Flying isn't that expensive. Say that you want to go fishing in Florida from Idaho. Between the gas, tolls, hotel stays on the road and depreciation on your vehicle, it would be cheaper to fly. That and instead of driving 5-6 days, you're fishing.
My wife and I fly to LA every year to visit her family at Thanksgiving. Plane fare for two is around $1500. It's a lot better than 3 days driving each way, 6 extra nights in hotels and putting 5000 miles on a personal vehicle.
Apparently you have little concept of $62K/annum gross pay.
The Federal Tax burden on that is about $6,000/year. Add another $4,000 to that number for Oregon state income tax. Add $4700/year for FICA and Medicare. $2000/year for Electric. $14,000/year for mortgage, $2000/year for Insurance. $6000/year for groceries and household goods. $1500/yr for tires and car repairs. $500/year for vehicle registrations. $2,000/yr for gasoline (45 mile daily round trip commute) $1000/year for property taxes, and $8000/yr into a 401 K. Most people would have to add health insurance premiums to that list, and car payments.
My health insurance is at no cost to me, I paid cash for my vehicles, and only carry liability insurance in most cases.
Yes, the 401 k is going to lower the Tax burden a bit. But still that leaves about $1,000/ month in discretionary income. Which has to cover extraordinary car repairs, and cover all medical/dental/optometrist bills. And I have to save enough of it to cover the cash purchase price of any future vehicles.
The bottom line is, I sure as hell am not purchasing airline tickets to Florida, let alone pay for a motel room anywhere, or charter fishing boats, or out of state fishing/hunting licenses and tags. Nor am I taking off and driving across the country. Few people of median income do.
Not bitching or complaining. This is the area I chose to live and is pretty darned good income for the area. It well covers all of our needs. And leaves me enough to buy reloading supplies and purchase a rifle or revolver once every year or two.
Just making the point that not everybody lives the life of the "Rich and Famous" since 50% of the American Population make less than $62K/year. A lot of them are successfully raising kids on that income.
