Met some of my GF's family this weekend after the game. Her uncle was the postmaster in the thriving metropolis of Buffalo, TX. Her aunt was a stay at home mom. Aunt helped do the books at a business a couple days a week when the kids got older. They're retired now.

Is it possible now to live like they did on a single income from a government job?

Do we simply choose too many material comforts to live that life now?

No.

Yes.

BadMoonRisin said:

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No.

Yes.

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But, abandoning all modern consumerism still won't allow a family to save and thrive. Certainly not if they haven't already bought a home.

Not really, especially with unabated inflation.

It's possible but not probable. The working husband and stay at home mom will very soon be an indication of wealth.

Well, the price of everything is higher than George Floyd.

Our country, who figured out how to land on the moon using basically the same technology that you can find in a TI-85 calculator was brought to its knees due to a common cold virus, and at the same time elected a braindead ****** who didnt even attempt to campaign for votes with THE MOST VOTES IN HISTORY!

We printed 40% of all dollars in the last two years, and still have mouthbreathing *******s wondering why inflation is a thing....and they still have some ******ed "Occupy Wallstreet" type idiot/Bernie bro ******s saying it was due to "corporate profits". As if they ever had a brain in the first place.

So...yeah. We're about 4 years removed from Lord of the Flies. It is what it is.

Mean annual wage for a postmaster is 84K. You can make that work in most places in this country.

We live on a single income. My wife quit her job 20 years ago.

Bocephus said:

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Met some of my GF's family this weekend after the game. Her uncle was the postmaster in the thriving metropolis of Buffalo, TX. Her aunt was a stay at home mom. Aunt helped do the books at a business a couple days a week when the kids got older. They're retired now.

Is it possible now to live like they did on a single income from a government job?

Do we simply choose too many material comforts to live that life now?

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From 1998-2012 my small family of 9 kids lived on one income.

Is it THAT much more expensive now?

living in the big city $$$$
living in the suburbs $$$
living in the country $$

zephyr88 said:

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living in the big city $$$$
living in the suburbs $$$
living in the country $$

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We chose #3. I did have a 54 mile commute (each way), but the cost of living in the country was VERY affordable. Even had 5 acres for the kids to play on (that's code for "get out and let me and mom have a break").

I work and wife stays home, homeschools our son. Sure I guess we have less in the budget to splurge on things we don't need. Life is low stress. Son isn't indoctrinated for 8+ hrs a day.

Bocephus said:

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Met some of my GF's family this weekend after the game. Her uncle was the postmaster in the thriving metropolis of Buffalo, TX. Her aunt was a stay at home mom. Aunt helped do the books at a business a couple days a week when the kids got older. They're retired now.

Is it possible now to live like they did on a single income from a government job?

Do we simply choose too many material comforts to live that life now?

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It's choices. When people talk about that they also forget what that home that a single income could buy looked like. Decades of voting for socialism though is having an impact though.

clobby said:

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Mean annual wage for a postmaster is 84K. You can make that work in most places in this country.

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Google just told me it was $74K. I believe he retired in 2013. So let's say $60K then.

Can you make a living as a family (let's say a family of 4) on $80,000 a year and have a no frills house and a car?

clobby said:

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Mean annual wage for a postmaster is 84K. You can make that work in most places in this country.

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Exactly!

I think it is possible but would take a lot of effort on the spending side of things. Once a couple has tasted the two income lifestyle, it would be a huge adjustment, one they are likely unwilling, or unable, to make. We made it on one income, while mortgage rates were 17.25%, but we had saved a good bit of money beforehand.

To make this real, was talking to a government worker the other day who is making $79,000. He is frustrated bc his take home pay if $1800 per paycheck. He's building a 3 & 2.5 2200 sqft house in Mesquite (so as he said, not even a nice area) for $410,000. His mortgage is $3500 per month.

He is frustrated he cannot make a living on his salary alone.

It can be a struggle, but living on a single income can be done. We have done that off and on across the last 17 years. During this time we have managed some nice vacations, paid off the house, and paid off both our vehicles within 2 years after purchasing them. We have also budgeted well, spent cash for most purchases, and cut out things like daily eating out to accomplish this.

one safe place said:

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I think it is possible but would take a lot of effort on the spending side of things. Once a couple has tasted the two income lifestyle, it would be a huge adjustment, one they are likely unwilling, or unable, to make. We made it on one income, while mortgage rates were 17.25%, but we had saved a good bit of money beforehand.

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You bought your house in the late 70s?

Yes, it can be done, but it takes planning and hard work.
We live in Houston; it's basically my "job" to cook food from scratch, clean our house, care for our kids, drive older cars, plus I shop thrift stores and garage sales for our family of 7. Most of our vacations are camping or visiting relatives. It's definitely a lifestyle choice and not for everyone, but we are thriving on my husbands salary. We did buy our house 10 years ago, though.

There's a lot of 20+ years of experience, salary and savings reflecting on the ability to be single provider.

I think the question is better framed if you look at a recent grad and let's not even say Aggie grads.

Bocephus said:

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clobby said:

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Mean annual wage for a postmaster is 84K. You can make that work in most places in this country.

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Google just told me it was $74K. I believe he retired in 2013. So let's say $60K then.

Can you make a living as a family (let's say a family of 4) on $80,000 a year and have a no frills house and a car?

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My daughter and her husband are doing that. They have 7 kids (blended family) and she stays home and takes care of the kids. He works oilfield and probably makes around that or maybe a bit more.

But, then, they live out in Parker County where we lived when she was growing up.

With 2 kids, it'd be hard but doable. There's a reason 60% live paycheck to paycheck. It's not that they're materialistic spenders, it's because just living is expensive. Youd need a few years in a crappy house or crappy apartment building savings. Most immigrants live this way. Most don't have the wife working.

Bocephus said:

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To make this real, was talking to a government worker the other day who is making $79,000. He is frustrated bc his take home pay if $1800 per paycheck. He's building a 3 & 2.5 2200 sqft house in Mesquite (so as he said, not even a nice area) for $410,000. His mortgage is $3500 per month.

He is frustrated he cannot make a living on his salary alone.

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He should move out to Forney or Terrell if they're cheaper. Longer commute, but country living is cheaper.

TAMUallen said:

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There's a lot of 20+ years of experience, salary and savings reflecting on the ability to be single provider.

I think the question is better framed if you look at a recent grad and let's not even say Aggie grads.

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Example right below your post.

NOTE: I also did it albeit years ago. But, with more kids.

Seems like a decent paying government job in a small town is absolutely doable, especially with retirement factored in.

There was giant reset in house prices after the 2008 financial crisis in most locations. If was one still employed at that time, had a house already, upgrading with much more affordable.

It would be interesting to see comparisons of spending today vs 30/40 years ago. There are seemingly more mechanisms to drain cash on a monthly basis that didn't exist until recently.

Monthly internet, multiple cell phones, etc. flip side is those same 'new' tools simplify bargain shopping.

You definitely can in places like Buffalo. I know plenty of people all through Leon county who have one income and do well.

Finding a way into the job market that allows for a single income is rough right now.

If you had told me in 2004 that 21$ an hour would be bad pay, I'd have laughed at you.

GAC06 said:

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Seems like a decent paying government job in a small town is absolutely doable, especially with retirement factored in.

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Definitely.

No one is driving a new car. The house is not a McMansion.

All shopping is done at Walmart and Great Value is your best friend. Kids are not wearing the latest styles.

Rarely eat out. Make big meals that can be leftovers for more than one night.

Birthdays and Christmas are not HUGE affairs with TONS of presents. Hint: little kids don't care so much WHAT you got them as the fact that they got the same amount as the other kids. They don't know prices yet.

Huge problem in this equation that is often overlooked is that there used to be very inexpensive areas to live in that were also safe. Nowadays in cities, cheap usually means high crime.

Bocephus said:

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Met some of my GF's family this weekend after the game. Her uncle was the postmaster in the thriving metropolis of Buffalo, TX. Her aunt was a stay at home mom. Aunt helped do the books at a business a couple days a week when the kids got older. They're retired now.

Is it possible now to live like they did on a single income from a government job?

Do we simply choose too many material comforts to live that life now?

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People can do it if they find a decent job in a smaller town and buy a house in that town or live out in the country close to the town. Especially if they bought their house when mortgage rates were below 5%. I have childhood friends and relatives who currently do it. One of them works in law enforcement, one is a pharmacist, one is a city engineer, one is radiology tech, and one is an HVAC guy. They all grew up in smaller towns and wanted that life for their own families.

Ag_of_08 said:

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Finding a way into the job market that allows for a single income is rough right now.

If you had told me in 2004 that 21$ an hour would be bad pay, I'd have laughed at you.

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That's probably what I was making in 2004.

GE said:

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Huge problem in this equation that is often overlooked is that there used to be very inexpensive areas to live in that were also safe. Nowadays in cities, cheap usually means high crime.

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True. Now many times you need to move to the exurbs instead of just the suburbs.

Many people don't want to make the sacrifice of a long commute even though it will save tons of money.