One step closer...

[Amy47]

My Bf and I are one step closer to getting engaged. He got a raise and now makes $17 an hour.

Me being a girl I simply can't wait to get married or for that matter get engaged. And until now we haven't discussed it too much, but now talk about it all the time. Lately we've been trying to figure out how comfortably we'll be able to live with him making $17 an hour and me making $9.50 an hour. How did you manage? Any advice on how to save the big bucks while we're engaged or even before would be appreciated.

 

[Carri20]

Wow, you guys are doing a lot better than me and my fiance! He makes less than $8 an hour and I'm a full-time mom so I'll be bringing two children into the marriage. If it's going to be just the two of you then I would think you could live very comfortably, providing the debt trap doesn't snag you. But then again I would be comfortable living in a studio apartment and sleeping on the floor with only a card table and a couple of folding chairs for furniture. So I guess it depends on your definition of "comfortable".

 

[lacedinlavender]

I don't know the cost of living where you live, Amy, but I also think you could live quite comfortably on $17 and $9.50 an hour.

When my boyfriend and I first marry, it's not likely that we'll be making much more than $20,000/year--but then again, the cost of living in my area is very low.

Jen

 

[Amy47]

I'm not one of those girls that Needs top of the line everything. I'll settle for dollar store house hold items. But when it comes to furniture like beds, and couches I have to buy it new, but just cuz It's new, doesn't mean it's got to be extremely expenseive.

 

[lacedinlavender]

I'm not one of those girls that Needs top of the line everything. I'll settle for dollar store house hold items. But when it comes to furniture like beds, and couches I have to buy it new, but just cuz It's new, doesn't mean it's got to be extremely expenseive.

I'm just curious...why do these things have to be new? My boyfriend and I have full intentions of accepting whatever furniture anybody in our families wants to give us, so we probably won't have a lot of new anything, but that's fine for us. Some of the most comfortable furniture in my house right now is furniture that my parents bought secondhand. But you are right, new doesn't always equal extremely expensive!

Jen

 

[Amy47]

I'm just curious...why do these things have to be new? My boyfriend and I have full intentions of accepting whatever furniture anybody in our families wants to give us, so we probably won't have a lot of new anything, but that's fine for us. Some of the most comfortable furniture in my house right now is furniture that my parents bought secondhand. But you are right, new doesn't always equal extremely expensive!

Jen

The reason I won't get a secondhand coush or bed is because think of the things people do in beds :o , do you really wanna sleep in it after knowing that. Yeah I know you can try to clean the matress but it will never be the same as brand new. As for couches, well people spill in coushes and make it dirty in no time. So I'd rather just buy a new one. Plus my future hubby and I will be able to afford so why not?

 

[Catholic Wife]

The reason I won't get a secondhand coush or bed is because think of the things people do in beds :o , do you really wanna sleep in it after knowing that. Yeah I know you can try to clean the matress but it will never be the same as brand new. As for couches, well people spill in coushes and make it dirty in no time. So I'd rather just buy a new one. Plus my future hubby and I will be able to afford so why not?

I agree with you about the mattress thing! But, I got my parents' hand-me-down sofa/sleeper that was 10 years old at the time and it was (and still is) in great shape. It just depends on how well it's taken care of.

 

[seamonster]

Making $17 and nearly $10 an hour, you'll both be fine. Even if you can't get everything at once and have to wait a few months for a mattress and/or couch, you'll be amazed at how easy it is to survive without everything you "want."

Seriously, my parents make less money than you guys and have 8 children and they live quite comfortably. Even if you guys live in Hawaii, 50,000 a year is quite enough to live like a king and queen, especially at your ages.

Good luck with everything

 

[lacedinlavender]

Most people have to work hard their whole lives, and there's nothing wrong with that. Not everyone is going to be a scientist or an engineer, and those people who choose not to pursue such careers and make much less money are still going to be happy and lead a fulfilling life. Sometimes it's not always about the money. Sometimes sacrifices must be made in order to get where you want to be. $50,000/year is quite a comfortable income, especially for a young, newly wed couple.

Life is not going to be a walk in the park no matter how much money you make. There are always going to be problems that arise.

Jen

 

[Amy47]

If my parents were willing to get rid of their couch set I'd most likely take it. But anyone else, no thanks.

Thanks for all the input, I'm not looking to make alot of money. I just want to know that we won't be living pay cheque by pay cheque and from what we've calculated recently it's looking good. So thanks everyone!

 

[Leanna]

Hmmmm... well by some great miracle we made it our first year with me working full time making 8 dollars an hour, and my husband worked part time making 6.50(he was in college). It was rough though. We had a budget and we were careful with our money, although we also paid our tithes.

I see that you live in Canada so the money will be a little different.

This is what we did about the mattress thing.... we bought a "floor model." Which means that it was one that people tested in the store. We saved a lot of money doing that.

About the general furniture.... we took my parents old furniture, and they bought new.

It just takes some careful planning and you have to decide your priorities....

Some used furniture, by the way, can be covered by "slip covers" which makes them look new. Do you know what I am talking about?

They also have stores where they sell "gently used" furniture.... and if you are weirded out about couches, you can at least get some things like end tables, coffee tables, kitchen tables....

And no offense, but I just hear this too often. It sounds like you want everything NOW. Our generation has been spoiled, and we need to realize that what our parents have... it took them 30 years to get it. We shouldn't expect to marry and have tons of new stuff. Once that attitude has been removed from our minds we are much more grateful about what we have now.

There are still things that I am collecting for around the kitchen and house, and things I really want (many would call needs) that I still don't have. I could use a blender, for example.

 

[Linnis]

That's really good money, even in a bigger city like Toronto, I'd have fell over at a $17 an hour paycheck...saving, if you want to do big saving is doing without, like I knew I needed $1100 by such and such a date, so I went without my trips to Tim's, packed my lunch at home....I think the biggest thing about Canada is the food tax...I love the 1% food tax and couldn't go back to 15% like when I live in Ontario.

I saved for a wedding & immigration and I had two part-time jobs making $7/hr. It can be done!