I think we need to lock down a definition for this term. I know people who literally have savings and retirement that claim to be living paycheck to paycheck, just because they don’t have an abundance of money left in their paycheck.
There are also plenty of people who make enough money to not live paycheck to paycheck but are because of poor spending choices. I don’t think it’s meaningful to put them in the same category as low wage workers who have no choice in the matter
We don’t even make it paycheck to paycheck. It’s always a juggling act of what to pay and if we can buy food while waiting for the next paycheck to arrive. Being disabled in the US makes it pretty impossible to live. Even tho my wife has a good job. Having our income be basically half of what it could be makes surviving questionable.
I never did till I retired. Now it’s a monthly battle to keep cutting to get down to what I can afford. I had to buy a car and the furnace went out and all of a sudden the $1000 that went into savings every month is gone for the next 5 years.
Yes. We used to be a little above paycheck to paycheck, like save up for a PS5 in about 2.5-4 weeks depending on expenses. But my Fianceé was diagnosed with a disease and she is not allowed to drive anymore. We don’t live somewhere with jobs in walking distance so she is out of work. We have tried for a year to find a job for her that lines up with my hours but have had no luck. Companies arent listing their hours on the job listings, so we go out, she asks the hours, they wont tell her until after the interview, she does the interview, they tell her she’s hired, it’s way different hours than mine. So now it’s just me, we aren’t exactly screwed, but money is tight, we had to cut back as much as we could for expenses and I save as much as I can between paychecks in case something unexpected comes along, Ive managed to save up roughly 800$ in about 2.5 months. Luckily we live in a nicer area with lower rent otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own. But we have cut back considerably. We only go out for a date about once a month now. Cut off the music subscriptions, went down to one streaming service at a time. Sold her car to not pay insurance on it and to put tires on my truck and buy a new mattress that we desperately needed. Cut our phones back from unlimited data to 15 gigs a month. I pick up overtime when I can but it’s pretty sparse the last few years because my company has actually been treating people very well and retaining most employees. I only manage to get overtime now when someone on a different shift is on vacation.
All that being said, when you love someone, you make it work. And she is returning the favor as much as she can. She has fully taken over as the homemaker and I have told her time and time again how much I appreciate it. I haven’t had to cook or clean anything at all monday through friday for the last year. But I still do my own laundry, make us breakfast and wash whatever dishes that may cause on the weekends.
Unfortunately, I have a feeling that some paychecks might decrease soon. New jobs and the materials to get those businesses up and running will take awhile.
Yeah and it’s mostly my fault cuz I’ve been late for work like almost every day for the past three years (how I’m not fired yet is beyond me) and I have poor money management skills.
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A large bulk of the US population does :/
Only 99% of the population
Worse, I’m in the negative each month 😬😬
I think we need to lock down a definition for this term. I know people who literally have savings and retirement that claim to be living paycheck to paycheck, just because they don’t have an abundance of money left in their paycheck.
There are also plenty of people who make enough money to not live paycheck to paycheck but are because of poor spending choices. I don’t think it’s meaningful to put them in the same category as low wage workers who have no choice in the matter
I do not but I am very grateful to not have to!
It can be done!
Yes. I’m 53 and don’t make enough money to save. It’s so stressful.
Yes. Everyone does.
Yeah. Sometimes I have to debate whether or not I can spend an extra $2 on something because I might need it later
No, nobody else lives paycheck to paycheck. You might be the only one.
I make 50k a year and I can save alittle bit. It’s no exponential but I’m making it work.
We don’t even make it paycheck to paycheck. It’s always a juggling act of what to pay and if we can buy food while waiting for the next paycheck to arrive. Being disabled in the US makes it pretty impossible to live. Even tho my wife has a good job. Having our income be basically half of what it could be makes surviving questionable.
You guys are getting paid?
I was alive when I got my last paycheck and I will probably be alive when I get the next so yeah 👍
I’m jobless living on credit
I never did till I retired. Now it’s a monthly battle to keep cutting to get down to what I can afford. I had to buy a car and the furnace went out and all of a sudden the $1000 that went into savings every month is gone for the next 5 years.
Yes. We used to be a little above paycheck to paycheck, like save up for a PS5 in about 2.5-4 weeks depending on expenses. But my Fianceé was diagnosed with a disease and she is not allowed to drive anymore. We don’t live somewhere with jobs in walking distance so she is out of work. We have tried for a year to find a job for her that lines up with my hours but have had no luck. Companies arent listing their hours on the job listings, so we go out, she asks the hours, they wont tell her until after the interview, she does the interview, they tell her she’s hired, it’s way different hours than mine. So now it’s just me, we aren’t exactly screwed, but money is tight, we had to cut back as much as we could for expenses and I save as much as I can between paychecks in case something unexpected comes along, Ive managed to save up roughly 800$ in about 2.5 months. Luckily we live in a nicer area with lower rent otherwise I wouldn’t be able to do it on my own. But we have cut back considerably. We only go out for a date about once a month now. Cut off the music subscriptions, went down to one streaming service at a time. Sold her car to not pay insurance on it and to put tires on my truck and buy a new mattress that we desperately needed. Cut our phones back from unlimited data to 15 gigs a month. I pick up overtime when I can but it’s pretty sparse the last few years because my company has actually been treating people very well and retaining most employees. I only manage to get overtime now when someone on a different shift is on vacation.
All that being said, when you love someone, you make it work. And she is returning the favor as much as she can. She has fully taken over as the homemaker and I have told her time and time again how much I appreciate it. I haven’t had to cook or clean anything at all monday through friday for the last year. But I still do my own laundry, make us breakfast and wash whatever dishes that may cause on the weekends.
EDIT: Spelling is hard.
Unfortunately, I have a feeling that some paychecks might decrease soon. New jobs and the materials to get those businesses up and running will take awhile.
Yeah and it’s mostly my fault cuz I’ve been late for work like almost every day for the past three years (how I’m not fired yet is beyond me) and I have poor money management skills.