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Curious to know what a family needs to earn to make ends meet by individual state - and by counties within the state? See the report and link from Family Economic Self-Sufficiency.
quote: "Across the country, we’re finding that families – especially with young children – require incomes well above the federal poverty level to meet their needs," said Jennifer Brooks, WOW’s Director of Self-Sufficiency Programs and Policy. "To get those incomes, employers need to pay adequate wages and provide benefits; government needs to ensure access to education and training and work supports to lower costs; and individuals need to take advantage of opportunities to invest in themselves."
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That is a very cool link. I have been thinking about that in regards to my family for a bitm which is why I am considering/planning on moving to FL...I will never be able to afford a house here in MA, but in FL it is a reasonable goal.
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These things always make me scratch my head. They say that they cover for a family's basic needs, but it's amazing how little people actually need . It seems to me that people are just used to a lot of creature comforts, which is understandable, but I wouldn't call it need.
I'm in college and my monthly expenses are far below what they suggest a single adult in Texas should need. I share a two bedroom apartment with three other people, ramen is a staple in my diet, and bean bags are the "nice" furniture. Sure it's not the life of luxury, but all of my needs are definately taken care of. I don't think anyone would consider me to be "living in poverty" even though, according to this site, the government could label me as such. Why should the standard be so different for people who aren't college students?
Posts: 1947 | Registered: Aug 2002
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I pay for everything but health insurance, but even when I add in the costs of the insurance, my expenses are still a lot less than what the government quotes.
Kwea- I have no doubt that children cost a lot more, but when the system's base seems too high, I feel very skeptical of the numbers. Plus, some of the things seem off to me. For example, the predicted rent goes up $130 when you add an infant. I can see how it would be very convenient to have a bigger place with an infant, but I wouldn't consider it a neccessity.
Posts: 1947 | Registered: Aug 2002
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Interesting stuff Shan. I was just talking with my friend about early retirement. He is 42, single, and has absolutely no desire to start a family. He thinks he has enough money saved up to live a modest life without ever having to work again. This information should interest him a great deal. Posts: 1592 | Registered: May 2000
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quote:I'm in college and my monthly expenses are far below what they suggest a single adult in Texas should need.
You're paying your school tuition? Car insurance? Utilities, including phone? It is not that I do not believe you, but unless you are making significantly more than minimum wage, which is unlikely for a college student, then I don't see how you would be able to cover the basics without help from some agency or person.
Also, you're sharing an apartment, which cuts costs. If you don't drive or share a car, that is another cut. Sure, there are people who can cut certain things out of the equation to keep cost of living low, but I do not think college students are really as financially independent as they might think.
Posts: 1170 | Registered: Jan 2003
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Amanecer, the government includes certain things in its estimate. 1) you will live in an apartment by yourself -- call it $400 a month for rent + utils, and that's a pretty dingy (one person) apartment in most places. 2) you will eat healthy food -- say, about $60 a month (and that's being pretty frugal). 3) you will need to either have a car or use public transportation -- public transportation probably costs you around $100 a month, possibly more, and doesn't necessarily go where you need to go. 4) you will have decent insurance -- I'm not certain where you're getting your insurance figures from, but at many jobs insurance is going to cost you $150 or more. At a $6 an hour job, this leaves one with . . . well under $100 "extra" a month for emergencies and major purchases and such ($6 an hour job takes home around $5 after taxes means $800 a month, total of above is about $710).
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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quote: I can see how it would be very convenient to have a bigger place with an infant, but I wouldn't consider it a neccessity.
So, what happens when the kid is old enough to need its own bedroom? You COULD let your kid live in your bedroom and sleep with you, but if you have to do that because you have no other choice, I would consider that to be living in poverty.
They add the $130 at the birth of the child because there's no way of predicting when the child will need it's own room.
Not to mention many apartments won't let you have a one-bedroom if you have three people living there. Where I live, the rule (law?) is that you have to have moved into a two-bedroom by the time the child have turned two. It may be for fire code reasons, but I'm not positive.
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Well, in some cities its not quite that bad @ $400, but if you want we can up the amount to $500 a month (and be really paranoid about things like heat and air conditioning) and hope our hypothetical gets a raise.
Posts: 15770 | Registered: Dec 2001
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Actually, I have to laugh at the phrase "creature comforts". Don't get me wrong, I don't think most people really "need" what they think they need. But you might consider it a creature comfort for me to want to have two cars in the family. After all, I'm a stay at home mom, so why do I need a car?
Well, to be honest, having a second car may be the thing that keeps me from going insane. In the city, having a car means that my kids can be driven to the park and play on grass now and then, instead of being holed up here in this apartment. Having a car means I can take my kids to their doctor's appointments and everything. I mean, I guess I could call a friend to give us a ride to the appointments, but that kinda defeats the purpose of self-suffiency.
The point is that there are a lot of expenditures you don't expect until you get there, and some of them are things you thought you could do without.
Posts: 6367 | Registered: Aug 2003
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We live well under the standard. We qualify for public assistance, but choose not to use it. We live a very very frugal life style. We have one feul efficient car (that may...hopefully..will change by April). We buy ALL the kids and my clothes at yard sales and second hand stores ( except for underwear, that's yucky). We have no cable, and use a free internet provider. I amke my own soap, lotions and bubble bath. WE get a lot of major things, like furniture, off Freecycle We do spend quite a bit ($80/plus a week) on food but I think healthy food is a hella lot more important than new Gap outfits for the kids. (And if you saw how my kids eat, you'd still wonder how we do it). I think people need way less than they think they too, and all the conspicious consumption is terrible for the environment.
Posts: 2711 | Registered: Mar 2004
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Sure it's not the life of luxury, but all of my needs are definately taken care of. I don't think anyone would consider me to be "living in poverty" even though, according to this site, the government could label me as such. Why should the standard be so different for people who aren't college students?
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