Comments on: Five Couples Living on $46k, Number 1: The Ogles http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/ A premier personal finance blog, established 2003. Within, Flexo discusses his own experiences with money, and he and other authors comment on a wide range of personal finance topics. Mon, 13 Feb 2012 03:52:06 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Matt http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/comment-page-1/#comment-257774 Matt Wed, 11 May 2011 04:32:01 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/04/20/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/#comment-257774 Hi- I'm the Matt in the article. At the time of this article (2007), we had a 4 year old and a 2 year old. Ginger was a stay-at-home mom doing a fantastic job raising our kids. The article failed to mention our children. Ginger could have gotten a job outside the home during that time, but we felt that their upbringing was more important than making a lot of money. So, we managed. As for the weight...we eat healthy food, but I think my problem is portion size. Thanks for being rude though. Hi-

I’m the Matt in the article.

At the time of this article (2007), we had a 4 year old and a 2 year old. Ginger was a stay-at-home mom doing a fantastic job raising our kids. The article failed to mention our children. Ginger could have gotten a job outside the home during that time, but we felt that their upbringing was more important than making a lot of money. So, we managed.

As for the weight…we eat healthy food, but I think my problem is portion size. Thanks for being rude though.

]]> By: Chris http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/comment-page-1/#comment-94227 Chris Mon, 23 Apr 2007 16:30:11 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/04/20/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/#comment-94227 A whopping 21% of their income goes to debt! I think they have spending issues, and what exactly is the wife doing? A full time high school student with a weekend fast food job makes more than $200 a month. They apparently eat out a lot, with 21% going to food, so what exactly does this woman do all day? And sorry, energy costs don't 'increase every month', and if she tracked their usage + dollar costs per month she would see the real problem is consumption which goes up and down with the seasons and they could plan accordingly. Even gasoline costs follow a very clear trend throughout the year. And zero savings in their budget, not for emergency funds and none listed for retirement. If their huge debt doesn't convince that woman to get a job, I don't know what would. A whopping 21% of their income goes to debt! I think they have spending issues, and what exactly is the wife doing? A full time high school student with a weekend fast food job makes more than $200 a month. They apparently eat out a lot, with 21% going to food, so what exactly does this woman do all day?

And sorry, energy costs don’t ‘increase every month’, and if she tracked their usage + dollar costs per month she would see the real problem is consumption which goes up and down with the seasons and they could plan accordingly. Even gasoline costs follow a very clear trend throughout the year.

And zero savings in their budget, not for emergency funds and none listed for retirement. If their huge debt doesn’t convince that woman to get a job, I don’t know what would.

]]> By: dimes http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/comment-page-1/#comment-93870 dimes Sat, 21 Apr 2007 18:39:12 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/04/20/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/#comment-93870 Ginger needs to get a job. $200 per month is disgraceful. Even I do better than that, and I'm a bum. She needs to be aiming for $200 per week. And like someone else said, they should cut their food expenses. Anything more than $350/month for two people is overkill. Each of them could afford to lose 20 pounds. Ginger needs to get a job. $200 per month is disgraceful. Even I do better than that, and I’m a bum. She needs to be aiming for $200 per week. And like someone else said, they should cut their food expenses. Anything more than $350/month for two people is overkill. Each of them could afford to lose 20 pounds.

]]> By: Hazzard http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/comment-page-1/#comment-93637 Hazzard Fri, 20 Apr 2007 23:01:25 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/04/20/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/#comment-93637 I agree with Lee. I read lots of tidbits about credit cards in that article. I get the sense that many of them are dealing with a house of cards. The healthcare percentage on one of the families was STAGGERING. 42%? UGH. They need to do some looking around to see if they can lower that cost at all. Maybe they can increase their deductibles etc. I agree with Lee. I read lots of tidbits about credit cards in that article. I get the sense that many of them are dealing with a house of cards. The healthcare percentage on one of the families was STAGGERING. 42%? UGH. They need to do some looking around to see if they can lower that cost at all. Maybe they can increase their deductibles etc.

]]> By: Fellowes http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/comment-page-1/#comment-93630 Fellowes Fri, 20 Apr 2007 20:51:24 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/04/20/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/#comment-93630 Take it from me, if you wait until you think you can afford to have kids, you will never have kids. Having a child just involved scaling down your lifestyle a bit and truly figuring out what you need versus what you want. I found myself always in the "want" category and as such, find myself in a mountain of credit card debt that I working on retiring. It does seem like there couples are just getting by though. Adding a child to the mix could throw their financial world into chaos. Take it from me, if you wait until you think you can afford to have kids, you will never have kids. Having a child just involved scaling down your lifestyle a bit and truly figuring out what you need versus what you want. I found myself always in the “want” category and as such, find myself in a mountain of credit card debt that I working on retiring.

It does seem like there couples are just getting by though. Adding a child to the mix could throw their financial world into chaos.

]]> By: Lee http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/comment-page-1/#comment-93627 Lee Fri, 20 Apr 2007 18:41:22 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/04/20/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/#comment-93627 I flipped through all 5 profiles and saw lots of credit card issues ... So they're mostly *not* living on $46K. But I agree, on couple #1, work more, eat less (or eat out less, or eat less pre-packaged crap) and be healthier and have more money. I do know a few couples, though, who starting working/earning the way they were going to when they had kids to make sure they could do it. I don't get that vibe here, but it's possible. I flipped through all 5 profiles and saw lots of credit card issues … So they’re mostly *not* living on $46K.

But I agree, on couple #1, work more, eat less (or eat out less, or eat less pre-packaged crap) and be healthier and have more money.

I do know a few couples, though, who starting working/earning the way they were going to when they had kids to make sure they could do it. I don’t get that vibe here, but it’s possible.

]]> By: Toby http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/comment-page-1/#comment-93614 Toby Fri, 20 Apr 2007 16:51:38 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/04/20/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/#comment-93614 The budget pie chart on the second page is revealing. The slice for "Food" jumps right out at me. They spend 21% of their budget on food and only slightly more (26%) on their mortgage. Wow! Really?! Some rough calculations later, my guess is that they spend between $500-$600 a month on food (and that is basing the 21% on after-tax money). For two people? That's seems really, really high. Especially considering they live in a relatively low cost-of-living area. I think I know what they can cut... The budget pie chart on the second page is revealing. The slice for “Food” jumps right out at me. They spend 21% of their budget on food and only slightly more (26%) on their mortgage. Wow! Really?!

Some rough calculations later, my guess is that they spend between $500-$600 a month on food (and that is basing the 21% on after-tax money). For two people? That’s seems really, really high. Especially considering they live in a relatively low cost-of-living area.

I think I know what they can cut…

]]> By: KMull http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/comment-page-1/#comment-93610 KMull Fri, 20 Apr 2007 15:58:51 +0000 http://www.consumerismcommentary.com/2007/04/20/five-couples-living-on-46k-number-1-the-ogles/#comment-93610 I've got to ask -- why is she only working part time? They don't currently have kids and she stays at home. Uhh... get a job? I’ve got to ask — why is she only working part time? They don’t currently have kids and she stays at home. Uhh… get a job?

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