Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

[puppypal]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

I have my single motherhood days as the best days ever. Mainly because I was making around 600.00 net yes, net a month! totals 7200.00 a year adding only an extra nights worth of babysitting money here and there. No child support and I had a trailer note insurance and all the other bills. I made a bit too much to qualify for food stamps and we managed. This time in my life was a huge learning experiance. Taught me how to budget, save, be a tightwad and manage money down to the penny!
It was tough no doubt but......I learned more about money and not NEEDING THINGS that ever before!

[frugalmomof1]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

I got partnered for a project with a guy in college that went back to shcool his late 30's for a Mechanical Engineering degree. Over the 2.5 years that we had classes together we became very good friends (he was an usher in DH's and my wedding)

I don't have a clue about how much money he made during those years, but I would bet it wasn't close $12k. He lived in a dirt cheap 3rd floor apartment (shared), and did not have health insurance. I know he took tutoring jobs, worked construction on weekends and summers...he even did some work on my house and charged us (no kidding) 2 sandwiches/hour. I would make a huge batch of sandwiches on the weekend and bring them to school on Monday. I continued to make him sandwiches for the rest of the semester even when my debt was paid in full.

He got his teeth cleaned for $10 at the vocational school down the street from the campus, probably cut his hair 2x's/year. I actually wish that I was into frugal living back then...I could have learned a lot from him.

He almost managed to avoid student loans, but needed them for his last year of school.

I couldn't have been easy, but he did it. He was committed to earning his degree and did what he had to do in order to get it. He now has a good job for a good company. We visited him 3 weeks ago in his house with a brand new addition that he built himself in CT.

I hope it works out for the woman in the article.

[rusty@saving]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

3 years ago i made $7,997 in one year($11,000 the next)....i had my own apartment($300/month)(cruddy, obviously), my parents paid my auto insurance, but i scraped by on my living expenses. i had $2/day for food, and shopped at the local aldi's everyday, eating sandwiches, cereal, tuna, milk(repeat, repeat), ramen. i put $2 of gas in my car every other day(worked within 2 miles of home)(30 miles to the gallon), and was SO excited when the amount of gas i put into the car exceed to miles driven and then i would not have to fill up for a week!!(then i would pay the extra $ in advance for the next electirc bill, or if a bill was behind, pay it up)
during this time i met my wife...i know for a fact that she loves me for me and not my $....i was a broke, sorry individual.
the thing is...before that i spent $ like it was nothing. no plan, no savings, just blew it all partying and being a jackass.
now i have control over my $, and an appreciation for life and how to live life without spending a lot of $.
i used to always freak out about losing jobs and $....now i know i CAN make it on a very little $. i would not want to lose my job, but i know i can do it, would i again? i pray not!
i am TRULY thankful and full of gratitude for what i have in my life now, and that is why i come to this sight. i don't EVER want to be in that position EVER again!!!

[jodi]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

Ok, if no one else caught this, then I'll just shut up...

But no one else sees anything wrong an apparently able-bodied person making a conscious decision NOT to work, then going to a food bank on a regular basis? That food could be going to someone elderly, disabled, or who cannot make ends meet with their job.

[LuxLiving]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

Jodi - I didn't get that she wasn't working from the article - it doesn't really say that does it? It does say she's going to uni and is doing freelance writing, and perhaps she has a student loan or a part time job or both, or maybe even a low paying full time job - it just wasn't clear to me from the article. It does say she's tired, but doesn't say from what.

[Ima saver]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

Well, I did catch the food bank thing. There is a church down the road that gives away free food on the weekends to anyone. The kids stand outside and try to wave you into the parking lot. Why they want to give free food to someone driving a corvette, I do not know. It is just free to anyone that wants it.

[PrincessPerky]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

Pretty sure it said she had a job at the newspaper or something....

and being a college student, most people are forgiving of the food bank thing.....I am on the fence about it, to me, at least it isn't welfare.

[jodi]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

My understanding was that she worked those jobs last year, but decided not to this year to concentrate on her studies, which isn't a bad thing. I can understand being worn out, being a college student at 48. She said she was babysitting and freelancing "selectively". Maybe it's a personal choice. I would rather be tired and work than use a food bank and chose not to work, if I was able. Now, if I was working or unable to work, I would definitely use it if needed. I guess it's just that if I were donating to that food bank, I would rather see it go to a struggling single mom, the elderly, or someone who can't find work rather than someone who could work, but chose not to. Just my opinion. Hopefully the food bank has abundant supplies and no one has to go without!

[cptacek]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

I made $13,000 something a year during grad school plus tuition free. I lived with two other girls and drove a 20 year old car that you had to pour gasoline down the carburator to get it started in the winter, but did manage to keep investing $50 every other month and drink all the beer I wanted to

But I do remember having to pep myself up by saying "you can do anything for 2 years." Usually about school work, but sometimes about not having the money to do what I wanted. Seeing the end in sight and knowing I would have a good job when I got out got me through. I couldn't do it now because I have too many obligations (truck, house, business...) but I was ok then.

[krayziebone33]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

I would like to give thanks to the person who posted this thread and all who responded to it. Your replies were very interesting to read. I am currently one of the people getting by on pennies but in about 1 1/2 years, I hope to have graduated and be in a better financial position.

[vsjhoc]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

3 years ago i made $7,997 in one year($11,000 the next)....i had my own apartment($300/month)(cruddy, obviously), my parents paid my auto insurance, but i scraped by on my living expenses. i had $2/day for food, and shopped at the local aldi's everyday, eating sandwiches, cereal, tuna, milk(repeat, repeat), ramen. i put $2 of gas in my car every other day(worked within 2 miles of home)(30 miles to the gallon), and was SO excited when the amount of gas i put into the car exceed to miles driven and then i would not have to fill up for a week!!(then i would pay the extra $ in advance for the next electirc bill, or if a bill was behind, pay it up)
during this time i met my wife...i know for a fact that she loves me for me and not my $....i was a broke, sorry individual.
the thing is...before that i spent $ like it was nothing. no plan, no savings, just blew it all partying and being a jackass.
now i have control over my $, and an appreciation for life and how to live life without spending a lot of $.
i used to always freak out about losing jobs and $....now i know i CAN make it on a very little $. i would not want to lose my job, but i know i can do it, would i again? i pray not!
i am TRULY thankful and full of gratitude for what i have in my life now, and that is why i come to this sight. i don't EVER want to be in that position EVER again!!!

Perhaps you should change your screen name. Doesn't sound like you're rusty at all!

[TBH]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

My first two years out of college I made about 10K a year. My rent (including utilities) was $500. I had no insurance and no car. I had to budget very carefully. I remember eating a lot of pasta and beans.

The difference, though, was that I had a safety net in the form of my parents. At one point, I needed a root canal, and I called my father. He was able to help me pay for it. It was a good lesson in reality. I remember thinking about all the people who live on 10K a year with NO safety net, with no option to run to daddy when there's a crisis. It made me more determined to be my own safety net in the future.

I also remember thinking during those days, "this isn't so bad. I can do this". And I promised myself that when I made more money I'd save it instead of starting to live a more luxurious life. Now I do make more money (around $40K a year) but of course now I have a house, a car, a kid, various kinds of insurance premiums to pay, etc. Life is expensive. I do feel sentimental about those days but I wouldn't go back to living in a scary neighborhood and cooking my meals alone every night.

[Fern]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

I admire her hutzpa. But i would do away with the tithing. She could use the $$ more than the church.

[lrjohnson]

Re: Surviving (and thriving) on $12,000 a year

I gave it a skim for now (visitors in town).

I do think it is very doable; she's living on $12084; I'll be closing out 3/1/2006 through 02/28/2007 at $12312 (or less).

(That's $1026 a month.)