i guess it would depend on how *they* define 'standard of living'.
in my case: my life has improved by 10000000000 %. i am a whole different person, i am happay, i love my life. money wise ---- while i was married, my then-husband had full control of all the money. i was working (same place as now) we lived in a much biger house that i had to clean by myself because he kept saying we could'nt afford help. so on the outside it may seem that my 'standard of living' was higher because we lived in a huge house etc but ---- i didn't have anything, we didn't own the house, he refused to buy a house and i had no more financial security then than i do now. the difference is that now *I* decide how to spend my money and i don't have to *share*. i have less cleanign up to do because the house is smaller now and because i don't have to pick up after wassisname.
so ----------my life is better. that's what i care about.
Because I had to close my daycare when we split up...things for me are a lot worse than they were. Now we live with a friend and I'm busting my butt to get a job and some child support for my daughter. In a year things will be a lot better though!
I can't wait to get a job and start earning my own money, paying my own bills and standing on my own two feet.
I know financially dd and my situation is worse and I hate not being able to support us and have to rely on him for cs.I work a full time job but it doesnt pay much so I need the cs and am also fighting in the divorce for alimony.At first stbx complained of not having and money but that is because he doesnt know how to manage it funny he could still afford that harley payment.Now he has moved in with gf and told dd he had to because he couldnt afford living on his own.I know right now that he has both of their incomes coming in but also has more bills and it wont be long until he really is worse off.Sorry about the rant but yes I would have to say for me anyway I would agree.
I make a pretty good living, my stbxw works part time and we’ve been living paycheck to paycheck forever. We’ve got a ton of debt and I’m wondering how in the he|| we’re going to make this D work and come out on the other side with any kind of quality of life. The stbx has always been (and still is!) in charge of the money and paying bills (I couldn’t even tell you exactly what I bring home because I’ve never really paid attention). How’s that for detachment ;-) I know that we blow tons of money on frivolous BS, and that will change. My kids are pretty spoiled and it’s going to be rough changing that mind set. "Why can't we go to Outback tonight!" I’ll let you know when the dust settles.
My financial change was worse than what the studies report...
I was a SAHM with a high-earning spouse. He currently outearns me by over $100,000. I'd say that my standard of living at first dropped by more than half, if you're talking about the amount of dollars coming in the door per person in the household--but that's improving through my hard work. And he remarried a woman earning more than I do, so now they're rolling in the dough.
And that monetary disparity causes huge competition between his household and mine. He "bribes" our kids constantly. Daddy has a yardman, a maid, two new cars, a 50 inch TV, vacations, restaurant meals all the time, etc. Mommy's house has none of that.
However... Mommy's house now has PEACE! Priceless!
Momsacupcake
Ooh, thank you for causing me to think along these lines. I really needed this today. I've paid over $1,300 to the ac repair people this month. There goes my vacation money. I was feeling pretty doggone low, but better now.
Oh, I've gone through that, too. I make about half of what my ex makes. He has video game systems, a pool, my son has a Tivo in his bedroom there, etc.
On paper, I guess my standard of living dropped. I moved into
Repairs, repairs, repairs.... any my EX says, while he's looking at my HVAC unit (that's what he does... repair and install them) "this thing doesn't look like it's run in a while"
Mine is roughly the same, and could be considered a little better financially since he left. He had no job so his income was unstable, he ate A LOT, and was home all the time so the energy bills were high.
Now I know what my money is being spent on, although I don't have much of it. I don't have to pay for his food anymore, and since my DD spends the day at his place during the week I don't have the electricity and gas being used during the day. My phone bill is much better because he used to spend hours a day (not an exaggeration) talking on it long distance, and now I don't have to worry about that expense.
I also have the major benefit that I don't live with a slob anymore. I feel my standard of living has increased enormously just by not having his endless stream of crap laying all over the place.
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Interesting... I wouldn't say that my "standard of living" has dropped.
Karen ~ wildlucky4me ~
i guess it would depend on how *they* define 'standard of living'.
in my case: my life has improved by 10000000000 %. i am a whole different person, i am happay, i love my life. money wise ---- while i was married, my then-husband had full control of all the money. i was working (same place as now) we lived in a much biger house that i had to clean by myself because he kept saying we could'nt afford help. so on the outside it may seem that my 'standard of living' was higher because we lived in a huge house etc but ---- i didn't have anything, we didn't own the house, he refused to buy a house and i had no more financial security then than i do now. the difference is that now *I* decide how to spend my money and i don't have to *share*. i have less cleanign up to do because the house is smaller now and because i don't have to pick up after wassisname.
so ----------my life is better. that's what i care about.
Because I had to close my daycare when we split up...things for me are a lot worse than they were. Now we live with a friend and I'm busting my butt to get a job and some child support for my daughter. In a year things will be a lot better though!
I can't wait to get a job and start earning my own money, paying my own bills and standing on my own two feet.
My financial change was worse than what the studies report...
I was a SAHM with a high-earning spouse. He currently outearns me by over $100,000. I'd say that my standard of living at first dropped by more than half, if you're talking about the amount of dollars coming in the door per person in the household--but that's improving through my hard work. And he remarried a woman earning more than I do, so now they're rolling in the dough.
And that monetary disparity causes huge competition between his household and mine. He "bribes" our kids constantly. Daddy has a yardman, a maid, two new cars, a 50 inch TV, vacations, restaurant meals all the time, etc. Mommy's house has none of that.
However... Mommy's house now has PEACE! Priceless!
Momsacupcake
Ooh, thank you for causing me to think along these lines. I really needed this today. I've paid over $1,300 to the ac repair people this month. There goes my vacation money. I was feeling pretty doggone low, but better now.
Oh, I've gone through that, too. I make about half of what my ex makes. He has video game systems, a pool, my son has a Tivo in his bedroom there, etc.
On paper, I guess my standard of living dropped. I moved into
Repairs, repairs, repairs.... any my EX says, while he's looking at my HVAC unit (that's what he does... repair and install them) "this thing doesn't look like it's run in a while"
Karen ~ wildlucky4me ~
Mine is roughly the same, and could be considered a little better financially since he left. He had no job so his income was unstable, he ate A LOT, and was home all the time so the energy bills were high.
Now I know what my money is being spent on, although I don't have much of it. I don't have to pay for his food anymore, and since my DD spends the day at his place during the week I don't have the electricity and gas being used during the day. My phone bill is much better because he used to spend hours a day (not an exaggeration) talking on it long distance, and now I don't have to worry about that expense.
I also have the major benefit that I don't live with a slob anymore. I feel my standard of living has increased enormously just by not having his endless stream of crap laying all over the place.
Pages