On Sun, 20 Jan 2013 18:35:59 -0500, jmcquown >
wrote:

>On 1/20/2013 5:40 PM, Susan wrote:
>> On 1/20/2013 12:28 PM, jmcquown wrote:
>>
>>> You make it sound easy. Want to buy a house? Three bedrooms, 2 baths,
>>> 1700 sq. feet. But don't forget, you also have to join the club. That's
>>> $7200. And they raised the monthly dues for 2013 from $285 to
>>> $304/month. That's on top of the $830 a year for dining. Oh, and
>>> $1900/yr. for them to maintain the property. *Their* property, not
>>> yours. You still have to mow your own lawn or pay someone to do it.
>>
>> I have a house, and without a HOA, it costs me at least that much to
>> maintain it.
>
>You're kidding me. You must have a house that is completely falling
>down around your ears.
>
>Jill

I pay taxes, utilities, and insurance that exceeds that... and I still
have lots of costs for maintenence and repairs. I have no benefit of
a club where I can hang out and I have to do all the cooking unless I
go out to eat and then that can easily cost more than eating at your
club. There's really no way to compare living expenses without an in
depth study. I probably pay more to mow my lawn once than you pay
someone for a whole year... my two tractors cost well over $80,000 and
I pay over $1,000 each year just for normal servicing, not to mention
that I'm taxed a good deal for my barn to store my tractors... I pay
insurance on the barn and tractors too, and then there's that not so
minor cost of diesel fuel, runs about $4.50/gal now and I use 15
gallons every week during the 7 month mowing season... and I have to
do all the mowing. I'd be very happy to sit on my butt and stuff my
gut at your club if someone would mow my lawn. I'd say you're living
pretty good, a big well appointed domicile in a prime location... too
good in fact, that's too much house for one person... and it's just
you supporting it all... were it me I'd have a housemate to share
expenses. Your problem is that you insist on doing it all and all by
yourself, has nothing to do with The Club. You can't have it both
ways unless you're independantly wealthy and obviously you're not.