Income Question, Springfield/Nixa Area

[simplewife&mom]

Originally Posted by christina0001

I think your budget would be awfully tight, but it all depends on how you live. If you can make it on $20/hour in CA, $15/hour in MO is certainly possible. Just be aware, employers in MO are not nearly as generous with health/medical benefits and retirement benefits as employers on the coast are, or at least that has been my experience.
Best of luck.

Thank you.

That's kind of what I figured - do-able but tight. It's how we've always lived here too. My hub makes a lot more at his new job since getting laid off in Feb, but he's only home on weekends. We've learned that we will trade in the extra money to have our time together back again.

Although it is nice being able to finally add to savings every week!

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by simplewife&mom

We got a call on a job my husband applied for and that's the pay offered. He hasn't spoken with them yet, as he didn't have access to a phone on the jobsite last week. I only spoke with them briefly. So I am researching, and wanted to know what you guys on city-data thought about it.

If you don't mind me asking, what field is your husband's new job offer in?

[mrschilicook]

Like others have said, if you can live on $20 hour in CA (depending "where" your doing it) you can probably do it on 75% of that number around here if your thrifty and live close to work to keep expenses down. I can't say it would be tight or easy because I don't know how you live now. I am from the SF bay area and can't imagine living on $20/hr. to be honest.

You may want to check out not only City Data, but also Sperlings and one of the cost of living calculators on the web for comparisons. Plus moving is expensive and needs to be included in your planning.

We moved here from two years ago from Las Vegas but before that we lived in CA for most of our adult lives. There are some things here that are cheaper...mainly cost of housing and gasoline. But most things like food, clothing, property taxes, etc..are comparable. There are trade-offs with everything...even the blasted humidity which I don't find nearly as bad as the bugs...spiders, beetles, various types of critters...

[sheriwx]

I know many people with small families who live there at $15 an hour or less. It's tight, but doable. You would need to be careful with your money though.

[simplewife&mom]

Originally Posted by sheriwx

I know many people with small families who live there at $15 an hour or less. It's tight, but doable. You would need to be careful with your money though.

It's always been tight for us here in CA (Sacramento area) but we live simply and frugally. So it might work out. I'm just afraid of moving away from family/friends and then finding out we can't live on my husband's salary alone. Then I might have to find a job and not be home with the kids full-time. I've been blessed to be a housewife since they were born.

Hey - is it pretty hot and muggy there? We're having an uncommonly cool spring here. Very mild and in the 40s in the morning.

[Hillman]

I moved back here one time from Colorado this time of year the weather was hard on me the rest of the Summer.But on the other side of the coin I moved back here from San Diego Christmas Eve the Winter was very hard on me.

Here last few years we've had very wet Spings,pretty cool,usually burning wood later than I would like to.Then all of a sudden like over night its Summer Lows in the 70's and Highs in the 90's,very humid.Falls have been warm,seems like its not turning cold until December,just no hard freeze like we use to have butlots of ice and few wet snows.

hillman

[simplewife&mom]

Originally Posted by 8 SNAKE

If you don't mind me asking, what field is your husband's new job offer in?

Well, for the past 12 years he worked in the hearth products industry - selling/servicing/installing wood/gas/pellet stoves. An acquaintance from high school started a family business and my husband ran into him one day and was hired at the very beginning. That was 1997. I was 9 months pregnant with our daughter, his boss' son was like 6. All these years it's been a really successful business, and we've seen each other's kids grow up. Things have gotten real tight here for people in any kinds of construction. Builders aren't building spec. houses anymore and putting stoves in them. People are holding off on that remodel or new stove. So, in Feb. the decision was made to let my husband go to try and save the business. He made the most and cost the most to employ. It was very hard on all involved.

Anyway, before 1997 he was in hvac and sheet metal for many years, and that is what this job in Nixa was for. He spoke to the hiring agency today and they're looking for someone who has had more recent experience in the trade. We got the same answer today from a local Sacramento company too. It's hard to know if I'm relieved that we aren't moving (yet), or disappointed that we're not, or upset that he didn't get the Sacramento job and we still may have to move - or what. Things are up in the air for lots of people right now, not just us. So, I guess I'll just figure that God's shutting doors and He knows what He's doing.

Thanks again for the input. It will help with any future jobs that come up.

[8 SNAKE]

Originally Posted by simplewife&mom

So, I guess I'll just figure that God's shutting doors and He knows what He's doing.

That's the best perspective to have, in my opinion. God doesn't make mistakes...

[victoria1016]

Well we are a family of 5, and we make not much more than that thanks to my job cutting me back to part time and freight running slow. We are having my husband come off of the truck so I imagine things will get tighter. But all that said I think a person that is used to streatching their money can make it just fine. I have to smile when I read things about affording health insurance and retirement plans. We have not had jobs that payed enough to be able to afford insurance, let alone put money away for retirement in 10 years. I think that is the difference in getting by and living comfortably. I think most people who mention those things probably have no idea what it is really like to live paycheck to paycheck anymore. We get paid on Friday, but by Thursday I already have it spent. And by the way we do plenty of fun things together. I save throughout the year for Silver Dollar City passes for the following year, we go camping and visit caves, we have picnics in the park and take drives in the country. Familes have been finding ways to have a great time on a small budget for 100 years and more. I am not tryng to bash anyone, so please do not take offense. But I see people eveyday talking about how hard they have it and they have money in the bank, a retirement plan, health insurance, a $1600.00 mortgage, two new cars and eat out 3 times a week. We have a 525.00 mortgage (bought a fixer upper), two paid for cars (built in 2000), I do not run my A/C most of the time so my bill averages 30.00 a month, and we do not eat out very often. But I also manage to have my boys in sports, my daughter does competitive cheer, we have pizza night once a week and even go to the movies once a month. All without a credit card in sight.
Anywho, yes you can make it on $600.00 a week if you are careful, stick to a budget and do not have to always be in competition with the Jones's. Before we bought our house we rented a nice house in Phelps Grove area of Springfield for $595.00. 3 BR and a basement. It really is possible and if it means bringing your family back together then it is most definatly worth the struggle. I promise you my kids do not remember the Disney vacation, but they remember gathering icicles together on a back country road, and roasting marshmallows during our camping trips.

[simplewife&mom]

Originally Posted by victoria1016

Well we are a family of 5, and we make not much more than that thanks to my job cutting me back to part time and freight running slow. We are having my husband come off of the truck so I imagine things will get tighter. But all that said I think a person that is used to streatching their money can make it just fine. I have to smile when I read things about affording health insurance and retirement plans. We have not had jobs that payed enough to be able to afford insurance, let alone put money away for retirement in 10 years. I think that is the difference in getting by and living comfortably. I think most people who mention those things probably have no idea what it is really like to live paycheck to paycheck anymore. We get paid on Friday, but by Thursday I already have it spent. And by the way we do plenty of fun things together. I save throughout the year for Silver Dollar City passes for the following year, we go camping and visit caves, we have picnics in the park and take drives in the country. Familes have been finding ways to have a great time on a small budget for 100 years and more. I am not tryng to bash anyone, so please do not take offense. But I see people eveyday talking about how hard they have it and they have money in the bank, a retirement plan, health insurance, a $1600.00 mortgage, two new cars and eat out 3 times a week. We have a 525.00 mortgage (bought a fixer upper), two paid for cars (built in 2000), I do not run my A/C most of the time so my bill averages 30.00 a month, and we do not eat out very often. But I also manage to have my boys in sports, my daughter does competitive cheer, we have pizza night once a week and even go to the movies once a month. All without a credit card in sight.
Anywho, yes you can make it on $600.00 a week if you are careful, stick to a budget and do not have to always be in competition with the Jones's. Before we bought our house we rented a nice house in Phelps Grove area of Springfield for $595.00. 3 BR and a basement. It really is possible and if it means bringing your family back together then it is most definatly worth the struggle. I promise you my kids do not remember the Disney vacation, but they remember gathering icicles together on a back country road, and roasting marshmallows during our camping trips.

Your family sounds just like ours. We were taken to Disneyland by my husband's employer about 4 years ago. The kids never talk about that trip. But, last summer we borrowed my dad's ski boat and spent the day on a local lake. Total cost - gas for the boat and entrance fee to the lake, probably less than $30 bucks. The kids still say, "That was the best day of our lives!" We have no savings to speak of but what I'm gathering for a possible move. I used to get in a panic once in a while about what will happen when we're older. Not anymore. God will provide. We're happy and we love each other and if we can be together again - what more is there in life?