A Struggling Stay-at-Home Dad
I'm not feeling too much sympathy for this stay-at-home dad and his family who are having trouble making ends meet on his wife's $150,000 yearly pay.
Nobody in Nebraska should be struggling on that kind of salary! Heck, cut it in half and you should still be doing very well for yourself. It's not that difficult to keep your expenses below your earnings.
First thing you do, stop watching so much commercial TV. All of a sudden those feelings of discontentment toward the things in your life will mostly disappear. Your house, car, clothes, TV, and furniture won't seem so out-of-date anymore, and you can save a ton of money by just enjoying what you have instead of wanting everything to be new and shiny.
Second, simplify. You don't need ten hobbies. Your family doesn't need to go on a big long trip every year when there's so much to do right in your own town or state. And you don't need a whole bunch of toys, like jet skis, that need maintenance, storage, and insurance (rent things like that, it's cheaper).
Last, if you are making $150,000, I don't care where you live, don't complain about it! There are a lot of people who would gladly trade places with you.
Nobody in Nebraska should be struggling on that kind of salary! Heck, cut it in half and you should still be doing very well for yourself. It's not that difficult to keep your expenses below your earnings.
First thing you do, stop watching so much commercial TV. All of a sudden those feelings of discontentment toward the things in your life will mostly disappear. Your house, car, clothes, TV, and furniture won't seem so out-of-date anymore, and you can save a ton of money by just enjoying what you have instead of wanting everything to be new and shiny.
Second, simplify. You don't need ten hobbies. Your family doesn't need to go on a big long trip every year when there's so much to do right in your own town or state. And you don't need a whole bunch of toys, like jet skis, that need maintenance, storage, and insurance (rent things like that, it's cheaper).
Last, if you are making $150,000, I don't care where you live, don't complain about it! There are a lot of people who would gladly trade places with you.
Permalink posted by Phil at 12:12 AM
14 Comments:
I bet you wouldn't have to look to hard to find folks living on 20,000, 50,000 200,000 or even 1,000,000 bucks a year that are equally as discontent. The fact is materialism always leaves us wanting.
They had to give up ballet lessons and gymnastics to keep a horse? Won't someone please think of the children?!
Our family does fine with a third of the Schuett's income, and my wife is able to work part-time and stay home with our son. And we've all done, and do, with far less.
Sure, we only have one kid, but we also don't have a horse. Or rental properties.
UNBELIEVABLE! Sounds like someone who really doesn't "get" what it's all about. Very sad.
I couldn't have said it better myself.
Agree with you! People will never learn to appreciate what they have until it's too late..
Those people are dorks. We survive on one salary that's a third of that. It's not easy, but we do it just fine.
Oh my, what I could do with a $150,000 a year salary. I'm drooling here.
Also, look right here to see that the median home price in Nebraska is $141,970. Are you kidding me?
In Bellingham, Wash., it's $110,000 more than that. Sheesh.
I completely agree with you. We're currently living on $15,000 a year, and we're both going to school. Granted, we don't have kids yet, but we have trouble stretching $15,000 just for the basic necessities. People need to appreciate what they have! We have old, mismatched furniture, but it's not that hard to make a slip cover so they match--or just deal with it. We're just glad we have furniture, because there was a time when we were sleeping on the floor and we only had folding chairs to sit on! Thanks for the great post.
What's a laughable worry is that she's a psyciatrist!! One wouldn't want to go to her with budget problems or stress! I think it's pathetic, sorry I have no patience for people who consider their material things more worth than family time, values and good old common sense. Great post Phil, it makes me appreciate what I am and value more and are proud of it!
Jebus - I manage on a third of what they bring home..... and I have/am raising 4 sons completely alone... and you can imagine the cost of living over here compared to the states...... me house might only be little compared to many but its mine as is me car.... have NO debts unless ya count me little mortgage, we live within our means..... we save for what we NEED... and NEVER step over that line..... we dont really go without much of what we need to live..... I think that family are a bit of a joke if ya ask me...... its all want want want instead of need ...... ok bitching over lol
x
You could live decently on 150,000 here in San Francisco. In fact there are a lot of families who live in the Bay Area on less than that.
Some people are just so ungrateful for the things they have that they can't stop wanting for more.
Hmmm. Something doesn't add up there. They must have some pretty riduculous expenses that they have not accounted for. They need to sell the horse (which has got to cost more than ballet lessons to keep alive) and get a financial planner. I cannot fathom how they could possibly be "struggling" on that income. But then I can't even fathom that kind of income.
As the wife of a stay-at-home dad, I say thanks for a great post. One place we use as motivation is Dave Ramsey's site. We also took his course at our church.
Something does not compute with that situation. I'm sorry, no credit card debt, a modest home...and paycheck to paycheck on 150 grand a year? Either the accountant is half way to South America by now, or CNN added a zero.
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