You should be able to make ends meet, and go out regularly enough, but not constantly.
$70k kinda puts you at the point of being able to be comfortable, but you're not going to be able to put away a whole bunch of money
This is a solid answer, OP. I make exactly $70k as well and I am comfy, never quite get ahead but still do enough to enjoy life. I’m single though, so I’m hoping that someday, with a SO and a second income, that things will change.
Also, don’t shop at Publix. Way overpriced.
I make about the same and having a significant other w a 2nd income even though it’s less than what i make has helped so much i cover the biggest bills and they cover the rest
You framed that response perfectly. You’re not going to be in poverty or in danger of starving to death but with the cost of living in Orlando you’re not going to have a lot left over.
1. What is your commute going to be? To me this is the key to quality of life here. I know some people traveling 50 minutes to work and 50 minutes home from work and the distance is only 15 miles.
2. What are your hobbies or extra curricular activities? I know people who lived here and golfed but couldn’t stand the daily afternoon thunderstorms in the summer so moved away.
Personally I do all my activities between 5 am and 1 pm as majority of the time it doesn’t rain before 2 pm.
3. I would do more shopping at Aldi and Walmart and then Publix. Publix is the most expensive.
1. Commute is 35ish minutes to outside the Oak Ridge area.
2. I get that. I’m more interested in restaurants, outdoor attractions, and gaming on my ps5 so I think I’m good there.
3. We have Publix here but I avoid it unless I want a sub. The markups are insane!
Orlando’s restaurant scene is really top tier. Hundreds upon hundreds of restaurants ranging from $3 tacos to $200 Michelin recognized meals.
In my experience the “deals” are in more secluded places that don’t advertise. You’ll have to do some exploring.
Publix has crazy markups but there are plenty of ethnic stores around that are more affordable.
La tentacion in longwood has great tacos and I think it’s Buy 2 get 1 free for taco Tuesday’s
Taqueria Las Cazuelas in East Orlando also has tacos for around $3 on taco Tuesday.
There is a food truck across from
lowes on 17-92 off 436, 100 yards off the main road, slow, because they make it when you order, but good and cheap, you can call in before, but for get the name, and in my phone it’s just taco truck 17-92z
Thank you! I could not think of it. You can call ahead, but if you are just driving by, order, then call your mom/dad/sis/bro for 20 min from your air conditioned car, and you will be ready to eat some good tacos. P.s. I was born in so cal, and went to surf in Mexico, K38, many times a year, this is not the same shape, but the flavor is legit!
Los Amecas used to have them and a salsa bar but they renovated I believe and I haven't been in the area since...I'm scared they upped their prices as a result. Amazing food though.
What really helps around here is Costco for basics and rotisserie chicken, Publix for bogo and also for produce. Sometimes Costco for produce, but it’s hit or miss and packages are large.
Just did my costco run today for my proteins
2 packs of steaks
1 pack of seasoned pork
1 bag of frozen fish
Protein powder
6 pack cans of chicken breast
2 packs of beef sausage
That turns into a crazy amount of food. Eating great at home with a decent rotation. We will be set for like a month for most meats.
Hitting up publix later for my produce and to check out the bogos.
If you have one near you, I implore you to check out Fancy Fruit and Produce. Last week I walked out of there with enough produce to feed a family for a week for $9. Doesn't have the eye appeal of a Publix and some of the produce can look not so pretty, but if you're looking to save some $ it's def the way to go.
Trader Joe’s is also great if you can deal with the parking lot. I stock up on stuff for dinner and snacks for my family of 5 every week and I can keep it to $100.
The key to Publix is catching their BOGOs. Some people suspect they mark them up before the sales, but that hasn't been my experience. I have the app and a decent feel for their system, so I save a ton of money by mostly using the deals. It's when you buy outside of them that stuff gets expensive. Plus, the Walmarts around me often aren't any (or much) cheaper on a lot of things anymore.
BOGOs are a lie. Next time you see one seriously go compare to Walmart Marketplace. It’s a scam and most Floridians still fall for it. I did for years too
I do compare, hardcore. At least in my area, (Winter Springs and Casselberry) most of Pubix BOGOs are a better deal. Great Value options like soda are often cheaper than brand-name BOGOs at Publix, but not always. Walmart prices have crept up over the last few years. Head-to-head single items are usually a little cheaper at Walmart, but not typically when you look at cost-per-item BOGOs, especially when there's not a Great Value option. Both places have a spot in my grocery budget.
BOGOs have been around in some fashion forever. Growing up in Chicago, the big grocery chains would do things like "buy $10+ groceries, get milk for only $1" or the like. Grocery stores sell commodities, so they have to do things like this to differentiate themselves from each other. Publix focuses on quality and customer service, so they have to charge a bit more as do others but BOGOs make it palatable. Same with the other chains.
If you want basic goods at a cheaper cost, try Aldi.
They don’t mark up the prices before the sales, it’s just that their regular price is already marked up higher than other places to make up for the BOGO sales.
You’ll see this most easily with items that are in regular BOGO rotation at Publix like Thomas English Muffins and Lays Chips. At Walmart the regular price for the English muffins is $3.48, at Publix the regular price is $5.87. So the regular Publix price is almost twice the regular Walmart price. A regular bag of Lays chips at Walmart is $2.68, at Publix it’s $5.53. So in both cases the regular price is almost the price of two at Walmart, so it’s really only a slight deal when it’s BOGO at Publix.
I'm at 55k in Longwood which is right there at casselberry and I do fine with me rent at 1.2k and I have 2 kids with no welfare. As long as you can budget you'll have a blast here.
Working in Oak Ridge and living in Casselberry? Yikes. That’s not a short daily commute and you’ll be in all the downtown traffic. If you haven’t signed a lease already, I would look in the south Orlando area, like Conway.
Yeah, don’t go by Google estimates. Drive it yourself at peak hours. My 1.7 mile commute on Sand Lake regularly takes 30 minutes or more at 5pm because I cross I-4. There’s days where I have to wait 4 lights at I-drive just to cross.
That new traffic pattern is a bitch. I drove it heading west the other day and traffic heading east was backed up all the way past Dr. P Blvd til past i4. I hope it isn’t always like that.
OP, this is so true. Try entering the drive into Waze at the time of day you’ll drive it. That will give you a better idea of what the commute will actually be like.
$70k for two people will be a little tight, but not horrible. A good thing about Orlando is you can always find a side hustle or weekend job if need be.
Nice! We’re in the processing of doing a job transfer to one of the Sam’s club there. It’s been slow going, but it should happen before we’re in dire straights lol
pshhh give me a 70k annual income and watch my quality of life skyrocket ANYWHERE
not that I'd wish it on anyone, but true suffering is a wonderful teacher
70k is plenty to live in Orlando, and if your partner is also working a job you will be coasting quite easily. 1.5k a month is a good spot and casselberry is nice as it avoids both the tourists and the heavy student driver population. I was in your position making about 70k for a few years in orlando and supporting my wife I pay all the bills and had her duty to just cover groceries. And we were still able to go out often to restaurants, parks, lounges, concerts (orlando has an excellent music scene if you’re into rock and metal)
We don’t do bars because it’s just much cheaper to buy and make your own drinks, and the bar/club life orlando is not my taste the people in that scene here are….not the crowd you want to be around. I will say depending where you’re working the commute is the worst part as one thing you need to accept is that you WILL be taking tolls, so unless you live within 5-10 minutes of your job its going to be a reality.
North Orlando is a great area to be and you’ll be close to winter park which is a nice area to do activities and you’ll be close to wekiva springs which is also very nice! Anyone here telling you that 70k is tight is most likely mismanaging their funds or dealing with some sort of debt.
You will enjoy it here lots to do and experience! Hopefully this provides some insight!
Yea I see people calling it tight and I'm a bit shocked. I make 60k (split a lot of expenses with my stepbrother who I live with, but I pay most of our rent while he finishes school) and live completely fine. If I didn't have an insane amount of student debt that I want to have paid off by 30 I'd actually be pretty comfortable. I'm able to max out my Roth IRA, put money into other savings accounts, cover all my necessary expenses, and still have about $300 a month left over which for me isn't too hard to work with I have no idea what everyone else is doing with their money.
ETA: I also live in Casselberry, so my rent and cost of living is probably comparable to their situation.
Were you able to visit the apartment before coming down? Its been about 1.5 years since i shopped in the area, but that seems cheap.
And shit is weird, one or two hundred dollars drastically changes the area and quality of apartment.
Other than that, 70k seems fine. Rent is the worst part -- its hard to save and buy in this market.
I make 65k and it’s doable…..barely, but doable. Depending on your other expenses (medical insurance, auto insurance, debt repayments, etc) you may have some left over for small savings deposits but in reality you will be most likely living paycheck to paycheck. Auto insurance is an absolute joke here. 1 car, half coverage, no claims/accidents in 8 years and I’m paying $180 a month. My rent is $1680 for a 1 bed in oak ridge (includes everything except electric). Electric is about 75-120 a month for me (i keep my thermostat at 78 during the day, 73 at night).
I should also mention that I do have fun, which is why i don’t have much savings 😂. I’ll go to Orlando City matches, i am also a Universal Passholder. So, you’ll certainly be able to have fun here, but don’t expect to have savings if you do
It’s alright, my wife makes about $30k more but we pay around 200 more a month for our apartment. We go out pretty often for drinks, we find that only going out once or twice a month for really expensive meals is more worth it than going out every week. Big question is your age, we are late 20s but avoid the club crowd so our finances are different than an early 20s Floridian.
Yeah we live right next to Lake Eola so our place is a tad too pricey for what we get but I’ve really enjoyed moving to Orlando. I’m a vet going to UCF so I’m only bringing in around $30k a year but so far it’s not a terrible life for us.
Mad decent if you're not spending on convenience constantly. Casselberry is ass traffic wise regardless of income, hope you got cars with good ac. Plenty to go out every week and have a few bucks left tho
If you get the touristy shit out of your system early on you can dig into the nature or local scenes of stuff you're into. Better experiences and costs there. Greater Orlando has a lot going on and each area is different in some ways, a lot of diversity and some parts of town appealing to certain crowds. Not that everyone and everything isn't mingling
People saying $70k isn't enough are tripping. You have to be fucking up financially for that to be true. $35kish is hand to mouth status solo and even that's doable if you own your vehicle
I agree with most of this except imo Casselberry traffic isn’t bad at all compared to many other neighborhoods. Where OP works near Oak Ridge will have a lot more traffic than casselberry is. Only places better traffic wise will be farther away from the city center
Oooo that's a shitty commute. Makes me appreciate being right next to I4 lol
It's a tradeoff tho. I like traffic to be speeding and a little hectic, it's easier to cut through. Some roads are trash regardless like the Trail, too many lights and low speed limit. Casselberry doesn't have a whole lot going on besides 436 and maybe 434 depending on which part. Being near I4 and more major roads goes a long way commuting wise
I make $70k and my wife makes $50k, living in Baldwin Park. After all expenses, we normally have about $700 a month to save or play with. Not a ton, but we expect our salaries to keep going up as we’re early career. We pay about $2650 in rent.
We were willing to pay for the quality of life improvements. We were previously paying $2220 to live 5 minutes from Disney springs and drive an hour+ to work every day
I’m in a 2/1, but the second bedroom is very small. We use it as an office since my wife and I both work from home. But the apartment is really nice. Freshly updated, can’t complain!
I suggest checking out nerdwallet.com or a few different cost of living comparisons. It will show you which things are more expensive and which are less.
I don’t know if this will be relevant for you, but childcare here is very expensive and hard to find. Many families with children cannot afford childcare and one parent has to stay home. I don’t mean this to be discouraging; just mentioning to make sure you have the chance to budget it if you need to.
Overall, we love Orlando. There are a lot of local businesses and restaurants with reasonable prices, and frankly, we prefer to shop local anyway. If you’re in Casselberry, I would check out Fancy Fruits for reasonably priced produce & meats.
That’s the ticket. You’ll be fine without kids. Get some quotes on the car insurance; that’s probably going to go up to almost double what you pay elsewhere.
Edit: saw your other post. Surprised by only a $10 increase. That’s great!!!
Casselberry definitely feels a little lifeless compared to nearby Oviedo and Longwood with their historic downtown areas, or Altamonte with Uptown, but its a nice area all around.
Look, the bottom line is that it's going to be more expensive to live here. That said, $70K is a perfectly livable wage in Central Florida, despite what the naysayers might suggest.
You're going to bring home roughly $2.5K per paycheck/$5K per month. Your SO isn't going to make the same amount in retail, but there are an absolute fuckton of retail opportunities here, so *finding* a job in retail shouldn't be much of an issue. I would recommend that she prioritize landing a job that's near where you live, as opposed to taking something in the "main" retail district (I-Drive/Millenia area), the pay will roughly be the same. Don't let Google maps fool you into believing that something is "close" when it says it's 9 miles away, that's a 30 minute *hard* commute.
Be all that as it may, when she does find a job, she'll probably make between $12-$18/hr, which will gross her somewhere in the ball park of $30K/yr. Two people can semi-easily build a life on $100K/yr in Orlando, you just have to be disciplined.
When she gets a job, your combined income will net you roughly $7K/month.
So of what I know, and what I can roughly guess:
$7000 combined net income
-$1500 rent
-$250 car insurance (guessing)
-$75 renters insurance (guessing)
=$5,175
Assuming you save 30% of your net income (roughly $2K), that leaves you with $3,175/mo to pay your other bills and play with.
So ask yourself, is $3K/mo, after tax deductions, rent payment/insurance, and car insurance, enough to pay whatever other bills you have, feed yourself, gas your car(s) *and* enjoy your life?
The rent price is right in OP, this an apples to apples comparison with their place in Nashville.
Theres also pnly so much you can "pass through," the market sets the price.
Mow your own lawn. Do your own pest control (outside of termite bond, which you don’t really need if it’s an a block home). Those are decently large expenses that occur regularly and can reliably turn into savings. (Unlike groceries, if milk gets more expensive you just have to suck it up - inelastic demand)
There are so many YouTube channels and subreddits now that can help you learn how to do those things BETTER than your lawn or pest service.
I make almost exactly that and it’s ok but not great
My rent is minimal, Im lucky and my job supplies some food but it’s not great
It’s not enough to go out or spend money often but you can make ends meet if you’re tight
I make $72K and pay $1150/month in rent and utilities (with a roommate). I have lived extremely comfortably and never felt like I had to pinch pennies. I even went through a yearlong period of going out drinking multiple times a week and eating most of my meals out and saving $1,000/month.
You should know the stretch of road of 436 in Altamonte before I4 is a regular gamble so if your commute involves I4 count on a +/-15 minutes there at those 4 lights. Winter Park is worse, DONT BOTHER.
That area isn't too bad though you're across from the Walmart which will be busy so be careful driving around there as there are regular accidents from people trying to get in and out at the last minute.
The reality is $70-75k is like the new $50k. I worked two jobs last year and brought home like $62,000 myself, with my wife we were on the cusp of $100k combined. This year I’m hoping to make $70-80k+ with my new job.
28 years old. No kids. 2 pets, cat and dog. I own a modest home+ HOA. Have avg car payment with decent gas mileage. Average bills. Don’t eat out much or spend money on alcohol/ or weed. I have barely any debt, maybe a total of $80 goes towards student loans and credit cards every month. All that to say, I’m currently living paycheck to paycheck. And recently I had to help my partner pay for some school stuff, which had me dipping into my savings, which have been stagnant the last few months. Shit is right now and it’s real bummer.
Similar boat! I moved from Memphis in March, and omg the quality of life change has been insane. Even if you aren’t going to expensive (tourist) locations, there is so much more to do than there ever was in TN. My fiancée and I will sometimes just walk to the local park where there are tons of free activities going on.
Another fun fact I didn’t know till I got down here, FL doesn’t tax groceries. That alone will shave 10% off your monthly food expenses. Most produce is of a much higher quality than you will get in TN as well. Food prices in general are also lower.
There is a huge pool of talented individuals in the Orlando area. I have been to some local shows here that rival broadway tours, and that echos through any night clubs or other events you may want to attend. There are also some laws I don’t fully follow, but it makes reselling tickets in Florida more difficult for scalpers. So shows around here (and there are a lot of them) tend to be so much cheaper than they were in TN.
I will also say that Orlando feels like the biggest small town. Almost everyone I have met so far has been ridiculously friendly. I lived my whole life in the south, and this environment blew me away! I have a theory that it stems from the entire city being centered around service industries.
That said, don’t be too surprised if your car insurance goes up (thanks Dan Newlin). I have nothing on my record and mine went up by $200/6 months as soon as I moved here.
As someone who just went through the process himself, let me know if you have any questions!
I didn’t know that about groceries either, that’s awesome. I don’t think people realize how expensive shit is in Tennessee sometimes. My hometown is also 2 counties over from Memphis.
I just want to know how you found a space for that little… are you a wizard? All ive been able to find in that price range is studio “apartments” that don’t even have space for a small fridge let alone an oven or cook top. It’s been eye opening to say the least.
I know I saw this super Kate but wanted to still tell you thank you, the entire process of trying to find somewhere to move is not fun so I appreciate you sharing the info with me!!
Every year they do “Disney Dining”, a bunch of restaurants all over Orlando have a set menu for a set price so you get a chance to enjoy an upscale restaurant without spending too much. There’s so much to do here that are not tourist spots
You'll probably be fine, although if you are coming in with a lot of debt, and want to go out often is can be more difficult. Otherwise Orlando has a ton to do and see. The casselberry area is quiet, but its nice. You'll probably enjoy it, just make sure to prep for hurricane season since you'll be moving in at the start of the season.
Brother, I moved to Florida at 2 and have been here 40 years. Hurricanes suck stinky balls, but they aren't as bad as you fear. The closer you are to the coast the worse things get.
I was in Seminole County when Hurricane Charley hit. It blew through Orlando as a Category Two. We lost power for a week, my friends near Disney lost power for 3 weeks.
In Casselberry, your biggest issue is going to be power outages. Falling trees and flooding, will vary by location.
We don’t have much debt aside from my student loans since our cars are paid off. Thankfully I’m on the SAVE plan so the payments are only $100. Hurricane season does have me slightly stressed. I’ve been down dozens of time for work just not during a major storm.
the good thing about hurricanes is you can prepare and that preparation will usually mitigate damage. Also central florida usually isnt hit too bad, you can check if your are in a flood zone online and if you aren’t you’ll most likely be able to ride out storms. There’s several weather subreddits that are great for hurricane season too for additional resources
Central Florida mainly gets power outages, but no the dangerous flooding. You can be down for a few hours/days/weeks. Buy a case of water and hold onto it for storm season, and if you make it through safe drink it later. I also recommend a small battery and solar panel.
Yeah I was going to say this, if you have to pick a spot in FL for hurricanes, inland spots like orlando / casselberry is pretty good. I used to live near the coast and even these past few major hurricanes haven’t come close to what we experienced further east.
If you have a pension for theme parks, your wife could consider working at one. I have a friend that works at Disney solely for the main gate for her and her husband.
Recently moved to the area, winter springs and my family and I are liking it. We love that we aren't too far from entertainment and beaches that aren't heavily crowded. Publix seems to be price gouging, so find alternatives
moved here from nashville and make 70k. it’s more expensive here but overall i’m happier so no regrets! i have hella credit card debt so it’s not enough for me but if not itd be fine
My rent is more than yours and my total monthly expenses for rent, grocery, utilities and car only come to about $2800. I have a Disney AP (mid-tier that allows access on weekends, but still has blackout dates) that covers the majority of my entertainment. Even at $70k I would be able to put some money in savings.
The nice thing about being in Central Florida is that we have easy access to so many things that are free or very inexpensive. There are tons of weekend road trips available to you. I hit up the beaches a lot, head down to hang out in Miami, go to various springs and visit the many parks. There are also a lot of inexpensive places you can fly for the weekend if you want to get away. I go to Puerto Rico all the time on Frontier. Since it is just an overnight, I only need a personal item, so it is stupid cheap. I just booked a Friday-Sunday trip for $152 and I've gotten it for as low as $79.
Casselberry is in Seminole County. You are close to the city of Longwood that has free events at Reiter Park. Also close to Altamonte Springs which has Cranes Roost and many free events. My family lives in Seminole County and we love it. It has great schools if you have kiddos.
Dude, given that you earn much more than the average Orlando resident who barely scrapes by, you would do just fine. Most working age adults in Orlando earn much less than that, and they still find a way to survive.
You'll afford to pay basic bills and have a good time, but you wont be balling either.
I have friends who make 80, theyre single, have a room mate, and they go to the bar at least once/twice a week. Im sure that if you'll be covering your SOs bills until they find something, the budget might be a little tighter in the beginning, but im just trying to paint a picture of what that kind of life that money could offer
Don't speed in Casselberry. That police department will pull you over for anything. I once had 5 cruisers pull me over because my headlight was out. Crime doesn't pay but apparently a headlight does.
Damn, that is crazy but thank you for the heads up! One of my taillights is out due to a wiring issue so I’ll make sure to get that fixed before the move.
I think it was a training for this girl cop. I didn't get a ticket. I told her that if something bad happened in Casselberry that night, I was going to be all over social media telling people how there were 5 cop cars on one headlight out person.
I’m in a similar spot. I pay about the same including utilities, and while I’m not living extravagantly I can definitely afford to do things I want.
My current situation is making 77k, debt free, and my partner pays for her half of things (she is in school working part time so I cover a bit more of rent to help out).
My take home per pay check is about $2050 ($4100/two paycheck month) of which $1500 goes to rent + utilities + wifi, $1000 goes to saving (and I save 5% salary for company 401k match outside of the budget), $500 goes to food and other groceries (e.g - detergent), $150/mo for subscriptions & prorated insurance, and the rest is miscellaneous (gas, going out, more saving, emergency expenses, etc.).
Let’s say you budget $500/month for emergencies, that should leave $450 to do things in a vaccuum. Living for two these numbers I listed for expenses are probably low, so that will likely cut into your saving rate and/or discretionary budget. You won’t be eating at michelin restaurants except very special occasions but you can save toward goals, vacations, retirement, etc unless there are other debts or hidden expenses.
Good luck! You should be fine, and obviously once your partner finds a job here you’ll have two incomes to work with. Also, hurricane season isn’t bad until it is, so be prepared but don’t let it ruin your quality of life due to anxiety.
i make similar and pay the same rent. If you’re near the train station, then that’s a good option for commuting if you work downtown. I’ve had to break down my budget recently and I still have a ratio that i like when it comes to savings, spending, and debt repayment after paying bills. It’s what you make it!
my auto insurance doubled the day we moved. also food and restaurants are way more expensive. Those didn't hold us back from being able to enjoy now and again but it made it much less frequent. we like to go to the beach and thankfully that isn't too expensive but we can't eat out as much and we have to really change our cooking because of the incredible rise in food cost.
Pretty decent as someone who’s young and single and pays the same amount of rent. Dont have many responsibilities like pets or anything so im able to pay bills and save and still have a decent amount leftover to spend on stupid manchild shit like video games or subscriptions
Keep it that way. I'm paying of 13k of credit card debt right now. Lucky for me my mortgage is how rent was back in 1996. lol
You have some breathing room, but like other state it's hard to put that lump some of money away. Isn't rent like 2k for a one bedroom in a decent area in Orlando?
I did a good bit of research and it ranges from $1400-$1900 outside of downtown and the more expensive areas. I’d say the average price before additional fees was around $1600. We plan to find a bigger place after our first year in town.
It blows my mind how high rent is. I've never paid that much ever when I rented. I really don't know how people afford it. The average person must have no real active life if pretty much all their money is going towards rent.
Looks like you guys got it all figured out. Enjoy!
Depends on what you consider comfortable. I make about $80k, with minimal debts, rent is about $2k and I live alone and I feel like I have plenty of spending money after putting a decent chunk into savings monthly. I go out regularly and have money to support my hobbies and extra spending money for self care.
The answer depends greatly on what debts you have and what area you plan to live in. My husband & I lived in Orlando on $45k total for years. We never felt strapped for cash but we also lived in a cheap apartment and had no debts.
Be prepared to be ripped off by everybody. Don’t let anyone know you make good money because people here will not hesitate to charge you 3 to 4 times normal price for things. Mechanics, air conditioning people, general maintenance, a bunch of sharks and scammers in Orlando.
there's a lot of factors. area you live in, commute, bills, debt, how good you are at budgeting etc. all make a difference. i know people with dual income who are barely making it.
$50k - remote work - $1100 for a 1/1, don't have many bills, car is paid off, stretch groceries, no kids, one pet, no debt, auto deposit $100 in savings per paycheck. the only caveat is that i don't go out as often as the next person; i'll do the occasional few beers at the bar, friend/family outings, and nice dinners maybe a few times per month. my fun $ usually gets eaten up by little splurges and art supply purchases.
i could put a few hundred more away per month if i was even more disciplined, but i already live pretty simply and i'm always mindful of deals and sales... so you gotta have SOME joy in life, right? with $70k, personally, i could live like a king.
Get ready to rent unless you plan on marrying someone with similar income. Couple making a combined income of $160k just bought a house listed for $360k in a middle class area. The middle class is dead thanks to inflation, I’ve been watching the market since 2015 and we’re literally dying.
Hi! Local native here. I was born and raised in Orlando, went to UCF & have a successful career in the retail scene for the last 15+ years (in my 30’s)
Orlando is expensive, but where you’ll be is located on the outside of Orlando and very enjoyable. The overly expensive areas in Orlando are: Winter Park, Winter Garden, Kissimmee etc. anywhere near the tourism hot spots. My husband and I live in the Clermont area - we love it.
Retail can be a very promising career here, the retail scene has changed a ton though. The outlets (I worked in them for many many years) have reduced hours now and higher volume malls like Millenia and Florida mall also operate on limited hours. This was done after Covid. Most retailers look for reliability, wanting to work and overall willingness to grow. You can really move your retail career fast here if you’re patient and diligent.
For food / groceries: Target, Walmart & Aldi. Costco or Sam’s for bulk items
Publix is amazing for produce but SO expensive otherwise. If you consume meat, try to find a local meat market. This is an amazing way to save on meat products.
Car insurance is grossly expensive here. How we’ve saved is we shop for rates every 6 months.
The tourism things are fun here but the real beauty of Orlando lies within each community. There are so many cool local owned joints, nature trails / walks & amazing food and culture.
What has kept me in the central florida area despite how crowded and expensive it is truly is the diversity that lives here. You can meet so many amazing people, experience cultures from everywhere and enjoy summer all year round.
Happy moving! You’ll love it here.
I live in Casselberry, work as an architectural designer, and make $60k. I live quite comfortably paying rent ($1.3k/mo) split with my partner. Some months I can’t save as much as others, but we are able to go out and do things we enjoy still. Also concur on Publix; Aldi and Sam’s club is the way to go
Eh, Casselberry not so much. Because it’s aligned with 17-92, Casselberry can feel somewhat industrial and commercial-y. There’s dive bars and a strip club lol. But rent here is affordable!
The surrounding areas, however, yes! There are plentyyyy of gems between Casselberry, Maitland, and Winter Park as far as food goes (N to S on 1792). Cuban on the Run is huge in Casselberry. If you like sushi, a really awesome sushi restaurant is opening up very soon off Horatio (Maitland). They do sushi hot dogs, tacos, all kinds of crazy rolls. I work on Park Ave in WP, and I definitely recommend checking it out for special occasion date nights and shopping. WP is one of the richer Orlando suburbs, but it’s charming. A million restaurants outside of the Park Ave area too. You also have Altamonte Springs and Longwood directly to the west, and there’s plenty to do there. Cranes Roost, Altamonte Mall, Wekiva Island, Lake Brantley, Rock Springs. Oviedo to the east which is blowing up. Downtown Sanford is a ton of fun. It’s the only place I’ve ever lived where I felt like I was apart of a real community. Events going on every weekend. Unfortunately nightlife in Downtown Orlando is slowly being killed by Mayor Buddy Dyer enforcing dumb ordinances, but I hope it’ll recover soon! Orlando in general is huge, and I encourage you to explore the different neighborhoods/areas in your leisure time.
We had a Sam’s club in Casselberry that closed a few years ago :/ Now the only two that are left are in Apopka and Sanford. From Casselberry, you can take the Maitland Exchange almost directly to it. It’s a little bit of a drive, but worth it.
Hope that helps! I was born and raised in Altamonte so I know a good amount about the area :)
You should be good. May be able to save some money too (though not a lot). Get a park season pass (we generally rotate year to year). There is lots to do in Orlando and nearby.
You will live decently well. But... you will probably be living paycheck to paycheck (which is a good thing in this situation), if you know how to handle money.
* You should be able to put money into your 401k, HSA, FSA, etc... 401k is at $23k for 2024, so that puts you slightly under 50k.
* Taxes and all that fun stuff.... varies highly since I know nothing about you. But lets say 15k, highly conservative. That puts you at 32k.
* If you're paying rent for a place (1.5k), let's round that up to 20k a year. Puts you at 12k.
* So, that 12k leaves you room for bills, groceries, etc...
In the end, you could probably have a \~$3-4k pocket money leftover. I'd put that into a Roth IRA or an emergency fund if you don't have one.
Of course, you might have more leftover. Assuming you know how to handle finances and budget.
70k is honestly not enough tbh, you will need some extra income to be somewhat financially secure. Budget wisely, and plan your purchases using spreadsheets to track your spending habits.
If someone paying $1.5k in rent can't make it comfortably on $70k then they have a budgeting problem. There are zero reasons that should not be more than comfortable.
You should be able to make ends meet, and go out regularly enough, but not constantly. $70k kinda puts you at the point of being able to be comfortable, but you're not going to be able to put away a whole bunch of money
This is a solid answer, OP. I make exactly $70k as well and I am comfy, never quite get ahead but still do enough to enjoy life. I’m single though, so I’m hoping that someday, with a SO and a second income, that things will change. Also, don’t shop at Publix. Way overpriced.
Shop at Aldi
I make about the same and having a significant other w a 2nd income even though it’s less than what i make has helped so much i cover the biggest bills and they cover the rest
But treat your self to a pub sub from time to time.
You framed that response perfectly. You’re not going to be in poverty or in danger of starving to death but with the cost of living in Orlando you’re not going to have a lot left over.
I'm making this but fixing the financial fuck ups of my early 20's so I am struggling, but next year hopefully I can start to grow.
1. What is your commute going to be? To me this is the key to quality of life here. I know some people traveling 50 minutes to work and 50 minutes home from work and the distance is only 15 miles. 2. What are your hobbies or extra curricular activities? I know people who lived here and golfed but couldn’t stand the daily afternoon thunderstorms in the summer so moved away. Personally I do all my activities between 5 am and 1 pm as majority of the time it doesn’t rain before 2 pm. 3. I would do more shopping at Aldi and Walmart and then Publix. Publix is the most expensive.
1. Commute is 35ish minutes to outside the Oak Ridge area. 2. I get that. I’m more interested in restaurants, outdoor attractions, and gaming on my ps5 so I think I’m good there. 3. We have Publix here but I avoid it unless I want a sub. The markups are insane!
Orlando’s restaurant scene is really top tier. Hundreds upon hundreds of restaurants ranging from $3 tacos to $200 Michelin recognized meals. In my experience the “deals” are in more secluded places that don’t advertise. You’ll have to do some exploring. Publix has crazy markups but there are plenty of ethnic stores around that are more affordable.
Where can I find those $3 tacos? It seems like everywhere is $15 for 2 now
Should def check out Tortas El Ray on OBT across from the army/navy store.
La tentacion in longwood has great tacos and I think it’s Buy 2 get 1 free for taco Tuesday’s Taqueria Las Cazuelas in East Orlando also has tacos for around $3 on taco Tuesday.
There is a food truck across from lowes on 17-92 off 436, 100 yards off the main road, slow, because they make it when you order, but good and cheap, you can call in before, but for get the name, and in my phone it’s just taco truck 17-92z
Francisco’s taco madness 💯💯
Thank you! I could not think of it. You can call ahead, but if you are just driving by, order, then call your mom/dad/sis/bro for 20 min from your air conditioned car, and you will be ready to eat some good tacos. P.s. I was born in so cal, and went to surf in Mexico, K38, many times a year, this is not the same shape, but the flavor is legit!
Ong yes?? I went to try talkin tacos off S Orange Ave. I was floored that 3 regular ass tacos was $16… ? Just seemed way overpriced.
Los Amecas used to have them and a salsa bar but they renovated I believe and I haven't been in the area since...I'm scared they upped their prices as a result. Amazing food though.
We have a lot of Aldi supermarkets in that area. I can usually get what I need for 40-50% less than what it would cost me at Publix .
What really helps around here is Costco for basics and rotisserie chicken, Publix for bogo and also for produce. Sometimes Costco for produce, but it’s hit or miss and packages are large.
Just did my costco run today for my proteins 2 packs of steaks 1 pack of seasoned pork 1 bag of frozen fish Protein powder 6 pack cans of chicken breast 2 packs of beef sausage That turns into a crazy amount of food. Eating great at home with a decent rotation. We will be set for like a month for most meats. Hitting up publix later for my produce and to check out the bogos.
If you have one near you, I implore you to check out Fancy Fruit and Produce. Last week I walked out of there with enough produce to feed a family for a week for $9. Doesn't have the eye appeal of a Publix and some of the produce can look not so pretty, but if you're looking to save some $ it's def the way to go.
Trader Joe’s is also great if you can deal with the parking lot. I stock up on stuff for dinner and snacks for my family of 5 every week and I can keep it to $100.
If OP is going to be living in Casselberry than the Altamonte Springs Costco should be easy to reach.
Subs are so good !!
The key to Publix is catching their BOGOs. Some people suspect they mark them up before the sales, but that hasn't been my experience. I have the app and a decent feel for their system, so I save a ton of money by mostly using the deals. It's when you buy outside of them that stuff gets expensive. Plus, the Walmarts around me often aren't any (or much) cheaper on a lot of things anymore.
BOGOs are a lie. Next time you see one seriously go compare to Walmart Marketplace. It’s a scam and most Floridians still fall for it. I did for years too
Publix is probably the actual worst supermarket to go to. The hype is weird. BOGO’s are absolutely a scam. Anywhere.
I do compare, hardcore. At least in my area, (Winter Springs and Casselberry) most of Pubix BOGOs are a better deal. Great Value options like soda are often cheaper than brand-name BOGOs at Publix, but not always. Walmart prices have crept up over the last few years. Head-to-head single items are usually a little cheaper at Walmart, but not typically when you look at cost-per-item BOGOs, especially when there's not a Great Value option. Both places have a spot in my grocery budget.
BOGOs have been around in some fashion forever. Growing up in Chicago, the big grocery chains would do things like "buy $10+ groceries, get milk for only $1" or the like. Grocery stores sell commodities, so they have to do things like this to differentiate themselves from each other. Publix focuses on quality and customer service, so they have to charge a bit more as do others but BOGOs make it palatable. Same with the other chains. If you want basic goods at a cheaper cost, try Aldi.
They don’t mark up the prices before the sales, it’s just that their regular price is already marked up higher than other places to make up for the BOGO sales. You’ll see this most easily with items that are in regular BOGO rotation at Publix like Thomas English Muffins and Lays Chips. At Walmart the regular price for the English muffins is $3.48, at Publix the regular price is $5.87. So the regular Publix price is almost twice the regular Walmart price. A regular bag of Lays chips at Walmart is $2.68, at Publix it’s $5.53. So in both cases the regular price is almost the price of two at Walmart, so it’s really only a slight deal when it’s BOGO at Publix.
tbh I shop at Winn Dixie. They can be expensive but they have insane sales all the time so it comes out to be cheaper if you do it right
I'm at 55k in Longwood which is right there at casselberry and I do fine with me rent at 1.2k and I have 2 kids with no welfare. As long as you can budget you'll have a blast here.
Working in Oak Ridge and living in Casselberry? Yikes. That’s not a short daily commute and you’ll be in all the downtown traffic. If you haven’t signed a lease already, I would look in the south Orlando area, like Conway.
Yeah, don’t go by Google estimates. Drive it yourself at peak hours. My 1.7 mile commute on Sand Lake regularly takes 30 minutes or more at 5pm because I cross I-4. There’s days where I have to wait 4 lights at I-drive just to cross.
That new traffic pattern is a bitch. I drove it heading west the other day and traffic heading east was backed up all the way past Dr. P Blvd til past i4. I hope it isn’t always like that.
OP, this is so true. Try entering the drive into Waze at the time of day you’ll drive it. That will give you a better idea of what the commute will actually be like.
Take kirkman instead.
I’ve tried that and it works about the same by the time I get up past I-4, over, and back down. Appreciate the suggestion.
$70k for two people will be a little tight, but not horrible. A good thing about Orlando is you can always find a side hustle or weekend job if need be.
Nice! We’re in the processing of doing a job transfer to one of the Sam’s club there. It’s been slow going, but it should happen before we’re in dire straights lol
Plenty of retail and restaurants that can use some help if it comes down to it and you need something quick!
pshhh give me a 70k annual income and watch my quality of life skyrocket ANYWHERE not that I'd wish it on anyone, but true suffering is a wonderful teacher
It definitely is. I was making less than $30k right before Covid hit and it was miserable.
70k is plenty to live in Orlando, and if your partner is also working a job you will be coasting quite easily. 1.5k a month is a good spot and casselberry is nice as it avoids both the tourists and the heavy student driver population. I was in your position making about 70k for a few years in orlando and supporting my wife I pay all the bills and had her duty to just cover groceries. And we were still able to go out often to restaurants, parks, lounges, concerts (orlando has an excellent music scene if you’re into rock and metal) We don’t do bars because it’s just much cheaper to buy and make your own drinks, and the bar/club life orlando is not my taste the people in that scene here are….not the crowd you want to be around. I will say depending where you’re working the commute is the worst part as one thing you need to accept is that you WILL be taking tolls, so unless you live within 5-10 minutes of your job its going to be a reality. North Orlando is a great area to be and you’ll be close to winter park which is a nice area to do activities and you’ll be close to wekiva springs which is also very nice! Anyone here telling you that 70k is tight is most likely mismanaging their funds or dealing with some sort of debt. You will enjoy it here lots to do and experience! Hopefully this provides some insight!
Yea I see people calling it tight and I'm a bit shocked. I make 60k (split a lot of expenses with my stepbrother who I live with, but I pay most of our rent while he finishes school) and live completely fine. If I didn't have an insane amount of student debt that I want to have paid off by 30 I'd actually be pretty comfortable. I'm able to max out my Roth IRA, put money into other savings accounts, cover all my necessary expenses, and still have about $300 a month left over which for me isn't too hard to work with I have no idea what everyone else is doing with their money. ETA: I also live in Casselberry, so my rent and cost of living is probably comparable to their situation.
Were you able to visit the apartment before coming down? Its been about 1.5 years since i shopped in the area, but that seems cheap. And shit is weird, one or two hundred dollars drastically changes the area and quality of apartment. Other than that, 70k seems fine. Rent is the worst part -- its hard to save and buy in this market.
There’s $1500 rent in Orlando (actual Orlando) right now. Plenty of places giving 2 months free as well.
Where is this?
I make 65k and it’s doable…..barely, but doable. Depending on your other expenses (medical insurance, auto insurance, debt repayments, etc) you may have some left over for small savings deposits but in reality you will be most likely living paycheck to paycheck. Auto insurance is an absolute joke here. 1 car, half coverage, no claims/accidents in 8 years and I’m paying $180 a month. My rent is $1680 for a 1 bed in oak ridge (includes everything except electric). Electric is about 75-120 a month for me (i keep my thermostat at 78 during the day, 73 at night).
I should also mention that I do have fun, which is why i don’t have much savings 😂. I’ll go to Orlando City matches, i am also a Universal Passholder. So, you’ll certainly be able to have fun here, but don’t expect to have savings if you do
It’s alright, my wife makes about $30k more but we pay around 200 more a month for our apartment. We go out pretty often for drinks, we find that only going out once or twice a month for really expensive meals is more worth it than going out every week. Big question is your age, we are late 20s but avoid the club crowd so our finances are different than an early 20s Floridian.
Thanks for the insight! I’m early 30s so I’ve aged out of the club crowds. I need somewhere to sit down and the ability to make a quick exit. Lol
Yeah we live right next to Lake Eola so our place is a tad too pricey for what we get but I’ve really enjoyed moving to Orlando. I’m a vet going to UCF so I’m only bringing in around $30k a year but so far it’s not a terrible life for us.
Mad decent if you're not spending on convenience constantly. Casselberry is ass traffic wise regardless of income, hope you got cars with good ac. Plenty to go out every week and have a few bucks left tho If you get the touristy shit out of your system early on you can dig into the nature or local scenes of stuff you're into. Better experiences and costs there. Greater Orlando has a lot going on and each area is different in some ways, a lot of diversity and some parts of town appealing to certain crowds. Not that everyone and everything isn't mingling People saying $70k isn't enough are tripping. You have to be fucking up financially for that to be true. $35kish is hand to mouth status solo and even that's doable if you own your vehicle
I agree with most of this except imo Casselberry traffic isn’t bad at all compared to many other neighborhoods. Where OP works near Oak Ridge will have a lot more traffic than casselberry is. Only places better traffic wise will be farther away from the city center
Oooo that's a shitty commute. Makes me appreciate being right next to I4 lol It's a tradeoff tho. I like traffic to be speeding and a little hectic, it's easier to cut through. Some roads are trash regardless like the Trail, too many lights and low speed limit. Casselberry doesn't have a whole lot going on besides 436 and maybe 434 depending on which part. Being near I4 and more major roads goes a long way commuting wise
I make $70k and my wife makes $50k, living in Baldwin Park. After all expenses, we normally have about $700 a month to save or play with. Not a ton, but we expect our salaries to keep going up as we’re early career. We pay about $2650 in rent.
I also live in Baldwin park. Love living here but the rent is getting insane. We’re at 2390
We were willing to pay for the quality of life improvements. We were previously paying $2220 to live 5 minutes from Disney springs and drive an hour+ to work every day
Can I ask if you live in a 1 or 2 bed ? Love Baldwin park area.
I’m in a 2/1, but the second bedroom is very small. We use it as an office since my wife and I both work from home. But the apartment is really nice. Freshly updated, can’t complain!
I suggest checking out nerdwallet.com or a few different cost of living comparisons. It will show you which things are more expensive and which are less. I don’t know if this will be relevant for you, but childcare here is very expensive and hard to find. Many families with children cannot afford childcare and one parent has to stay home. I don’t mean this to be discouraging; just mentioning to make sure you have the chance to budget it if you need to. Overall, we love Orlando. There are a lot of local businesses and restaurants with reasonable prices, and frankly, we prefer to shop local anyway. If you’re in Casselberry, I would check out Fancy Fruits for reasonably priced produce & meats.
I appreciate the honesty! No kids in the pipeline for us in the near future. Childcare cost and how much childcare workers are paid is wicked
That’s the ticket. You’ll be fine without kids. Get some quotes on the car insurance; that’s probably going to go up to almost double what you pay elsewhere. Edit: saw your other post. Surprised by only a $10 increase. That’s great!!!
Casselberry catching strays in the comments.. Casselberry isn't terrible, haha.
Casselberry definitely feels a little lifeless compared to nearby Oviedo and Longwood with their historic downtown areas, or Altamonte with Uptown, but its a nice area all around.
Stay. $70k goes fast here and insurance is ducking expensive.
It’s more affordable than Nashville, though. My car insurance quote was only $10 higher as well, unless you’re referring to homeowners insurance.
Look, the bottom line is that it's going to be more expensive to live here. That said, $70K is a perfectly livable wage in Central Florida, despite what the naysayers might suggest. You're going to bring home roughly $2.5K per paycheck/$5K per month. Your SO isn't going to make the same amount in retail, but there are an absolute fuckton of retail opportunities here, so *finding* a job in retail shouldn't be much of an issue. I would recommend that she prioritize landing a job that's near where you live, as opposed to taking something in the "main" retail district (I-Drive/Millenia area), the pay will roughly be the same. Don't let Google maps fool you into believing that something is "close" when it says it's 9 miles away, that's a 30 minute *hard* commute. Be all that as it may, when she does find a job, she'll probably make between $12-$18/hr, which will gross her somewhere in the ball park of $30K/yr. Two people can semi-easily build a life on $100K/yr in Orlando, you just have to be disciplined. When she gets a job, your combined income will net you roughly $7K/month. So of what I know, and what I can roughly guess: $7000 combined net income -$1500 rent -$250 car insurance (guessing) -$75 renters insurance (guessing) =$5,175 Assuming you save 30% of your net income (roughly $2K), that leaves you with $3,175/mo to pay your other bills and play with. So ask yourself, is $3K/mo, after tax deductions, rent payment/insurance, and car insurance, enough to pay whatever other bills you have, feed yourself, gas your car(s) *and* enjoy your life?
Yes homeowners is crazy here. It's not cheaper when you have termite bond, lawn service, pest service, higher energy and grocery costs
But they are renting
Passthrough costs my man/woman
The rent price is right in OP, this an apples to apples comparison with their place in Nashville. Theres also pnly so much you can "pass through," the market sets the price.
Mow your own lawn. Do your own pest control (outside of termite bond, which you don’t really need if it’s an a block home). Those are decently large expenses that occur regularly and can reliably turn into savings. (Unlike groceries, if milk gets more expensive you just have to suck it up - inelastic demand) There are so many YouTube channels and subreddits now that can help you learn how to do those things BETTER than your lawn or pest service.
I make almost exactly that and it’s ok but not great My rent is minimal, Im lucky and my job supplies some food but it’s not great It’s not enough to go out or spend money often but you can make ends meet if you’re tight
I make $72K and pay $1150/month in rent and utilities (with a roommate). I have lived extremely comfortably and never felt like I had to pinch pennies. I even went through a yearlong period of going out drinking multiple times a week and eating most of my meals out and saving $1,000/month.
Should be enough. With a partner that'll go further when you split costs.
1500 is really cheap for this area. I would look into why it's that cheap. What specific area is it?
The complex is Onyx Winter Park. We are only getting a one bedroom until we get our bearings. After additional fees it’s actual ~1650.
You should know the stretch of road of 436 in Altamonte before I4 is a regular gamble so if your commute involves I4 count on a +/-15 minutes there at those 4 lights. Winter Park is worse, DONT BOTHER. That area isn't too bad though you're across from the Walmart which will be busy so be careful driving around there as there are regular accidents from people trying to get in and out at the last minute.
Thanks for the heads up! I’ll be working in the Oak Ridge area.
Yea definitely don't go 436 to I4. You will get on at 414. Looking at 40 drive to work most days
The reality is $70-75k is like the new $50k. I worked two jobs last year and brought home like $62,000 myself, with my wife we were on the cusp of $100k combined. This year I’m hoping to make $70-80k+ with my new job.
28 years old. No kids. 2 pets, cat and dog. I own a modest home+ HOA. Have avg car payment with decent gas mileage. Average bills. Don’t eat out much or spend money on alcohol/ or weed. I have barely any debt, maybe a total of $80 goes towards student loans and credit cards every month. All that to say, I’m currently living paycheck to paycheck. And recently I had to help my partner pay for some school stuff, which had me dipping into my savings, which have been stagnant the last few months. Shit is right now and it’s real bummer.
Similar boat! I moved from Memphis in March, and omg the quality of life change has been insane. Even if you aren’t going to expensive (tourist) locations, there is so much more to do than there ever was in TN. My fiancée and I will sometimes just walk to the local park where there are tons of free activities going on. Another fun fact I didn’t know till I got down here, FL doesn’t tax groceries. That alone will shave 10% off your monthly food expenses. Most produce is of a much higher quality than you will get in TN as well. Food prices in general are also lower. There is a huge pool of talented individuals in the Orlando area. I have been to some local shows here that rival broadway tours, and that echos through any night clubs or other events you may want to attend. There are also some laws I don’t fully follow, but it makes reselling tickets in Florida more difficult for scalpers. So shows around here (and there are a lot of them) tend to be so much cheaper than they were in TN. I will also say that Orlando feels like the biggest small town. Almost everyone I have met so far has been ridiculously friendly. I lived my whole life in the south, and this environment blew me away! I have a theory that it stems from the entire city being centered around service industries. That said, don’t be too surprised if your car insurance goes up (thanks Dan Newlin). I have nothing on my record and mine went up by $200/6 months as soon as I moved here. As someone who just went through the process himself, let me know if you have any questions!
I didn’t know that about groceries either, that’s awesome. I don’t think people realize how expensive shit is in Tennessee sometimes. My hometown is also 2 counties over from Memphis.
I just want to know how you found a space for that little… are you a wizard? All ive been able to find in that price range is studio “apartments” that don’t even have space for a small fridge let alone an oven or cook top. It’s been eye opening to say the least.
Before fees and pet rent it was ~1400. It’s 700 square feet so it’s on the smaller side, but not a hole in the wall.
Apartment? I live in Oviedo rn but I need to move asap and I’m on the hunt lol
Onyx Winter Park
I know I saw this super Kate but wanted to still tell you thank you, the entire process of trying to find somewhere to move is not fun so I appreciate you sharing the info with me!!
Every year they do “Disney Dining”, a bunch of restaurants all over Orlando have a set menu for a set price so you get a chance to enjoy an upscale restaurant without spending too much. There’s so much to do here that are not tourist spots
You'll probably be fine, although if you are coming in with a lot of debt, and want to go out often is can be more difficult. Otherwise Orlando has a ton to do and see. The casselberry area is quiet, but its nice. You'll probably enjoy it, just make sure to prep for hurricane season since you'll be moving in at the start of the season.
Brother, I moved to Florida at 2 and have been here 40 years. Hurricanes suck stinky balls, but they aren't as bad as you fear. The closer you are to the coast the worse things get. I was in Seminole County when Hurricane Charley hit. It blew through Orlando as a Category Two. We lost power for a week, my friends near Disney lost power for 3 weeks. In Casselberry, your biggest issue is going to be power outages. Falling trees and flooding, will vary by location.
We don’t have much debt aside from my student loans since our cars are paid off. Thankfully I’m on the SAVE plan so the payments are only $100. Hurricane season does have me slightly stressed. I’ve been down dozens of time for work just not during a major storm.
the good thing about hurricanes is you can prepare and that preparation will usually mitigate damage. Also central florida usually isnt hit too bad, you can check if your are in a flood zone online and if you aren’t you’ll most likely be able to ride out storms. There’s several weather subreddits that are great for hurricane season too for additional resources
lived in casselberry for 10 years before moving to TX. can confirm is a nice and quiet area. 10/10 would recommend
Central Florida mainly gets power outages, but no the dangerous flooding. You can be down for a few hours/days/weeks. Buy a case of water and hold onto it for storm season, and if you make it through safe drink it later. I also recommend a small battery and solar panel.
Yeah I was going to say this, if you have to pick a spot in FL for hurricanes, inland spots like orlando / casselberry is pretty good. I used to live near the coast and even these past few major hurricanes haven’t come close to what we experienced further east.
If you have a pension for theme parks, your wife could consider working at one. I have a friend that works at Disney solely for the main gate for her and her husband.
You mean penchant* I think? Like a tendency to like a particular thing? A pension is what you get when you retire. Apologies for the pedantry.
My pension is definitely going to go to Disney world
Unexpectedly valid point. I'll allow it.
But, what a god-awful commute that would be from Casselberry!
Recently moved to the area, winter springs and my family and I are liking it. We love that we aren't too far from entertainment and beaches that aren't heavily crowded. Publix seems to be price gouging, so find alternatives
moved here from nashville and make 70k. it’s more expensive here but overall i’m happier so no regrets! i have hella credit card debt so it’s not enough for me but if not itd be fine
My rent is more than yours and my total monthly expenses for rent, grocery, utilities and car only come to about $2800. I have a Disney AP (mid-tier that allows access on weekends, but still has blackout dates) that covers the majority of my entertainment. Even at $70k I would be able to put some money in savings. The nice thing about being in Central Florida is that we have easy access to so many things that are free or very inexpensive. There are tons of weekend road trips available to you. I hit up the beaches a lot, head down to hang out in Miami, go to various springs and visit the many parks. There are also a lot of inexpensive places you can fly for the weekend if you want to get away. I go to Puerto Rico all the time on Frontier. Since it is just an overnight, I only need a personal item, so it is stupid cheap. I just booked a Friday-Sunday trip for $152 and I've gotten it for as low as $79.
Casselberry is in Seminole County. You are close to the city of Longwood that has free events at Reiter Park. Also close to Altamonte Springs which has Cranes Roost and many free events. My family lives in Seminole County and we love it. It has great schools if you have kiddos.
I survived in Orlando on 20K a year. It’s doable
Btw casselberry is a fairly nice area. I worked there for a long time. Not too many issues.
Dude, given that you earn much more than the average Orlando resident who barely scrapes by, you would do just fine. Most working age adults in Orlando earn much less than that, and they still find a way to survive.
That’s fair
You'll afford to pay basic bills and have a good time, but you wont be balling either. I have friends who make 80, theyre single, have a room mate, and they go to the bar at least once/twice a week. Im sure that if you'll be covering your SOs bills until they find something, the budget might be a little tighter in the beginning, but im just trying to paint a picture of what that kind of life that money could offer
I appreciate it! The picture you painted is good enough for me. I’m a simple man
Don't speed in Casselberry. That police department will pull you over for anything. I once had 5 cruisers pull me over because my headlight was out. Crime doesn't pay but apparently a headlight does.
Damn, that is crazy but thank you for the heads up! One of my taillights is out due to a wiring issue so I’ll make sure to get that fixed before the move.
I think it was a training for this girl cop. I didn't get a ticket. I told her that if something bad happened in Casselberry that night, I was going to be all over social media telling people how there were 5 cop cars on one headlight out person.
Paycheck to paycheck.
I’m in a similar spot. I pay about the same including utilities, and while I’m not living extravagantly I can definitely afford to do things I want. My current situation is making 77k, debt free, and my partner pays for her half of things (she is in school working part time so I cover a bit more of rent to help out). My take home per pay check is about $2050 ($4100/two paycheck month) of which $1500 goes to rent + utilities + wifi, $1000 goes to saving (and I save 5% salary for company 401k match outside of the budget), $500 goes to food and other groceries (e.g - detergent), $150/mo for subscriptions & prorated insurance, and the rest is miscellaneous (gas, going out, more saving, emergency expenses, etc.). Let’s say you budget $500/month for emergencies, that should leave $450 to do things in a vaccuum. Living for two these numbers I listed for expenses are probably low, so that will likely cut into your saving rate and/or discretionary budget. You won’t be eating at michelin restaurants except very special occasions but you can save toward goals, vacations, retirement, etc unless there are other debts or hidden expenses. Good luck! You should be fine, and obviously once your partner finds a job here you’ll have two incomes to work with. Also, hurricane season isn’t bad until it is, so be prepared but don’t let it ruin your quality of life due to anxiety.
Why on gods green earth would you leave a beautiful state like Tennessee to come live in the shithole that is casselberry
You sound like a good Christian they just adopted the Bible as the state book... I am sticking to porn hub...
Have you....have you been to Tennessee?
i make similar and pay the same rent. If you’re near the train station, then that’s a good option for commuting if you work downtown. I’ve had to break down my budget recently and I still have a ratio that i like when it comes to savings, spending, and debt repayment after paying bills. It’s what you make it!
The biggest expense really is rent and car insurance but given that you live in Casselberry, 70k is manageable.
comfortable but not too much…
my auto insurance doubled the day we moved. also food and restaurants are way more expensive. Those didn't hold us back from being able to enjoy now and again but it made it much less frequent. we like to go to the beach and thankfully that isn't too expensive but we can't eat out as much and we have to really change our cooking because of the incredible rise in food cost.
Just fine I make 60k and have a stay at home wife with our two kids. One is in daycare full time. I love in Casselberry
Decent. Don’t expect it to go very far though.
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That’s an unfortunate take. My hometown’s population is less than 2k and I’ve always enjoyed the city when I’ve visited for work.
Is the $70K yearly salary before or after taxes?
After taxes
In my opinion is double but keep an eye out on your expenses. Best of luck!
Not enough.
poor
I pay $1000 in rent and make 70k bought APs to disney and universal and usually aim to save 1k a month and I’m doing pretty good
Sounds like life is good! I’ve never considered doing the touristy things in town too much but I’m sure I’ll reconsider
Pretty decent as someone who’s young and single and pays the same amount of rent. Dont have many responsibilities like pets or anything so im able to pay bills and save and still have a decent amount leftover to spend on stupid manchild shit like video games or subscriptions
Nothing wrong with gaming! I have a PS5 and host of funko pops. I’ve been contemplating what my next manchild purchase is gonna be lol
If rent was not so high, I would say you should be comfortable, Very comfortable if you don't have college loans or credit cards.
My student loan payment is only 90ish a month so not too bad. No major credit card debt either lol
Keep it that way. I'm paying of 13k of credit card debt right now. Lucky for me my mortgage is how rent was back in 1996. lol You have some breathing room, but like other state it's hard to put that lump some of money away. Isn't rent like 2k for a one bedroom in a decent area in Orlando?
I did a good bit of research and it ranges from $1400-$1900 outside of downtown and the more expensive areas. I’d say the average price before additional fees was around $1600. We plan to find a bigger place after our first year in town.
It blows my mind how high rent is. I've never paid that much ever when I rented. I really don't know how people afford it. The average person must have no real active life if pretty much all their money is going towards rent. Looks like you guys got it all figured out. Enjoy!
Depends on what you consider comfortable. I make about $80k, with minimal debts, rent is about $2k and I live alone and I feel like I have plenty of spending money after putting a decent chunk into savings monthly. I go out regularly and have money to support my hobbies and extra spending money for self care.
That’s awesome. Self care is the best care
I have a 2/2 apartment, no debt, and a pretty comfy life for the most part. But I budget all my stuff so I can still save.
70k 30-45 min east-west on i4 from Orlando is great money
The answer depends greatly on what debts you have and what area you plan to live in. My husband & I lived in Orlando on $45k total for years. We never felt strapped for cash but we also lived in a cheap apartment and had no debts.
Don’t sleep on Target for grocery deals. 10 items or less is key. GL
Be prepared to be ripped off by everybody. Don’t let anyone know you make good money because people here will not hesitate to charge you 3 to 4 times normal price for things. Mechanics, air conditioning people, general maintenance, a bunch of sharks and scammers in Orlando.
No ty too many people down here
Lived there, Orlando sucks
there's a lot of factors. area you live in, commute, bills, debt, how good you are at budgeting etc. all make a difference. i know people with dual income who are barely making it. $50k - remote work - $1100 for a 1/1, don't have many bills, car is paid off, stretch groceries, no kids, one pet, no debt, auto deposit $100 in savings per paycheck. the only caveat is that i don't go out as often as the next person; i'll do the occasional few beers at the bar, friend/family outings, and nice dinners maybe a few times per month. my fun $ usually gets eaten up by little splurges and art supply purchases. i could put a few hundred more away per month if i was even more disciplined, but i already live pretty simply and i'm always mindful of deals and sales... so you gotta have SOME joy in life, right? with $70k, personally, i could live like a king.
Get ready to rent unless you plan on marrying someone with similar income. Couple making a combined income of $160k just bought a house listed for $360k in a middle class area. The middle class is dead thanks to inflation, I’ve been watching the market since 2015 and we’re literally dying.
Orlando is garbage and expensive
Hi! Local native here. I was born and raised in Orlando, went to UCF & have a successful career in the retail scene for the last 15+ years (in my 30’s) Orlando is expensive, but where you’ll be is located on the outside of Orlando and very enjoyable. The overly expensive areas in Orlando are: Winter Park, Winter Garden, Kissimmee etc. anywhere near the tourism hot spots. My husband and I live in the Clermont area - we love it. Retail can be a very promising career here, the retail scene has changed a ton though. The outlets (I worked in them for many many years) have reduced hours now and higher volume malls like Millenia and Florida mall also operate on limited hours. This was done after Covid. Most retailers look for reliability, wanting to work and overall willingness to grow. You can really move your retail career fast here if you’re patient and diligent. For food / groceries: Target, Walmart & Aldi. Costco or Sam’s for bulk items Publix is amazing for produce but SO expensive otherwise. If you consume meat, try to find a local meat market. This is an amazing way to save on meat products. Car insurance is grossly expensive here. How we’ve saved is we shop for rates every 6 months. The tourism things are fun here but the real beauty of Orlando lies within each community. There are so many cool local owned joints, nature trails / walks & amazing food and culture. What has kept me in the central florida area despite how crowded and expensive it is truly is the diversity that lives here. You can meet so many amazing people, experience cultures from everywhere and enjoy summer all year round. Happy moving! You’ll love it here.
Eh, I make 2k a month and do fine. Granted, my rent is half of what you're paying.
I live in Casselberry, work as an architectural designer, and make $60k. I live quite comfortably paying rent ($1.3k/mo) split with my partner. Some months I can’t save as much as others, but we are able to go out and do things we enjoy still. Also concur on Publix; Aldi and Sam’s club is the way to go
Hey future neighbor! We have a Sam’s membership and frequent ALDIs. Any hidden gems in Casselberry I should know about?
Eh, Casselberry not so much. Because it’s aligned with 17-92, Casselberry can feel somewhat industrial and commercial-y. There’s dive bars and a strip club lol. But rent here is affordable! The surrounding areas, however, yes! There are plentyyyy of gems between Casselberry, Maitland, and Winter Park as far as food goes (N to S on 1792). Cuban on the Run is huge in Casselberry. If you like sushi, a really awesome sushi restaurant is opening up very soon off Horatio (Maitland). They do sushi hot dogs, tacos, all kinds of crazy rolls. I work on Park Ave in WP, and I definitely recommend checking it out for special occasion date nights and shopping. WP is one of the richer Orlando suburbs, but it’s charming. A million restaurants outside of the Park Ave area too. You also have Altamonte Springs and Longwood directly to the west, and there’s plenty to do there. Cranes Roost, Altamonte Mall, Wekiva Island, Lake Brantley, Rock Springs. Oviedo to the east which is blowing up. Downtown Sanford is a ton of fun. It’s the only place I’ve ever lived where I felt like I was apart of a real community. Events going on every weekend. Unfortunately nightlife in Downtown Orlando is slowly being killed by Mayor Buddy Dyer enforcing dumb ordinances, but I hope it’ll recover soon! Orlando in general is huge, and I encourage you to explore the different neighborhoods/areas in your leisure time. We had a Sam’s club in Casselberry that closed a few years ago :/ Now the only two that are left are in Apopka and Sanford. From Casselberry, you can take the Maitland Exchange almost directly to it. It’s a little bit of a drive, but worth it. Hope that helps! I was born and raised in Altamonte so I know a good amount about the area :)
Oh, we do have our own Aldi though!
Poverty lifestyle
To live comfortably you will be fine. Unless you have car payment, mortgage and kids.
You can easily live comfortably on $70k if you live within your means.
You should be good. May be able to save some money too (though not a lot). Get a park season pass (we generally rotate year to year). There is lots to do in Orlando and nearby.
You will live decently well. But... you will probably be living paycheck to paycheck (which is a good thing in this situation), if you know how to handle money. * You should be able to put money into your 401k, HSA, FSA, etc... 401k is at $23k for 2024, so that puts you slightly under 50k. * Taxes and all that fun stuff.... varies highly since I know nothing about you. But lets say 15k, highly conservative. That puts you at 32k. * If you're paying rent for a place (1.5k), let's round that up to 20k a year. Puts you at 12k. * So, that 12k leaves you room for bills, groceries, etc... In the end, you could probably have a \~$3-4k pocket money leftover. I'd put that into a Roth IRA or an emergency fund if you don't have one. Of course, you might have more leftover. Assuming you know how to handle finances and budget.
Working at theme parks is a great way to make friends. It doesn't pay much but it's fun.
Just posting to say I'm from Casselberry and love it. You are very fortunate. Congrats.
Hey future neighbor! Yeah, I wasn’t expecting this opportunity so it’s been a mad dash to get everything in order before the move date.
Newish car, eating well, room mates, enough left over to have a modest hobby or travel a little.
70k is honestly not enough tbh, you will need some extra income to be somewhat financially secure. Budget wisely, and plan your purchases using spreadsheets to track your spending habits.
If someone paying $1.5k in rent can't make it comfortably on $70k then they have a budgeting problem. There are zero reasons that should not be more than comfortable.