And They Said it Wouldn't Happen

[mkd]

southeast Kansas

I hear Ecuador is nice, too. Live on the coast for cheap-ish. Monta or Salinas.

[mowens]

Depending on exactly where you are, there is some beautiful country in that part of Kansas.

[Incogneeto]

Depending on exactly where you are, there is some beautiful FLAT country in that part of Kansas.

Fixed.

[Smit]

Fixed.

You are, of course, wrong. Eastern Kansas has a lot of hills and forest.



The Flint Hills, north of Wichita



This is my favorite fishing hole.

[CNCAppsJames]

How many fathers do you know these days that are able to raise a 7 (even 2 or 3) kid family on a single person income? I know a small hand full and they all have 4 year College degrees and work in the tech industry. How many families do you know these days that can purchase a house on a single person income before they're 30? I don't know any right now.

🙋

My wife and I raised 4 on a single income. Machinist income. I BARELY graduated High School. We are home owners. Not before 30 but in The People's Republik of Kommieforniastan that's a HARD task but we possibly could have but we chose to have a couple more kids instead. We have 2 paid for 2018 vehicles. A Chevy Suburban and a Toyota Rav 4. I'm nothing special. I probably read more than the average bear.

People make choices. If a family WANTS to be a single income family they can. It's not easy, but it can be done.

We didn't go in vacations. We didn't gonto movies. We didn't eat iut much. We didn't have cable for years. We had 2 boys to a room. We didn't have fancy cars BITD. We didn't live in fancy apartments. We were married for 6 years before we moved into a house. The house that we eventually purchased. We homeschooled the 2nd son from 2nd grade through Freshman year in high school. He wanted to be starting Varsity QB by Sophomore year and told us it would be better for him if he was at school full time. The next two we homeschooled K-12.

 It's ALL about choices.

[neurosis]

My wife and I raised 4 on a single income.

I'm not talking about our generation. Although it wasn't easy even in our generation. Most of my friends are working families.

I should re-phrase that question to say someone 30 or younger. 

edit: to add -

My girlfriends daughter and son in law made a deal before they got married. If she helped pay for his college education, when he graduated and got a job, she could be a stay at home parent.  They are in their early 30's and he held up his end of the bargain. He works for Amazon now in their financial department and makes about $150k per year.  They have two kids and make it work, but even on that salary, they are hardly upper class in this area.

I'm not saying that it's not possible. It's more the exception than the rule.

[JParis]

I should re-phrase that question to say someone 30 or younger. 

Again, just like back when, it "can" be done....my granddaughter, graduated college in 2019, comfortably making over 6 figures at this point...her biggest problem???

Boys...20- and early 30-somethings who are boys more than men and intimidated by a young, confident, driven succesful female...boys who don't know how to be men. Boys who want to sit around most of the day and play video games. Boys who  were not raised to be men.

[neurosis]

Again, just like back when, it "can" be done....my granddaughter, graduated college in 2019, comfortably making over 6 figures at this point...

I assume she's raising a family? Would she be able to do that on the average machinist salary these days?

I'm not even sure what that is anymore TBH. $55k per year?   

[JParis]

I assume she's raising a family?

Not yet, still single but she certainly could

In my neck of the woods a decent machinist is getting $30/hr...they can easily make $75k/yr with some OT

[neurosis]

Looking it up, the estimated required annual income before taxes to raise two children comfortably in the Seattle/Tacoma area, is $110,000.

I'm not sure where they come up with these numbers. This seems a little high to me.

https://livingwage.mit.edu/metros/42660

[JParis]

I'm not sure where they come up with these numbers.

Well, they pretend that they know how everyone wants and should live...then they back figure on that assumption and add a fudge factor to get what they want.

[neurosis]

Well, they pretend that they know how everyone wants and should live...then they back figure on that assumption and add a fudge factor to get what they want.

Well, even if they're 20% off, by their numbers you couldn't afford to raise a 2 kid family on a machinist salary. 

[YoDoug]

I think you guys are getting stuck on a binary answer to a complex question. Yes, it is still possible to raise a family on a single income. The truth is though, it is getting much harder every decade. I follow a guy on youtube that has a lot of interesting science, math, and stats videos. He did a video a while back entitle, "Is Success Luck or Hard Work". It is a very interesting look at bias and at opportunity and luck. Most successful people think they are successful because they work harder than others, however that may not be the case. I think this video applies well to the subject of raising a family on a single income as well.

[JParis]

Well, even if they're 20% off, by their numbers you couldn't afford to raise a 2 kid family on a machinist salary. 

It can be done...there won't be any extra's, there won't be $1200 iphones, there won't be any $800/mo car payments, kids will wear hand me downs mostly...it will be a frugal life.

Frankly, coming from exactly that kind of childhood, it makes you a better, more balanced and grounded in the what's really important things in life.

Let's face it though, families used to have 3, 4 or 5 kids in a single room...today every little kid needs their own room, their own little world where they are made to feel special.

Much of what is wrong in this world starts and stops right there...no one is willing to sacrifice.

[neurosis]

Let's face it though, families used to have 3, 4 or 5 kids in a single room...today every little kid needs their own room, their own little world where they are made to feel special.

When I lived in Texas with my mom, there were six of us living in a 2 bedroom apartment.  My bed was in a walk in closet. I never had my own bedroom until I moved out on my own.   

It was definitely a different kind of living in the 70's. We were *very* poor. My mom and Aunt, we lived with my Aunt at the time, both worked in dry cleaning. Both were single mothers with two children.

Much of what is wrong in this world starts and stops right there...no one is willing to sacrifice.

No argument there.  Spend 15 minutes reading /r/antiwork sub-reddit and you get an idea of how bitter the younger generations are.