INFANTS IN DAYCARE?

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-08-2008
INFANTS IN DAYCARE?
2022
Wed, 11-26-2008 - 12:20am

OK, remember this is a debate board, and I am going to play devil's advocate here, so please let's play nice.

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iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 11:57am

Clothing could come out of the miscellaneous budget-- thrift store clothes are pretty cheap. Personal care items and household cleaning items could probably also fit into that category. Maybe one of the adults is mechanically inclined and repairs and maintains the car him or herself. Perhaps they only save $200 for college a month, and $100 mo. towards emergencies and already have 8 months living expenses saved from before they had kids. Maybe they don't contribute to charity or contribute a very small amount.

Or maybe grandma babysits while the parents are working or they work split shifts, so they don't pay for daycare and have $800 extra dollars to play with each month.

In any case, considering the cost of living here, I don't think it is outside the realm of possibility for a family of four to live on $40K and be able to save at least some money for retirement and college.

baby in clothes basket
iVillage Member
Registered: 12-07-2003
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 12:07pm
Yeah, housing prices are pretty stable here-- at least compared to a lot of places. It won't matter too much since you'll be retired, but jobs are pretty stable. It would be awesome if you moved here.
baby in clothes basket
iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 12:26pm

I'm sorry, but that made be chuckle....rounding being the way to go in an example, that is.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 12:31pm

One doesn't need a "department" to care for computers, but we have an outside company that we call when we need them.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 12:33pm

Heck, I do it at work every year and in my volunteering as well...


PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 06-27-1998
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 12:49pm

We really don't spend that much money on clothes for the kids.

PumpkinAngel

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2005
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 1:01pm

In the hypothetical scenario in which our family is suddenly wiped clean of all student and car loan debt, and if our second child was also a boy, our budget could look something like this, in which case we would be able to live on $40,000 a year.

Rent $830.00
Utilities $250.00
phone/internet/cable $150.00
gasoline $80.00
life insurance $40.00
diapers and wipes $75.00
food $300.00
toiletries/household misc/clothes $150.00
doctor copay $20.00
car insurance $168.00
savings $200.00
Roth IRA $200.00
529 Plan $200.00
Daycare $0 (I could be a SAHM if we had no debt)
Tithe: $300
TOTAL: $2963

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iVillage Member
Registered: 02-08-2008
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 1:15pm

That is why your hypothetical situation does not work.

Clothing could come out of the miscellaneous budget-- thrift store clothes are pretty cheap.--you are assuming this family would be willing to shop at a thrift store or could even get everything they need there.

Maybe one of the adults is mechanically inclined and repairs and maintains the car him or herself.--while it is cheaper, you did not include a budget for the parts to repair the car AND there is registration and inspection that comes in play AND car insurance.

You are making a budget for a hypothetical extremely frugal family even with a low COL.

iVillage Member
Registered: 02-08-2008
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 1:17pm

And..do you realize you NEVER said your "budget" was for a hypothetical family? Someone said about living on $40,000 and you quickly responded.

Would you have all those stats handy about how you figured it all out too? You never answered me about that. Thanks :)

iVillage Member
Registered: 04-22-2005
Thu, 12-18-2008 - 1:24pm

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She said that it's possible for someone in her area to live on $40,000. And it IS possible. Whether or not anyone actually does is completely irrelevant. Just because a person *doesn't* buy thrift store clothing doesn't mean that they *couldn't*.

<>

She gave you a very specific rundown of exactly how she figured it all out. In fact I think it was posted twice.

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