I can imagine livng on $12,000 a year, because I have lived on less a year and still saved a lot thru the years. My family too. My income before my family was about 5,000 a year. We now get 7,000 a year. The government calls it a cost of living increase each year. I call it amazing that we are still alive and well. I remember when I was 21 years old my parents were too poor to give me a place to stay while I was getting out on my own after dropping out of college. it just wasn't me. My rent was $200 and all utilities included living in Fergus Falls, MN. I lived on barely $400 a month. I didn't have my disability yet, and I was taking any job I could get to play the bills. Only drawback was the jobs I could get were min wage back in 1990. I had two jobs back then with being married to boot at last. I have been married several times. I am currently looking for frugal no. 7 husband. I am 38 you know now in 2007 soon to be 2008. I am not exactly what I would call a spring chicken, so friendship relationship is what I am looking for along with a someone who is frugal like me. I would never marry for money just friendship love of sorts is what I tell my children. My idea of living well is hard to explain, as I live on my own Spending Plan. I decide from a list that I have of what I need and would like to buy as I can afford it. It is my word for your word budget. I love the words tightwad, frugal, and thrifty. Budget is a word I feel deprives my family sort of feeling.

Well back to living back in 1990. I was still on a Spending Plan even when I married my frugal mate. I saved money by doing my own laundry by hand for years. I used to dry linen in my apartment. We had a two bedroom and only used one bedroom and boldly asked for a one bedroom rate since it was the only one left in town. We swore we would never use the second bedroom as a bedroom only as storage. We kept our word. keeping your word in certain situations can reap good rewards in your livingstyle. I use only thrift stores for clothes and shoes for all seasons. I learned sewing and cooking and baking, so we never needed much. Keeping our Spending Plan to minimum. You can do it too. Just adjust to a homebody life and don't be afraid to ask for free things on Freecycle which I wish I had in 1990-99. I COULD HAVE LIVED WELL ON MY INCOME. It's Freecycle.com. We lived on my income because my husband was going to school at the time. I wasn't, so I worked as a dishwasher and a Certified Nurse Aide. Farming if you don't have one is to use the Farmers Market, and also go to the food shelf. My ex was caught with another woman one night after I got off of work, so I divorced him and moved onto someone who could or at least thought he could treat me right,so we married, and divorced too. I lived single, but cut down one job when I got married again, as my then husband worked too. My rent at that time was still around $200. To say I have never paid more than $400 a month in rent is a safe bet, even if we had to live in subsidized housing and by 1994 I was living on SSI at $477 a month with small children. We lived on food stamps then, but I don't anymore. We have never paid for a vacation in our life. It is either free camping found in the Phone book, or it was at my parents and family. Camping is always the cheapest way to go. If you have to go abroad try house exchange for exactly what you have to give, then all you have to pay is air fare. Happy holidays never travel abroad always stay home. Making memories is the way to celebrate in old fashioned or new ways. My idea of healthy living is not going to the government who wants population control like China, but unfortunately for them we all live in a democracy. I have always believed in home birth, but somehow up til now have never got to do it. I currently find my self with children ages 16 down to 5 years old and one on the way. Hospitals are so impersonal and charge for every extra they insist you use for the baby and yourself. Home Health Nurses can deliver babies on the cheap and safely in your home unless your a special sercumstance person who needs a hospital.

I also tend to believe in self sufficiency. So worth doing if you can live it. I saved almost 21000 dollars in the past years and I am still saving even on my income of almost $7,000 dollars a year with children. Well good luck with living on $12,000 dollars a year, maybe you can teach me when I get to that point in my life in say about 5 years from now. PS I shop at dollar stores now that are really a dollar only plus tax in the state we live in at the moment.

Tanya

 Tanya, what do you live in now to keep the rent/mortgage at a low enough amount to be able to live on a small amount? I found that owning our home allowed us to live on a small income but that is not something we can do currently.  

 I never went THAT low, but I currently live on about $15k/year.  I buy organics with a short shopping list--in, out, and gone in less than 20 minutes with no parking hassles, no abandoned kids, and no clogged aisles like at WallyWorld.  Cleaning products consist of bleach, alcohol, and vinegar I get from the local dollar store.  I use high-oleic sunflower oil for food and furniture polish.  My clothes and textiles are mainly provided by the laundry room in my apartment complex--the manager collects loads left behind (and amazingly, there are many), then after 2 weeks with no claims, gives me first crack at them before donating them to charity.  Since I don't work, I don't need to dress especially well--a t-shirt, shorts, or sweat pants is good enough for around here.  A year's worth of shampoo comes from Sally Beauty Supply in the form of a 1-gal. jug (sale priced).  Furniture (when I need some) comes from evictions--residents have 48 hours to remove their stuff or it goes to the dumpster enclosure (not INSIDE the dumpster, but next to it in the dumpster corral), and people are free to take it from there.

Speaking of the dumpster, you wouldn't BELIEVE what people throw away!  I've found garbage bags full of perfectly good clothes, towels, sheets, shoes--you name it--and donated to charity what I couldn't use myself. 

If my rent hadn't gone up $100/month for each of the past two years, I'd probably be at $12k myself.  Also, the IRA and 401(k) contribution limits have increased, so I put more away.  I'm still waiting for my first "summer" utility bill reflecting A/C use--usually, I go from a norm of $35/month to about $105/month for A/C use, but it hasn't happened yet (probably because I put car windshield shades in all my windows).  Maybe next month.

We live in an apartment with a sleeper sofa, and we live in subsidized housing that goes according to our income. It is a waiting list, but worth getting on as things come up all the time and you may find yourself at the top of the list quicker than you think. We did. The rent $400 dollars is not the amount we pay. I live in a two bedroom apartment, and yes both have closets. My children all except Princess catch the bus at the end of our parking lot. We live in a area that has inexpensive housing, but not a lot for families just college kids. I made due with what I could get and my county HUD worker lets us, because she knows it is hard to find housing for a family of 10 me included. I now have two foster babies to take care of too. Princess doesn't seem to mind, as the state and county is allowing me to homeschool her. Our rent is $185. a month this year next year it goes up. Before HUD I lived on a temporary housing provided by the city called Bridges Program. They also subsidized until you can get into subsidized housing of your choice in my state of Minnesota.

Tanya

I am not exactly sure where to click to post a reply so I clicked the last message....

I use to be in subsidized housing too, and section 8 when my kids were little, even though the rent was cheap and all, I hated it so much, my landlords were pigs, they wouldn't fix anything and they were dirty old men, they thought they had the right to just walk into my apartment anytime they wanted, they wouldn't fix anything that went wrong. The neighbors were drug dealers, even the kids, it was horrible. That was over 10 years ago.

I live on less than 12,000 a year, I just figured it out on my calculater, it includes my food stamps. including my child support and alimony, and the Room and Board my son pays, it totals about $70 under 12,000. I have a Habitat home, so the mortgage is way under what people would pay for a 1 bedroom apt. but it is mine... I don't have to answer to a landlord. I will never give my house up. I have done so much to be frugal, and to sacrifice to keep this home. My biggest finance other than my home is that darn electric bill. Living in Florida, and having all electric is a struggle, the summers are the worse, my bill went up over $40 last month. Every month I call up the electric company and get my bill payment extended to the next month, so far thank G-D I haven't had a problem with that... It's just thats when I have the money at the beginging of the month. and I'm going to have to find another homeowners ins, because the company we have is backing out of Florida, and it's going to be tripled for what I pay now. I am still trying to find work, it's hard though since I ride the buses.I also have chronic pain in my Rt arm and shoulder, I have been going back and forth to the Dr's and they haven't given me a deffinate diagnosis, they say it's tendonitus, but I've had pain for almost 3 months now.I am on county, insurance, and they take forever. I am glad my youngest is almost grown, I wont have to worry about leaving him alone, or having to worry about day care expenses.I am great at shopping frugally, but I wish I had a green thumb and the resourses to grow a veggie garden, that would save me so much money.  I am really getting concerned, especially since my alimony ends next year, and the child support ends in a little over 2 years...Then what...

That's a rough spot to be in. I hope you can find some work to do that you can handle.

 There is an article in the paper about a woman who recently had Habitat build her a house. She is one of those that I mentioned hearing of that has more than 5 people in a travel trailer. I so glad that she was able to get some help.

Brandy, if she is able-bodied, and has family and friends she helped build her own home. thats what we did, it was hard hard work, a lot of blood sweat and tears, thats why they call it sweat equity.We started out in July of 98,thru the heat, and thru the cold and had a blitz built, for two weekends and finished up our home, in January of 99'. We got to move in April 99' after all the paperwork and inspections were done, they had to reorder the cabinets because they were not made properly, thats what took so long.  I've lived in my home for 8 years now. when you've been thru all of that, hammering, hauling trash clearing the lot, putting down the sod. ect, actually seeing and participating in building your own place,and helping the other homeowners build theirs too, the feeling is undescribable, even to this day. Living in the places I have, living in a shelter  a couple of times, it's like a miracle to me.  I pay less than $400 a month for a 3br,2ba. with a lot. That includes the insurance, and homeowners assoc fees.  There are no interest payments. I'm hoping to find work real soon and since I live so frugally, I want to double up my payments and pay off my mortgage sooner.  I don't own a credit card so I have no credit card debt.

I was thinking more of the financial aspect than the physical one when I said "build her a house". I should have used different wording. My understanding is that she is a widow with six kids and did not have the financial resources to build or buy on her own.

That is wonderful that they did that for her!

I find that lack of resources (be it savings, credit or income) is one of the biggest obstacles to getting into permanent housing here. I know what we have done and the frustrations we have felt as a family of five with my husband working. I can't imagine trying to find a home and care for children on my own.

I am very glad she was chosen for a Habitat home. Oh, I'd like to add that I read someone also donated a mini-van to be given to her.