Comments on: “I’m Semi-Retiring at 43!”

By: LS

LS — Mon, 30 Apr 2018 18:40:17 +0000

In reply to Kelley.

I too am dying to know about the $10 internet, but I can give you a recommendation for super cheap cell phone. There’s a lot of companies out there now that do cheap wireless, but after TONS of research I chose MintSim (now Mint Mobile). It’s basically unlimited everything with 10GB highspeed data for $15/mo. You should check them out if $40/mo seems surprising to you. I’ve used them for 7 months now and will never switch (until somehting even cheaper comes aorund, lol). And their price should not be dependent on location–they use T-Mobile’s network.

By: J. Money

J. Money — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 10:13:34 +0000

In reply to tokenadult.

Yes!! Preach!

And love this — “Extreme cutbacks pay for extreme luxuries.”

By: tokenadult

tokenadult — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 03:45:29 +0000

I feel like the major subtle difference that might be missed here is what type of budget this really is. she is not promoting this as her a way to live on a salary of 1,000 a month and “damn the torpedos” if something goes wrong. This is her budget created to IDEALLY allow her to save most of her much larger salary. If I read correctly, she makes almost 50,000 so easily has another 30 grand of take-home that is going towards savings and can always be turned toward for an emergency. With that amount of difference between her take-home pay and her spending, she can handle most emergencies from her regular cash flow, not to mention her emergency fund.

I think confusion sets in about priorities. Everyone should spend money on things they deem important, but sometimes people get lost in the other side of that coin, which is cutting down on things that don’t matter. She prioritizes time, home schooling, and her community. For that , she is giving up living in a high cost area and almost all extraneous spending. It may seem extreme, but if you really want to follow a large goal in life, that’s how you do it. Cut what you don’t care about it, keep what you do.

My budget drives people crazy, as do my priorities. I’m middle-aged, live in 400 square feet, and drive a beater. But I live in a fantastic, well-known neighborhood, work freelance and can take of whenever I please, go out a great deal, and travel out of country at least once a year. Extreme cutbacks pay for extreme luxuries.

As for the EIC, families with kids and one SAHM have historically always gotten tax breaks. Just because this a a credit really doesn’t change the equation as far as I’m concerned.I could make more money and pay more taxes too. I don’t:-)

And her husband is a veteran, and she works at a homeless shelter. Please…I don’t want to hear that they owe the country more than that. It may not be my lifestyle, but we are all here to get support for OUR choices and our right to make them as unique as we are, no?

By: tokenadult

tokenadult — Thu, 19 Apr 2018 03:32:54 +0000

In reply to Sandy.

I’m confused as to why everyone is questioning the property taxes as well. It’s a percentage of value and when you live in a low-cost home you pay less taxes. I bought a fixer up in a large city, and in one of the most expensive neighborhoods and my taxes are 1100 a year. I’t just because gentrification has not quite caught up with me yet:-(

As for the 1,000, my “overhead” here is 900 a month. I spend more that that just because other frugal choices through the years mean I can go out and enjoy the heck out of this city whenever I want. (And I grew up near kentucky. Glad this family likes it, but the reason I worked so hard and bought so smart was to never never never have to go back again:-) I can’t imagine moving to a small community again.

By: zeelemons

zeelemons — Wed, 18 Apr 2018 15:14:35 +0000

In reply to My Sons Father. I thought the same thing! In Upstate NY I'm paying about $550 each month for taxes! $55 is a dream!

By: Debbie

Debbie — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 16:30:19 +0000

What about inflation? $10 for Internet? Ours just went up from $40-$45. It’s the only game in town. What about dental costs? Do they NEVER see a dentist? What about clothes & shoes for growing kids? ALL car insurance companies just got a 3% rate hike in our state. Home insurance up 5%. Gasoline went up 20 cents a gallon this month as they switch to summer blends. Some food items I buy every week are up 10%. Electric rates increased 5% in Jan. & water rates up 4%. Even planting your own herbs/veggies costs $$ to buy the plants, topsoil, fertilizer & extra $$ to water them. No budget for bday/holiday gifts? What about car repairs/oil changes or a budget to buy a new car? Same for home repairs/roof/furnace/appliances. Nothing lasts forever.
Her frugality is wonderful but doesn’t seem sustainable when emergencies are just a way of life & no one escapes inflation.

By: SMS

SMS — Mon, 09 Apr 2018 15:44:51 +0000

Prices and taxes have a bad habit of going up and there is no wiggle room for this in the budget, to say nothing of replacing a roof, a car….. Apart from that, my issue is health insurance for FVM and the children.
I believe that they can live on a low income in a low-tax state like Kentucky. Just maybe not quite soooo low.

By: Kam

Kam — Sat, 07 Apr 2018 04:30:21 +0000

Kudos to you Frugal Vegan Mama! Regardless of where you live, the hardest thing is to stay in budget. Thanks for sharing! And thank you J Money for posting!

By: J. Money

J. Money — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 18:10:20 +0000

In reply to TheFIminator. Remember she has a paid off house and car too - freeing up that budget even more :)

By: Mahrosh

Mahrosh — Fri, 06 Apr 2018 17:10:31 +0000

In reply to Sarah.

You have an issue that seems genuine. You said if everyone would not pay taxes..hell everyone cant survive on $1000 also.. keep that in mind too… if she can .. she should coz she is sacrificing a good deal of things too.. just to be free…moreover how many of americans can survive on such low budget.. max 10 thousand families..do 5-10 billion dollars a year count among trillions of dollars of american economy???peanut.. plus they too are paying indirect taxes on every item they purchase… so let them have their share of joy the way they like it. Peace