Quote:You can still raise a family on a single income, it just means making living choices most people are not comfortable with. I own my home, have two cars and I'm the only income in my household. The American dream isn't dead, you just have to be willing to adapt and change, perhaps if people find an area to expensive they should seek an area with a lower cost of living, that's what I did.

 

Honestly, I can't imagine my wife and I making it on one salary.  We even own our own house (though my mother-in-law paid for it.  The old house we had was too small for us to live in, and the floors were falling apart, and the earthquake damaged the foundation.  My wife's Uncle is a contractor and did the job, and he said we were lucky that the house stood as long as it did)

 

Back when my wife was in college (and working at the mall at the time) we were barely able to make it with three kids.  I can't imagine having a house payment during that time (I inherited the old house from my grandmother) or a car payment (we both already had cars).  We did eventually buy a van because it's hard to haul three kids around.    My wife wound up selling her old car, and got a slightly cheaper one.

 

Granted, we could cut a lot of stuff out and probably make it.  Though back when we were struggling, we didn't have satellite television.  We just had an antenna.  


Our area is a bit expensive -- but moving would ultimately cost us more because we own our land, and our home.  We couldn't sell our old house because of the shape it was in.  And if we move now, my wife loses her tenure, not to mention the step increases she's accumulated, she'd have to start from the beginning.  And then there's my job.  I only have an associates degree, and probably wouldn't be able to get a comparable job elsewhere.  We'd also have to pay for a nanny for the twins most likely.  (When we need a sitter, we've got plenty of family to ask around us)

 

Moving isn't always a feasible option, even in the high cost areas.  Of course growing up, this place wasn't as high cost.  But we're close to DC so everyone who works for the government lives around here.  (My parents worked for the government themselves).   I know if we had a house payment, we'd probably have been broke.  Especially if only one of us were working.  


Can you support a family on a single income?  Maybe.  Depends on if your job is a good one or not, and on the area you live in.  You don't always have the option of moving easily.  And you want to find an area with good schools, which tend to be more expensive as well.  

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