I want my $40,000 a month paycheck back…

amother

Pistachio

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 4:00 pm

amother Hibiscus wrote:

I do. Attorney.

Op said she’s chassidish. I’d be very surprised if she’s an attorney! I’m guessing she meant her dh brings in the money. But maybe I’m making an incorrect assumption.

amother

Daphne

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 4:13 pm

I make a drop over 5k pretax.
No, I don't get huge discounts. Right now I get tomchei food.
BH we got WIC. Husband gets a little unemployment so we don't qualify for SNAP. Just over and can't reduce my paycheck to get it.

We are not getting by.
We are trying to do tuition scholarship application and we have no money.

So we have a bit under 5000 post tax:
2000 for rent. (Very cheap for where I live)
2000 for health insurance, copay, deductible, meds (significant medical needs for a kid so need that plan to see the specialist. My kid is on meds too plus another kid has special needs and needs meds).
$90 for electricity/gas
$60 home internet
$100 car gasoline

Our cars are old and paid off BH but we need a bigger one to fit out kids.
This is without food, clothing, diapers, any car repairs, tuition, student loan, napkins, shampoo, cleaning supplies, cell phone...
Food is mostly covered by tomchei but there are no fruits, vegetables, cereal etc.

Sorry this whole thread is in such poor taste when some of us are really struggling. I wish I could just pay for basics.

amother

Daphne

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 4:14 pm

amother OP wrote:

$40k is not getting by! Bh we were in a good place then.
I’m sorry you all thought I implied that.
All I said, is that now I want to just get by-at least! And 10-15k is just not cutting it.

The thing is even with $40k I was not living an extravagant life, because it just doesn’t cover a fancy lifestyle.

We paid tax
We gave 20% maaser
We paid for a good life insurance (which btw can’t just be stopped unless you want to lose all you invested)
Mortgage
Utilities
Car
Cleaning help
Tuition
Food
Misc
Clothing
Summer camp (mostly non optional) and bungalow
Yom tov
Simchas
Gym
And just living life…..

Sorry but gym, Bungalow, cleaning help etc are all extras. And you probably weren't shopping target or Walmart for clothing, buying off brands, and eating rice and beans.

doodlesmom

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 4:16 pm

Some people have real estate investments that used to do much better before the rates went up….
Some people were in the special ed/aba line which recently took some big hits in pay by the NY govt.
Some people owned businesses and brought home a huge pay, but the business went sour/ became irrelevant etc….
Same goes for Amazon businesses
I know the car dealers took a huge hit the past few years…..

There are so many more options that could’ve made lots of money in the past.l..

amother

Linen

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 4:38 pm

OP I can relate. People dont understand that our lifestyle costs us as we dont get any government assistance. We pay full tuition, high mortgage, full grocery, mediacal insurance and have tzedaka promises to fullfill. Until a person hasnt been in such a position they cant understand. Im not complaining chas veshalom but its very hard to cut day to day expenses that are not at all extravagant. Even though they may seem extravagant to some ppl but if this our norm for the last few years its very hard to manage day to day. We have ongoing car leases, mortgage payments etc.... that are not able to be lowered. We are just getting by each month. Im truly grateful dont get me wrong but its definitely a struggle.

amother

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 4:42 pm

amother Daphne wrote:

Sorry but gym, Bungalow, cleaning help etc are all extras. And you probably weren't shopping target or Walmart for clothing, buying off brands, and eating rice and beans.

Huh?!
Not sure what you’re pointing out, I just showed how $40k which is comfortable did not make me fancy or extravagant….
Gym, bungalow, and cleaning help are not what makes someone’s lifestyle extravagant.

I obviously live very different now.

But while making $40k
Why would I eat rice and beans only? (which to me is never an option actually)
Why would I shop only at target and Walmart for clothing? I did shop from them as well as other cheaper local stores…
I never bought anything name brand and did great with hand me downs!

amother

Lemonlime

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 4:50 pm

To the op I do feel bad and imh business will pick up and we should all never be in a position that our income gets lowered. Not to the op specifically but when ppl make nice money, sometimes they feel like why not take out big loans on things houses, cars. Dave Ramsey is so against leasing cars and mortgages. So what I take from him is just not to have large mortgages, large car leases and pay everything up front. Ppl pay monthly for their phones really it’s cheaper to pay $300 for the phone from Best Buy and have it for three years.

amother

Cinnamon

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 4:54 pm

Family of 6, we make about $10k per month - both of us working, and we're not making it.
We make too much for programs, so pay everything ourselves. We're deep in cc debt. And we live as cheaply as possible. No vacations, no fancy clothes, one car, small house etc.
$40k sounds like a dream. I can't imagine we'll ever get there.
Even $20k would be amazing!

amother

Seashell

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 4:58 pm

This post seems like a purim shpiel or perhaps a bochur is writing this and having fun with the replies…
I’m wondering if this post is legit

reminder: if you have a concern about the legitimacy of a post you should report it and never post troll accusations in the thread. Most of the time the op is legit and the accusation is hurtful. Op here is legit - Yael

mig100

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 4:59 pm

amother Linen wrote:

Many people are not getting gov programs, tuition breaks etc on MuCH smaller salaries.

100k - 150k a year is above poverty level for most.

40k a month is a LOT more than that

amother

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 5:44 pm

amother Blushpink wrote:

I’m still waiting to see what job it was that paid 40k a month …il be looking at a career change

It’s a culmination of different investments, running a business, real estate etc…
Keep your career….

amother

Pansy

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 5:59 pm

amother Seashell wrote:

Why would you think this post isn’t true? So many people are in this situation now, particularly those in real estate.

OP, it’s so understandable that a drastic income change is incredibly difficult. Davening that things should get better for you.
Can you get Medicaid for your kids? My income is similar to yours now and that is one thing that I have..

amother

Springgreen

Wed, Mar 27 2024, 6:03 pm

I’m also not a fancy lady at all and in same situation. Dh did between 25-40k a month for a couple of years. We bh bought a budget house renovated a bit, prepaid mortgage a bit (interest is so high) and nothing is left at all. Now income went down to about 10k (hopefully temporary) and the credit card bills keep racking up.
I finally allowed some looseness such as cleaners and music subscriptions and I’m not ready emotionally to cancel.
Hashem should help us all.