Thriving On One Income

I think it is a matter of being happy with what you have. I know of many two income families that are just as strapped for cash if not more than my family. I think we would be just fime if we didnt think we needed the latest and greates new electronics, giant tvs, new video game systems, and so on. How do we learn to be happy with wht we have? The tv commercials are always telling us we need better stuff. I guess its time to turn off the tv.

We have had to do this for years , I have gotten really good at shopping for buy one get one free an bying most of our things when the sales are on , we do quite well and nobody knows we don't pay full price , I just love a bargain xx

I think in certain areas of the country/world it could be easy to thrive on one income. Unfortunately, in certain areas of the country the cost of living is so high that it is next to impossible to subsist on a single income. There is no way I could afford to pay my rent if my boyfriend or someone else wasn't paying half. I live in southern california and there is no way for most people to afford rent or a mortgage on one income. That is why so many families live with other families in sub-standard housing, just to be able to live here.

I'm used to not having much money and have learned how to spend when money on things that are necessities, as I have 4 month old baby to take care of. My boyfriend is the only who is really working. I do work from home jobs and help this one psychologist when she has the money to pay me. So, to help with grocery expenses, I get WIC (Women, Infants & Children), but I do not get food stamps. However, working on it though. We do get by, but having a little extra money does help, especially when bills are high for that month.

Hi Kathy77, I've lived on a single income since my daughter was 3! (She's now 17) It's not easy but I went out to work and worked myself up the career ladder, it's blimmin hard work but you can survive!

I think it depends on how much that income is on whether you can thrive on it or not. In the past families always managed on just one income, I think it the need for people to have more material possesions that has driven both partners out to work. I think its a shame as its much better for one parent to be at home with the children.

Yeah, whatever doesn't break you makes you stronger. Just keep perservering and you will get your rich rewards.

I think it is difficult but it can be done in certain situations. I truly believe money isn't everything. It is nice to have family and loved ones too...

Having been a single parent for many years in the past, I would not say we thrived, but the values my children learnt from this time in our lives I feel made them more determined to achieve something for themselves on their own. They are both paying off their own homes, sometimes struggling, but you have to if you want to get anywhere. As for now I retired last year and we live on one income as hubby works, but it is a challenge and I am okay with it after finally changing spending habits. I guess life is what you make it, and you can either sink or swim! I almost drowned as a child so now prefer to swim! lol

Over the last 3 Years I have been to hell and back with money. I am still here, I have starved, I had to sell my House, I have had to do without heat and lots of other things. Believe you me, it is a Challenge, more then anything.

u r absolutely right mate.i feel the same.people should keep their worries aside n lead a normal life they should have a look at the ones who earn 100-200 per day,even they lead a happy n normal life but the people who earn in thousands n lakhs per month feel hungry for money than the low standard ones

I think we have all been mislead about what constitutes a good life. We need to come face to face with real deprivation, then we will not view inconvenience as the end of the world. We have been fooled to think all families have to have two incomes. Then we get ourselves into debt, and we do not even have enough when we have two incomes. We cease to work for the pleasure of the job, and we only work for the money, which is never enough.

Well depends on how much that one income is. I live with my parents and both of them work. A few months ago only my father worked, and he was able to support my 2 brothers, I, and my mother. My father does wholesale and my mother works at this Mushroom Farm.

I agree! I think its very hard to live on one income. . nowadays I think its really almost impossible. I have a good job well its ok I bring home $560 a month which is 2000 a month all my bills come to 16500 a month and my rent is 930 a month and me and my boyfriend split i pay all the bills he pays 500 for rent and buys our smokes and groceries and i pay 430 for rent and 16500 in bills if i didnt have him to pay for food and half the rent I would not be able to afford to live on my own ... maybe if i moved out into a crappy runed down apartment but that would be not my standards of living and it would be to stressful... and its stressful enough with 2 income's so I think its better to have 2 income's rather than one because its really hard on a person and All the power to the people who live happily and contently on one income because i dont think I could ever do it...

It all depends on expenses. It is not how much you make, but how you spend your money. Yes, it is possible to live on one income, but depends on income and basic expanses.

Were I live it is almost impossible to exist on a signle income exspecially with rising health care coverage and companys not paying for it any longer. Most couples I know live off of one and half incomes. The husband working fulltime and the wife working part time and it's still hard to make it.

Well i think if you plan and budget it is possible for instance it cost money to pay a daycare if you have children and we all know that alone may not even be worth going out and then paying for 2 car insurances and the cost of eating out at work quickly adds up . You know we all say we will bring lunch from home but when you see the delivery man bring it Sallys good smelling cheesesteak it is ever so tempting. I do think it is wise to try to get a little extra income just for your personals.Thats what drove me here to mylot though i dont quite think it would be enough. lol

Interesting topic. Well, here in London,I would say it is impossible for anyone to live on one income. Mortgages are so high, that people have to borrow up to 5 times their joint income to buy a house or flat, and rented places are no cheaper. Therefore, even new Mums have to go back to work within a couple of months of their childrem being born, whether they like it or not. Many prople think those wth two incomes are just greedy, for the second car, or the forign holidays, but here in the UK, it is a sad nesessity.

I think single income survival is difficult but can be a big step forward if we can plan things mutually.

My husband and I have been living on one income since I went back to get my college degree. I've since graduated and am currently still unemployed. It has been very rough, and just when we think we're catching up, it often feels like we get a huge snowfall and we're buried again. We've chosen our path though, and we're looking for alternative means to making money since what we're doing now just doesn't work. We tend to remain hopeful and optimistic throug it all, though. It's just another one of life's little challenges.