please post annosomsly 😢
RE: 1 wage family
Hey Mumma Bears?! This could be long 😂😂
Just wondering how financially families live on 1 wage. We are struggling atm & it's making me feel very much a failour. We are living week to week, after rent child support(my partner has a 14 yo that he pays child support for but doesn't see this child due to mother), bills & trying to put food on the table we have nothing. We have a 3 yo together & been together for over 10 years so please don't judge. How do you manage all the living expenses such as electricity, gas, petrol, rego, insurance? we dont go out as we live interstate from all our families & friends. it's just the 3 of us & believe me it's very lonely. I have previously worked but due to my partners working commitments I could only work night shift. I love working, but to find a job that offers night time work is a struggle due to my working experince life. We struggle to even buy nappies some weeks, I hate asking my family...it's embarrassing. I feel so down & out...my day consists of house cleaning & activities with our 3yo. I can't just go to the shops for a coffee, I can't even buy any make up to pep myself up... it's so hard, I know others are in this vote too but how do you make you're self feel better & not alone. Sorry for my little rant...
9 Replies
First things budget, cut things out and try to have less meat saves sooo much money.
See if there’s a beauty school in the area and get free facials there to pep yourself
Try taking in ironing or something for extra money
My partner and I live on one wage and we manange quite well. We do things that are free in the area. Buy home brand buy from fruit and veg shops not from the big supermarkets
We pay our bills by paying off fortnihhtly and buy putting a little into savings every week
I take in ironing, to earn a little it’s not much but it’s my play money. I bake all our snacks, pack all our lunches and meal prep
Join simple savers on Facebook best place for ideas
Of course it depends on your income and expenses. There was a time I was struggling really hard, then there was a time it was okay. Still no spare, but a bit, enough to do fun things or get a coffee, but I paid a few hundred less on rent, didn't have car insurance or any insurance for that matter, no debt and no bills at all. So I paid rent and then the rest simply went on food, petrol and small things for entertainment. It's okay if you want to kick back and enjoy your life, surroundings and company, but long term it's not enjoyable if you have any goals at all! Could you look at daycare or family day care and day shifts? Would three year old be at preschool or kindy, or going next year?
We lived off one income for 8 years, family of 5, thats with a mortgage and school fees. Our income was approximately 80k. All bills were direct debit weekly. We spent roughly $130 on groceries a week and lived within our means. We never had much/if any left over after each pay.
You say you can only work nights, and are home with your daughter during the day. Why not take up ironing for some extra money, or prehaps start up a family daycare buisness. There are always ways of making a few extra dollars.
Good luck.
Honestly, look at childcare and get a part time job. I have one child, it isn’t expensive, even family daycare is an option. The reality is, it is incredibly hard. I’m a single mum now so dont have a choice. It gets easier when they are at school. People with lots of kids, it sometimes isn’t worth it, but with one, it so is.
We once lived on a wage of 40k before tax came out a year. Rent of $300 a week, car payment of $50, electricity $50 internet $25 water $10 fuel $80 and food was whatever was left over. Family of 4 with a baby in nappies and on formula. It's possible to live on such a small wage when your expenses don't exceed your income and sometimes you need to make changes to ensure you can do it. Ie no gym memberships, no alcohol, no smoking, no gambling, no eating out, no brought smokos etc cooking from scratch and growing your own fruit and veg.
Read the barefoot investor book.
Childcare and get a job! I’m a single mum. I earn 100k and with the new childcare scheme I only pay $40 a day in childcare. I assume your husband earns much less than that? So childcare would be very cheap. Full price at my centre is $136
It really sounds like you're living beyond your means. Look at a smaller place, I'm talking like a 2 bedroom unit, cheaper rent, cheaper bills. Break down your big bills and make weekly/fortnightly payments.
I'd look at your day care options if you really want to go back to work, family day care can be a little more flexible than long day care.
I'm a stay at home mum of four special needs kids while hubby works at a not for profit organisation, so totally get the living week by week. We've had to go cloth nappies (with heaps of washing the sheets from night time accidents) to save money. I don't buy anything prepackaged, I make it all from scratch. Bulk cooking and strict menu planning has also helped get our daily grocery budget to $21 per day for the family. We don't drink, smoke, gamble, or go out for anything but picnics. We buy clothing from Goodwill stores and most of our shoes too (except for the hubby and one child who need specially made shoes). Treats for us include time at the park or playing in a creek. We scratch up enough money to put towards weekly swimming lessons for all the kids and therapy costs too (hate falling through the cracks of the medical system...) One thing that helps is sticking to the budget. If we only have $20 for fuel, then the kids better make sure they can find their walking shoes, cause that'll only pay for hubby to get to work. Sorry for babbling, hope this helps a little. I'm currently battling getting dinner cooked, arthritis, bronchitis, but NOT arguing children (praise God!)