An American Family Trying to Survive in This Economy
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Trying to do what's right
I remember growing up, money really was never an issue. We were not rich by any means but there was always food on the table and money to do the things we liked. My father had a good job and my mother stayed at home making sure the homestead was running right. My family was really big on going camping with our trailers and visiting our grandparents in Florida. I spent many summers with extended family and friends that came along on the camping trips. When I had turned 15, I got my first job as a waitress and was able to pay for anything extra that I had wanted. So I knew very well that I had to work hard for the things that were wants not needs. Then in 2000, I turned 18 and had saved up to buy my first car and it was affordable on minimum wage especially with gas only being a little over a dollar a gallon. I wanted to take a year off of school so I could enjoy being a teen before going back to what I had done already for 12 years.
That's when things started to get a little hetic for me. I was in a relationship with my high school sweetheart and when I was 20, we had our first child. Now I know that having a child and all of the responsibilities that came with it, was going to be tough. So almost 2 years went by and we had our second child and got married a year and a half later. All this time I was still living with my mom and I decided that being married with two children is definitely a good time to get an apartment and be on our own. We got an affordable apartment for a year and we were doing just fine until the area we were at got bad and we had to move. By this time gas prices were going up as well as everything else making it more difficult for us to make ends meet. My husband is a firefighter and has been since we have been together. I always worked a job no matter where we were, I just wasn't able to work as much because we had the kids. Well to make more income my husband got a second job. So here we were living in an apartment that was further away from our family and working 3 jobs between the two of us, being functioning members of society trying our best. We were just making ends meet and then the economy really fell. We had decided that with the market on the housing being so low, that now was the best time to purchase our first home because it was a buyers market. I mean who wants to invest in an apartment when you can invest in a house that would be your own? We did the smart thing by buying a house well within our means so that way we didn't get trapped like all of the other people in foreclosure.
Well in 2009 we finally purchased our very first house and by this time we had 3 kids. Again we were still working our 3 jobs and doing everything that we were supposed to be doing. We were and still are model "citizens" of the USA! Neither one of us has any problems with the law or drug and alcohol problems, just a young family doing what we should be doing. For us, buying our house was definitely a turning point. Now we had never gone on any family vacations or did anything that was big spending outside of what we needed. I was hoping that I would be able to give my kids at least half of what I had as a kid but so far I couldn't. Our house was very affordable for the first couple of months and then our taxes got raised and I became unexpectedly pregnant with my last child. (My husband and I wanted 4 kids, but didn't expect the 4th so soon.) We were forced to buy a bigger vehicle and had more expenses. We started to fall behind on our mortgage payments but didn't let it get too bad. We both had to work more hours at our jobs and it lead us to almost never see each other. We have medical coverage but with 4 kids medical bills add up. We are struggling very hard still and I have have tried everything that we can do but there is still the chance I could end up like a lot of Americans who have lost everything.
The prices on everything has gone up so much in the last 5 years that I feel unless you make over 6 figures a year, you are only going to sink. My family and I do not live out of our means and we purchase things on a need basis only. The economy is forcing people to become homeless and crazy. So is it even worth it to have a family when everything is like this? As it stands right now, I am cutting back on working because gas prices have gone up so much that going to work is pointless. I spend half of a days paycheck on gas to and from work alone. Food prices are going up and for less portions. Our property taxes have gone up $2,000 in less than 2 years and taxes on everything else have spiked as well because our country is in debt. I figured that no time was better then now to go back to school to get my degree. That was I can totally contribute to the funds at my home. I tried to get financial aide to help pay for school but because I work and am the role model citizen, but the government is barely helping. In order to get financial help in the good old area of USA that I live in, you have to basically be lazy with no job and live in the slums. So because I chose to work my butt off and do what is right, I am offered no help. They also only look at your gross annual income on your taxes. When you explain to the department of human services that most of that money was overtime because you were gonna lose your house, they could give a rats butt.
Now my husband and I chose to have 4 kids and I love them so very much. I just wonder if it was fair to bring them into this world having to see struggling all the time. It breaks my heart when my kids ask questions about money and know that they can't even go on a a school field trip because we are so broke or have to have ramen noodles for dinner. I am not above receiving money from the government or local city and state but they just won't give us any. We are on a very tight budget and I think we could at least be ok if prices on everything were not as jacked up. Needless to say doing these hub pages is kind of an outlet for me to share my life stories and hope that it helps you feel like your not alone with a topic that you share with me. If you live in the state of Illinois or even in America maybe you might benefit from the websites listed below. Even if I can't help my family maybe I can help yours. I am not asking for pitty by any means, just sharing my stories of a struggling family. We are doing the right things but the government is making it next to impossible to keep afloat.
Helpful Websites
Illinois SNAP (Help with Food) Free food
Illinois WIC (Women, Infant Children) Vouchers for formula, cheese, milk, etc..
Illinois Child Care ProgramsThis will help with childcare expenses
TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) Illinois Cash Assistance
If you live in a different state please click here to help find where you live.
Thanks for taking the time to read my hub!
Declining Economy
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Thank you very much!
Hardly know what to say...at least I have no family depending on me, but the "street" sometimes feels like just a few dollars away. Mommyneal6, please continue keeping your chin up.
I feel your pain. I have been there on more than one occasion when my kids were growing up. I see them stuggle and I'm glad I can help sometimes. I recently wrote a hub where I expressed my unhappiness about what is happening with our government. It is so unfair that families are stuggling but they give money to the big corporation that pay no taxes. Your kids are lucky to have a mom and dad that love them.
Right there with you. By the looks of it, we were born in the same year, but compared to you, I only have one child and two years ago, although my husband and I were very close, decided to not get a house.
And that is what I am most upset about concerning these changes over the last decade: The economy has me scared! Scared to follow my dream, which is as plain as yours: Get a house, raise my family (I want 1-2 more kids, but I am even scared of that!), simply pay the bills on time... yeah. A normal life. Working and being able to pay the bills and still having the time to see your husband and children grow up.
I can so relate to this; It almost sounds as if you are telling my story! I also grew up in an upper-middle class family. Before my mother's death in 1978 (when I was eleven) both of my parents worked, even after her death, my sister and I never really wanted for anything. I also began working at the age of 15, and have always known that I had to work for things. I married at 23, my husband was in the Navy for the first 16 years of our marriage,(he retired in 2006) we had a two children, and we worked for everything that we had. We payed our own bills, we took care of our children and our responsibilities, and we were just a normal young married couple raising our kids and living a normal average life. In 2006, my dad got sick, my husband retired, and I found out I was pregnant with our third child. With my dad needing constant supervision, and unwilling to come to us, we opted to go to him. I quit working, my husband took a job with a local company to supplement our income, and everything was okay.....not great, but it was do-able. Our youngest daughter was born in May of that year, my dad was officially diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease, my husband was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease, and had to cut back his working hours while they tried to figure out which medications would work best for him, and the economy completely fell apart.
In May of 2010, we had gone through our savings, had tapped into our two older children's college accounts, and
were just barely keeping our heads above water, and my husband got laid-off. My husband's retirement just barely covers our basic expenses, (house payment, utility bills, etc.), I have two kids getting ready to graduate from high school in the next two years, both of them on the college track, both of their college funds depleted, I rob Peter to pay Paul, we've had to apply for food stamps, and all I keep asking myself is ...."Why? What happened? We've always done exactly what we were supposed to do....I am not greedy, I don't want more than I need, I appreciated what I do have, I don't drink, do drugs, or anything else illegal...How did we get here?
Great hub! It helps to be reminded that there are others in our shoes....There is some strength to be taken from knowing that you are not alone. I look forward to reading more hubs by you!
wow... props to you! i can only imagine, and it's sad but you story is more and more becoming the store of all across the US. we can't get as much a we used to... a dollar doesn't go as far and we have to be a lot more picky and choosey with our decisions because they don't only affect us, they affect our family.
the whole educational system upsets me - people that really deserve to receive financial aid don't - i've been there and it frustrated me so much. all you can do is keep you spirits up and know that tomorrow is another day with new possibilities and opportunities.
Thank you very much! I appriciate all of the support!
Very sad. You know in my country US$ 500 is more than enough per month for a family. But we use public transport. Education is free. I think I am lucky.
But don't know about future with troubled world economy.
What i say? What is going on? I can't believe it? This troubled family from America! I hear this economic crisis since a long lime. But this is totally differ from my imaginations. I think chamji who commended above , we both are from same country India. According to you we live in Beautyful surroundings and economic environment. But i fear that about crisis. Not only international economic crisis but changed life style of people alive in India also. They show a tendency to carelessness about spending money. (I think American's early lifestyle as like this). Truly this is a heart touching story. Where will you reach with our small RUPEES??? I am very sorry.
Thank you sharnas! That's very kind of you and greatly appreciated but I couldn't take anything from you. I am here on hubpages like everyone else just trying to help others with my stories and make a few extra bucks from doing so.
Everybody is very supportive and I thank all of you for your encouraging words and being able to share your stories with me as well.
We are in this position now and, yes, I do receive public benefits. I will do whatever it takes to take care of my almost 4 kids. My husband has no job and has had three surgeries in the past two months. We are not-exactly surviving on my work at home income.
I think it's great when people can be honest and find friendship in that.
The one thing that turned me off about the comments is that people are upstanding citizens who don't drink or use drugs. My husband and I are both recovering addict/alcoholics and perfectly upstanding people. Whether you drink, use drugs or have ever been in trouble with the law has nothing to do with your current place in your own life. We work hard, we take care of our kids, we love each other and we NEVER consider relapsing an option.
Thank you for your honesty. The only reason I stressed about not being an addict is because there are a lot of programs that help people who are recovering as well, hence more help available. I hope things do get better financially for you and your family. I know we are all trying to survive in the end. :)
big big war comming it wont matter
PETER UNDERHILL 13 months ago
You are among the growing group of Americans who are sliding backwards. The disparity between the rich and the poor is growing. Your plight is not your fault as some may want you to believe. You have written a great story and shared your heart with many who no doubt feel as you do and experience what you do. Thanks for listing the resources so that others may obtain help.