https://boards.hellobee.com/ Pregnancy, Baby and Parenting blog, by Hellobee en Mon, 11 May 2026 07:22:24 +0000 https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/4#post-1848334 Thu, 04 Sep 2014 00:40:24 +0000 cyndistar3 1848334@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>We could survive just fine on $20k, possibly less. We have done it, it's not fun but it is doable where we are at. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/4#post-1848141 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 20:46:55 +0000 Mrs. Jacks 1848141@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I guess I took the question to mean that I should calculate using my current mortgage, current debt and current child care situation. I didn't include any savings or retirement. Just the basics as they relate to our current life. Sure I could quit my job, sell my house and take the kids out of school, but I didn't think that was the question. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/4#post-1848103 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 20:18:37 +0000 Bao 1848103@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MediaNaranja: @Greentea: lol right! Same here. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1848099 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 20:17:14 +0000 Greentea 1848099@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MediaNaranja: not the poorest ;) I will spare everyone the details! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1848035 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 19:52:33 +0000 mrs. bird 1848035@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MediaNaranja: don't feel bad, while my income might be higher, but i live in an expensive state so it's probably a similar situation. right now i'm getting by on my part time salary alone. </p> <p>bare minimum for just me:<br /> $150 car ins (could probably get less coverage once it's paid off next month, but right now this is the required coverage), i have to have a car to work<br /> $300 health ins (it's the law where i live, you have to be insured, i think i could get one of the low cost, individual plans for this)<br /> $1000 this would be an inexpensive apt in a less than great area<br /> $65 electricity if i don't use AC<br /> $100 gas for heat if averaged over the year for a small apt<br /> $50 cell phone (i think that's how much an inexpensive phone plan is), have to have a phone to work<br /> $350 gas, food, co-pays, car registration/inspection/excise, clothes, household items- pretty much everything else</p> <p>so that assumes i don't have a car payment, no debt to pay, save nothing, my car never needs repairs, no illness or injury in need of treatment, don't go out or give bought gifts or have internet at home, i think that's a pretty bare bones life i have added up there, just under $24,000 take home pay is needed. </p> <p>now the issue is that things always happen- you get a flat tire but don't have money to replace it, then you can't get to work so you lose your job, then you can't pay any of your bills, your phone gets shut off, so how do you get a new job if you can't have anyone call you about a position you apply for? your tire is still flat but you're living in the car because it's paid off &amp; you got evicted from the apt you were renting. the scary thing is that this is often reality! something a simple as a flat tire can so easily derail someone on the edge like that &amp; if those around you are right on the edge too, they can't offer a hand because that would take them out as well. i guess my take home absolute minimum that wouldn't put me at risk for homelessness would be $30,000 as a single person. at that income i'd probably have to have roommates though so i could at least have something put aside to buy a new car when this one dies or have some entertainment $$. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1847930 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 18:38:18 +0000 LovelyPlum 1847930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@MediaNaranja: not the poorest! We've lived on that-not for long, and it sucked horribly. We ate, but we were behind on almost everything. Grad school will do that to you, though. </p> <p>Our bills could get paid on $2750 a month or so. $3500 is easier, and we've done that for a while. It still gets old after awhile, though. I am really glad we are almost one with school and can actually move on with this chapter of our lives! I know we are lucky, but I'm tired of being poor :) </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1847891 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 17:56:43 +0000 StbHisMrs 1847891@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Leialou: That's a great strategy, I'm going to do that and come back :)</p> <p>*ETA<br /> If we sold our vehicles and bought older cheaper ones, and cut out our savings/contributions we'd be looking at needing $50,000. We can't downgrade my husband's smart phone as he's required to have one for his job, mine could get cut out. We already don't have cable, we don't eat out (well I don't, my Husband receives a per diem for eating out and hotels), we don't go on vacations, we don't buy many new clothes either. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1847862 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 17:36:03 +0000 HLK208 1847862@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Ra: I completely agree with your post </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1847853 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 17:29:06 +0000 Mrs. Pen 1847853@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>When DH and I got married, our joint income was about 30-35k. we were definitely "just getting by". We had no extras, and couldn't save. I couldn't have a child on that income. He got his first "real" job and bumped it up a little bit and that's what we live on now, less than the median income for the US and it's hard with a kid and some debt. But I agree it's a hard question to answer! I mean, if DH lost his job? We'd be forced to find ways to "get by". </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1847819 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 17:01:16 +0000 MediaNaranja 1847819@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Dang, I think I'm the poorest person on HB :silly: . Considering I just spent the last year supporting DH and I on ~$1100/month, I'd say very little. We obviously live paycheck to paycheck and don't have a huge savings cushion, but we are healthy, fed and happy, and in the end isn't that what matters? Hell, I just started a job with a base salary that's *still* well below most everyone's "bare minimum" and I feel like I'm Bill Gates.</p> <p>Because I've been there (and am still there), I don't consider things like retirement as the "absolute bare minimum needed to survive." </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1847063 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 11:33:59 +0000 Mrs. Pickle 1847063@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I calculated two different scenarios. This first is true survival. We would sell our house, move into an apartment, sell my car for something cheaper to eliminate that payment, and just pay for bills, food, and gas. Where I live I could live off $25k a year doing that.</p> <p>The second scenario has us cutting back on smart phones, internet, vacations, infertility treatments, date nights, dining out, making minimum payments on our mortgage, but still putting money into our 401(k) and Roth IRAs. I think we could do that on $60-70k. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1847058 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 11:30:35 +0000 plantains 1847058@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Greentea: I think that to live in Manhttan on $37K a year you must have a rent controlled apartment that has been in your family forever which doesn't really apply to the majority of the people who live in NYC.</p> <p>@MrsTiz: There is just no way my family could survive on less that $100K in NYC. Mortgage + maintenance on a 2 bdr apt is around 5k not including any bills. Daycare is 2,500 per month. Those two things alone get us to the 90K mark and I haven't even bought milk which costs $5 for a half gallon...</p> <p>On the other hand, when I was young and single living with 3 roomates, I could squeeze by on about 40K. So it just varies hugely by circumstance. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1847014 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 11:17:20 +0000 Ra 1847014@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>There is a big difference in maintaining (or mostly maintaining) your current lifestyle and getting by. I am very fortunate in my lifestyle. My husband busts his ass so that I can SAH and we can spend our money (relatively) freely. However, very little of what we have are "necessities." In order to get by we wouldn't need much. We might have to sell our home, cars, and cut out eating out, cable, iPhones, vacations, and shopping, but I consider "getting by" putting food in my son's mouth and keeping a roof over his head. Everything else is a luxury, not a necessity, in my opinion. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846959 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 11:00:40 +0000 looch 1846959@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Freckles: I know that, you know that, but why is it that we're having to discuss this? We're all not living in the same place, working or not working the same job, in the same industry. We have different experiences. Why is it that some people don't want to acknowledge that? </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846956 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 11:00:13 +0000 Greentea 1846956@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I know people in the mountains who live on $7k a year and raised two children. I also know people who lived on pretty much nothing and built their homes and grow their food.</p> <p>I know people who (are a couple) lived in Manhattan for many years on $37k.</p> <p>I suppose this question is asking how much you need to maintain your current lifestyle vs. how much you need to survive; because I doubt anyone needs steak when they could be eating rice and beans, if you know what I mean. No one needs more to survive than anyone else- short of some medical issues where you have to eat only lobster or sleep on a temperpedic. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846951 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:58:53 +0000 Lindsay05 1846951@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Yes keep it! Its good to have a thread that can use a little more brain stimulation. I think the discussion here is going very well. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846939 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:56:36 +0000 sunny 1846939@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@lizzywiz: @looch: @.twist.: Agreed. I like reading the different perspectives. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846930 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:53:43 +0000 mrbee 1846930@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I agree! It's just that certain topics consistently develop sides, and start to burst into flame wars. Just wondering the best way to deal with this moving forward...</p> <p>@Freckles: definitely noticed those comments too! Appreciated your suggestion earlier, and open to more of anyone has ideas on how we can better manage this stuff! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846927 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:53:03 +0000 .twist. 1846927@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Anagram: haha, me too. It's the internet for god's sake. It's a public forum. Many topics are going to be discussed here and if we stop talking about anything and everything because it might possibly offend someone, or is too unrealistic for someone else, this is going to be the most boring forum on the face of the earth. That is NOT something I want, because I REALLY enjoy HB. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846902 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:46:30 +0000 Anagram 1846902@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@.twist.: I think these threads are interesting, too! I love this type of stuff. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846898 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:45:34 +0000 Freckles 1846898@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@looch: I sometimes feel like there are more negative/resentful comments towards those who say they need more money, and some (not all) don't really understand they may be much further along in age and in their careers. I definitely could live on way less in my late 20s (making peanuts) than i do now. </p> <p>Sorry, i hope my suggestion wasn't a horrible one! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846882 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:40:28 +0000 .twist. 1846882@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: I don't see why it's bad? This is a forum on the internet for grown women who want to discuss a variety of things. Joined by the common interest of children, we still have other things to discuss. Having a child involves using money, so the board is productive in it's own right. The fact that we choose to discuss in other matters concerning money shouldn't be frowned upon. I mean, at least I don't think so! </p> <p>If anything, these conversations are interesting, and if you aren't getting your panties in a knot, what's the big deal? For people who do get their panties in a knot, maybe they just need to step away from the keyboard for a while. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846878 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:35:52 +0000 looch 1846878@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: yep, but variety is the spice of life, isn't it? I don't think it is just income disparity, it's also age, experience, etc and we can all learn from each other. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846871 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:33:33 +0000 Cherrybee 1846871@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>I agree wholeheartedly with you @lizzywiz: . I love threads like this and I love reading everyone's different perspectives. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846856 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:27:00 +0000 lizzywiz 1846856@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: I actually like threads like these that put our differences on display. Well, I don't like that people get defensive or judgey, but I think it is interesting to see the different perspectives of (mostly) women living all over the country, whether it has to do with money, love or children. I agree w/ what a PP said that if we are on HB then we are clearly privileged to some extent but we still differ wildly when it comes to income and lifestyle. And that is so cool to me.</p> <p>It is nice to talk openly on HB with people who do things differently without having the static of real life egos and politics and personal agendas. I mean, a bee can have an agenda but there is no IRL fall out for me. </p> <p>I like what @looch: said- once we get in our groove, it can be hard to 'unwind' what is real and what is just our perspective, if that makes sense, and it is intriguing to see others perspectives and widen my own.<br /> And no need to take anything personal, you know? </p> <p>Anyway, I think threads like these blow the 'Does your dog have spots?' type of threads out of the water :wink: </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846848 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:24:58 +0000 Arden 1846848@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@mrbee: I think that's a good idea. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846843 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:24:06 +0000 mrbee 1846843@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>Got a great suggestion to rename the Money board<br /> as Budgeting:</p> <p><a href="http://suggestions.hellobee.com/topic/money-board" rel="nofollow">http://suggestions.hellobee.com/topic/money-board</a></p> <p>Thought that was a great idea, so we went ahead and did just that! </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846796 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 10:12:17 +0000 mrbee 1846796@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>The realities of lower income vs middle class finances are both so different! It makes it hard to have a real conversation about this stuff... sometimes I wonder if having a money board is productive or not. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846734 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 09:57:31 +0000 Anagram 1846734@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>For me, retirement savings are a necessity compared to eating out, vacations, cute clothes for LO (even having a LO in the first place), having internet service, having free time (instead of a second job). But that's because I don't totally trust the US's current system for Elderly financial support and I know that some people aren't concerned with those things.</p> <p>Basically you've got your private retirement savings. Then you have your Social Security payment. Then you have Medicare (which pays for Elderly medical care), then when all of those are exhausted, indigent people (only those people in the lowest income bracket) can file for Medicaid that could pay for a nursing home.</p> <p>Interestingly, $20 billion of taxpayer money is used each year on people who could have afforded (by government definition) to fund their own retirements, but chose not to.<br /> <a href="http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba521/" rel="nofollow">http://www.ncpa.org/pub/ba521/</a></p> <p>I guess it's no different than people drawing welfare benefits during their working years, but I had no idea our country spends 20 billion each year on welfare benefits for the elderly. </p> https://boards.hellobee.com/topic/what-is-the-absolute-bare-minimum-salary-you-could-live-on/page/3#post-1846714 Wed, 03 Sep 2014 09:50:28 +0000 Anagram 1846714@https://boards.hellobee.com/ <p>@Cherrybee: I think it's a necessity, too. Social Security depends on how much you made when you were working, so low-wage earners will also have lower SS. I think my grandmother's SS payments were only $800 a month and it was her only income. Her children each sent her $100-$200 a month as well (although she was very frugal, and many times wouldn't take it).</p> <p>And Medicare doesn't cover soooo many expensive medications that the elderly need. My mom is 69 and just retired, and has been moved onto Medicare, and she's been shocked at how many of her current medications are not covered under Medicare. They will sometimes say that a "similar" medication WILL be covered, but often times the alternative is a medication she's already tried that didn't work for her.</p> <p>Most elderly (who can afford it) get a Medicare supplementary insurance which they have to pay for-- And then many elderly who can't afford these things live with their children or other family members. Some receive "indigent care" in nursing homes via Medicaid (health care for the poorest citizens), but I would imagine those facilities aren't very nice. </p>