re: New Public School Teacher Take-Home Pay ???

Another thing I should also mention if you don't know about it. If your wife/teacher has student loans, there's a federal student loan forgiveness program for teachers. After 5 years teaching in a qualified school (typically low income areas, LP qualifies), they'll forgive up to $5k or $17.5k if math or science. Pretty sweet bonus.

I'm a mechanical engineer in O&G.

I am in the guard, they/taxpayers paid for my school. Arkansas has a few areas where they would pay back loans. I'd make half of what I'm making in those areas.

I am grossing right at 3000 a month after taxes and benefits. (But before student loan payments)

I am starting my 4th year in a rural Alabama system. I have my Masters. I also receive two supplements - Assistant Football coach and Head Softball coach. So I am grossing a little over 50k on a 180 working day contract 4 years from College. And my health insurance costs me about 152 dollars a month through PEEHIP (that is Medical, Dental, Vision, Indemnity, and Cancer)

All my student loans are consolidated federal loans (Stafford and Parent Plus) and payments are capped at 10 percent of my after tax income or 320. Since I teach at a Title 1 school after 120 (10 years) of on time payments the rest of my federal debt is forgiven. My masters cost my no additional funds in the long run. Neither will an EDS or Administrative Degree if I choose to pursue those routes.

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My wife is a teacher. She started at about the same rate, after taxes m-0, insurance, union dues, and little extra retirement, I think it was closer to 2000.

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I would go with something like this. I find it always better to be on the conservative side when making household budgets, as the worst that can happen is saving money.