The savings rate on that budget is insanely aggressive. Also, the budget is treating mortgage like it's rent.
The most egregious example is college.
JUST the 529 has something like $38k when the kid turns 18.
The house will eventually be paid off, and 15 year mortgages are still possible in many expensive coastal cities on $300k/yr. So you have an additional $3,900/mo = $46,800/yr, some of which you can burn on college expenses. Let's say half.
That means you have at most 38+8.5+46/2 = 69 PER YEAR of college. AND that's with additional 46k/2 retirement savings! Even for a huge family of 4, after discount rates [1], that's enough to pay for tuition at an expensive private college with zero scholarship over the discount rate. Especially if you forego constantly making car payments on an expensive car (drive that 5 year old car for 5 more years while the kid(s) are in college). That level of saving isn't necessary! If you're spending more than that on college, the loans to cover the difference will more than pay for themselves. (Oh, and you're in a coastal city, so there are top-tier universities within driving distance, so no ned for room&board.)
> * A 26 year old middle school teacher making $55,000 a year plus her $250,000 a year VP of Marketing wife
Strange article. It's a creative way to connect a teacher's salary with a $300,000 income but in the end, this kind of salary remains the exception and is only normal in small pockets of the US.
TBF $2k minimum rent and $500,000+ minimum housing prices are also only normal in small pockets of the US. I have no idea how teachers survive in expensive coastal cities.
Food for three is $2100 per month? That's ridiculous. I spend less than $5000 per year on myself. Probably right around $10/day, and that's with at least 80% of my meals coming from restaurants. I'm working on doing more home cooking for various reasons.
> Food for three is $2100 per month? That's ridiculous. I spend less than $5000 per year on myself.
That is ridiculous, but $5000/yr is also pretty low. Remember that this is a budget for 2 people working full-time and also raising (perhaps multiple) children. That means purchasing time wherever you can. Food prep is labor intensive.
Unless you have a stay-at-home or part-time parent, the first child is NOT a linear progression in life costs!
