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I am not talking about Minimum Wage Jobs, but if a spouse wants to stay at home and raise the kids, there should be no problem. You just downsize your housing (rent or mortgage), downsize your vehicle, entertainment, vacations. Many say it takes two incomes to get by today, BS, it only takes two incomes if you want to have the three bedroom, two bath, two car garage home in the subs, a boat or jet skis, along with the big Toyota SUV, 46 in Flat Screen TV with 3,500 channels, surround sound, high speed internet connection ($135 month or more), I phone, oh, and the daily Latte Frappe at Starbucks at $5.00 a pop.
Get it?
First, I never understand these type of fantasy discussions where assertions are just made without any facts to back it up.
So when you say one spouse can stay at home do you deal with the reality that the median income is $26,324. 50% of all American workers make less.
Do you realize that 66% of all American workers earn less than $39,900? Do you know the expenses of the average family? Do you know how those numbers fit with the actual incomes of most Americans?
I just don't see how you can have a fruitful discussion by just making stuff up and making groundless assertions.
In some places, two income families, along with easy credit, has inflated house prices so much, a person needs a great paying job, or two mediocre jobs to live anywhere but the ghetto, or a two hour commute from work.
Or as in the situation with condo buildings where I live, so many 1 bedroom condos are being rented out by two or three people living together, it artificially inflates the rent prices, so a person on a single income is basically screwed when it comes to renting a place unless they get a second income.
How can two or three people (adults) live in a one bed condo together ? I am a single person on single income and rent out a 2bed/2bath condo for just over 1800 a month but then again I drive a 2008 Honda don't feel the need to spend 2000 a month on designer clothes and 500 a week on alcohol like I am positive many of these 'two or three people' choosing to live in such cramped overcrowded are.
First, I never understand these type of fantasy discussions where assertions are just made without any facts to back it up.
So when you say one spouse can stay at home do you deal with the reality that the median income is $26,324. 50% of all American workers make less.
Do you realize that 66% of all American workers earn less than $39,900? Do you know the expenses of the average family? Do you know how those numbers fit with the actual incomes of most Americans?
I just don't see how you can have a fruitful discussion by just making stuff up and making groundless assertions.
Its true easy credit and milking uncle Sam allow these people to live on such incomes and have all the toys, designer clothing and such.
Although I agree with being frugal, come on, those of you that NEVER take a vacation, what's the point. You never see what there is outside of your own town/state/country. There is so much of this world out there, vacation spots, food to try, experiences to have...to sit at home your whole life seems so depressing and pointless. Yes box pasta and tomato sauce everyday is cheap, but we only live once, it would be sad to only experience that.
I think it comes to priorities. You choose your balance.
Exactly. I've been on the fence about a very expensive vacation my husband and I had considered for a couple of years from now. I'm wondering if we should skip it in lieu of something less costly. But like he said, this is something we might never have the chance to do again, we've got the money to do it, and we only live once.
How can two or three people (adults) live in a one bed condo together ? I am a single person on single income and rent out a 2bed/2bath condo for just over 1800 a month but then again I drive a 2008 Honda don't feel the need to spend 2000 a month on designer clothes and 500 a week on alcohol like I am positive many of these 'two or three people' choosing to live in such cramped overcrowded are.
A lot of immigrant families do this. It's become a real nightmare in some areas with people overcrowding into one housing unit causing noise, traffic, and undue strain on the public works.
We had an Asian family living across from us about 15 years ago with nine adults and four children living in a two bedroom townhouse--about 1600 s/f including the garage--which people were sleeping in. And there wasn't a damn thing that could be done because there were no laws about a certain number of square feet per person, only laws about the number of unrelated persons who could live in one housing unit (to prevent student ghetto due to a nearby university). They were all related, so it was legal.
Its true easy credit and milking uncle Sam allow these people to live on such incomes and have all the toys, designer clothing and such.
Milking uncle sam? What does that mean?
Easy credit? What does that have to do with one or two income households and whether it is feasible for most families if they just cut back like the thread originator seems to believe?
The census bureau releases the expenditures of American families. The largest family expenses are housing, transportation, and food.
Income level Total expenditures Food Housing Transportation Health Pensions
care social security
All consumer units $49,067 $6,372 $16,895 $7,658 $3,126 $5,162
As you can see for the average family these five necessities take up 80% of all household spending. Consumer goods a lot of which is clothing is just not that large of an expense for families as you falsely believe.
Most households have 2 earners. So Now that same family income of $49,000 would drop to $25,000 to $30,000.
I doubt if most families could make it on that income based on reality.
Because they are little for such a short time period and some people value bonding, character building, and establishing a foundation (depending on their beliefs and way of life) more than 401Ks, senior pictures, and band camp.
Also, some people do not like leaving their children with strangers who could be unconvicted perverts, deviants, or predators. That goes for adults and children. Children are molesting children these days right along with the pervert adults. There are a lot of other downsides to group care situations that get brushed under the rug.
Everyone has different priorities.
I would hope that as people age, they would realize that nothing is ever as simple as "this is my way of life so my circumstances must apply to everyone else".
Work, don't work, work from home, work part time....I don't care. Do what's best for your family and there's no need to worry about what others are doing unless you need validation for your own choices.
Yes I totally agree. I work 2 days a week and my husband works 4. One of us is always home with the kids. Quite frankly I rather not have a stranger with no vested interest in my child raising them during those early years. I had kids because I want to be the one to actually raise them. Call me old school but there ain't no way I could send a newborn to a daycare, unless of course I had no choice.
We have a modest home, we don't have cable, cook at home, don't have a car pmt, our recreation are parks and occasional vacation. We buy our health insurance and save for retirement. The thing is we don't make a boat load of money at all. It's amazing the extra $500 u can save with no cable or car pmt.
I agree with this statement, however, not everyone is able to make enough to provide decent housing, education, and food for their families on thier own salary. I guess what is considered "decent" is subjective.
My father was a doctor, and my mom stayed at home throughout my childhood and into my high school years (as well as my younger sibling's). I didn't get a new car on my 16th birthday, but I got private schooling. I didn't wear expensive labels, but I lived in a quiet, middle class suburb.
It's all about priorities. I'd like to be able to stay at home with my kids and work from home, or on a part-time basis while they are in school. But it will depend on the circumstances. I don't think I could ever stay at home full-time. I need something else going on aside from raising children and tending to the house.
ETA: My parent's relatively "modest" lifestyle taught me a lot about living beyond my means. I know no one LIKES debt, but I HATE it. I have one credit card with a 1600 max, and a couple of store cards that never get used. I have a roommate and hardly ever drive my 96 Toyota. I don't buy into keeping up with the Jones's. I prioritize what's important to ME, and not what my peers deem important.
Last edited by joiseygirl732; 08-29-2012 at 08:54 AM..
Something else I'd like to point out is that it's easy to give up nothing. If you don't have a developed education and skill set then you cannot know the challenges professional women face. It's not like you can slip back into your profession like you can for a low-skilled job. It's a delicate balancing act of decisions and none if implies a careless attitude about time spent with a mother's child.
Yeah I wouldn't have chosen a better way for sure. It just seemed weird to me to let a precious baby who was taken from my womb as helpless as can be and then handed over to a stranger at a center with germs everywhere. Yuck. Not to mention most daycare workers do not earn live able wages and are stressed out and taken advantage of, not to mention probably 18 years old to. Not who I want watching my kid for sure. This is MY WAY of making my family top priority. It may not work for some but it works for us.
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