Can families survive on one income in 2022?

I wanted to share my experience as a one income household twice. When I had my 2 children I was a stay at home mother. My now ex husband made more than I could. But he bought me a brand new BMW for my birthday and we are still members of a country club in Ca. My children traveled and wore beautiful clothes. Some were homemade. We budgeted and saved to do extras. We paid for University for our daughter at a UC but luckily our son got awarded a tennis scholarship. Now I am divorced and living on Social security, a pension both 1/2 of my ex husband’s record and a gift to pay half my rent every month. I still feel I live comfortably. I don’t do hair styling, nails, coffee , movies. I read, do my own hair, do my nails and my coffee. I live in a rent controlled building, drive very little, .

After my ex left me and the kids, and I had no job, evicted, ended up having to stay with his parents to get on my feet, MIL got me in at the school cafeteria, which is technically a part time job. I brought home less than $800 a month in 2007. Didn't get food stamps for some reason. It was hard, but we made it.

I was a single mother. I had one full time job and 3-4 part time jobs the whole time I raised my daughter. I refused to be on state aid. I finally got child support but the $100 a month I got didn't go far especially when state child support charged me $25 a month for processing it for me. LOL they told me that if I quit my job I wouldn't have to pay the $25 and they could take him to court and get an increase. Never got an increase until I cancelled child support and went through Texas child support. Got a cost of living raise and no fee for sending me the checks. Didn't tell me to quit my job either.  LOL

We did when I was young, but that was after my parents scaled down to a smaller house. My mother started working again (teacher) when my brother and me were both old enough to attend public school.

Currently, I'm kind of in a single income situation. My fiance quit her job last December so she could be spend more time with our toddler son (and because childcare costs are outrageous where we live). She does work from home part time, however, and that helps pay a few bills each month. I have to say it's tough and hard not to go into debt without two full time incomes and this current set up is sadly only temporary.

What has helped me to survive on a single income is that I have the most powerful person of all time helping me and that would be Jehovah God who has helped me to stop the hardest habit to ever stop which is smoking....And that all he has helped me to do, which is why I always suggest others that helps me such as Psalm 55:22...

But I've learned to live on one income back in 2007 bc that year I lost my job which was a very hard hit to my daily routine but with the help of God I was able to keep surviving even though I lost my job by God helping me to stop smoking kept me from spending alot of money that would of not being able to sustain that habit n of course killing me slowly...and he blessed me in other ways, I was able to keep saving money for future buying power. But to give a accurate answer as to how to live on one income is pretty hard bc every case is different. But I've been really blessed By God. And that is how I can live on 1 income...

My parents divorced when I was 1 year old and my sister was 3. My dad raised us by himself.

Two kids and a SAHM.  Always cooked our own food, no cable, DIY'd, bought from yard sales, shopping was not a hobby.  Worth it!!

I raised my son on one income. You learn very quickly what is important and what can wait. 

I was a single parent for 10 years, until last year. It was challenging, but made easier that I had control of any money coming into or leaving the house. Several years into it, I found The Budget Mom's Budget by Paycheck method and used that. It was a gamechanger, and I got a great deal of satisfaction out of being able to provide for my family. I spoke with the kids about money and what we could do, and what may have to wait. I always made sure to tell them that we had enough for what we need, and some of what we wanted. We utilized resources when we needed to, but briefly- food stamps, childcare assistance, etc. My parents ended up moving back to my state, and that was a big help while I was sick and dealing with treatments and doctors and numerous appointments. We made sure to find ways to have inexpensive fun, took 'staycations', and made sure we focused on gratitude daily.

We homeschooled all 3 of our kids all the way from k to 12.  We grew a lot of our own food, sewed our own clothes, did not take vacations.  We did not have child care costs or the cost of one of the parents needed work clothes, or spending the gas money to drive to work.  We never bought a new car.

2 parents, 2 kids, 1 income, 1 parent stayed home, no child care cost,  was always a struggle, but some how we made it. This was in the 70s housing was much more affordable than now.

Food pantries all over the city. Its a lot of physical labor getting to all adequate locations but the real obstacle is obtaining all of the legit information for every food pantry.

I divorced twenty-two years ago.  I've been a single-income household ever since and raised my daughter from middle school through college without any additional income.  It can be done... you just have to put your mind to it -- and budget!

Single parent, so yes, my income is all that we live off. I dread returning to the office due to gas prices and parking (DC metro area). Since the higher ups went back and forth about when and how to return, I kept praying for a Fall return and searching for a fully remote position. Camp costs hurt too!

Yes, we raised 5 Boys on 1 income! They wore the most stylish Designer Clothes, DisneyLand & other vacations Every year! We had 2 cars one being a Brand NEW Van. Huge over the top Christmas Parties, Gifts from us & Santa! And yes, We were buying Our home. We certainly were not Rich by any means. We lived slightly above the poverty line to get any Government help. And to proud to ever ask! Everything We Did was for Our Children & with their Wants & Needs coming First. We knew Their Childhood would Zoom by. And We wanted them to have the most Wonderful Child hood Possible! It’s all about Priorities! I Didn’t get manicures and We didn’t go to expensive restaurants unless it was a special occasion & Our Children were with us! Bottom line is staying within your Budget! Not wasting money on high maintenance that is not needed. Fake Nails, Coffee Stops, Fancy Dinners out every Week and several Weekly trips to McDonald’s! Going into debt for other then emergencies isn’t worth it! Save for emergencies & make a vow not to over spend. To spend only the money that is available. When it’s gone “Go without until payday” Any Body can do it, It just takes self Control!

Yes, it was hard but I managed to do it, right after my divorce. My ex-wife never showed up in court, I got full custody of the kids. Yes, I borrowed money to help survive, and also paid it all back too.

When I married in 1967 I anticipated working for years before a family However I had my daughter 11 months after my marriage and one look at her beautiful face I couldn’t leave her with a stranger. I had no family nearby. We discussed our values and my husband and I decided I would be a stay at home mother. We were poor but very happy. We got care gifts from both sides of our family. We lived in a 1 bedroom apartment and cleverly converted our dining room to a beautiful bedroom for our daughter. I sewed our clothes, did cost cutting and learned to keep a budget. We lived there till we had our second child a son who shared our gigantic master bedroom. We started looking for a house . We finally found a perfect place 30 miles away. We ended up showing the house to our in-laws and my wonderful mom-in-law said. Don’t worry about the deposit. That will be our gift to you. I never worked till 25 years after marriage. The jobs were low pay, traffic counting, stuffing envelopes, office temp. I divorced and continued working at a local dept. store, working as security at major concerts.

I would agree that in this fiscal environment, a family living off of one income is difficult, but it can be done.  It all comes down to living within your means.  That point is critical, because we all (including myself) can get caught up with wanting to live like the "Jones".   Living on one income requires a really tight budget and disciplined spending and having a healthy saving program including the emergency fund.  Health care, food, and gas are out of control and it is making things really tough right now.  With only one adult working the family saves on child care, but if the other adult is only making minimum wage, then that becomes really tough.  That is why we see many adults moving in with family or parents.

We lived off a single income while my kids were young and in school.  I drove a 10+ year old car.   We took smaller vacations and we didn’t have all the latest gadgets.  Come to think of it we were probably happier.  We were even able to save money.  With things they way they are now it would mean living with the necessities only.  Of course, it could be that way for a two income household.  The coffee I by at Kroger jumped $5 a pound this month.   Too rich for my blood.  

i am a window and i went from two incomes to one, and i did save some money .but in today world with everything going up in prices its a little tuff, but i'm doing it,Gas is almost 5,00 dollars a gallon food prices are raising .but i am able to still work and bring in a little money, i have children but i don;t want to take from them

A one time or another either my husband or myself have been out of work due either to illness or being unemployed. Thankfully, the periods were short and we had some funds to tide us over. We still had to be very  careful with expenses during that time.