"It Isn't the Income that's the Problem"
Home-Living Helper hits another homerun with their recent post, Rebuilding the Culture of Home.
Here's a snippet which I especially liked:
When we inquired into this more, they told us that with our accounts combined, we had more money in savings than most of their customers (due partly to savings we had for Jesse's education). We laughed outloud at this bizarre fact but they told us it was the truth. We were amazed to find out that most of their clients have only a very small amount in savings -- often $500 or less. And these were mostly two-income families. It just goes to prove that making more money does not necessarily mean you will have more money.
Here's a snippet which I especially liked:
The truth is that our life in the recent years has become public-centered instead of home-centered. Making Powerpoint presentations in the office is seen as infinitely superior to baking cookies or reading to one's child. The only achievement that counts is when one makes more money than one's neighbor. Money-making is seen as a goal in itself. An average family in my country can buy or rent a house on one income, have a car, sometimes 2 and go once a year on vacation. And still many a woman chooses to work, not because they lack something, but because they want to have more.I thought that the comment by Mrs. Sherman, "Some people can't live on two incomes, either, so it isn't the income that is the problem" was so true and thought-provoking! It reminded me of our situation and how two years ago our bank gave us some special privileges because they said we were one of their top clients. We were quite confused at this statement -- especially since we were living on less than $1000/month at the time and were definitely doing everything we could to stretch our budget.
When we inquired into this more, they told us that with our accounts combined, we had more money in savings than most of their customers (due partly to savings we had for Jesse's education). We laughed outloud at this bizarre fact but they told us it was the truth. We were amazed to find out that most of their clients have only a very small amount in savings -- often $500 or less. And these were mostly two-income families. It just goes to prove that making more money does not necessarily mean you will have more money.
posted by Crystal Paine at 8:58 AM
8 Comments:
Wow - what a delightfully ironic testimony! How wonderful (and funny)!
I used to work at a bank- it's true! I processed loan paperwork, and we'd get paperwork from people who made 100,000 dollars a year- but had 1000 dollars in savings and little or no assets. It was insane! It's great the bank would work with you. I don't think the one I worked at was that flexable, but they should be!
Wonderful article! Since I am an avid Jane Austen fan, I loved the comparisons she made.
I was wondering just this morning what the world would be like if fewer women worked outside the home? What jobs and "nessecities" could be eliminated to make the world more stress-free?
That comment "It isn't the income that's the problem", is sooo true! It's been 11 years since I've worked full-time and to be perfectly honest, we weren't any better off with 2 incomes than we are with just the one! In fact, we're pretty much the same and this is with 4 more children with our 7th due in 4 months.
The comment, "It isn't the income that's the poblem" is sooo true! When I worked full-time 11 years ago, we were not any better off. We struggled at times back then just as we do now and that was with just 2 children! We now have 6 children with our 7th due in August. The Lord has definitely been faithful over the years as we stepped on faith in obeying the Scriptures!
It's true: priorities, strategy, and diligence are far greater than a double income.
Most of the people I work with seem to take far greater pride in their yearly vacations to beach resorts with their children than they do in their daily lives.
I don't think people know what they're missing.
I would say that it's because our culture has had a lot of tumultuous changes within the last hundred years. Homeliving Helper is right: we've lost something. People aren't being raised to value home. HOME, not the central-location-where-we-all-sleep-at-night. I don't think that they are necessarily enemies of HOME; but that they just don't know. They don't get it and I think a lot of people can't see outside their box.
One comment on Homeliving Helper's post: I think that Jane Austen's novels (which I know & love) are overly romanticized. It's too easy to knock that argument down. How many people have servants to look after? How many people worry about organizing balls, parties, and dinners to find an eligible marriage partner to their improve social connections? It's a idealistic novel from completely different time, place, and culture (a culture of a very small group of people, I might add).
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Good post!! When I had a job along side my DH I spent my paycheck and his paycheck was used for the bills. We had a savings account but nothing was ever in it. Now since I've been a keeper at home for 3 years our saving account has 5 digit figures (the Lord's blessing, it's nothing I have done). I am still trying to find ways to be even more frugal and save as much as I can and it's fun! I love frugal living!
It definitely isn't the income that's the problem. This really came into play for me a few years ago when I found myself laid off. I thought that it would be an interesting test of my financial acumen if I could live on a drastically reduced income and still save money (unemployment only paid a third of my working income).
I managed to save 3000 dollars while I was on unemployment (over a year's time) - WAY more than I managed to save in a year of working. The things I cut back on I didn't miss in the least - in fact, I think it made me a better person for NOT having those things. I didn't realize how materialistic I had become. Talk about life changing!
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