Small Paycut Can Equal Big Sacrifice in Tough Times
Today’s online edition of The New York Times features a touching slideshow portrait of a family of six in California who are struggling to get by after a seemingly small–ten percent–paycut. Mom says friends told her it was be easy if she “trimmed the fat” from her budget. But as I’m sure many readers can relate, there isn’t much fat in the budget of a family with four young children trying to live on one adult salary. Now the full-time (and then some) job of the stay-at-home parent includes monthly meal planning down to the last detail of how to get the most from the leftovers. The family has also cut piano lessons for their set of twins, vaccinations for their pets, haircuts, and new work clothes for dad.
To watch the short slideshow narrated by mom, visit NYTimes.com.
See Also: Economy Down, Adoptions Up
image: Max Whitaker for the New York Times
The hard part is the fixed costs you can’t cut. I suspect these people didn’t have much left over after the mortgage in the first place — and if you think $72K/year is a lot of money, you don’t live in California where that is barely enough income to buy a small house in a bad neighborhood two hours from work. They could drop the mortgage and become homeless, I suppose, or they could leave California for some state where the economy is even worse and jobs even harder to find, but that’s not exactly a solution either…
I stopped using the dryer. I now unplug the huge plasma tv that is our “date night” too!…I stopped Netflix–just reserve the movies at the library.
I drive to work without the a/c. People used to get along ok without it–if there’s no rain in the forecast and it’s safe, I park in the shade and leave windows open. I put the hardback library books in the trunk. We cut out garbage service–The dump is 5 minutes away. I cut the girls’ hair now and it looks pretty good. It isn’t that hard. Me? I’m scared to play with hair dye, so I’ll still go to Walmart to get roots touched up. We’re growing tomatoes. We get our gas with our Discover card-5% rebate.
It’s fun! We lived on one state salary-or a graduate student stipend–growing up. Daddy loved to go to school. His stipend was $350/month in 1962. (1 masters, 1 PhD during my lifetime plus he already had 1 masters when I was born). Mom cut our hair, grew our food, and made our clothes or we got hand me downs from older cousins. Sometimes in Florida we’d go to the backyard and pick a salad for supper.
Kids are in good public schools. No beach vacation–instead, a new pool liner and I turned it into a salt water pool–it will pay for itself in 3 years as it is much cheaper to run. Still mulling over a trip to DC after summer school; I do want to show the girls DC and slip away to see the Holocaust museum. Hot? Well, yeah..but we’re used to hot!
I wouldn’t begrude them ANY choice. We all have reasons for what we buy. I have bought much stupider things than cable. I feel for all these families. Almost everyone I know is going through something difficult.
At 72,000, that should be possible, even for a family of four in California (which I know can be very expensive). An income like that might seem high, but often cost of living can vary heavily. I’m guessing this family simply can’t afford their home. I can’t say for sure, because that wasn’t really discussed. But it’s generally the biggest expense and it was increasing rapidly over the past decade. It’s sad. I’m just guessing based on what I see around me.
I’m not judging btw. I’m very LUCKY to have a nice home in a cheap city, so we haven’t felt my husband’s pay cut as much we might have if our home had been more expensive. This was luck of the draw, not great planning or insight. Land just happens to be cheaper where my husband got a job. I was prepared to pay far more before we moved. I’m now glad we didn’t have to (or weren’t tempted, ymmv). Overly tight budgets are a reality I’m seeing with friends living in other cities. Again I feel relieved and very lucky.
The worst thing is if you can’t get what you need for your home to downsize and save money. When it doesn’t make financial sense to sell your home, the only option is to cut everything that isn’t essential to keep yourself afloat. When you have an above average steady income and are using savings bonds to pay regular bills, you have to really start rethinking your lifestyle. This means asking what is really a need and what is a want.
It’s natural to want an stimulating and enjoyable life for your children. I really feel for these parents. I’m not at the stage where it matters what activities we do. It’s no sacrifice to forgo something because it isn’t in the budget. But I believe children KNOW when things are rough. They do much better when parents reduce their own stress level. Living within your means is a good way to reduce stress.
It makes a family more secure.
I am new here.
When you have children it is not easy you havt to say to you’re slef, I can do with out this. My mother raised 7 children. We had no AC,No cable no dryer,We only had one tv. and We hanged our jeans outside on the line. Now I found out this the other day if you have a Labtop you can see good moives on it the pic is better, and faster. and you dont need cable.now as for A vaction you can spend more time reading to you’re children our playing with them outside.are drawing. going fishing,are bike riding. going to the park. some times A family has to make a move to the country.
I can see why these parents are worried and how losing $450 a month could be a major adjustment.
I’m with you Shannon – we’ve held onto our cable for the same reason. No proper dates or vacations in the near future.
“Did it say “$72,000 a year?” Because that would be like winning the lottery for me.”
Puasamanda: You and me both!
I don’t think this is supposed to be an article about the Poorest Family in America. I think it’s supposed to be representative of how an average family deals with something less than a job loss during a recession.
I personally don’t begrudge them their cable. We have cable on our own budget table right now, and much as I think it’s a waste, HBO on demand is about the only date my partner and I can afford these days.
After reading the article further, I would like to say that I would trade for this family’s income in a heartbeat. Did I read it right? Did it say “$72,000 a year?” Because that would be like winning the lottery for me.
This family’s situation is not the least bit unusual, at least not in my neck of the woods (Metro Detroit area). My husband and I are dealing with the very same, and we are only one of many among those we know. What becomes amazing over time is what you can learn to live without.
What becomes really tough is this: When a family truly HAS cut ALL the fat, and there still isn’t anything left at the end of a month…month after month. Its tough. It is even tougher to hear cost-cutting advice from those who have more, when you are already doing everything suggested – and many things no one has even thought of.
Kate: Your “getting by” is very well someone else’s “lap of luxury.” I can’t begin to imagine how much easier our lives would be on $2500 a month. I’m jealous – lol! We live on $1,400.
And for what it’s worth, my family of 5 has been getting by on about $2500 a month, since my husband and I both suffered cut-backs at our jobs (which, of course, happened right around the winter holidays).
While I appreciate the situation that family is in, I have to agree with sara that this family may need to rethink their assertion that they have already cut all the fat.
1. Eat more vegetarian meals.
2. Switch to cloth diapers. (www.miraclediapers.org to apply for free/low-cost cloth diapers)
3. Sign up for Freecycle–I got my son’s crib on there.
4. Stop using disposable napkins, baby wipes and paper towels.
5. If it’s yellow let it mellow. (Hey, every little bit counts, right?)
6. Turn off the lights.
We all make different spending decisions, but I can’t believe someone who spends $400/month on cable and dance lessons would claim they’ve cut “all the fat”. Spend the money if you want, just don’t claim deprivation at the same time that you’re spending $55/month on television.
I don’t think a ten percent pay cut is “small” for a family of six, especially when those six are supported by one paycheck.
Anyone who thinks that there is fat to trim in a family budget, in most cases, isn’t living in reality…at least the reality of now.