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313 Comments
- bitt3n, on 12/03/2007, -14/+92hey I know those guys! I buy all my meth from them.
oops, did I just give away their secret - MikeonTV, on 12/03/2007, -26/+97Well they are clearly not spending money on condoms. 5 kids is way to much these days.
- janeuner, on 12/03/2007, -0/+66I'd take 5 frugal kids over 1 obnoxious brat. The only people who should stop having kids are people that don't know what to do with the kids once they arrive.
- sophiaperennis, on 12/03/2007, -3/+62Saving tip: Share your music and movies through the internets.
- inactive, on 12/03/2007, -2/+58$35000!!! I wish I made that much. Ramon Noodles are getting expensive. Vienna Sausages are a delicacy. At least I got free wifi from the Holiday Inn next door.
- SchnellFowVay, on 12/03/2007, -6/+46This family is useful as a statistical baseline, NOT as a proper way to live a life.
Though the 15-year-old living-in-parents' basement quasi-hippies that have infiltrated Digg over the last 12 months will sit here and talk about how "free," how "great," and how "anti-commerical," this family is, the fact of the matter is that they are:
1) Destroying their own economic value daily
2) SPending copius amounts of time worrying and planning that could be spent actually earning money;
3) squandering their precious days on earth in un-pleasant conditions (the wife crying b/c she hated their furniture, etc...); and
4) Not experiencing all the art, culture, and experiences the world has to offer (you can't travel, see the opera, go to many museums, even go to many movies on that budget).
It would be one thing if they were Amish - they would be foregoing the niceties of modern life for a concerted effort to avail themselves of the simplicities of pre-modern life. But they aren't. The life in a crappy house, wiht crappy food, with crappy clothes, chained down by coupons, the almight dollar, and their own desire to penny-pinch. Essentially, the are accepting all the ills of capitalism without availing themselvs of the gains. They get the worst of both worlds.
Imagine what that kind of tight financial planning would be worth at any major corporation witha tight supply chain? If these people DID THE SAME WORK at a place that values it more (i.e. a company), the could make 3x the income and have a 10x better life. Again: SAME WORK, BETTER LIFE. That is the beauty of capitalism - it allocates labor.
However, these people live under the constraints of capitalism (trying to pinch every bit of value out of every penny), but make no effort to improve themselves via capitalism (Trying to make more of those pennies).
It is ridiculous.
As I said. they are nice as a statistical baseline for what "could" be done. But it begs the question . . . why? - apollo168, on 12/03/2007, -1/+23If you can do it, go for it. If you aren't this determined to live cheaply, then don't have 5 kids. They seem to have it under control, but there's a reason they are in the spotlight; this family is exceptional. Most Americans are not this responsible.
- robbyjo, on 12/03/2007, -0/+22It surely saves money when you can buy bulks discounted.
- norman619, on 12/03/2007, -2/+23Common sense is so refreshing in this place. Thank you.
- Otto, on 12/03/2007, -11/+31A simpler way:
1) Make more than $35k a year by getting an education and making something of your life.
2) Don't have 5 kids.
Seems pretty obvious, really. - KangoTraveler, on 12/03/2007, -4/+24wow I got to admit that this is not a family that I would want to emulate; I would rather spend all that time and energy on figuring out how to earn more, not spend less.
- johnnygizmo, on 12/03/2007, -0/+19I support a family of 6 on just over $40k. It is not easy.
- greenlight2001, on 12/03/2007, -4/+23Did you post just to toss out how much you make?
- milomilomilo, on 12/03/2007, -3/+21being 21 and living at home is not exactly uncommon these days.
A while back I read a poll that said around 40% of young men and women come back to stay with their parents in their early twenties, because it is just too expensive. This is why two people raising one child often both work two jobs and still barely make the bills.
I lived with the fams at 21. rent is hell, and it was a good idea to take care of the moms when my pops started getting ill.
Why is our generation so ashamed of our families. So living with the fams is not "cool" and it's tough to "score".
but it's our every man for themself mentality in this country. once you reach the arbitrary number delegated for adulthood status, living with your family is somehow a sign of failure. Unless it is completely rent free I just don't see the twisted logic in it.
@timusca
You have the attitude of someone whos parents gave them the line that once you're 18 you needed to leave, you were a man.
just itching to get you out. Hell why is it even an issue? what they are living at home at 21????!!!!!?? I didn't do that so it must mean they are lazy, and they need to go.
tell me, this arbitrary rule of how long you should be able to be in the same home as your family, what is that based on? - catalysis, on 12/03/2007, -1/+195th year NYC firefighters make $86,518 salary including benefits.
- Lasereth, on 12/03/2007, -0/+15Man I got five kids to feed!
- inactive, on 12/03/2007, -0/+15prices are probably lower though
- hugoguzman, on 12/03/2007, -5/+20I'm trying to implement some of these principles in my own life, although it might be a bit tough to live on a 35K budget in Hoboken, NJ ; )
- etherreal, on 12/03/2007, -1/+16I support a family of four on $30K, and live comfortably. It really isnt all that hard.
- inactive, on 12/03/2007, -1/+16If you are only in a market once a month, you are also exposed to marketing tactics less and decrease the chances of doing impulse buying.
As far as food goes, I can't count the number of time I've spent more money to feed myself than I had to because I didn't feel like cooking after a rough day. If you have a month worth of meals, made cheaply from scratch, frozen and ready to microwave, you reduce that.
Most of the time I make about 3-4 days worth of lunches at a time along the same lines of thinking. - demicritter, on 12/03/2007, -11/+25America's cheapest? How about America's most free? Unshackled from all the commercialism and crap is a most freeing experience. How much more of their lives are available to them when they're not slaving away trying to earn more money, meaning that much more in taxes they'll have to pay? Enjoyment of life is NOT predicated on earning and spending massively. The bankers, politicos and entertainers would have you think so but it's a lie.
- inactive, on 12/03/2007, -1/+15Did you know that a New York State trooper makes $65,000 during his first year (after training).
I agree those who put their lifes on the line deserve a fair shake, but at the same time there is more to the equation then just salary. Many civil servants are able to retire after 20 years with a heck of a pension. And lets not get started with the medical. - lolwaffle, on 11/03/2008, -3/+17They cook 13-17 days worth of food at once, then freeze it until they need it. That seems kind of weird to me, and I'm not sure how it actually saves money. Maybe it saves time though.
- inactive, on 12/03/2007, -2/+15Come to Romania and you'll see more dramatic cases, same number of kids, but less money, somewhere under 10k/year.
- SpykerSpeed, on 12/03/2007, -0/+13I could live without cable TV, but I'm more than happy to pay 40 bucks a month for high speed internet. You can torrent your favorite shows and research good investment opportunities more easily.
- fadking, on 12/03/2007, -0/+12Good post. There are a lot of cultures around the globe that prize filial piety. That is to say, they respect the value of family, and in most cases, have several generations living in the same domestic setting. You're absolutely right - "Why is our generation so ashamed of our families."? It's because of marketing and consumerism. It's harder to sell you that new flat panel TV, Ikea furniture, etc, if you don't have the 2000 square foot bachelor(ette) pad. Thanks for sharing your story.
- slashbot, on 12/03/2007, -0/+12First off, cooking your own food saves money. Second, things get cheaper (per unit) when you buy in bulk.
- rpi22, on 12/03/2007, -1/+13I was expecting to see a picture of a cardboard refrigerator box...
- EBFoxbat, on 12/03/2007, -2/+14I make... hey, ***** you :(
- timusca, on 12/03/2007, -5/+16What the hell is a 21-year-old living at home for? Tell him to get a job and move out... there's a tip on saving money. *Note: I can't see the article at work due to iPrism. If there is something in the story explaining why the 21-year-old still lives at home, please explain.
- inactive, on 12/03/2007, -1/+12This is humor piece, but sometimes people need to be hit over the head to do what they already know. You can give this to a friend, have some good laughs and get some great advice
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cmAm8GNJ_IA - numberneal, on 12/03/2007, -11/+21new york firefighters and other civil servants go through this too; they manage with food stamps, wic, and other forms of government assistance.
- Shawn4168, on 12/03/2007, -1/+11Obviously they can afford to do so. They seem to be a happy, loving family, so why not?
- isntreal, on 12/03/2007, -2/+12That may be true, but struggling to make ends meet and living excessively frugal is not fun either. I know.
- atbnet, on 12/03/2007, -1/+11I know. After buying my own island of The World in Dubai, it's hard to imagine supporting much more than myself on my $7.8 million salary.
- inactive, on 12/03/2007, -3/+12I feel sorry for the guy. No matter how close a family you are, 21 years old and still at home cannot be fun.
- exomni, on 12/03/2007, -2/+10Cut the ***** about being "freed from capitalism" and "freed from commercialism", these people are SLAVES to capitalism and commercialism. They spend their time stretching their dollars, cutting coupons, practicing "savvy shopping". These people are more affected by consumerism than the man who attempts to be a productive member of society and as a consequence doesn't have to worry about cutting coupons or finding deals, and can actually enjoy the comforts and amenities of modern life: art, travel, music, fine food, education, vacation, and beautiful clothing.
- inactive, on 12/03/2007, -1/+9or jack off to imaginary porn.
- brstilson, on 12/03/2007, -0/+8Or read.
- atbnet, on 12/03/2007, -1/+9Does Romania use Euros yet? Because 10k Euros is about half a million dollars. You guys are rich!
- slashbot, on 12/03/2007, -0/+8Would you care to adjust for cost of living?
- inactive, on 12/03/2007, -0/+7"Get rid of all credit cards except two or three."
What the crap?! Firstly, how many credit cards do you have to begin with? and secondly, why the ***** do you need more than ONE in the first place?
Multiple cards is just a recipe for disaster. - yuukanna, on 12/03/2007, -2/+9America's Cheapest Family... BS.
I'm from a family of 7 and we lived on less than that. That looks pretty nice actually. - AmusedToDeath, on 12/03/2007, -0/+7You need to ask yourself why you believe that having more money equals a better life. Your belief that wealth equates to well-being is the fundamental ill afflicting America. Having a bigger house or a nicer car or a cooler cellphone or a plasma tv or a leather sofa is not ultimately going to bring you any REAL happiness or fulfillment.
Life is short. Why spend it whittling away your days in a cubicle trying to "get ahead" so you can buy more stuff you don't need, when instead you can just work to provide for you and your family's needs and spend a lot more time enjoying your life. I make twice what this family does, but I think they're on to something. I certainly don't think I have a happier, better life because I have more money than they do. - inactive, on 12/03/2007, -0/+7It might be tough to live on 35k when you make 100k.
- Otto, on 12/03/2007, -0/+7Yep, and it's mostly in HD now. Over-The-Air has made a comeback!
- adrianmonk, on 12/03/2007, -3/+10The fact that they are able to survive on $35,000 even with 5 kids would tend to indicate that, actually, if you really want to have 5 kids, 5 kids is really not way too much these days.
- Shawn4168, on 12/03/2007, -0/+7Their house is paid off, they're not carrying a credit card balance, and they're living happily. That's more "ahead" than most Americans with twice their income.
- neuropsychguy, on 12/03/2007, -0/+7Why is etherreal being dugg down? I support a family of 4 on $20K per year (including student loan money). You could be quite comfortable (depending on where you live) on $30,000 a year.
- theutopian, on 12/03/2007, -0/+7No, the point of the article is that they CAN afford to do so. They don't consider themselves poor. They're doing all right for themselves. Kudos to them.
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