Live On One Income
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Many families today have to live on one income, either by choice or by layoff. When the wage earner has a modest salary then every expense needs to be evaluated. Here are ideas for the different areas of the budget.
HOUSING
Renters have more options than homeowners in this economy. The mortgage holders are stuck in the same location even though the factory may have closed or the neighborhood may have deteriorated.
The housing payment is the largest percentage of the family budget. If your income is reduced or expenses have outpaced your salary, then part of the solution could be to move to a less expensive rental. This may not mean moving to a less desirable neighborhood.
Due to the high vacancy rate in apartment complexes, many offer one or two free months of rent just to get you to move in. You will have to honor the entire lease if free rent is included. However, the cost savings can be substantial especially if the new apartment has a lower monthly rent in addition to the free months. Some apartments include utilities as part of the rent and this could be a substantial savings.
If you are single or a couple without children, then sharing a house or a large apartment would be another way to reduce the housing expense. Additionally, there could be savings on utilities if they are evenly shared with someone else. The best way to live on one income is to keep tight control of housing expenses.
FOOD
Another challenge to living on one income is food. This category covers more than what is bought at the grocery store. Food covers the vending machine at work, take-out, the candy bar or pack of gum at the gas station, etc. Fortunately, this is an easy category to trim with careful shopping and menu planning.
If your budget is extremely small, then see if there is an Angel Food Ministries distribution site near you. They offer a variety of food packages through local churches and they are available to everyone without providing any personal information. You simply go to the church office and pay for however many boxes of food your family needs.
The best value is what Angel Food calls the Signature Box. It contains from $60 -$75 worth of food for a cost of $30. Each box will feed a family of 4 for one week. To show the value of what you will receive for $30, the December 2009 box has:
- 2 lbs. New York Strip Steaks
- 1.5 lb. boneless pork roast
- 1 lb. chicken breast fajita strips
- 1 lb. lean ground beef
- 1.5 lbs. all white meat chicken tenders
- 1 lb. fish sticks
- 1lb. hickory smoked center cut ham
- 1 lb. frozen baby lima beans
- 1 lb. frozen green beans
- 2 lbs. frozen french fries
- 2 lb. bag of fresh apples
- 10 ct. flour tortillas
- 32 ounce shelf stable milk
- 1 dozen eggs
- 1 dessert item
If there is not an Angel Food Ministries site near you, then look for the least expensive places to purchase your groceries. These places include sales at pharmacies such as Walgreens and Rite Aid, the farmers market, roadside stands in the suburban and rural areas, ethnic stores, scratch and dent outlets, food co-ops, the gas station (usually great prices on milk), small family markets, and the flea market. Make a list of the stores near you (and also on your route home from work) and then bookmark their websites so you can compare prices before shopping.
MEDICAL CARE
Prescriptions can be a burden on any family, and especially on those who live on one income. Tackling this problem starts with a call to the doctor's office. Ask the nurse if there is a generic version of each medicine that you are taking. Tell her that your first preference is for a medicine that is on the $4 generic list.
If no generic is available, ask if you may stop by the office to pick up some samples. When the company that my husband worked for closed its doors without notice, the doctor kept him supplied with his asthma medicine for 2 months until he found another job. There was no way that we could have afforded $220 a month when we were reduced to my paltry paycheck (retail) and his unemployment check along with the expense of raising a family. Don't be embarrassed to ask for samples as they will end up in the landfill if they are not distributed to the patients.
CLOTHING AND HOUSEHOLD ITEMS
New and nearly new clothing and household items can be found at yard sales, moving sales, thrift shops, and in the classified section of the newspaper. Shopping early in the day will provide the greatest selection; however, many people will not lower the prices until an hour before the yard sale ends. The best bargains are near closing time because the homeowner does not want to haul everything back into the house. Make an offer early in the day and leave your phone number. If the item does not sell, then the homeowner might call you.
ENTERTAINMENT
Free and nearly free entertainment can be found in several places.
First, get a library card. The library has more than books. You can rent videos and music for free although they might be for a shorter time period than books. Larger libraries may have community programs that might interest you.
Check out your chamber of commerce website for upcoming festivals, parades, etc. Also, make a list of all of the museums, parks, zoos, and other entertainment places. Go to each individual website and see if they have a free day. Some museums may offer free admission on one day of the week or on the first weekend of the month. Many parks have free concerts in addition to the nature paths and barbecue facilities. Make a list of when each free or reduced price activity is offered.
Consider volunteering at baseball games or other sports activities. Some ball parks need volunteers to work the concession stands or collect tickets. You may not be able to see all of the game, but it's a good way to see your favorite team play when you are on a tight budget.
It is possible to live on one income and still have a happy, fulfilling family life. Here are some other hubs which may be useful to you:
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Bills can be a thorny issue, just like the cactus in the photo. There are times when there are more bills than money, especially if your hours have been cut back at work. This is when it is necessary to... - Cheap Healthy Food
The average family spends almost as much on food as they do on their housing payment. Groceries are the second largest spending category in the family budget. One of the easiest ways to save money is to... - How To Care For Wood Floors
Wood floors need special care to keep their beautiful appearance. Everyday wear and tear from an active family can result in heel marks, water stains, stuck chewing gum, walked in dirt, and dark liquid...
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Comments
Hello there, wife who saves!
I'm just letting you know that this hub has been nominated to be a weekly HubNugget!
Thanks for contributing great things to the HubPages community!
ProCW & the HubNuggets Team
Creative ideas and very practical as well. My husband was unemployed 7 months. Some of these ideas I put into action and others would have been good to know. Thanks for an inspiring hub filled with generosity of spirit.
Yehey, you are a hubnugget wannabe!! Congratulations! :) Enjoy the Hubnuggets and be sure to promote your hub. To vote and check out this fun filled event, visit this link: http://hubpages.com/_143/hub/hubnuggets-08192009
dohn121: Thank you for nominating this hub. It's a genuine surprise since I am so new.
ProCW: Thank you for the kind words. I write from the heart.
Storytellersrus: Unemployment for 7 months is quite a strain and takes quite a bit of creativity. I hope that things are easier for you now.
Ripplemaker: Thanks for the link. I'm going to check it out now.
Welcome to HubPages and congratulations on your hubnugget nomination. This is a very well written hub, and I picked up a few pointers. My hubby got his hours cut, and I work part time, so we have had to scale back. Thanks for the tips.
DoodleLyn:
I'm glad that the hub was useful for you. Thank you for visiting.
it is better to have 2 incomes. But I can see the breakdown where you save alot of money throughout the year
lifeguard101:
I agree that 2 incomes are better. I was inspired to write this hub by a former neighbor who chose to stay home and raise her mentally retarded son with love rather than put him in an institution. He was never able to speak but they had a special bond. However, the family struggled financially because of this decision.
Wow, what a great hub! In this economy, everyone needs all the avice he or she can get with regards to ways to save money and still get the most out of all walks of family life.
Congrats on the nomination. Good luck!
Chris1/Chris2:
Thanks for the kind words. And, thank you for visiting my hub.
What a great hub-I think you made some really good suggestions here! We used a lot of those ourselves, when our kids were young--and still do, lol.
We raised our three kids in a one-income household--it was more important to us for me to be a stay at home mom, than it was to have that new car or home, plus all of the "extras". So, we learned pretty quickly how to cut costs to save money!
I especially liked the part with free entertainment. It would be nice if more people start visiting libraries. With time they might start reading something. :)
Super structured details and very informative this is the question asked by so many families... thank you...
Michele Arrvinte:
Entertainment is very important when the family is struggling financially -- to have a break from worrying about the bills. Many museums have "hands-on" sections for kids and they really do enjoy it.
finsofts:
Thank you for visiting my hub. I hope that you found it useful.
Good hints! I remember a time when a 1 income family was the norm. Our houses were smaller, you only had one landline, one car, one television, one bathroom and maybe a garage. We were very happy and content to run through the sprinklers and be home by the streetlights. The gimmies have got us!
My spouse and I choose to live on one income despite the fact we have two. The other income is still there but the money is used for investing in our future or putting away for a rainy day in some other way. This way we know we are well within our means.
James Michael:
I was raised the same way. And our parents never bribed us with toys or treats to behave in the store. Good behavior and good grades were expected.
Camping Dan:
You and your wife sound like a couple who will achieve their dreams. Good luck in all that you do.
what a nice hub .
wow!! wonderful article...
Thanks.
Great article! I know all to well how difficult it can be. Thanks for you input with this hub!
Chris Turner:
I'm glad that it was helpful to you. Thank you for visiting.
very good writing..
can they make money from internet ?
I guess some library has videos that you can rent. But many library let you borrow videos for free (no rent). Some have very recent movie releases too. Of course the new movies releases are probably all checked out by someone already. So some library will charge a fee (usually less than a dollar) to place the item "on hold" for you so that you get "in line" to borrow the video. Libraries know that popular movies are in high demand so they purchase many copies of the DVD. You have to wait, but not that long. It is definitely less expensive than going to a movie theater.
yeah, the library is great. I get the DVD's for free and they have great titles. But nowadays with the interenet I get many things for free. It's a great time to save.
Excellent survival tactics for living on a single wage earners income. Today’s economy has forced many of us to reevaluate how to live and spend...
Really well written Hub, loved the tips !
Helpful ideas in our life...
Thanks.
These are great tips for families. I feel comfortable knowing in the future I will have no children, and thus I will be much better off financially. Also, I can eat very simple foods, and that would save a lot of money as well.
Thank for helpfull idea,
I am very satisfy with it.
Good Family = Good Life habit
it's a very helpful tips for those people who don't know hardship and don't value on little simple things.
Well written Hub. Keep Up The Good Works.
Good hub.
it's useful idea .
it 's hugeness .
it's will help our life better.
Good hub! I think this recession has taught all of us the value of life's simple things and has also highlighted how easy it is to become a sucker for the consumer society. One thing I'd add is to get rid of your car and rely on public transit instead; a car is just a mobile money pit!
This is such a great hub! We already live on one income and share a house the other tips I am going to try!
Great article. I love how you have broken it down into different sections.
Teshana:
I'm glad that the information has been useful to you. Thank you for visiting my hub.
jbullet:
I'm glad that you like the layout. I write all of my articles in sections. The flow seems more natural and it is easier to digest the information.
If you are serious from living of one income and being very healthy at the same time then there is a very good
opportunity out there. It is potentially a life saver in health and wealth. Believe it or not. Check this out: www.tinyurl.com/waynesplash
Very nice article, you state many things clearly, really many things can be found free :)... Great hub!
Very nice article and some good tips for saving money :)
Great article! It is very true about renters having the upperhand now. I just recently moved to a apartment offering 2 months rent free when I sign a 18 month lease. Great deal!
Very good, clean, organized writing.
Hi there...thanks for the tips. The more money we can save, the less money we have to earn to sustain our families. It can take a lot of the pressure off the main income earner/s in the household.
For example, we reduced our weekly grocery bill by $52 by implementing sales and coupons. That saves us $208 every month! It can add up quickly!
Have a great day!
Well written hub. Welcome to the hubpages!
good points. If you put a little effort into it, you can really trim down spending quite easily.
nicely written..good hub
The cost of living is rising nowadays and this couldn't have come at a better time. Thanks for sharing; a very good hub indeed..
I'm amazed at how much some people really do make today working for others. Just learned one of my neighbor's incomes (works for the military) and wow, with a family, you can make bucks and have lots of benefits :)
Some great ideas here. I particularly like the free entertainment suggestions - keeping the kids occupied can drink money, but the library is a great suggestion. Our library runs free holiday activities and story telling sessions too. We also have free swimming at UK leisure centres for under 16s. Sometimes there are simple and cost-free opportunities on one's doorstep if you take the trouble to think about them.
Thanks for the good ideas.
Its not easy and means you have to plan more but if you have a smaller property utility, maintenance and service bills are smaller, you can try growing veg. I manage tomatos, chillis and herbs on my little terrace. Also when you have a little cash make up an emergency box with some tinned food, pasta, toothpaste, toilet rolls, just some essentials that can get you through a couple of weeks when money is tight. Good hub, good advice.
Very good hub, very prescient as well.
I love article like this. I'm a person that only buy what I need and when it on sale. (Unless Im need it right away)
Though we have only one income, we seem to save more than our friends who have two incomes.
Wonderful ideas..
thanks!!
Nice article. My wife and I just bought a house, and while, we're living on two incomes, they are both pretty low. Not going out to eat, cuts down a lot on our spending.
I didn't know about Angel Food Ministries, thank you very much... I know some things I can do in a pinch. This actually did give me piece of mind just in case I fall in a slump.
Great information
Dangazzm:
I have personally bought food from Angel Food Ministries and have found the quality of the meat to be equal to the average grocery store. The fruits and vegetables are great -- just as fresh as the farmers market and at a fraction of the price. My daughter loves their chicken nuggets--- dipped in honey.
You are simply amazing. I loved it.
I have personally bought food from Angel Food Ministries and have found the quality of the meat to be equal to the average grocery store. The fruits and vegetables are great -- just as fresh as the farmers market and at a fraction of the price. My daughter loves their chicken nuggets--- dipped in honey.
Great Hub!
Thanks.
I like to see hubs with information that is actually useful... Theres an article in my wifes new magazine, forget the name, where one family says "we saved $10,000 by taking fewer vacations and not giving jewelry to each other as gifts" etc. etc.
The average person cannot relate, so why print the article? Useable information saves the day! Thanks.
I would love some advice from you, I like your information very much.
One income to live is nice. but who can rely on one income nowadays?
In Las Vegas the high foreclosures have forced rental prices up as displaced people have to find a place to live and the number of rental units is limited. So maybe in other cities as people leave apartments to move back in with family one could save, but not here in Vegas.
MikeNV:
My brother lives in an area with high prices on rental apartments. So he went in the opposite direction and rented a house which had been vacant for several months. Looks for homes which are owned by investors. My brother is renting a 3 BR, 2BA, garage, large fenced yard with mature trees -- for $900 a month in a middle class neighborhood of a large city.
Great hub. I liked your blurb about asking for samples medicine from your doctor. Unfortunately, doctor's will prescribe the most 'lucrative' drugs. Kick-backs, whatever. The pharmecutical sales reps load them up with samples each of which will, of course, expire eventually...ending up in a landfill like you said. The samples are the high-end brand names of medicine. Asking for med samples is the greatest idea that I had yet to hear stated in a budjeting article. Awesome!
Living on one-income is not killing if you live clever. My little tip- in Wisconsin one of food programs is called Share Wisconsin (depending on places of distribution).
superb blog
Great timely info... Thanks...
I say everyone go live in a commune and savee heaps. Of course you will need a Doc, hairdresser,(Oooh, Ooooh that's me)farmer, midwife and so on. Then we would be rich.
I say it a frugal living best steps.
At this point, I believe that I'm but "seconding" all the praise for this hub that has already been written, but it is very timely and is so important on such a broad level. My husband and I have recently bought our first home, a 2BR townhouse in a cohousing community. I cut out coupons from the Sunday paper on a regular basis and buy in bulk as many items as we can. Recently, I purchased a pair of jeans from a second-hand store for $6. :)! For entertainment we often watch DVD's from my husband's computer laptop, but soon may offer some seasonal contributions for our community to watch in our Common House with a big bowl of popcorn and a cup of hot cocoa. It's actually a great feeling knowing that we can contribute to our community in a meaningful way from the resources we already have, thus making them go a long way. I love gardening, walking outdoors, and stitching, painting, and reading. I will review my wardrobe with your suggestions in mind, too. I've been meaning to join your fan club for a while and I look forward to reading more of your hubs! Thanks so much! You deserve your Hubnuggets nomination, and I second that, too!
great information, Good hub, my husband and i lives off of a very low income and barely make ends meet. Reading your hubs are great ideas, thank-you
starbug5052: Thank you for your comment. I understand how difficult it is to live off of a very low income. My husband was on layoff for nearly 8 months. It happened only a few months after we moved to this part of the country so our savings were tapped out from moving. We bought our groceries from Angel Food Ministries and were surprised at the good quality as well as the quantity.
dohn121 says:
3 months ago
What a great hub this is! I'm glad to have read it and look forward to reading more hubs from you.
Good luck on your nomination! I hope I helped ;)