Could you make it as a low-income parent?

[white dove]

This is a really interesting game. I've played it through several times, and each time was able to end the month with more money in my pocket. Some of the questions aren't realistic for everyone, and sometimes they don't offer an option that I would actually do, but it definitely illustrates the difficulties a single, low-income parent faces. Care to try it?

SPENT

I won't play the game because I'm living as a single parent now. Makes me realize just how much I used to spend on going out, dinners and liquor, not to sound like a booze hound (I'm just real high class !).

Anyway... I think it's good that this thread has made at least a few people thankful for what their parents went through or had to sacrifice for their sake or the sake of their siblings. Children don't always thank their parents or realize what they really went through until the person goes through it themselves, but.. tough decisions reign when you're a parent. I'd pull my hair out if I wasn't losing it already at all the huge decisions I've had to make in my son's short little life. Blach... but my parents raised both my brother and myself as best as they could with what they had. I didn't know we didn't have money because we always had our basic needs met. There are maybe 2 things I didn't get that I really wanted as a child and one of those is a pony. I mean really. I'm surprised we even managed to go on vacations and things like that. Makes me sort of open up my eyeballs even more about sacrificing for the greater good.

 

[Amber.ly]

I can't say that I have greater respect for singles parents than a two parent household but I can appreciate how hard it is to afford children in this day and age.

I grew up in a family with 6 kids and one income. An income that didn't get above the 30's salary range until half of us were out of the house. So I can appreciate all the sacrifices my parents made.

I look at what I make and think that even if I doubled it, I still don't see how I could afford kids. But so many people do make it on a really tight income. Those are commendable families. I wish those were the people writing books about life.

 

[white dove]

I can't say that I have greater respect for singles parents than a two parent household but I can appreciate how hard it is to afford children in this day and age.

I grew up in a family with 6 kids and one income. An income that didn't get above the 30's salary range until half of us were out of the house. So I can appreciate all the sacrifices my parents made.

I look at what I make and think that even if I doubled it, I still don't see how I could afford kids. But so many people do make it on a really tight income. Those are commendable families. I wish those were the people writing books about life.

Wow. Your parents should. That's amazing.

 

[Marycita]

I can't say that I have greater respect for singles parents than a two parent household but I can appreciate how hard it is to afford children in this day and age.

I grew up in a family with 6 kids and one income. An income that didn't get above the 30's salary range until half of us were out of the house. So I can appreciate all the sacrifices my parents made.

I look at what I make and think that even if I doubled it, I still don't see how I could afford kids. But so many people do make it on a really tight income. Those are commendable families. I wish those were the people writing books about life.

Ditto!!


I had money left at the end of the month...

....I honestly had to laugh out loud at the free lunch bit...I remember coming home after school sobbing over that exact thing...my mom would comfort me, of course, then the next morning, I'd ask her for lunch money, and she'd tell me no. (Really though, as I got older, I stopped whining at her for telling me no and started seeing the pain in her eyes when she would have to tell me that I would have to get the free lunch, or she couldn't give me ten dollars to go to a movie, etc....oh I wanna go hug my mom now!)


I really do not know how my mom did it. She's superwoman in some ways I think She never went to college and her jobs were never high paying in the slightest (barely 20k)...and somehow us 8 kids never went without anything we need.

And as much as I whined about never having the latest trends and such..ugh..I'm SO grateful because it really made me not take anything for granted...


...ramble over

 

[Inkachu]

I didn't realize that this thread would make people think about their own parents, and feel grateful or thankful, but I'm glad it has! Awesomesauce

 

[Amber.ly]

And as much as I whined about never having the latest trends and such..ugh..I'm SO grateful because it really made me not take anything for granted...


...ramble over

You know, that is so true! My parents were honest with us kids about their financial situation and NEVER did we get handed money just so we could go buy ourselves something useless. And you know what? When you have to work for what you get and budget to get what you want- you really start to understand the concept of money and using it wisely.

I feel so sorry for kids that get everything handed to them. Or even kids that their parents are struggling with money but they never tell their kids the truth. Those are big teaching moments.

Mary, you got me going! Now I need to go email my parents and thank them again LOL

 

[Marycita]

You know, that is so true! My parents were honest with us kids about their financial situation and NEVER did we get handed money just so we could go buy ourselves something useless. And you know what? When you have to work for what you get and budget to get what you want- you really start to understand the concept of money and using it wisely.

I feel so sorry for kids that get everything handed to them. Or even kids that their parents are struggling with money but they never tell their kids the truth. Those are big teaching moments.

Mary, you got me going! Now I need to go email my parents and thank them again LOL

SUCH big teaching moments...in so many ways..


And I was just thinking how I would like to actually tell my mom this and thank her..and I literally thought that I should take her out to dinner and make a big thing of it but she would never let me spend money on going out to eat, especially on her...so I'll have to make dinner instead

 

[l0v3n]

I had dental problems. They took my car. I was fired from my job. I had only 143 dollars left in savings. WHY DOESN'T ANYONE CARE ABOUT WHAT THESE FAMILIES GO THROUGH??? I am passionate about this and I want to help. I get so angry when others are still going through this.

 

[Tink]

You know, that is so true! My parents were honest with us kids about their financial situation and NEVER did we get handed money just so we could go buy ourselves something useless. And you know what? When you have to work for what you get and budget to get what you want- you really start to understand the concept of money and using it wisely.

I feel so sorry for kids that get everything handed to them. Or even kids that their parents are struggling with money but they never tell their kids the truth. Those are big teaching moments.

Mary, you got me going! Now I need to go email my parents and thank them again LOL

My mom was struggling, didn't give us what we wanted, but also never told us what was going on.

In turn, I'm pretty bad with money. I don't blame her solely (I mean, I'm an adult now) but I can see where it started.

 

[CrystalBrooke]

I'm technically not a single parent, but even with child support each month, lately I've been lucky to have $5 in my account (savings, checking..everything) by the time I get paid again.

 

[Spirit_Star]

I made it to the end of the month with $232. However I lost my job (packer). I was unable to go to my grandfather’s funeral. I needed a root cannel that will cost 800, I owe a friend 225, 500 for car loan. Child was not able to join sports team as we could not afford the equipment. Mom needed 100 for medication I really debated but did buy it for her. I missed a ballgame for $50 My commute to work was 50 miles. Good news is that i applied for food stamps and got approved.

 

[puffca]

I tried 3 times, and every time I ended the game by backing into another car within the first month.
Am I such a bad driver?

 

[SneakerPimp53]

Has anyone passed the typing test?

 

[Oddish]

Has anyone passed the typing test?

I didn't, did you? I would feel a lot better if someone else failed it too.

 

[Inkachu]

I failed the typing test once, then passed it the second try. And I'm a REALLY good typist, lol. That thing was much more strict than a temp agency test would be, IMO.

 

[Marycita]

I failed the typing test once, then passed it the second try. And I'm a REALLY good typist, lol. That thing was much more strict than a temp agency test would be, IMO.

I concur..I failed it, and when I took a typing test for a temp agency a few months ago, my wpm was 75..and they seemed impressed

 

[Tink]

Has anyone passed the typing test?

I passed it.

 

[SneakerPimp53]

I concur..I failed it, and when I took a typing test for a temp agency a few months ago, my wpm was 75..and they seemed impressed

That was the thing, I can type 70 WPM and failed it. Which seems a tad unrealistic for temp office workers. It just seemed to me like they really wanted to force you into the restaurant or warehouse job.

 

[K9_Trainer]

I passed it just fine lol

 

[Stravinsk]

For sure! I had to laugh at the available groceries, cause those are pretty much the things we live on. Ramen noodles to the rescue!

Ramen noodles...ugh - prefried and full of saturated fat.

Have you tried shopping at wholesalers who sell to the public? I buy in bulk things like borlotti beans, chickpeas, oil, rice, tomato sauce, laundry detergent etc - and save a fair amount of money over going to the grocery store for the same items. Also, we have farmer's markets here where you can get produce for cheap.