If all you had was $900/mo the rest of your life...

**Natalie** · 09-16-2009, 09:36 AM

If all you had was $900 a month the rest of your life to live on, how would you live? Cost of living will go up, etc ...

**nodmicks** · 09-16-2009, 09:56 AM

Honestly I would have too sell my house and move into the city as the 30 mile commute would be to $$$$. Likely sell the car too.

I'm sure people do it but I have no clue how our family of 4 could live on 900 to be honest.

**groundhog** · 09-16-2009, 10:11 AM

that all depends , if everything is paid for house etc it could be done it wouldnt be easy but it could be done if you are paying rent i dont know maybe rent a big house and share with two or three others are you alone or do you have a family so many things to consider

**C@rol** · 09-16-2009, 10:13 AM

Great question.
Is this for a single, married but no kids or family situation you're considering?

If I were single I'd manage well enough. Wouldn't be the greatest life but it's manageable. People do it everyday.

**nodmicks** · 09-16-2009, 10:18 AM

This makes me think of one person in particular who is single. Widows benefits 1200, rent 650, health ins monthly 365 (supp), car ins, food, heat for our cold winters, monthly medicine etc. She is glad to have savings!

So many things to consider! Health ins would be a biggie!!!!!!

**Greebo** · 09-16-2009, 10:45 AM

Find a way to use what I've got to make more than that.

**nuisance26** · 09-16-2009, 11:16 AM

~I think we could do it but we have assets, savings, retirement savings and a 6 month EF.
I'd immediately sell one car. Dh would bike to work when possible(10 miles and he's done it before, assuming he still has a job somewhere), reduce our grocery budget to $100 a month, sell my jewelry/art/games/tv/videos/computer/anything we could sell that wasn't necessary. Doing all that would extend our 6 month EF into a 4-5 year EF. If eligible I'd try to get public funded health care. We'd both be looking for work.
If at the end of that time, our income hadn't improved, we'd cash out the retirement savings and sell the other car. DH would always take the bike/bus/ or get a ride. At this point I'd apply for food stamps. We could probably last another 5 years.
Just wanted to add that we'd still be able to pay our mortgage, property taxes and utilities until the very end of this 10 year period.
I think many families could live on $900 a month if they were very disciplined, healthy and resourceful.
I certainly wouldn't wish it on anyone though.~

**shoiji** · 09-16-2009, 12:23 PM

I know some people who actually do live on this amout.
They are single and living on disability. They take advantage of low income housing, heating assistance, etc. It is doable. Some even have part time jobs.

**Thevail** · 09-16-2009, 12:26 PM

The first thing would probably be to rent a room in a college town, one of those that includes electric,gas, water, sewer, garbage, and cable. For a small one in my town that's about $450/mo. Most of these houses come with a washer and dryer which will save quite a bit per month.

But at least it's all the basics and no other fluctuating bills. (some of the ones here come with free wi-fi which would be awesome, and allow for the magic jack for phone.)

Then sell everything but the bicycle and the bed and exactly the furniture you'd need to furnish one room. Sell the big fridge and get a tiny one just for butter, milk, and fresh veggies. That would pad an EF for a bit. Also allow you to get a hotplate and an electric kettle. Keep this money in cash as a reserve, many services you might qualify for look at your bank account to see if you are "poor enough".

Go to the food bank every week and try to get a stockpile started in an airtight rubber tote.

Then look into the "poverty discount" for the local transit system, most places have one. It's usually about $45 or $50 for a 3 month bus pass, which you'd be using a lot.

Also check your community resources center to see who gives away clothing for free and when, most cities have churches or organizations who do this a couple of times a year, and since this is for the rest of your life, clothes shopping is likely to be a luxury. Look for well constructed classics in neutral colors that are easy care/ wash and wear.

Join smart trips, and any other local organization that's free and offers a discount at local stores. Get really good at couponing and doing loss leaders.

Check out books and videos from the library and learn to mend things, cut your own hair (or find a friend who can be trusted), etc. etc.

Every service you don't pay for is money you keep!

Try very very hard to live on $850/month and keep saving money. At this economic level you are exactly one disaster from homeless.

**Lora88** · 09-16-2009, 12:40 PM

Under the circumstances I am in now I could not do it . I have no mortgage and my home still costs me over 1000.00 a month. I would move to a very small town where you can still rent a small place for 500.00 a month and find a way to live on the rest i think it will be very diffucult to do I do know someone who lives on less than this But he is single and lives in a rooming house He uses public transportation gets food stamps and free medical care . It can be done but not without Govt help.

**MaryCarney** · 09-16-2009, 01:36 PM

I would move in with my 80 year old dad! He has WAY better cable than I do, and he's keep me around just to make my Grandma's sugar cookies and nut bread for him.

* he just called and said that would be ok with him!!!

**nodmicks** · 09-16-2009, 03:02 PM

I see a few people mention assistance and saving. How about without any assistance or savings????

I really like the ideas people have mentioned so far

**Thevail** · 09-16-2009, 03:07 PM

Without any assistance or savings.. you'd better pitch a tent as close as possible to the local food bank. Save at Least $500 the first month and the same the second month. Then you'd have savings again.

Honestly, if you only had the bare $900 a month you couldn't even come up with the first last and deposit on anywhere to live.

**nodmicks** · 09-16-2009, 03:13 PM

Originally Posted by Thevail

Without any assistance or savings.. you'd better pitch a tent as close as possible to the local food bank. Save at Least $500 the first month and the same the second month. Then you'd have savings again.

Honestly, if you only had the bare $900 a month you couldn't even come up with the first last and deposit on anywhere to live.

I wish I could remember the name of that book where the author tried to live on the then min wage. The rent was a big issue!

**Greebo** · 09-16-2009, 03:52 PM

"Below the Breadline" I think.

But bear in mind: http://www.heritage.org/research/labor/wm19.cfm

Very few grown up adults live on minimum wage.

Less than 21 percent of minimum wage workers are the sole breadwinners of their families and less than 5 percent are sole breadwinners that work full-time year-round. Less than 5 percent of minimum wage workers are poor single mothers over 18 years old.

Not saying it isn't tough as nails trying to live on minimum wage, mind you.