A Week In Dallas, TX, On A $665,000 Joint Income

📋 The basics

• 💰 Joint Income: $665,000 (Me: $190k base + $40k bonus + $250k RSUs. Husband: $185k)
• 📍 Location: Dallas, TX
• 🏠 Net Worth: ~$1.4M (Includes $500k retirement, $400k investments, and home equity)
• 💸 Monthly Expenses: $3,500 mortgage (split), $1,000 charity, $200 utilities, $70 internet, $50 phone, $17 Spotify, $15 HBO Max, $50 health insurance.

💸 This week's damage

This was not a normal week. We officially closed on our custom "forever home" that we signed for two years ago. The value has already jumped from $650k to $1M, which is wild. Between the down payment and furnishing a five-bedroom house from scratch, my credit card is screaming.

• 🏠 Housing/Closing: $98,414 (Down payment and closing costs)
• 🛋️ Home/Shopping: $10,054 (CB2 furniture, Crate & Barrel, Rogue home gym, and a 75-inch TV)
• ☕ Espresso Hobby: $1,865 (Niche Zero, Breville, and all the accessories)
• 🚗 Transport: $847.50 (Car maintenance)
• 🍎 Groceries/Dining: $336.50 (Mostly Costco and local BBQ)
• 📈 Investments: $10,000 (Transfer to Wealthfront)

Total: $111,987.52

🧐 The bigger picture

Closing day was a marathon of signing 100 pages and then immediately panicking because our moving truck won't be here for weeks. We ended up buying "essentials" like a 75-inch Sony Bravia (yes, I consider that essential) and a rice cooker just to survive the first few nights.

I spent a lot of time on r/espresso and r/homegym this week. Since we finally have the space, I went all out on a Niche Zero grinder and a full Rogue Fitness setup for the garage. I know $264 for a coffee scale is ridiculous, but we want quality items that last. We also dropped $400 on a Le Creuset and Wusthof knives because I am ready to actually cook in this kitchen.

🏁 Final thoughts

I am fully aware that this week looks insane. We are usually much more low-key (we plan to drive our current car until it dies), but the "new house" fever is real. Once the garage floor is epoxied and the furniture arrives, I expect our spending to fall off a cliff. For now, I am just happy to be eating off real plates instead of napkins.