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How real families in the Midwest live

Married couple, one college educated, one not. “Good jobs.” Take home pay is $5,500 per month after taxes, family health care plan, and HSA contributions. There is nothing extra for retirement savings. $1,900 Mortgage, property taxes, utilities on a 200k home (decent home but not great) $900 Daycare for ONE child $225 Student loan payment for the formally educated spouse $200 Credit card debt $80 Monthly payment on new furnace – luckily interest free $500 Car payment, gas, and a repair costs for the family's SHARED car. (There is a paid off 2003 Chevy Impala sitting in the garage as back up, too. City has no public transportation.) $800 Food (Cheap food mostly. Not steak and fruit) $100 Home repair savings $100 Toilet paper, soap, deodorant, etc. $80 JUST diapers $60 Expenses related to the cat $100 Clothing for 3 people, including a rapidly growing baby $60 Phone plan (Why…


Married couple, one college educated, one not. “Good jobs.” Take home pay is $5,500 per month after taxes, family health care plan, and HSA contributions. There is nothing extra for retirement savings.

$1,900 Mortgage, property taxes, utilities on a 200k home (decent home but not great)

$900 Daycare for ONE child

$225 Student loan payment for the formally educated spouse

$200 Credit card debt

$80 Monthly payment on new furnace – luckily interest free

$500 Car payment, gas, and a repair costs for the family's SHARED car. (There is a paid off 2003 Chevy Impala sitting in the garage as back up, too. City has no public transportation.)

$800 Food (Cheap food mostly. Not steak and fruit)

$100 Home repair savings

$100 Toilet paper, soap, deodorant, etc.

$80 JUST diapers

$60 Expenses related to the cat

$100 Clothing for 3 people, including a rapidly growing baby

$60 Phone plan (Why is it so cheap? They are on their parents phone plan – most people are not so lucky to have this option!)

$20 Year round savings for child's birthday party

$40 Year round savings to give child a good Christmas

$10 Year round savings to be able to bring gifts to baby showers and whatnot (Mom and Dad do not give each other gifts for wedding anniversary, birthday, etc)

$15 Savings per month so Dad can get a haircut every 8 weeks.

$10 Amazon Prime membership – billed yearly

I understand there is money left over – but for this couple, having a second child is out of the question…along with many other things!

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