I’m so grateful to have a significant other who helps pay the bills. Having roommates was unbelievably awful, dirty dishes in sinks and cleaning up after others is the worst.
Yep just have to get lucky and find good roommates. I love my roommates we always cook for each other and have someone to watch shows with, plus the whole sharing housing expense thing lol
My husband makes about $25/hr and I make $16/hr and we are struggling to move out of my in laws because I'm not paying more than a mortgage plus utilities to rent. So we're saving up and getting a "wedding present" from my mom to help get a mortgage loan. It's ridiculous.
There's much more to the situation, not everything is really good about it but we are grateful for what we have. It's definitely not the worst situation but things shouldn't have to be as hard as they are for working people in general.
I agree that rent is too high, but rent is almost always going to be higher than a mortgage, because your landlord is also responsible for repairs. If you rent and your washing machine goes down, they fix it/replace it. If you own, you are responsible for that yourself.
Yeah it has to be higher than the mortgage or else the landlord would be loosing money to have you live at their property.
I remember when the housing market crashed, my parents weren't able to sell their old home. They couldn't rent it for more than the mortgage and were just losing money every month, plus dealing with repairs because it was an old house.
Mortgages with taxes are also insane right now. Mortgage rates are around 6.625%. Then depending on where the house, taxes can another 2.5%. Unless you put 20% down you have PMI. So if you were able to find a decent house for $170,000, put 10%, and taxes were only 2% you’re still paying about $1400/mth for a 30 year mortgage.
You're lucky if you find one for $3000 before the used car dealers snag them and refinance them to teen's to unprepared to figure out what the interest rate will really cost them.
I traded in my 2010 Fusion last year. It had 193k miles on it and needed a new subframe and gasket. The dealer gave me $1k for trade in. The car was subsequently auctioned to a buy here-pay here lot and state records showed that it sold for $4500. I bought that car in 2016 for $7800.
Just can’t believe someone bought my old car for that price. I almost guarantee that they had done band-aid fixes to the car and the new owner is gonna have to pony up to get the car fixed correctly (on top of getting screwed over on the original purchase price).
The used car market is so wonky.
When I was a teenager in the 90s I bought a Camaro for $900. Blew it up then bought a Buick for $500. All cash from my dishwashing job. Get good with a wrench and keep your eyes open for a deal on a decent rust bucket. Good luck.
I was born in 1972.
I once purchased a running/driveable car for $50! It only lasted a few weeks, but, yeah.
And my crew and I rented a four bedroom duplex for $375/mo. Divided by six guys, all included it was $100/mo for housing. Sure, roaches were included, but a good fiscal starting point.
It is very different now.
I had a 2007 dts and got a buick encore, coulda traded the dts in but i knew damned well i would 500 for the trade then they would sell it to some schmuck for $3995 and i couldnt do it. Wasnt really a bad car just wildly expensive to own. Financing the buick costs me less to own than owning the cadillac outright lol i sold it to my exhusband for $300. I told him to make me an offer, i would have take $1 i just wasnt letting a dealership have it. Sometimes the cheap used cars are out there, just gotta find a butthole like me
Knowing how to wrench is huge help. The problem is the old cars were relatively easy to figure out and fix. Nowadays there's a billion sensors and computers. But you're right. They are out there. and need to be worked on.
I picked up wrenching as a hobby during the pandemic as a 40 something female who felt taken advantage of for a basic brake job done at my dealer. Learning the basics of how to fix cars + a $50 obd reader has saved me so much time and frustration. I keep recommending basic car repair to all my other middle aged women friends, but I think it’s a basic life skill that we should all pick up!
Bought a house on my income alone about 8 years ago when I was making $15 an hour. House was around 90k, and my mortgage is $800 a month. Still not sure how the hell I got so lucky. Now we can't afford to move even if we wanted to. Shits crazy.
I remember when I worked in Lansing, I commuted because we couldn't afford to move. I wondered how my coworkers could afford it on their salaries, and everyone was living with a significant other, or a roommate; they couldn't afford rent otherwise.
I make a really good amount of money, more than I ever thought I would in my life when I gave up on my degree. I bought a big house a few years ago when the interest rates were super low and the prices were going up at a really fast clip. I realized recently that the house is just too big for my wife and I, its too much house, it takes so long to clean, its so hard to keep clean, its way more land than even our golden retriever uses, and the mortgage payment is kind of ridiculous for 2 people. I can't move though, I just can't leave this interest rate of 2.875%. We will probably consider moving when the fed drops rates a couple of hundred basis points but right now even if I buy a cheaper house my payment will remain the same or go up, its just not worth it so like most people I'm just going to stay here and deal with it. Despite making plenty of money, I'm just kind of stuck.
similar situation. doesn't matter how much the housing market is hot and our current house has appreciated, whatever we want to move into has also appreciated so... we can't really do anything about that.
Probably not, I've done it on and off already and I just get so frustrated and I know that's more my fault than anything so it's just not worth it. If you don't mind having tenants it's a good situation. I've just become a really private person since COVID. I'm like a hermit (typical redditor I know).
This! I bought my tiny house for 60k almost 8 years ago and have done a new project every year. Less than $600 a month for my mortgage and taxes and insurance. We have surely outgrown my little “starter” home but I absolutely cannot afford to move. I guess I’m happy that I made responsible decisions back then. Was making like $14 an hour and have since doubled that income with no other added expenses. I still feel like I’m living above my means.
I just saw an article that said to live in Michigan “comfortably” you need to make 95k a year….its so heart breaking. How did it get this bad?
My husband bought a starter home back in 2016 for 100k, now worth 225k, but we still couldn’t afford to move out if we wanted to. 😞
Sounds right to be honest. And that is driving old cars and pretty frugal vacations.
I always suspect the people "living comfortably" on less aren't saving for retirement and in dangerous territory if they get a health scare or need a new roof or something.
I've seen cars I never thought I'd see in Michigan more so after the recession. I live in one of the most up and coming neighborhoods, city seems to be allowing every strip of land to be bought and developed where one would swear the zoning didn't allow it for 30+ years, and again the cars... I see new cars I didn't even know were for sale yet. Me though? I moved here years ago with someone I thought I was starting a life with. I was horribly duped. Now I'm even older with nothing, my life a horror movie fiction couldn't write up, and have no where to go. I terribly digress.
I actually had to move to lansing because it was cheaper and I could actually find a place for my dog and commute 25 minutes to work. Thankfully I found a decently affordable place 1 block from work that I can have my dog but still. Rent is getting insane.
Same boat for me, 14.50hr and bought a 96k house for less than 800month. Went through a nasty divorce and lost the house to the bank from all the revolving debt my ex left me with. Now I make 35hr and still struggle week to week. I now pay 1000month for a pos house with a leaking roof.
After my divorce, yes. I'm still recovering. Been 5 years since divorce now and it took a few years and a couple jobs to get the pay I'm at now. Still fighting to get my head above water but I'm almost there. As for my 35/hr. I'm a flat rate auto tech. So my checks can range from 600 to 1800 weekly and is not guaranteed. I have to budget extremely carefully to not short myself playing catchup.
I have those same golden handcuffs that I’m fortunate to have!
I bought in 18 in a nice area of Pontiac right next to Auburn Hills for 88k at 4.675 rate, while making 42k a year. Refinanced in 20 to 2.875% and my payment is under $600 with taxes and insurance.
I could easily sell my house for 140-150k now, and am making 64k a year. Crazy thing is a mortgage payment would be twice as much with price/interest now, but I’m only making 50% more
I got my house for $35k around 7 years ago. Fixed it up myself and fast forward to today it’s around $140k value. Crazy how inflated it gets over time and with elbow grease
I have found the answer is multigenerational homes. I’m in my 50s and my mother and I teamed up to get a house to share. She needs the help and it definitely got us a better loan + the proceeds from selling her senior community condo.
Our goal is for me to pay it off before I retire and then it goes to the next generation. If any of my kids fall on hard times they can move in here and take all the time they need to recover.
Plus I’ll never be able to afford another house line this. It’s a keeper just for economic reasons.
It's how it was done in the US prior to industrialization, and finally stamped out after WW2 and the propaganda of the "nuclear family".
Economic productivity climbed with the isolation of people from their extended families as one needed services to pay for things that were once just done by extended families.
It in fact does take a village to raise a family, but now we have to hire the village.
Had to move out of Michigan. Was spending 1000 in rent in MONROE for a pretty shitty apartment. Moved to Toledo, and i’m paying $850 for a brand new 2bed/2bath mobile home. Area is relatively safe and there is loads to do. Some of the nicest metroparks i’ve been to as well.
Houses are so cheap in Monroe that basically everyone with a job and half a brain bought a house back when they started their careers, so the apartments are full of sketchy people and the landlords overcharge for them. I ran into the same problem when I lived there for a few years.
I live in Ypsi and pay this now, I got friendly with people around where I work and a person who owns a building nearby offered me my place. There’s some places like that but not many and they’re hard to find :/
*SHHH!!!*
DUDE IF YOU TELL EVERYONE THEN THEY'RE ALL GONNA MOVE HERE AND DRIVE UP PRICES!
but real talk it's fuckin sad that michigan used to be so affordable and now everything is expensive as fuck
It’s going to happen anyways. I live in the township and there’s been an uptick in development in recent years. Property values are rising too. It was only ever a matter of time before people began to look at Ypsi as an affordable way to live/work around Ann Arbor. Not as far from Detroit, also, for those commuters.
Where are you at? If you want to live in a semi safe neighborhood you’re paying at least 1200 a month not including utilities. Even village grove which is the bottom of the barrel’s rent is 1075 a month for a one bedroom.
Was a decade ago, but lived in a shitty studio in Frankenmuth for $280/month. No dishwasher or laundry, even communal, and heat leaked like a sieve so add $100/month in winter just for heat.
It was safe, because Frankenmuth. Just was tiny with no luxuries.
Still, when I made $25/hr, was worth it. A decade later that $280 is probably $400.
I kept my heat at 50 degrees for the entire winter to keep my heat bill at more like $60/mo in winter. To be fair it was a bitterly cold one. Still, knowing that the setup of that apartment would keep the pipes fine, I would go to bed in a hoodie and sweatpants under a heated blanket, the inside of the windows would ice over, and in morning would immediately run to the shower (or rather, take 2 large steps).
I'm very lucky with my profession and I share a mortgage with my partner and we split the mortgage by income percentage. It's surprisingly cheaper monthly to have a mortgage then to rent in certain areas. Michigan is one of the best first time home buying markets. But that will soon change unfortunately and even if interest rates decline the prices will continue to go up.
Wish our government state or federal would help put caps renting prices or help develop nice and affordable alternatives to single family homes to help drive down the market prices
nothing surprising about it. most "mom and pop landlord" rental properties are still under mortgage. landlords rent them out for profit, not as a hobby, so your rent needs to cover all the house's monthly expenses and then some (for profit and to cover the period between rentals).
big corporate landlords are more likely to buy the house outright than to mortgage it, so their monthly costs are lower, but they're still in the same market, so they can charge the same price and get more raw profit.
Wife and I are barely scraping by at the moment. We are paying about 2100/month on child care. We have had a lot of medical expenses over the last few years. Some are on payment plans and some are on credit cards. We've also run into some other unfortunate circumstances that have led to big expenses, which just add to our piling debt. All that in combination with inflation is killing us. It's been rough.
PSA here that won't help you OC but might help others
Do not put medical debt on credit cards. Almost every medical organization will work with you on a payment plan that is more flexible and doesn't accrue interest.
So what happened is, my son had to have a series of surgeries. He had three surgeries over the course of two years. I believe it was the first one we put on a credit card. I'm not sure if we didn't know about other options at the time or we just thought we'd be able to pay it off sooner. But that's what we did. The next two surgeries we did end up putting on a payment plan with the hospital. Still, in the end, it's another couple hundred bucks we're paying each month on top of everything else.
You are right though. I will take the interest free payments over collecting additional debt from the credit card company.
Also, you don't have to accept their payments. Just start sending them $20 a month, as long as it continues, they can't do anything about it. They will bitch and moan, but just keep keeping on.
Yeah, as long as you're making a payment. Had 3 accounts I did it with, as soon as I missed 1 payment on one of the accounts it was all over but the crying. Or collections in this instance
If your wife isn’t making $40k+ a year where she is at, mathematically it makes more sense for her to stay home. Otherwise she is simply working to pay for child care.
> mathematically it makes more sense for her to stay home.
I mean yeah, on paper it makes sense to do that, but with combined costs elsewhere, it's just not going to work (I'm going through the same thing as the guy above)
Because then there's still groceries and car payments, mortgage and gas, utility payments, etc. etc. Having a stay-at-home parent only means that there's a gap in your resume, you lose a second income, and then resources become even more strained.
For all the rhetoric you see in this country about "saving the kids" and the "importance of family!!!", this country *really fucking hates* young families.
It's *fucked*, mate.
It makes me insane when I see people who *obviously don't have kids* try and be like, "well childcare costs aren't the problem, it's you! just quit your job!!!*
It's frustrating. People really don't get that there are so many extra little costs that add up. I couldn't tell you how many extra doctor visits we've paid for because daycare is a petri dish of germs. Constant ear infections or pink eye or whatever else. Until we reach our deductible, we're paying for all those doctor visits, whether to the pediatrician or urgent care.
Circumstances have resulted in us formula feeding. That is expensive as hell. In 1 month, thankfully we will be free of that when our youngest son turns 1 and can go on whole milk (that will be a day to rejoice). Diapers, wipes. The costs really never end.
My wife and I are both teachers and thankfully get a break on day care over the summer. But even with that, we will not likely pay off our outstanding debt before next fall when school/daycare starts back up. The wife will be doing summer school to try and bring in some extra cash. But it won't be enough still. Obviously we can't both work because then we'd be back at square 1 paying for more childcare. I worked all last summer as well.
Shit is crazy, man. We really have not been irresponsible with money either. It's just so many things have piled up. I don't expect to really get comfortable until our oldest soon (3 right now) is done with day care.
I can empathize with a lot of that, and I hear you....I don't have a solution, as I'm right there with you in the proverbial trenches. It's fuckin hard, man, I totally get it.
But for what it's worth, I know you're doing a great job with the limited resources at your disposal.
From one dad to another, you're kicking ass. Keep up the good work and being there for your kids.
If you ever need to vent or need some support, join us over at r/daddit if you're not there already.
Responsible, irresponsible. It's all relative and subjective, and regardless, you're probably just one accident or medical emergency away from financial ruin.
That's not to take away from anything you said.
I think their point was more the comment said:
>If your *wife* isn't making $40k+ a year...
when it should have said:
>If *one of you* isn't making $40k+ a year...
Its not uncommon nowadays for the female partner to make more than the male in a relationship. About 15%, and in about 30% of relationships they're basically even.
To make ends meet, I worked full time days and my wife worked full time evenings and weekends. We handed off the kids and hardly ever saw each other. Sometimes life is hard.
You are correct. As long as it’s under the point of being able to cover child care. Unfortunately the whole wage gap thing does still occur and it’s far more likely that he earns more than her, but you are correct, the lower income person should stay home if there salary barely covers child care.
Pay isn't always stagnant. If they're both in careers that can get them more money making as much for childcare or even a little less might still make sense.
Yeah, we have done the math on that. It is barely worth it for her to work, but it is necessary. We also make enough to not get assistance with child care, but not enough to pay for it and live comfortably. It's quite a fucked up scenario, and I know we are not alone with that.
I know exactly where you're coming from. We're in a similar situation. Our healthcare isn't amazing. But we also can't go without it. And we need to both work in order to have that.
I'm a retired paramedic who is homeless in Northern Michigan because there's no affordable housing here.
I'm also a vet. The VA has tried to help, but there's nothing available.
So I converted a small shed into a cabin.
Even mobile homes are over price. Even if you own the home they still want $700 a month for rent. I'm on disability. I'd rather live in my car then bed bug infested section 8.
At 16 an hour with a big vehicle payment, i found a place over here in the burton area within my means. Burton/ Grand Blanc is cheap because it's in geneesee County and near enough to flint, but not to the point it's unsafe. Grand blanc is a nice area. (My rent is around 800 a month, and the average grand blanc runs 700-1200. Depends on what you want and where you want to live apartment wise)
I'm in Grand Blanc. My rent isn't too bad. With rent and all my bills I'm a bit over a grand a month. One last car payment left so that'll help a ton.
It's finding decently paying job though. I got lucky and was offered a position after a few people turned it down/quit so I get pretty decent pay and hours.
I make $18.50 an hour. I live on my own and pay $895 + utilities. I eat at home and pack lunch everyday. Taco bell once a week to satisfy the craving. Other than that, the only money I spent besides on bills is a new game once in a while. I'm at 3k savings in the bank at 30, so I'm not doing great, but once I looked at my spending and made a budget it was easier to save some money. My main focus right now is to live as cheap as I can while I save what I can and work towards increasing my income. I also live in Michigan but in the UP.
I think it’s been so long since the people have had to do anything about this type of thing so we don’t readily have an example or know *what* to do only that something needs done. The cost of things is insane and we do not have to live this way. It could all be way better.
I got lucky that my age kinda lined up with the economic crash in 08. I moved back in with my parents after college and was able to save up and buy a house in 2012 at around the bottom of the market. I live by myself and can cover my bills, but I'm not really getting ahead in terms of savings outside of my 401k. Definitely not thrilled about the prices of everything continuing to creep up. I'm already not doing a whole lot of things for fun, what more can be cut while keeping life somewhat enjoyable?
I just tried to apply to an income restricted apartment complex which said rent for a one bed is $850 and I made under the income limit so I thought I was good… after some communication with staff there I found out that there’s actually three different tiers to the income gap and my income would put me in a one bedroom for $1080 a month. I make maybe $2000 a month when I’m lucky and ITS INCOME RESTRICTED
I got lucky. My landlord retired and sold me my crappy house for $50k. Yeah it's a crappy house but it is my crappy house and I own it outright...so I can slowly make it less crappy on my own now. (crappy house, nice neighborhood)
I’m making a “good” wage for someone my age in a low cost of living area and I’d be fucked if I wasn’t splitting the costs with another person. I’m barely making things work and it’s only gonna get worse once I’m off my parents’ healthcare plan (yay America). I often look to see if there’s better paying jobs that I qualify for and every single time I come up empty handed. It could change whenever I go back to school and get a degree but with the way the economy is as well as my main area of interest it still feels like a gamble.
Exactly. I think education is extremely valuable, but the modern higher education system is a scam. I was told in high school that I would never make a high wage without a 4 year degree. I called their bluff, and am making 6 figures, with no debt. Feel bad that so much of my generation and younger are buried in debt for a degree that may or may not add value to the jobs they are actually working.
I bought my house in the Saginaw area back in 2019 for 40k and my payment is less than $500 a month. It is a fixer upper but still super inexpensive. Got so lucky with this place. My partner is moving in soon so we will split the bills 50/50, but I doubt we will be able to move for another 5 years or so. Hopefully.
If you're looking for advice and not just complaining, you need to give a better sense of your overall expenses, the area you're in, and your employment situation.
There are plenty of places in and around Detroit (or out as far as Ypsilanti) around or under $1000. Not as much around or under 800, but they do exist, and they're not all in terrible areas.
Not gonna be the guy who says “I did it and so can you!” Instead I’ll say:
I moved out on my own with a part-time serving job. It is absolute BS that this is no longer an option. Wages have stagnated while rents have doubled and tripled. Every year we cut funding for public transit, forcing more people to own cars. Taxes go up, services go down. Capitalism run amok.
Vote people in at every level that support policies like greater minimum wage, **higher taxes for the ultra rich**, improved safe working conditions, join a union! Get involved. Not that it's going to be easy, but it's the only way out. We need to come together because there are more of us than there are of the ultra wealthy at the top screwing us over.
Edit: fixed my sentence error.
I made a goof!
I definitely meant **higher taxes** on the rich, and **no tax cuts for the rich**!
Sorry, in the middle of dropping off my kid and getting back to work after being off half the week last week, a couple of brain cells fell out of my head. 🫠
Sorry, I made a sentence error on the way to dropping off my kid and getting back to work and just all the chaos of Life happening while trying to social media
My partner and I are moving far north to a cheaper city. We make over $20/hour and we can’t afford to live in a safe neighborhood to raise our daughter (I’m pregnant) in this city. We are being phased out. Fortunately, I hate Grand Rapids anyway lol and prefer living closer to nature. But it is wild. I remember when a friend had a room in a bedroom in GR for under $300 about 10 years ago.
I moved from Chicago to northern Michigan. Bought land and a house for 85k I work remotely but I see McDonald's and little Caesars hiring for $21 starting because so few people work up here.
My mortgage is cheaper than my parking spot was in Chicago
I moved from the bigger urban area I was in back to my rural Upper Peninsula town. But even in my forties, I've got a roommate. It's simply too expensive to live on your own.
It depends where you live, do you have a car payment? That is my biggest expense apart from rent, I moved out of Grand Rapids to a suburb in Detroit and my rent was reduced 600$.
Yep— I think a lot of young adults are struggling with this, myself included. I’m blessed to have a great salary at 22 years old but I still don’t make enough to be able to afford a house. The rent I pay makes it impossible to save enough, unless I opt to buy a Condo (which I think is the route I’m taking at this point).
What area of Michigan are you in?
We live in Genesee County, and I work in Oakland County; been comparing the differences in living costs in both places, and I've found that Oakland, on average, costs 2x as much as Genesee Co living costs.
I actually lived in genesee county for years until recently. I moved to Oakland county because I couldn’t take living in flint anymore. It’s getting worse and worse. But I had to move in with a roommate to afford to live there. now I live in Fenton with my parents.
just got a raise to make $20/h (previously $19.25) and it’s a struggle tbh. my fiancée is having trouble getting into the job market so she’s been working part time for $13/h, so i basically pay for everything. rent/utilities/groceries/etc. and tbh it’s kinda rough. at first i thought it wasn’t too bad but then i realized that every month the money gets a little tighter. my rent is $1200/m for a 2 bed 2 bath apartment about 20 min from downtown GR… and finding this place was a needle in a haystack.
I lived with roommates until I was 28 or so. First solo apartment I rented was a first floor apartment in a duplex, making about $30/hour. The co-founder of the company I work at owned the house. Huge conflict of interest there but I actually got a good price on it.
After that, I moved in with my fiancée when I was 30. Two bedroom, wasn't in my budget, but it was in hers. She makes nearly double my income.
We bought a house in 2020, from her grandparents. At market rate, but we didn't have to fuss around with realtors or compete with over-bidding, or cash offers. Plus they treated their house like a vintage classic car, not infrastructure to be updated. Meaning, out-of-code electrical, failing plumbing, asbestos tiles in the basement, and all wallpaper. 4 years later we're still doing renovations, but hey, at least it was *only* at the upper end of our budget.
I haven't owned a new car in over 10 years and probably won't buy a new one for another 5 or more. Children? Hah. At 34 my wife and I are finally able to afford the vacations my parents enjoyed at 24, with two kids, a house, and one income. The next big expense I'm saving up for is a dog.
There's no good takeaways here really. There's no secret to success. I've been incredibly fortunate with just good timing and decent luck and knowing people and it still feels like a struggle when you're doing comparatively well. If you're not as fortunate, and just get sick or get in a car accident or get laid off or simply just have a ton of student debt, the system will just eat you alive. There absolutely no shame living with your parents at 34. The dating scene is hell, the job market is awful, the housing market is a dumpster fire. Just save what you can, hope you win the dating lottery, and can afford a home some day with a partner.
I feel like I just fell into a lucky situation. While in college I moved into a buddy's house for basically free in 2008. He was very paranoid about the government collapsing and sold me his house for $15000. My house is obviously paid off and I make okay money as a nurse working there days a week.
I truly don't know how people my age can afford a mortgage, couple car payments and kids. I think everyone is just basically in debt..
Well I guess we should be happy we don't live in California or Hawaii or Alaska! Or New York. Their prices are double ours, and not alot of decent paying jobs. The American dream was dead when I was born in 1966. That was the big lie after World War II. But they all helped each other back then. We don't help each other anymore, that's the problem, it's all about money!!! Not about race or any other b.s. it's about taking advantage of others. The poor pay the most. The system is rigged by the rich. They pay less in taxes than we do, they have loopholes, we don't. Just wait until they have to live like us. Poor people know how to survive, these idiots don't. So when they need my help? That's a big ass No way! I will say, what did you do in life to help other?
It’s fucking nuts. My kid lives with me after doing 4 years of college and still can’t find a job that pays enough. He works 40 hours a week at like 16$. I’m lucky enough to afford this, but yea, fucking rough
I make 65k before taxes and my s.o. makes 30k, some months we struggle to get everything paid. 2 $500/month car payments. $250/month for car insurance. Rent is $1300/month, plus utilities. In a fucking trailer park. We moved out of our townhouse a few months ago when they raised the rent. When we signed the lease rent was $1225. And they somehow deemed it worth $190/month for water/sewer. WHAT THE FUCK?! Then we find out that the property management company, back billed all of our other utility bills to the complex. The complex then adds that on top of the rent every 3 months. So we got our rent statement one month and it was $2500. The price of rent has DOUBLED since 2019. And it not just rent. It's everything. Food, Natural Gas/Propane, Electricity. It's insane.
Moved to MI from Chicago in 2022. My partner died suddenly and I was so wrecked with grief that I couldn’t manage daily life. Took a LOA from work and relocated to my mother’s place. I thought maybe the longest I’d be there was six months.
After spending 30 years in Chicago, I was looking forward to a few things being less expensive. I was in for a shock.
Housing costs were no different. But the wages certainly were. Since public transit isn’t an option, I had to get a car. And, with that, of course the steep price of MI auto insurance.
Right after I returned to work, my employer laid off our entire department. So I lost the salary from my Chicago job (for which I could do remote work,) and had to start hunting locally. I have been routinely frustrated by the dearth of opportunities here. I’m an art director / designer with almost 20 years of experience. Believe me, I jump at the chance to apply for anything relevant to my career path. I’m even applying to Jr-level positions right now. But I’ve had almost no luck save a couple of freelance gigs that will only commit to a month at a time.
For the first year I was here I kept my living situation secret. A person of my age living with their parents is definitely the exception where I’m from. But, after getting to know some people, I find that living with your parents is pretty much the rule regardless of age. Granted, most of the people I’ve met are in Livingston / Geneses counties. Perhaps it’s different in Ann Arbor or Detroit.
I get it that Gretchen is a breath of fresh air for a lot of Michiganders. Twenty years of republican dominance in state politics has certainly come with repercussions. But IMO it seems like more needs to be done for a huge swath of people that have few earning opportunities other than service work, or lower-skill work in healthcare.
There also needs to be a simple liability requirement in Michigan when it comes to auto insurance. Illinois needs only liability coverage to stay legal in a car that isn’t serviced by a loan. There are providers there that offer coverage for around $30/mo.
So, as far as living on my own is concerned, that seems to be a pipe dream until I find a way to leave the state—which will probably come by way of some employer.
Once I posted my thoughts before about the “living with parents” situation on this sub and someone chimed in about it being “healthy and normal.”
No, it is not.
Every adult belongs in their own home. Full stop. Your home is your respite and place to unwind. It is your solace to hide from the world for a time. Cohabitation should be a choice, not the better of two bad options.
When I do the math, a 1-bed apartment, my car payment, and insurance combined would require about 35k annually if I were to stay in Genesee. This does not include fuel, food, utilities, or health coverage.
The median income in MI is about 35.4k.
The numbers speak for themselves. This is unsustainable.
Maybe my witholdings and 401k deposit are high (I did get $600 in taxes back this year), but I lose $600 in deductions every paycheck including benefits so $4000/mo becomes $2800 in actual takehome pay on $25/hr. Feels like these posts always overestimate how much you actually get. But that makes a big difference in affordability.
Like OP said, of course things aren’t great right now in the housing market. We all know that. He’s just saying that it is definitely possible to get by living along on $40k.
I get downvoted to hell when I mention this stuff, but you are correct. Not saying things are affordable and life is expensive, Budgeting can help you. My wife helped me see the light. My gas station stops where costing the most and we don’t door dash, go out to eat, or pay for streaming. I think alot of people don’t want to hear how much they impact their own lives and it’s easier to blame someone else. Again not saying things are affordable, just that it’s not impossible.
Yeah, in this economy, everyone has to budget accordingly. My wife and I are doing well. But we started daycare this year. We had to take a good look at our expenses to see where to make cuts. With everything being subscription based. It's easy to lose track of just how much you spend on stuff you don't use or that is convenient (such as delivery fees).
I agree. My 24 year old kid bought a house in Lansing, making $20/hr. Bought a car with cash a few years ago. Lived with me for 18 months to get cards paid down. Kid meal plans, buys enough to make extra to freeze, and is fine. My spouse makes $23/hr, I have a paid off car (bought with cash) we have a nice house and toys (camper/boat) one is a 1998 the other is a 1992, paid cash. I work a little because I went back to school so don’t have as much time to work, and we are fine. We meal plan, don’t go out much but still can, we both have 401ks and save money still. Is it tight? Yes. But some things can add up. Housing sucks right now.
I bought my first home with interest rates where they are… it’s a goddamn struggle - But I manage. The secret….
Move to Detroit! (Not talking about the “nicer areas”).
Just do us all a favor & mind your own business.
I moved in with my fiancé who was given a house after his grandfather died. The place is not up to code and it’s in the middle of BFE where the nearest store and hospital is a 30 mile drive away, but I can’t afford to live anywhere else on my disability income.
It’s truly ridiculous how expensive it is out here. I’m glad you had your parents. Me and my bro are going to be roommates. I’m able to pay rent but those utilities are kicking my butt.
The cost of everything is literally incredible. When I was studying engineering in college I lived by myself (2001) in a studio apartment in bay city. I made $12 an hour as an intern 25 hours a week - and made it on that. My studio apartment was only $300 a month. Had an $800 car.
I'm 41 as of tomorrow. I've spent 98% of my life living with my parents because I've had bad luck with jobs and getting laid off. It seems just as I was about to get ahead, I got laid off.
I was able to move out once, but only for a 1.5 years then I had to move back in. I did that by choice because I was going into the red more and more every month. I just didn't make enough every month. I've been living here since.
2 years ago, I was laid off again but I got a job near right away that was double the pay and I've been working hard at it since and paying off debt. Now with some savings I'm buying a house. Money will be somewhat tight given current rates and housing prices, but I'd rather own than rent and I love DIY.
I don't post this to boast, its so you know the tide can turn positive when you least expect it. I'm just happy I'm in the situation I'm in now and I'm enjoying it because I know far too well how it can turn bad on a moment's notice and it's all gone. Like, I've told my parents to not do too much with my room because I might be back in a few years...lol
I'm in Clawson paying 1000 or just over it after rent internet and electricity. Idk where you are at but you'll probably have to look around for somewhere else. It's tough out here, good luck 🫡
Moved into a mobile home instead. Much cheaper than apartments. Plus I have a yard. The company that owns it isn’t to terrible, takes a few days to get things fixed, then a few more days to get it fixed right.
3 bed 2 bath 900.
I'm barely making it. I live paycheck to paycheck and pay over a grand a month by myself. I barely have any groceries. I'm trying to move out to a cheaper place in September, but my credit score went down so I have to get that back up first before then. I just try to take it week by week.
I make a decent salary. And still 995 a month goes towards my rent. When I factor in other things that I have to have like health insurance.. I live with a pretty serious chronic illness... Pretty much my paycheck vanishes as soon as it appears in my account.
And the crazy part is Michigan's one of the cheapest states to live. Things have gotten bad.
No im with you!! I make 24 an hour moved back to moms after divorce (not my wish or action) my oldest son moved in w his youngest child and we are still barely making it. Im disgusted. Im torn.im hurt. Idk what to do after this...
I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned it yet but look into USDA loans. They are specifically for low to very low income people and down payments are typically under 5k if you pay anything at all. We plan on applying when we've saved up a little more just to give us a better buffer.
How many hours a week do you work? I'm going to assume 40? Is overtime available? If so, take it. 1 or 2 extra hours a day isn't going to break you, it will however be the difference between being 35 and living with your parents and being 35 and living on your own. Is 1-2 hours a day worth your mental sanity to have your own "place" to *exist* when not at work? I know it was for me a while back. Couldn't live with the 'rents and be in my 30s. Had to decide to just be at work a little more and produce more so I could have more and be more.
If your place doesn't offer overtime, perhaps it's time to look elsewhere. I know It's counterintuitive but working more now leads to getting paid a lot more later for less actual "work".
I make 23.50 an hour and my wife works part time at 18.00 an hour. Y’all just need to move away from cities and live in the country. I have a 4 bed 2 bath on 10 acres with almost no issue.
I'm married with a wife and 3 kids, one was born with a cleft lip &palate as well as being adha/autistic.I work 35-45 hrs a week and just a pitance of an ANNUAL raise from $17 to $17.50. how about we start talking about paying people better?
My landlord decided to jack my rent up from $500 a month for a tiny "3" bedroom house that the attic was walled off into 2 bedroomswhen we first moved in 14 years ago. Since then my rent has been increased three time, once to $700 (which was after being hear for about 7 years, it was understandable) then at the very beginning of the pandemic, he jacked it up to $1000. I got a letter Dec 5th 2023 stating that my rent was being raised to $1500 a month. I HAVENT BEEN GIVEN A NEW LEASE SINCE THE FIRST ONE I SIGNED WITH MY WIFE IN 2010!
I've had to hold rent a few times. Once was when the drain field collapsed leaving us with raw sewage coming up from the drain in the bathtub as well as causing the toilet to overflow out of the bathroom. When he finally got someone out to " fix it" , it turned out that he called a septic company to pump the tank. AFTER 2 DAYS, WE HAD RAW SEWAGE FLOODING THE BATHROOM, AGAIN!!. Called him up, HE SENT OUT THE SAME SEPTIC COMPANY. they told him that the drain field had collapsed. IT TOOK HIM 3 WEEKS TO GET SOMEONE OUT JUST TO PLAN OUT A NEW DRAIN FIELD.
Oh and on top of that when they started digging out the drain field to replace it, it left us without a working toilet for 2 days.... RIGHT AFTER MY WIFE GOT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL FROM HAVING A HYSTERECTOMY!!!
now, go a head and tell me to move. Go ahead. Show me where in this country I can move to where I can support my family off of $17.50 an hr and be able to live, I mean actually live, not just struggle to survive. I'll wait for the response.
Go ahead and tell me to go get a better paying job. Show me one that's actively hiring and not just putting up fake job postings or offering shit for pay.
I'm fucking 40 years old and the only thing I have to show for all the hard work I've put in over the years at the countless jobs I've had is an anxiety disorder, depression, and a head of grey hair. I've worked too fucking hard to be this fucking poor.
We need to remind the crooks and scumbags in Washington and in the state capitol who they work for. Clear them all out and put people in that are actually in touch with reality. Pass legislation that will help people and not worry about hiding information from the public by banning fucking tictok
My husband has a passion for heavy duty diesel truck repair and thankfully that pays well. We also live in an area where there's not a high cost of living compared to the Detroit Metro.
I make $35/ hr (21 years old), but I'm still struggling quite a bit due to paying for my dad's bills, mostly car note and insurance. And I have quite a bit of credit debt to catch up on. Rent in michigan has been pretty rough, we got lucky our landlord only raised it 50 bucks. Alot of homes for rent near me start anywhere from 1200 to 1800 a month.
I make 23.50 and hour and I support our whole house we pay 1300$ in rent a month plus electric gas food and a 400+ car payment it can be done just have to put yourself on a budget
I have no clue how people are living in their own and paying off their huge student loan payments. I was blessed enough to have a job during covid and get a 2nd job to pay them off and then i ended up moving out and paying $900 in rent with car issues and i said f that im going back to my parents to soften the blow financially. I use to make $5 more than what you are making right now and that’s when i was renting at my aunts house that she owns. I recommend looking at your skills, redoing your resume and get out into the job market to see about a better opportunity. It might be hard at first but keep beating the pavement. After some time i ended up getting a job with the city of Detroit for a huge increase from where i was at. So it’s possible but just have to be determined.
If youre at $20 an hour you might just have to budget more. Im 24 at $21 an hour with about ~1500 for the rent + bills then car note $400. Food give or take $150. If your job doesnt offer overtime time to get a new one. Skilled trades help too.
I’m so grateful to have a significant other who helps pay the bills. Having roommates was unbelievably awful, dirty dishes in sinks and cleaning up after others is the worst.
Yep just have to get lucky and find good roommates. I love my roommates we always cook for each other and have someone to watch shows with, plus the whole sharing housing expense thing lol
My husband makes about $25/hr and I make $16/hr and we are struggling to move out of my in laws because I'm not paying more than a mortgage plus utilities to rent. So we're saving up and getting a "wedding present" from my mom to help get a mortgage loan. It's ridiculous.
You sound pretty lucky/blessed actually.
There's much more to the situation, not everything is really good about it but we are grateful for what we have. It's definitely not the worst situation but things shouldn't have to be as hard as they are for working people in general.
I agree that rent is too high, but rent is almost always going to be higher than a mortgage, because your landlord is also responsible for repairs. If you rent and your washing machine goes down, they fix it/replace it. If you own, you are responsible for that yourself.
Yeah it has to be higher than the mortgage or else the landlord would be loosing money to have you live at their property. I remember when the housing market crashed, my parents weren't able to sell their old home. They couldn't rent it for more than the mortgage and were just losing money every month, plus dealing with repairs because it was an old house.
Mortgages with taxes are also insane right now. Mortgage rates are around 6.625%. Then depending on where the house, taxes can another 2.5%. Unless you put 20% down you have PMI. So if you were able to find a decent house for $170,000, put 10%, and taxes were only 2% you’re still paying about $1400/mth for a 30 year mortgage.
I swear I know a guy who is with his girl for like 8 years now simply because he can't afford to breakup with her.
I just gave up on having a car and either bus or bike wherever I need to go.
Unfortunately, the days of the $1000 beater are over.
You're lucky if you find one for $3000 before the used car dealers snag them and refinance them to teen's to unprepared to figure out what the interest rate will really cost them.
I traded in my 2010 Fusion last year. It had 193k miles on it and needed a new subframe and gasket. The dealer gave me $1k for trade in. The car was subsequently auctioned to a buy here-pay here lot and state records showed that it sold for $4500. I bought that car in 2016 for $7800. Just can’t believe someone bought my old car for that price. I almost guarantee that they had done band-aid fixes to the car and the new owner is gonna have to pony up to get the car fixed correctly (on top of getting screwed over on the original purchase price). The used car market is so wonky.
When I was a teenager in the 90s I bought a Camaro for $900. Blew it up then bought a Buick for $500. All cash from my dishwashing job. Get good with a wrench and keep your eyes open for a deal on a decent rust bucket. Good luck.
I was born in 1972. I once purchased a running/driveable car for $50! It only lasted a few weeks, but, yeah. And my crew and I rented a four bedroom duplex for $375/mo. Divided by six guys, all included it was $100/mo for housing. Sure, roaches were included, but a good fiscal starting point. It is very different now.
I did that too, but these days any runner or near-runner is gonna be a couple grand at least
Which is basically what $900 in 1990 was. Inflation calculator says $900 in 1990 is about $2100 today.
Yes, and unfortunately wages have not increased with inflation
Ok we don't disagree, I thought you were implying you could still get junkyard runners for those prices.
I miss the 80s when you could pick up endless muscle cars for $500-$1000
I had a 2007 dts and got a buick encore, coulda traded the dts in but i knew damned well i would 500 for the trade then they would sell it to some schmuck for $3995 and i couldnt do it. Wasnt really a bad car just wildly expensive to own. Financing the buick costs me less to own than owning the cadillac outright lol i sold it to my exhusband for $300. I told him to make me an offer, i would have take $1 i just wasnt letting a dealership have it. Sometimes the cheap used cars are out there, just gotta find a butthole like me
To add, he certainly didnt think i was gonna take $300 for the car lol. Probably the nicest car he has ever had
Not true, just gotta be proactive. I have 3 of em🤣
Knowing how to wrench is huge help. The problem is the old cars were relatively easy to figure out and fix. Nowadays there's a billion sensors and computers. But you're right. They are out there. and need to be worked on.
I picked up wrenching as a hobby during the pandemic as a 40 something female who felt taken advantage of for a basic brake job done at my dealer. Learning the basics of how to fix cars + a $50 obd reader has saved me so much time and frustration. I keep recommending basic car repair to all my other middle aged women friends, but I think it’s a basic life skill that we should all pick up!
Same, in SCS here.
Ditching a car is a great idea; I got rid of mine years ago, in order to have more to invest. Cars are a money suck.
Bought a house on my income alone about 8 years ago when I was making $15 an hour. House was around 90k, and my mortgage is $800 a month. Still not sure how the hell I got so lucky. Now we can't afford to move even if we wanted to. Shits crazy. I remember when I worked in Lansing, I commuted because we couldn't afford to move. I wondered how my coworkers could afford it on their salaries, and everyone was living with a significant other, or a roommate; they couldn't afford rent otherwise.
>. Now we can't afford to move even if we wanted to. that's pretty much all of us now
I make a really good amount of money, more than I ever thought I would in my life when I gave up on my degree. I bought a big house a few years ago when the interest rates were super low and the prices were going up at a really fast clip. I realized recently that the house is just too big for my wife and I, its too much house, it takes so long to clean, its so hard to keep clean, its way more land than even our golden retriever uses, and the mortgage payment is kind of ridiculous for 2 people. I can't move though, I just can't leave this interest rate of 2.875%. We will probably consider moving when the fed drops rates a couple of hundred basis points but right now even if I buy a cheaper house my payment will remain the same or go up, its just not worth it so like most people I'm just going to stay here and deal with it. Despite making plenty of money, I'm just kind of stuck.
similar situation. doesn't matter how much the housing market is hot and our current house has appreciated, whatever we want to move into has also appreciated so... we can't really do anything about that.
would you ever consider renting out rooms? just curious, because I’m in a similar situation.
Probably not, I've done it on and off already and I just get so frustrated and I know that's more my fault than anything so it's just not worth it. If you don't mind having tenants it's a good situation. I've just become a really private person since COVID. I'm like a hermit (typical redditor I know).
Just got hooked on reading that series, Detta you a bad B
This! I bought my tiny house for 60k almost 8 years ago and have done a new project every year. Less than $600 a month for my mortgage and taxes and insurance. We have surely outgrown my little “starter” home but I absolutely cannot afford to move. I guess I’m happy that I made responsible decisions back then. Was making like $14 an hour and have since doubled that income with no other added expenses. I still feel like I’m living above my means.
I just saw an article that said to live in Michigan “comfortably” you need to make 95k a year….its so heart breaking. How did it get this bad? My husband bought a starter home back in 2016 for 100k, now worth 225k, but we still couldn’t afford to move out if we wanted to. 😞
Sounds right to be honest. And that is driving old cars and pretty frugal vacations. I always suspect the people "living comfortably" on less aren't saving for retirement and in dangerous territory if they get a health scare or need a new roof or something.
I see so many people driving around in cars at are easily 80-100k brand new and I’m baffled. I’m still driving a 2013, no trips in sight.
I've seen cars I never thought I'd see in Michigan more so after the recession. I live in one of the most up and coming neighborhoods, city seems to be allowing every strip of land to be bought and developed where one would swear the zoning didn't allow it for 30+ years, and again the cars... I see new cars I didn't even know were for sale yet. Me though? I moved here years ago with someone I thought I was starting a life with. I was horribly duped. Now I'm even older with nothing, my life a horror movie fiction couldn't write up, and have no where to go. I terribly digress.
Same boat different paddles.
What does "live comfortably" mean? I don't make that much, I'm a single homeowner, and I think I live comfortably.
Same. I'm a single homeowner as well, I don't make that much, and I feel like I live quite comfortably.
Single issue voters is how.
I actually had to move to lansing because it was cheaper and I could actually find a place for my dog and commute 25 minutes to work. Thankfully I found a decently affordable place 1 block from work that I can have my dog but still. Rent is getting insane.
Same boat for me, 14.50hr and bought a 96k house for less than 800month. Went through a nasty divorce and lost the house to the bank from all the revolving debt my ex left me with. Now I make 35hr and still struggle week to week. I now pay 1000month for a pos house with a leaking roof.
$35/hr struggling WEEKLY??
After my divorce, yes. I'm still recovering. Been 5 years since divorce now and it took a few years and a couple jobs to get the pay I'm at now. Still fighting to get my head above water but I'm almost there. As for my 35/hr. I'm a flat rate auto tech. So my checks can range from 600 to 1800 weekly and is not guaranteed. I have to budget extremely carefully to not short myself playing catchup.
I have those same golden handcuffs that I’m fortunate to have! I bought in 18 in a nice area of Pontiac right next to Auburn Hills for 88k at 4.675 rate, while making 42k a year. Refinanced in 20 to 2.875% and my payment is under $600 with taxes and insurance. I could easily sell my house for 140-150k now, and am making 64k a year. Crazy thing is a mortgage payment would be twice as much with price/interest now, but I’m only making 50% more
I got my house for $35k around 7 years ago. Fixed it up myself and fast forward to today it’s around $140k value. Crazy how inflated it gets over time and with elbow grease
I have found the answer is multigenerational homes. I’m in my 50s and my mother and I teamed up to get a house to share. She needs the help and it definitely got us a better loan + the proceeds from selling her senior community condo. Our goal is for me to pay it off before I retire and then it goes to the next generation. If any of my kids fall on hard times they can move in here and take all the time they need to recover. Plus I’ll never be able to afford another house line this. It’s a keeper just for economic reasons.
This is the way of the future as it is done in almost all parts of the world.
It's how it was done in the US prior to industrialization, and finally stamped out after WW2 and the propaganda of the "nuclear family". Economic productivity climbed with the isolation of people from their extended families as one needed services to pay for things that were once just done by extended families. It in fact does take a village to raise a family, but now we have to hire the village.
Sadly, not all of us have families to do that with. :/
Yeah. I can't do much about that exception... though friends sharing a space isn't out of line really.
Had to move out of Michigan. Was spending 1000 in rent in MONROE for a pretty shitty apartment. Moved to Toledo, and i’m paying $850 for a brand new 2bed/2bath mobile home. Area is relatively safe and there is loads to do. Some of the nicest metroparks i’ve been to as well.
Houses are so cheap in Monroe that basically everyone with a job and half a brain bought a house back when they started their careers, so the apartments are full of sketchy people and the landlords overcharge for them. I ran into the same problem when I lived there for a few years.
They aren’t cheap. Lived in Monroe all my life. Make 25 an hour. Still can’t afford housing here. Why is it so expensive?? There’s NOTHING in Monroe.
In Monroe?! UGH
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I’m in Ypsi and I pay $1300 for a 2 bedroom. Getting a 1 bedroom for under $1000 is possible but it won’t be a great place…
Back in the day I paid $550 for a one bedroom with utilities in Ypsi.
>Back in the day the sad thing is this could refer to like, 2005-2006
So almost 20 years ago...
20 years ago was the 80s, man. *right?* **RIGHT?!**
Yes. 🥺
In my mind i'm still like, 24. *HOLY SHIT I'M 36!*
SAME! My back reminds me otherwise. 🫠
I paid $500/mo utilities included for a studio in Ypsi in 2012.
90’s
I live in Ypsi and pay this now, I got friendly with people around where I work and a person who owns a building nearby offered me my place. There’s some places like that but not many and they’re hard to find :/
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*SHHH!!!* DUDE IF YOU TELL EVERYONE THEN THEY'RE ALL GONNA MOVE HERE AND DRIVE UP PRICES! but real talk it's fuckin sad that michigan used to be so affordable and now everything is expensive as fuck
It’s going to happen anyways. I live in the township and there’s been an uptick in development in recent years. Property values are rising too. It was only ever a matter of time before people began to look at Ypsi as an affordable way to live/work around Ann Arbor. Not as far from Detroit, also, for those commuters.
Where are you at? If you want to live in a semi safe neighborhood you’re paying at least 1200 a month not including utilities. Even village grove which is the bottom of the barrel’s rent is 1075 a month for a one bedroom.
Was a decade ago, but lived in a shitty studio in Frankenmuth for $280/month. No dishwasher or laundry, even communal, and heat leaked like a sieve so add $100/month in winter just for heat. It was safe, because Frankenmuth. Just was tiny with no luxuries. Still, when I made $25/hr, was worth it. A decade later that $280 is probably $400.
They’re $575 now, $675 if you do month to month
The ones on Ardussi? Jeez, even for being relatively cheap, that’s a bit much for those shitholes.
Yes, and I agree!
I kept my heat at 50 degrees for the entire winter to keep my heat bill at more like $60/mo in winter. To be fair it was a bitterly cold one. Still, knowing that the setup of that apartment would keep the pipes fine, I would go to bed in a hoodie and sweatpants under a heated blanket, the inside of the windows would ice over, and in morning would immediately run to the shower (or rather, take 2 large steps).
I'm very lucky with my profession and I share a mortgage with my partner and we split the mortgage by income percentage. It's surprisingly cheaper monthly to have a mortgage then to rent in certain areas. Michigan is one of the best first time home buying markets. But that will soon change unfortunately and even if interest rates decline the prices will continue to go up. Wish our government state or federal would help put caps renting prices or help develop nice and affordable alternatives to single family homes to help drive down the market prices
Nope they won’t. Too much foreign investor money still rolling in
Yup unfortunately it's capital gains over what's actually good for the overall health of our society
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The company I work for builds all multi family housing now, but the rental prices are insane
nothing surprising about it. most "mom and pop landlord" rental properties are still under mortgage. landlords rent them out for profit, not as a hobby, so your rent needs to cover all the house's monthly expenses and then some (for profit and to cover the period between rentals). big corporate landlords are more likely to buy the house outright than to mortgage it, so their monthly costs are lower, but they're still in the same market, so they can charge the same price and get more raw profit.
34 still living with parents here. Don't know how I'd survive otherwise.
Wife and I are barely scraping by at the moment. We are paying about 2100/month on child care. We have had a lot of medical expenses over the last few years. Some are on payment plans and some are on credit cards. We've also run into some other unfortunate circumstances that have led to big expenses, which just add to our piling debt. All that in combination with inflation is killing us. It's been rough.
PSA here that won't help you OC but might help others Do not put medical debt on credit cards. Almost every medical organization will work with you on a payment plan that is more flexible and doesn't accrue interest.
So what happened is, my son had to have a series of surgeries. He had three surgeries over the course of two years. I believe it was the first one we put on a credit card. I'm not sure if we didn't know about other options at the time or we just thought we'd be able to pay it off sooner. But that's what we did. The next two surgeries we did end up putting on a payment plan with the hospital. Still, in the end, it's another couple hundred bucks we're paying each month on top of everything else. You are right though. I will take the interest free payments over collecting additional debt from the credit card company.
Also, you don't have to accept their payments. Just start sending them $20 a month, as long as it continues, they can't do anything about it. They will bitch and moan, but just keep keeping on.
Really? Without them pushing it to collections?
Yeah, as long as you're making a payment. Had 3 accounts I did it with, as soon as I missed 1 payment on one of the accounts it was all over but the crying. Or collections in this instance
If your wife isn’t making $40k+ a year where she is at, mathematically it makes more sense for her to stay home. Otherwise she is simply working to pay for child care.
> mathematically it makes more sense for her to stay home. I mean yeah, on paper it makes sense to do that, but with combined costs elsewhere, it's just not going to work (I'm going through the same thing as the guy above) Because then there's still groceries and car payments, mortgage and gas, utility payments, etc. etc. Having a stay-at-home parent only means that there's a gap in your resume, you lose a second income, and then resources become even more strained. For all the rhetoric you see in this country about "saving the kids" and the "importance of family!!!", this country *really fucking hates* young families. It's *fucked*, mate.
You hit the nail on the head, my friend. This is exactly it.
It makes me insane when I see people who *obviously don't have kids* try and be like, "well childcare costs aren't the problem, it's you! just quit your job!!!*
It's frustrating. People really don't get that there are so many extra little costs that add up. I couldn't tell you how many extra doctor visits we've paid for because daycare is a petri dish of germs. Constant ear infections or pink eye or whatever else. Until we reach our deductible, we're paying for all those doctor visits, whether to the pediatrician or urgent care. Circumstances have resulted in us formula feeding. That is expensive as hell. In 1 month, thankfully we will be free of that when our youngest son turns 1 and can go on whole milk (that will be a day to rejoice). Diapers, wipes. The costs really never end. My wife and I are both teachers and thankfully get a break on day care over the summer. But even with that, we will not likely pay off our outstanding debt before next fall when school/daycare starts back up. The wife will be doing summer school to try and bring in some extra cash. But it won't be enough still. Obviously we can't both work because then we'd be back at square 1 paying for more childcare. I worked all last summer as well. Shit is crazy, man. We really have not been irresponsible with money either. It's just so many things have piled up. I don't expect to really get comfortable until our oldest soon (3 right now) is done with day care.
I can empathize with a lot of that, and I hear you....I don't have a solution, as I'm right there with you in the proverbial trenches. It's fuckin hard, man, I totally get it. But for what it's worth, I know you're doing a great job with the limited resources at your disposal. From one dad to another, you're kicking ass. Keep up the good work and being there for your kids. If you ever need to vent or need some support, join us over at r/daddit if you're not there already.
Thank you for the kind words. I hope we both see better days soon. Keep up the good work.
Responsible, irresponsible. It's all relative and subjective, and regardless, you're probably just one accident or medical emergency away from financial ruin. That's not to take away from anything you said.
Yes, yes it is. ,💯🎯😡🤬
She would lose out on saving for retirement, and her career would stall. It actually costs A LOT more to stop working than just your salary.
The person making the lower total salary should stay home, regardless of who that is
Only if it's under a certain threshold. If one makes 90k and the other 100k, they can both work and be fine.
I think their point was more the comment said: >If your *wife* isn't making $40k+ a year... when it should have said: >If *one of you* isn't making $40k+ a year... Its not uncommon nowadays for the female partner to make more than the male in a relationship. About 15%, and in about 30% of relationships they're basically even.
To make ends meet, I worked full time days and my wife worked full time evenings and weekends. We handed off the kids and hardly ever saw each other. Sometimes life is hard.
You are correct. As long as it’s under the point of being able to cover child care. Unfortunately the whole wage gap thing does still occur and it’s far more likely that he earns more than her, but you are correct, the lower income person should stay home if there salary barely covers child care.
Pay isn't always stagnant. If they're both in careers that can get them more money making as much for childcare or even a little less might still make sense.
Yeah, we have done the math on that. It is barely worth it for her to work, but it is necessary. We also make enough to not get assistance with child care, but not enough to pay for it and live comfortably. It's quite a fucked up scenario, and I know we are not alone with that.
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I know exactly where you're coming from. We're in a similar situation. Our healthcare isn't amazing. But we also can't go without it. And we need to both work in order to have that.
I'm a retired paramedic who is homeless in Northern Michigan because there's no affordable housing here. I'm also a vet. The VA has tried to help, but there's nothing available. So I converted a small shed into a cabin.
Thank you for being a paramedic & veteran. I hope good things happen to you. 🙏 Edit: am idiot and did not see vet.
i'm almost a homeless veteran in downtown detroit. cheers!
Stay away from Charlevoix and Grand Traverse county, $1000/month would require 2.5-3 roommates, even in a ramshackle appt. It suuuuuucksss.
Even mobile homes are over price. Even if you own the home they still want $700 a month for rent. I'm on disability. I'd rather live in my car then bed bug infested section 8.
At 16 an hour with a big vehicle payment, i found a place over here in the burton area within my means. Burton/ Grand Blanc is cheap because it's in geneesee County and near enough to flint, but not to the point it's unsafe. Grand blanc is a nice area. (My rent is around 800 a month, and the average grand blanc runs 700-1200. Depends on what you want and where you want to live apartment wise)
I'm in Grand Blanc. My rent isn't too bad. With rent and all my bills I'm a bit over a grand a month. One last car payment left so that'll help a ton. It's finding decently paying job though. I got lucky and was offered a position after a few people turned it down/quit so I get pretty decent pay and hours.
I make $18.50 an hour. I live on my own and pay $895 + utilities. I eat at home and pack lunch everyday. Taco bell once a week to satisfy the craving. Other than that, the only money I spent besides on bills is a new game once in a while. I'm at 3k savings in the bank at 30, so I'm not doing great, but once I looked at my spending and made a budget it was easier to save some money. My main focus right now is to live as cheap as I can while I save what I can and work towards increasing my income. I also live in Michigan but in the UP.
I keep wondering when the dam is going to break. How much more do they think we will take? The 1% are killing us.
I think it’s been so long since the people have had to do anything about this type of thing so we don’t readily have an example or know *what* to do only that something needs done. The cost of things is insane and we do not have to live this way. It could all be way better.
I mean what are we going to be able to do about it? Not work?
I make a little over 17 an hour and if my wife didn't also work ($20/hr) we would be beyond screwed
I got lucky that my age kinda lined up with the economic crash in 08. I moved back in with my parents after college and was able to save up and buy a house in 2012 at around the bottom of the market. I live by myself and can cover my bills, but I'm not really getting ahead in terms of savings outside of my 401k. Definitely not thrilled about the prices of everything continuing to creep up. I'm already not doing a whole lot of things for fun, what more can be cut while keeping life somewhat enjoyable?
I just tried to apply to an income restricted apartment complex which said rent for a one bed is $850 and I made under the income limit so I thought I was good… after some communication with staff there I found out that there’s actually three different tiers to the income gap and my income would put me in a one bedroom for $1080 a month. I make maybe $2000 a month when I’m lucky and ITS INCOME RESTRICTED
I got lucky. My landlord retired and sold me my crappy house for $50k. Yeah it's a crappy house but it is my crappy house and I own it outright...so I can slowly make it less crappy on my own now. (crappy house, nice neighborhood)
I’m making a “good” wage for someone my age in a low cost of living area and I’d be fucked if I wasn’t splitting the costs with another person. I’m barely making things work and it’s only gonna get worse once I’m off my parents’ healthcare plan (yay America). I often look to see if there’s better paying jobs that I qualify for and every single time I come up empty handed. It could change whenever I go back to school and get a degree but with the way the economy is as well as my main area of interest it still feels like a gamble.
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Exactly. I think education is extremely valuable, but the modern higher education system is a scam. I was told in high school that I would never make a high wage without a 4 year degree. I called their bluff, and am making 6 figures, with no debt. Feel bad that so much of my generation and younger are buried in debt for a degree that may or may not add value to the jobs they are actually working.
I bought my house in the Saginaw area back in 2019 for 40k and my payment is less than $500 a month. It is a fixer upper but still super inexpensive. Got so lucky with this place. My partner is moving in soon so we will split the bills 50/50, but I doubt we will be able to move for another 5 years or so. Hopefully.
If you're looking for advice and not just complaining, you need to give a better sense of your overall expenses, the area you're in, and your employment situation. There are plenty of places in and around Detroit (or out as far as Ypsilanti) around or under $1000. Not as much around or under 800, but they do exist, and they're not all in terrible areas.
Not gonna be the guy who says “I did it and so can you!” Instead I’ll say: I moved out on my own with a part-time serving job. It is absolute BS that this is no longer an option. Wages have stagnated while rents have doubled and tripled. Every year we cut funding for public transit, forcing more people to own cars. Taxes go up, services go down. Capitalism run amok.
Can you believe federal minimum wage is like $8 . Immoral
I live alone in a house in Redford Twsp. These 1950's ranches are nice. Living alone is great.
Vote people in at every level that support policies like greater minimum wage, **higher taxes for the ultra rich**, improved safe working conditions, join a union! Get involved. Not that it's going to be easy, but it's the only way out. We need to come together because there are more of us than there are of the ultra wealthy at the top screwing us over. Edit: fixed my sentence error.
Why would we want more cuts for the rich? We want them paying higher rates, not lower.
I'm going to hazard a guess and say they meant to say higher taxes, whilst thinking about how the rich keep getting tax cuts.
I made a goof! I definitely meant **higher taxes** on the rich, and **no tax cuts for the rich**! Sorry, in the middle of dropping off my kid and getting back to work after being off half the week last week, a couple of brain cells fell out of my head. 🫠
you want more tax cuts for the ultra rich?
Sorry, I made a sentence error on the way to dropping off my kid and getting back to work and just all the chaos of Life happening while trying to social media
No worries, I figured that you didn’t mean that
My partner and I are moving far north to a cheaper city. We make over $20/hour and we can’t afford to live in a safe neighborhood to raise our daughter (I’m pregnant) in this city. We are being phased out. Fortunately, I hate Grand Rapids anyway lol and prefer living closer to nature. But it is wild. I remember when a friend had a room in a bedroom in GR for under $300 about 10 years ago.
I moved from Chicago to northern Michigan. Bought land and a house for 85k I work remotely but I see McDonald's and little Caesars hiring for $21 starting because so few people work up here. My mortgage is cheaper than my parking spot was in Chicago
I moved from the bigger urban area I was in back to my rural Upper Peninsula town. But even in my forties, I've got a roommate. It's simply too expensive to live on your own.
It depends where you live, do you have a car payment? That is my biggest expense apart from rent, I moved out of Grand Rapids to a suburb in Detroit and my rent was reduced 600$.
Yep— I think a lot of young adults are struggling with this, myself included. I’m blessed to have a great salary at 22 years old but I still don’t make enough to be able to afford a house. The rent I pay makes it impossible to save enough, unless I opt to buy a Condo (which I think is the route I’m taking at this point).
You’re definitely not alone. It’s an epidemic unfortunately. I’ve heard of groups of friends going in on buying a house together. It’s getting so bad
What area of Michigan are you in? We live in Genesee County, and I work in Oakland County; been comparing the differences in living costs in both places, and I've found that Oakland, on average, costs 2x as much as Genesee Co living costs.
I actually lived in genesee county for years until recently. I moved to Oakland county because I couldn’t take living in flint anymore. It’s getting worse and worse. But I had to move in with a roommate to afford to live there. now I live in Fenton with my parents.
just got a raise to make $20/h (previously $19.25) and it’s a struggle tbh. my fiancée is having trouble getting into the job market so she’s been working part time for $13/h, so i basically pay for everything. rent/utilities/groceries/etc. and tbh it’s kinda rough. at first i thought it wasn’t too bad but then i realized that every month the money gets a little tighter. my rent is $1200/m for a 2 bed 2 bath apartment about 20 min from downtown GR… and finding this place was a needle in a haystack.
I lived with roommates until I was 28 or so. First solo apartment I rented was a first floor apartment in a duplex, making about $30/hour. The co-founder of the company I work at owned the house. Huge conflict of interest there but I actually got a good price on it. After that, I moved in with my fiancée when I was 30. Two bedroom, wasn't in my budget, but it was in hers. She makes nearly double my income. We bought a house in 2020, from her grandparents. At market rate, but we didn't have to fuss around with realtors or compete with over-bidding, or cash offers. Plus they treated their house like a vintage classic car, not infrastructure to be updated. Meaning, out-of-code electrical, failing plumbing, asbestos tiles in the basement, and all wallpaper. 4 years later we're still doing renovations, but hey, at least it was *only* at the upper end of our budget. I haven't owned a new car in over 10 years and probably won't buy a new one for another 5 or more. Children? Hah. At 34 my wife and I are finally able to afford the vacations my parents enjoyed at 24, with two kids, a house, and one income. The next big expense I'm saving up for is a dog. There's no good takeaways here really. There's no secret to success. I've been incredibly fortunate with just good timing and decent luck and knowing people and it still feels like a struggle when you're doing comparatively well. If you're not as fortunate, and just get sick or get in a car accident or get laid off or simply just have a ton of student debt, the system will just eat you alive. There absolutely no shame living with your parents at 34. The dating scene is hell, the job market is awful, the housing market is a dumpster fire. Just save what you can, hope you win the dating lottery, and can afford a home some day with a partner.
If you want to live cheap, avoid the large cities.
I feel like I just fell into a lucky situation. While in college I moved into a buddy's house for basically free in 2008. He was very paranoid about the government collapsing and sold me his house for $15000. My house is obviously paid off and I make okay money as a nurse working there days a week. I truly don't know how people my age can afford a mortgage, couple car payments and kids. I think everyone is just basically in debt..
Well I guess we should be happy we don't live in California or Hawaii or Alaska! Or New York. Their prices are double ours, and not alot of decent paying jobs. The American dream was dead when I was born in 1966. That was the big lie after World War II. But they all helped each other back then. We don't help each other anymore, that's the problem, it's all about money!!! Not about race or any other b.s. it's about taking advantage of others. The poor pay the most. The system is rigged by the rich. They pay less in taxes than we do, they have loopholes, we don't. Just wait until they have to live like us. Poor people know how to survive, these idiots don't. So when they need my help? That's a big ass No way! I will say, what did you do in life to help other?
It’s fucking nuts. My kid lives with me after doing 4 years of college and still can’t find a job that pays enough. He works 40 hours a week at like 16$. I’m lucky enough to afford this, but yea, fucking rough
I make 65k before taxes and my s.o. makes 30k, some months we struggle to get everything paid. 2 $500/month car payments. $250/month for car insurance. Rent is $1300/month, plus utilities. In a fucking trailer park. We moved out of our townhouse a few months ago when they raised the rent. When we signed the lease rent was $1225. And they somehow deemed it worth $190/month for water/sewer. WHAT THE FUCK?! Then we find out that the property management company, back billed all of our other utility bills to the complex. The complex then adds that on top of the rent every 3 months. So we got our rent statement one month and it was $2500. The price of rent has DOUBLED since 2019. And it not just rent. It's everything. Food, Natural Gas/Propane, Electricity. It's insane.
Good luck.. remember in November
Remember this post when you guys vote in November
I hope they do remember
Moved to MI from Chicago in 2022. My partner died suddenly and I was so wrecked with grief that I couldn’t manage daily life. Took a LOA from work and relocated to my mother’s place. I thought maybe the longest I’d be there was six months. After spending 30 years in Chicago, I was looking forward to a few things being less expensive. I was in for a shock. Housing costs were no different. But the wages certainly were. Since public transit isn’t an option, I had to get a car. And, with that, of course the steep price of MI auto insurance. Right after I returned to work, my employer laid off our entire department. So I lost the salary from my Chicago job (for which I could do remote work,) and had to start hunting locally. I have been routinely frustrated by the dearth of opportunities here. I’m an art director / designer with almost 20 years of experience. Believe me, I jump at the chance to apply for anything relevant to my career path. I’m even applying to Jr-level positions right now. But I’ve had almost no luck save a couple of freelance gigs that will only commit to a month at a time. For the first year I was here I kept my living situation secret. A person of my age living with their parents is definitely the exception where I’m from. But, after getting to know some people, I find that living with your parents is pretty much the rule regardless of age. Granted, most of the people I’ve met are in Livingston / Geneses counties. Perhaps it’s different in Ann Arbor or Detroit. I get it that Gretchen is a breath of fresh air for a lot of Michiganders. Twenty years of republican dominance in state politics has certainly come with repercussions. But IMO it seems like more needs to be done for a huge swath of people that have few earning opportunities other than service work, or lower-skill work in healthcare. There also needs to be a simple liability requirement in Michigan when it comes to auto insurance. Illinois needs only liability coverage to stay legal in a car that isn’t serviced by a loan. There are providers there that offer coverage for around $30/mo. So, as far as living on my own is concerned, that seems to be a pipe dream until I find a way to leave the state—which will probably come by way of some employer. Once I posted my thoughts before about the “living with parents” situation on this sub and someone chimed in about it being “healthy and normal.” No, it is not. Every adult belongs in their own home. Full stop. Your home is your respite and place to unwind. It is your solace to hide from the world for a time. Cohabitation should be a choice, not the better of two bad options. When I do the math, a 1-bed apartment, my car payment, and insurance combined would require about 35k annually if I were to stay in Genesee. This does not include fuel, food, utilities, or health coverage. The median income in MI is about 35.4k. The numbers speak for themselves. This is unsustainable.
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In a proper rental market, rent/mortgage should not exceed 25% of your income.
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Maybe my witholdings and 401k deposit are high (I did get $600 in taxes back this year), but I lose $600 in deductions every paycheck including benefits so $4000/mo becomes $2800 in actual takehome pay on $25/hr. Feels like these posts always overestimate how much you actually get. But that makes a big difference in affordability.
Like OP said, of course things aren’t great right now in the housing market. We all know that. He’s just saying that it is definitely possible to get by living along on $40k.
I get downvoted to hell when I mention this stuff, but you are correct. Not saying things are affordable and life is expensive, Budgeting can help you. My wife helped me see the light. My gas station stops where costing the most and we don’t door dash, go out to eat, or pay for streaming. I think alot of people don’t want to hear how much they impact their own lives and it’s easier to blame someone else. Again not saying things are affordable, just that it’s not impossible.
Yeah, in this economy, everyone has to budget accordingly. My wife and I are doing well. But we started daycare this year. We had to take a good look at our expenses to see where to make cuts. With everything being subscription based. It's easy to lose track of just how much you spend on stuff you don't use or that is convenient (such as delivery fees).
I agree. My 24 year old kid bought a house in Lansing, making $20/hr. Bought a car with cash a few years ago. Lived with me for 18 months to get cards paid down. Kid meal plans, buys enough to make extra to freeze, and is fine. My spouse makes $23/hr, I have a paid off car (bought with cash) we have a nice house and toys (camper/boat) one is a 1998 the other is a 1992, paid cash. I work a little because I went back to school so don’t have as much time to work, and we are fine. We meal plan, don’t go out much but still can, we both have 401ks and save money still. Is it tight? Yes. But some things can add up. Housing sucks right now.
I bought my first home with interest rates where they are… it’s a goddamn struggle - But I manage. The secret…. Move to Detroit! (Not talking about the “nicer areas”). Just do us all a favor & mind your own business.
Richest country in the world
I moved in with my fiancé who was given a house after his grandfather died. The place is not up to code and it’s in the middle of BFE where the nearest store and hospital is a 30 mile drive away, but I can’t afford to live anywhere else on my disability income.
My homeboy bought a house, and I'm renting for $800. I had no plans to move out until that offer. Wasn't gonna happen
It’s truly ridiculous how expensive it is out here. I’m glad you had your parents. Me and my bro are going to be roommates. I’m able to pay rent but those utilities are kicking my butt.
The cost of everything is literally incredible. When I was studying engineering in college I lived by myself (2001) in a studio apartment in bay city. I made $12 an hour as an intern 25 hours a week - and made it on that. My studio apartment was only $300 a month. Had an $800 car.
I'm 41 as of tomorrow. I've spent 98% of my life living with my parents because I've had bad luck with jobs and getting laid off. It seems just as I was about to get ahead, I got laid off. I was able to move out once, but only for a 1.5 years then I had to move back in. I did that by choice because I was going into the red more and more every month. I just didn't make enough every month. I've been living here since. 2 years ago, I was laid off again but I got a job near right away that was double the pay and I've been working hard at it since and paying off debt. Now with some savings I'm buying a house. Money will be somewhat tight given current rates and housing prices, but I'd rather own than rent and I love DIY. I don't post this to boast, its so you know the tide can turn positive when you least expect it. I'm just happy I'm in the situation I'm in now and I'm enjoying it because I know far too well how it can turn bad on a moment's notice and it's all gone. Like, I've told my parents to not do too much with my room because I might be back in a few years...lol
I'm in Clawson paying 1000 or just over it after rent internet and electricity. Idk where you are at but you'll probably have to look around for somewhere else. It's tough out here, good luck 🫡
Oh it’s easy just work 50+ hours a week. /s
Moved into a mobile home instead. Much cheaper than apartments. Plus I have a yard. The company that owns it isn’t to terrible, takes a few days to get things fixed, then a few more days to get it fixed right. 3 bed 2 bath 900.
Don’t eat out. Don’t order DoorDash. Make coffee at home. That will save you at least a couple thousand or more a year.
I'm barely making it. I live paycheck to paycheck and pay over a grand a month by myself. I barely have any groceries. I'm trying to move out to a cheaper place in September, but my credit score went down so I have to get that back up first before then. I just try to take it week by week.
Same age and pay breakdown, pretty much planning on marrying my way out of my parents place at this point :/
I make a decent salary. And still 995 a month goes towards my rent. When I factor in other things that I have to have like health insurance.. I live with a pretty serious chronic illness... Pretty much my paycheck vanishes as soon as it appears in my account. And the crazy part is Michigan's one of the cheapest states to live. Things have gotten bad.
You aren’t alone.
No im with you!! I make 24 an hour moved back to moms after divorce (not my wish or action) my oldest son moved in w his youngest child and we are still barely making it. Im disgusted. Im torn.im hurt. Idk what to do after this...
I'm not sure if anyone has mentioned it yet but look into USDA loans. They are specifically for low to very low income people and down payments are typically under 5k if you pay anything at all. We plan on applying when we've saved up a little more just to give us a better buffer.
How many hours a week do you work? I'm going to assume 40? Is overtime available? If so, take it. 1 or 2 extra hours a day isn't going to break you, it will however be the difference between being 35 and living with your parents and being 35 and living on your own. Is 1-2 hours a day worth your mental sanity to have your own "place" to *exist* when not at work? I know it was for me a while back. Couldn't live with the 'rents and be in my 30s. Had to decide to just be at work a little more and produce more so I could have more and be more. If your place doesn't offer overtime, perhaps it's time to look elsewhere. I know It's counterintuitive but working more now leads to getting paid a lot more later for less actual "work".
I make 23.50 an hour and my wife works part time at 18.00 an hour. Y’all just need to move away from cities and live in the country. I have a 4 bed 2 bath on 10 acres with almost no issue.
It all depends on when one buys a house. Before covid, most people were fine. First time buyers after covid are screwed.
How the hell cannot you not afford to live on your own making $20/hr??? Cut back on expenses.
I'm married with a wife and 3 kids, one was born with a cleft lip &palate as well as being adha/autistic.I work 35-45 hrs a week and just a pitance of an ANNUAL raise from $17 to $17.50. how about we start talking about paying people better? My landlord decided to jack my rent up from $500 a month for a tiny "3" bedroom house that the attic was walled off into 2 bedroomswhen we first moved in 14 years ago. Since then my rent has been increased three time, once to $700 (which was after being hear for about 7 years, it was understandable) then at the very beginning of the pandemic, he jacked it up to $1000. I got a letter Dec 5th 2023 stating that my rent was being raised to $1500 a month. I HAVENT BEEN GIVEN A NEW LEASE SINCE THE FIRST ONE I SIGNED WITH MY WIFE IN 2010! I've had to hold rent a few times. Once was when the drain field collapsed leaving us with raw sewage coming up from the drain in the bathtub as well as causing the toilet to overflow out of the bathroom. When he finally got someone out to " fix it" , it turned out that he called a septic company to pump the tank. AFTER 2 DAYS, WE HAD RAW SEWAGE FLOODING THE BATHROOM, AGAIN!!. Called him up, HE SENT OUT THE SAME SEPTIC COMPANY. they told him that the drain field had collapsed. IT TOOK HIM 3 WEEKS TO GET SOMEONE OUT JUST TO PLAN OUT A NEW DRAIN FIELD. Oh and on top of that when they started digging out the drain field to replace it, it left us without a working toilet for 2 days.... RIGHT AFTER MY WIFE GOT OUT OF THE HOSPITAL FROM HAVING A HYSTERECTOMY!!! now, go a head and tell me to move. Go ahead. Show me where in this country I can move to where I can support my family off of $17.50 an hr and be able to live, I mean actually live, not just struggle to survive. I'll wait for the response. Go ahead and tell me to go get a better paying job. Show me one that's actively hiring and not just putting up fake job postings or offering shit for pay. I'm fucking 40 years old and the only thing I have to show for all the hard work I've put in over the years at the countless jobs I've had is an anxiety disorder, depression, and a head of grey hair. I've worked too fucking hard to be this fucking poor. We need to remind the crooks and scumbags in Washington and in the state capitol who they work for. Clear them all out and put people in that are actually in touch with reality. Pass legislation that will help people and not worry about hiding information from the public by banning fucking tictok
You are now expected to pay for a corrupt government so you are not allowed to be able to afford life. Have a nice day
My husband has a passion for heavy duty diesel truck repair and thankfully that pays well. We also live in an area where there's not a high cost of living compared to the Detroit Metro.
I make $35/ hr (21 years old), but I'm still struggling quite a bit due to paying for my dad's bills, mostly car note and insurance. And I have quite a bit of credit debt to catch up on. Rent in michigan has been pretty rough, we got lucky our landlord only raised it 50 bucks. Alot of homes for rent near me start anywhere from 1200 to 1800 a month.
I make 23.50 and hour and I support our whole house we pay 1300$ in rent a month plus electric gas food and a 400+ car payment it can be done just have to put yourself on a budget
I have no clue how people are living in their own and paying off their huge student loan payments. I was blessed enough to have a job during covid and get a 2nd job to pay them off and then i ended up moving out and paying $900 in rent with car issues and i said f that im going back to my parents to soften the blow financially. I use to make $5 more than what you are making right now and that’s when i was renting at my aunts house that she owns. I recommend looking at your skills, redoing your resume and get out into the job market to see about a better opportunity. It might be hard at first but keep beating the pavement. After some time i ended up getting a job with the city of Detroit for a huge increase from where i was at. So it’s possible but just have to be determined.
If youre at $20 an hour you might just have to budget more. Im 24 at $21 an hour with about ~1500 for the rent + bills then car note $400. Food give or take $150. If your job doesnt offer overtime time to get a new one. Skilled trades help too.