Do both husband and wife work to put food on the table or more to have lots of things?.?

Question

You hear that it takes a two income family to make things work, that it is a must, but is it really?. Does it take two to just put food on the table or is it more that both need to work for all the luxuries. Obviously this varies, but lets say the husband earns 70K and the wife 30K , does it really take this much to make it work, or could a couple survive on one salary?.

Answer 1

I think this is an age old question. I think you are referring to what is called "the two income trap". Where it costs you a certain amount of money to make a certain amount of money. This is because you have to pay for your transportation, wardrobe, lunches out (on the job), day care, travel expenses, keeping up with the Jones's etc. Of course this can be done in a Kia or a BMW, you can eat a sack lunch or you can lunch at finer places. However, I have always thought the more you make the more you spend. Is there ever really enough? Of course it will always depend on where you live, and the life style that you are accustomed to, and whether or not there are children involved. I think most of us want the best for our family, could we cut some of the extras out, of course! The question is are we willing to.

I gave up a career where I made over 80K a year to work part-time (30K). My husband works, and has had to make up the difference. So yes it can be done. It took some planning and sacrifice to get there. (i.e. paying off debt, a lot less shopping and designer clothes, no luxury items). I now have to budget, clip coupons, and save for those luxury/special items. However, I am so happy to pick up my children from school everyday, and spend a lot more individual time with them. It is completely worth it.

For my own Sanity, and with the increased cost of living (where I live the median price of a home is 550K), it is necessary for me to work. I also think one important thing you did not bring up is, that we all want our kids to have a better life than we did, and unfortunately most of the time, that comes with a price tag. I don't want my children to be spoiled or have a sense of entitlement like so many kids today, but I would still like to be able to reward them. So I guess what I am trying to say is, it is more than just putting food on the table for me. I do however think the ends can meet somewhere in the middle.

Answer 2

I would say that in this situation, it is NOT an excuse to hit one's wife. Yes, there are pressures; there are frustrations and obvious problems within the marriage and yes, she probably deserved it - but that doesn't make it RIGHT. There are people in this world who will do the wrong thing....who will disappoint you, hurt you, betray your trust, etc. But when you swing back in this situation, it just makes you as low as them. Have you heard the saying "2 wrongs don't make a right." That means just because the wife had it coming and was clearly doing wrong, that doesn't mean the husband has to compound the problem by hitting her. What example does that teach his children who were all in the room to witness it? That it's ok to explode and lose one's temper? I'll agree that the man HAD to do something when he saw the wife getting ready to swing a rolling pin at his daughter but he could have just grabbed it away from her and shouted "no - you will not behave this way" to her. When she went in for a punch, there are ways for a man to deflect that. I understand how frustrating it must be but for the sake of the children, it's imperative the man set a better example....afterall, they obviously don't have a great mother so it's even more important the father be a good example. In this situation, I would highly recommend marriage counseling. If the wife isn't willing to acknowledge her part in the breakdown of the marriage and/or attend counseilng, then I would seek a divorce but be warned - since she is the only one employed, the father could end up not getting custody. Children need money to live on and if the father can't provide those necessities like food, shelter, and a stable environment, then the court could award the mother custody. For everyone's sake, I'd say the best way to go is staying together, working through the issues, and going to a counselor.

Answer 3

Depends on the salary, the couple's goals and aspirations, and their abilities and desires. My husband's making a six-figure salary, which is way more than I make, and we're putting a lot away now, as we're thinking of buying a bigger house when we have kids, as well as sending the kids through college when the time comes. Sure, we could get by on just my salary by living in a one-bedroom apartment in a cheap part of town, and there would always be food on the table - but this isn't our aspiration.

When the kids come, I will be a stay-at-home mom, at least for a while; but until then, I love the idea of squirrelling as much away as we can, to blow it all later!

Answer 4

Personally, my hubby and I work to continue to live 'comfortably'. And what I mean by that is, I can go to the mall with my gal pals, and not worry about spending a few hundred on things for the house or myself for that matter.

He could be the only one working and all the bills would get paid and we'd have decent dinner on the table and all. But not only do I like living comfortably, I like making money to help out our family too. We don't have kids yet, but by my working and putting a lot of money in savings, when we do start our family, I won't have to work then.

With the figure you gave, a couple could definitely survive on just one salary. Even just the 30k. People like to live lavishly and not within their means (myself included). So having both husband and wife work, it just makes it easier for them to live they way they want to. Some what carefree!

I hope this helped you some!

Answer 5

Unless the person working is making very little, it definitely is possible to live on one salary. It's all about the standard of living one wants to maintain.

I made the choice to be a stay at home mom .. I did not have all those kids to pay someone else to raise them!! at the time, I was making 65% of our household income!

We had a small, modest home in a pleasant neighborhood of a small town. We had an older vehicle, sometimes two. We went camping a lot. We did do a few big family vacations, like disneyland.

We lived on about $20k a year ... this was in the 90's, but it still wasn't much. My kids have thanked me many times for being there for them, and being there to raise them. All are adults now.

Answer 6

Sure, a lot of couples can SURVIVE on one salary, but that often precludes doing anything other than those things needed for survival (roof over head, food on table, clothing, utilities).

To be able to have anything other than the basic necessities of life, it's typically necessary and preferable that both parties work. That way they can (hopefully) have a nice house and not rent a roach infested apartment...have a couple of decent vehicles instead of one beater...go on a weekend getaway or vacation occasionally instead of spending weekends and holidays at home because there's no money to do anything else...

Not to mention, investing some of those incomes so they might be able to retire someday (and enjoy it) and not have to work until the day they drop dead...

You get the picture...

Answer 7

It's entirely possible to live off 70k. The problem is that it's more likely that he's making 30k and she's making 25k than 70/30. If the husbands all got their education and experience in order and had 70k jobs, more wives would stay at home.

Trust me, very few women making 30k or less WANT to go to work, esspecially if they have kids.

Answer 8

It obviously depends on their bills, and where they live.

100K in San Francisco doesn't get you much of anything. 100K in Little Rock, Arkansas and you can live pretty large.

I figure between taxes, medical insurance and all the rest, you lose 40% of that 100K. So, you're at 60K net.

If the average home price is 300K, that's 3K a month in a house payment or 36K a year. You're now at 24K. Utilities, basic utilities - no cable, no cell - land line, electric, water/sewer, figure 300 a month or 3600 annually. You're now down to 20.4K. You haven't made a car payment yet, probably 2 car payments if you're both working, put food on the table or bought groceries, clothes and so on. (Say $350 for each car payment - 700 a month; $8,400 annually - so you're now down to 11K)

Now, if you don't live in the areas where a 300K house is normal, and you have a well and septic instead of city water/sewer, and you saved money to buy a car or are willing to not have new cars, then you're doing decently.

It just depends on how materialistic you are, and how you define "survive".

Answer 9

Depends on how much your mortgage is and how expensive your toys are. How much debt does one have? Where does one live? I am a stay at home Mom and my husband works for the railroad. We drive fairly new cars, have a nice home and our kids don't want for anything. Our bills are always paid and we really want for nothing. So, for us we do just fine.I think if I worked we would just spend more by eating out and buying more stuff.I have to say there are just too many variables here to say for sure one way or another. Good question!

Answer 10

Depends on what they want. Some couples want everything and the best. Most two income families have children and if there are no children then why not both work.