Comments on: When Enough is Enough

By: Janel

Janel — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 16:12:29 +0000

I appreciate your comments!

I have no doubt that if we were in western Massachusetts or western New Hampshire or almost anywhere in Maine, that we could live on $35k a year. That’s where we’d love to be, unfortunately God has other plans for us right now.

By: Lesley

Lesley — Sun, 10 Feb 2008 19:52:04 +0000

BTW—we live in New England too. :0)

By: Lesley

Lesley — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 15:02:07 +0000

We are a family of 6 and our income is under or there around 35K. Many times we have lived on much, much less.

It is a choice that we have made, to have me stay home and homeschool the kids. In making that choice we have had to cut corners and perhaps do without things that others take for granted. We live within our means, have no credit cards, no loans (aside from the mortgage), and I try very hard to find frugal tips that help us out. ;0)

By: DeputyHeadmistress

DeputyHeadmistress — Fri, 08 Feb 2008 08:13:36 +0000

We also provided for our large family on less than 35 K for years- but, that was before milk and gas prices were over 3.00 a gallon, to name just two. I have watched prices on staples like tuna go up 20 percent over the last year, but my income sure didn’t go up 20 percent.

Where you live also makes a *huge* difference. In Colorado Springs five or six years ago, most people paid around a thousand dollars to rent a small modular house. In the same time period in rural Indiana you could find a much nicer house to rent for 300-500 a month.

By: Melinda

Melinda — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 22:03:54 +0000

Yes, $35K can be hard to live on when you have school loans that are breaking you, as well as a car loan, and outstanding medical bills.

By: Janel

Janel — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 21:05:50 +0000

I don’t know much about VT. We’re in the Boston commute area. Everything is outrageous here.

“Our region seems to provide good paying jobs only for those who get their education out-of-state and bring it in with them. Livelong Vermonters are often stuck on some kind of assistance.”

Just an FYI… It was like that where we were in the Fargo area. We were the out-of-staters with a good paying job. Because of that, we were getting clipped for massive state taxes.

Several folks I knew out there didn’t make a lot and qualified for free health care & dental, tax breaks, got 75% of their homeschooling resources paid for and a bunch of other programs like that. We got ZERO and had to pay for all that stuff out of pocket. And then, every year we were there, the state took our ENTIRE federal tax return, and then some, in state taxes.

While it appears that that those high pay people are getting the hiring breaks, know that they are probably paying dearly for those “breaks.”

By: Brandy of The Building Brows

Brandy of The Building Brows — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 19:09:17 +0000

We’re in New England, too–rural Vermont. It is hard here because the cost of living is far above what the average Vermonter can earn.

Our region seems to provide good paying jobs only for those who get their education out-of-state and bring it in with them. Livelong Vermonters are often stuck on some kind of assistance.

I don’t know about you, but 35K seems like a luxury income.

By: Janel

Janel — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 18:45:57 +0000

Good thoughts!

When I wrote $35k, I was thinking of how little it is for people to live where we are here in surburban New England. There are places that you can live well on $35k a year – but I think they are becoming fewer and farther between. CoffeeMama, I’ll bet you’re not from New England! lol

“It’s society’s perception of what’s socially acceptable, the reason we’ve received a lot of negative feedback to our lifestyle.” So TRUE!

By: Wifey

Wifey — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 15:38:08 +0000

I think that frugality becomes sinful when it gets in the way of the things we are supposed to do as Christians. If you don’t provide meals for someone in your church who needs them because you don’t want to spend the cash, that’s wrong. If you don’t tithe so that you can put the money in a savings account, that’s wrong, too.

By: coffeemamma

coffeemamma — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 14:26:16 +0000

We provided for 6 people on 35K (and sometimes less) for years, and did it fairly easily. No trips to Disney World, but we certainly weren’t suffering at all. We owned our own home and vehicle, the kids were in activities, we ate well, a yearly camping vacation… Is 35K really too little for most people?? I’m not being snippy, I’m seriously wondering. That 35K was after Hubby got a new job with a huge raise- before that we were living on 26- 30K.