California Knowledge Workers, Working Poor

A Northern California woman recently wrote us about the plight of "working poor" in her area. I have divided her comments by topic:

WHAT IS YOUR SITUATION?

I just finished balancing our family budget and it's sad to say that we are barely making it. We are $5.00 short, if we were to really tighten the belt. God forbid one of the cars goes out; well, we will have to ask the family for a loan.

ARE THERE LUXURIES YOU COULD DO WITHOUT?

We don't live extravagant lives. Our budget does not allow for such things as entertainment nor clothing. Just the basics (mortgage, car payment, utilities, etc.). We want to buy clothing? It's off to the Goodwill.

IF YOU HAD MORE EDUCATION, WOULD THAT HELP?

By what I have writen you may say that my husband and I are holding down jobs at McDonalds or Wal-Mart, but no. We are white-collar workers. My husband is in sales and I work for a university. We both have degrees. Our combined incomes come to less than $50,000. We live in Sacramento, California, and own our home. Our budget does not allow for things like vacations, new glasses, sports for our 10-year-old son, etc. We live modestly in a 1000 square-foot "cottage." We have a new Honda Civic (we know nothing of cars, so we went new and are good about maintaining it so that it lasts us) and a 20-year-old Volvo (still going strong due to good care). We pray that the Volvo does not give out or we will be SOL. Thankfully our only debt is a mattress, student loans, old tax debt, a car payment and a mattress (replacing an 18-year-old mattress that was killing our backs!)

WHAT'S YOUR THINKING ABOUT THE PLIGHT OF OTHERS?

How does the average American family with multiple children do it? Does everyone carry credit card debt to make ends meet? Will people go to their graves owing and never seeing their lives without debt? It is a very sad statement for our society. I wish I could stay home and tend to my family, but that would not put food on the table. Businesses are greedy and they are not paying their fair share to the workers! Why was it that when I was growing up with four other siblings my mom could stay home and my dad (working a blue-collar job) could keep us at a modest existance? Why can't this be done now?

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE SOLUTION IS?

I've started "simplifying" my life, but there is nothing more to cut out of our lives. Again, we live a modest life and we don't shop for a sport. The middle class is slowly being done away with by the wealthy businesses and slowly shuffled into the masses of the working poor. It's a new group and no one wants to admit it. People have got to open their eyes and say "what the hell is going on!"

What's your experience? I invite personal stories about (a) the difficulty of "making it" on what you earn in your area, or (b) how you ARE getting by, and what it takes in dollars in your area. Since this information is personal, please select "anonymous" when submitting your story, after clicking "comments," below.

See related article: "Knowledge Workers -- The New Working Poor?"