living in a relatively pretty state, for a whole lot less. While I agree that someone who's closer to 125% of poverty-level than not - is courting danger, the perspective of "what's comfortable" is in the eye of the beholder. And the ability (or not) to provide for your bride's needs financially should be a major consideration in the very    selection of one's mate. If it's an airplane or boat that she must have, well, you better have one; consequently, if she simply wants a good reliable man who's a regular working stiff, there's room for success there as well. Most lower middle class working families don't spend their days wallowing in misery, rather, they shop smart (almost always) and they place value on the experience of picnicking with friends in the state park - and do not necessarily worship the prospect of a Barefoot Cruise off Cozumel. Then again, they just might take that cruise - as expenses usually DO rise to meet income. If they happen to gravitate to some higher station, hopefully, they will maintain their focus on what's really important - family life - and not the inconsequential frills we all tend to rationalize as "necessary". I'm not by any means knocking someone's lifestyle, but trying to point out that there exist very functional marriages at many levels of income, and one's minimum standards might very well be another's unattainable dream.
 
Vaughn

[BC]

I believe the big differences between US and EU in terms of personal finances is the other big "D" word - Debt. EU is catching up quickly though in this aspect..

I always wondered who was "richer"- the guy on the street with a hat in front of him with a bit of change or the guy  pulling up to the 7/11 in his flashy leased mercedes and charging 5 bucks of gas, a pack of cigs and a coffee and trying to decide at the counter which credit card he can still use.

My word on this is have disposable cash 'up front' for this venture (15-25k minimum and no debt). If you are even thinking about using credit to support an RW 'habit' don't even start, much less start again..

[Elen]

For example my house here is worth about 120 k, the same house in the middle of Nebraska is worth about 50 k, if I go to California my house would be worth about 500k or more.

 

How that prices сorrespond with a price for 1 sq.metr? Just want to compare that with Moscow prices for flats (started at 1 000 $ for 1 sq. m) and prices for cotages around Moscow (about 3 000$ for 1 sq m):?

[BC]

1 sq meter = 10.8 sq feet

[Goombah]

Elen -

As indicated in another post, home prices vary a lot based on location.

I live in a nice new home and paid a little under $100/sq ft, so about $1070/sq meter.  I live about 50 km from work, if I moved in closer, I could spend 2 times that easily.

Kevin

[TigerPaws]

 The example I gave for expenses in California might seem excessive to some from other parts of the country but they are very real numbers. Here in southwest Florida things are considerably less expensive, the average new house price is about $200,000.00 plus or minus 20k, the utilities are less than half of California's and insurance is less as well. If a man was making 55 to 65k here in Florida he would be doing fairly well for himself, so it all depends on where in the country a man lives as to how much income he needs.

 Still this process of finding a lady from the FSU is not for the faint of heart or to be done on the cheap, that dose not mean that you can not find a quality woman for less than 6 to 8k total out of pocket expenses. A man on a quest for a bride will just have to be far more selective in his research and search before spending his hard earned money and precious time in country.