Comments on: Proof You Can Live off 50% of Your Income

By: J. Money

J. Money — Fri, 19 Oct 2018 11:00:51 +0000

In reply to kelly boland. Dammmmmmnnnnnn! SUPERMOM!

By: kelly boland

kelly boland — Fri, 19 Oct 2018 07:26:47 +0000

Hey just wanted to say that I can live on nothing and not fear when we are tight in the budget, some people would not cope
I am a mum of 10 kids, two gone but still 4 teens 3 on learners, 4 5 to 10 and 1 bubby
My husband is a goer who tries hard to bring in money
We have 35000 savings and owe 168000 our house is worth 455000
You should see our fridge, but I can russle up a feast

By: J. Money

J. Money — Thu, 06 Sep 2018 10:39:32 +0000

In reply to Liz Beavers. Haha... agreed!!! Finding good deals is def. the best part of the $$$ game ;) Way to save so much with 4 kids!!! Impressive!

By: Liz Beavers

Liz Beavers — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 21:10:25 +0000

Great job on this article! I loved reading how others are living off only 50%. We are currently doing that as well. We live off of $2200 a month including our mortgage with 4 kiddos. The rest goes toward student loan debt. We are hoping to be debt free by december 2019. We still eat very healthy, have lots of fun and don’t look like hobos! I love finding the best deals. I may be weird, but I think of being frugal like a game. It really has become a really fun hobby!

Nerdymommyof4.com

By: J. Money

J. Money — Wed, 05 Sep 2018 11:28:08 +0000

In reply to jmk.

Holy wow!! What a turn of events! I’m glad you’re taking it all okay and seem to be coping pretty well?! Who could have ever guessed that was coming, jeez…

I need to sit down and marinate on this for a while… what a powerful reminder indeed on the importance of living on less, thank you for coming back to share it! I hope your kids are okay with everything going on? :( Must be such a tough one to deal with, especially happening so suddenly like that.

By: jmk

jmk — Sat, 01 Sep 2018 13:58:03 +0000

Life Update: I was one of the original people referenced in the “live off 50% of your income” article. Fast forward 6 years. Just as we were about to retire in our early/mid 50s my husband passed away very suddenly. We had been ready to retire anyway so once I got through the funeral/legal/financial administrative stuff I quit my job. For the 18 months that followed I’ve worked more or less full time on clearing out our house (30yrs of accumulated stuff…) and arranging to have something beautiful but smaller and better suited to our new lives built. My oldest had been on the verge of moving out and my youngest will only be with me for another 3-4 years so the big family house became ridiculous overnight as we went from 4 in the house to 2.

It’s been an unexpected change in life but I’m trying to see this as the start of a new, if unexpected, chapter and an opportunity to design a different sort of life for myself. While this isn’t the early retirement we had planned together while living that 50% lifestyle, what it did mean was that when all of this happened I was mortgage free, both of our retirement accounts were complete and ready for us to pull the plug, and now unexpectedly there was life insurance, and his survivor pensions added to the mix. I can’t tell you how much more difficult it would have been if we had been drowning in debt and living to the full extent of our incomes when this happened. Loss of a spouse is difficult enough but having our finances completely in order made this so much easier. Instead of worrying about the money, I was free to be home with our children and manage the downsizing.

I’m now getting started on a revised version of my early(ish) retirement. I still intend to travel regularly as we’d planned but the bucket list now only includes the places I want to see, I’m signing up for art classes, I plan to garden, and I have a massive list of books to I was too busy to read while I was working. I intend to start going to the gym regularly (during the day when it’s not busy) and I’m toying with going back to take another degree for the sheer joy of learning and with no pressure on marks or any plan to even use it when I’m done.

You never know what curve balls life will throw at you. Getting your financial act in order is just good sense under the best of circumstances but if the rug gets pulled out from under you it can be a life saver during a difficult time.

By: Lauren

Lauren — Sun, 01 Oct 2017 14:08:01 +0000

I try to do this too… single 27 year old.. all debt paid off- only my mortgage and car payments! I work work work and save but also enjoy life!

By: Selena

Selena — Thu, 25 Aug 2016 02:09:52 +0000

I really enjoyed all the stories on those that live off half their income. It’s very inspiring. I just wrote a post about how my family of three lives off less than half our income. It’s totally doable!

By: Kb

Kb — Sun, 08 May 2016 14:02:31 +0000

How I start? Can you email me?

By: J. Money

J. Money — Thu, 31 Mar 2016 11:17:25 +0000

In reply to Fushia.

And I’m insanely happy you’re enjoying it! Thanks for letting me know :)

And btw – LOVING your name.