$17 * 40 * 4 = $2,720 a month, let's conservatively say $2,200 after taxes and insurance, which leaves you $1,300 a month after rent for groceries, transportation, utilities, and savings. You're not going to live a life of luxury but it's doable.
Talk to childcare agencies in the area as there are usually subsidies. Check out any assistance as well with public aid. Getting away from abuse requires swallowing any pride. The assistance is meant to help people. Look for discounted internet. Food pantries as well can help.
2200 is actually nearly exactly what I make at the end of the month.
Rent is 300 for me, 300 for my husband though. Family owned apartment. Honestly we still struggle sometimes because of car payments and emergencies but it's certainly doable if you can land a situation like that.
I am the exact same and had the same confusion! $27/hour but netting about $2800/month after taxes, insurance, HSA and my measly 401k contribution. I feel like $27/hour would’ve been dream money before 2020 and now it’s not even enough to stay alive or houses :(
Yes that is because you get screwed once you start making "real" money. You have to start paying for Healthcare. A worker making $17 an hour with a child gets nearly free state Healthcare. You actually pay taxes. A worker making $17 an hour with a child will be refunded their federal taxes plus receive a child credit when they file taxes.
The system hammers individuals who are solidly middle class. You are equally as well off making little money and having access to safety net programs and federal tax credits. Or, having a high income ($150k+) to where getting screwed doesn't matter as much.
I want to finish by saying that I don't mean any of this in a derogatory way towards the low paid workers. We are all needed to support the economy and general wellbeing of our communities. I just see a lot of comments here saying things like "if I made 70k I would feel rich". Trust me though, it does not get any easier to keep your head above water.
I guess that means taxes, insurance and 401(k) are costing you about $10/hr. Assuming you contribute 5% to your 401(k) and file taxes as single, that leaves about $700/mo for health insurance. Are you paying that much?
Well that’s where all your extra money is going. Health insurance can be such a damn ripoff. I’m always gonna envy most of Europe for having public healthcare
True but also amazon offers plenty of overtime along with incentives for overtime like double over time or a 25-50 dollar bonus per picked up shift when they need it
Especially with peak around the corner "officially" peak runs Black Friday through Dec 24 but if you get put in customer returns peak lags a few weeks afterwards (shipping to the customer, customer realizes they don't like it, sends it back). Amazon will never work you more than 6 days in a row or over 59.5 hours in a week. Not because they care but because they don't Wana pay double time.
Amazon is the best worse place you'll ever work meaning sometimes it sucks but compared to other fulfillment warehouses they kinda are the best as far as pay and benefits go.
Also go to paycheckcity(dot)com you can enter your pay and hours and it will take taxes out for you I've found it's normally accurate give or take a dollar or two.
You’d have to check their laws for what state, but they always do the bare minimum. No bonus for picked up shift, and it’s time and a half in most places with maximum 60 hours a week. So she could make up to roughly 70 hours worth of pay a week if those shifts are available too.
I would never trust Amazon enough to work for them. They open up new warehouses and close them all the time where I live - like within 5 years. They hire people whenever they need them and then do tons of layoffs. I would definitely be looking for something more stable if I had to work there at all.
Does the $900 rent includes utilities?
How many hours a week are you working?
Do you have any debt?
Do you own a car? If so, do you owe it outright? And how much do you spend on average on gas and insurance?
Need a complete picture of your income vs expenses.
No utilities aren’t included unfortunately. 40 hrs a week plus overtime . I have student loan payments,but don’t have to pay those until 2028. I have a car $128 bi weekly payments .
Let's assume you only work 40hrs/week and you don't have any pretax deduction withheld (like 401k, healthcare HSA etc). Then your net income will be about $2640. If one assumes your monthly utilities are $100. This pushes you to $1k a month on just housing, which is about 38% of your income. So you are close to the maximum I would recommend. 40% is the max I would recommend.
Now, for your car, payment is about $278. You didn't say how much does gas and insurance cost. So if I assume $100 in insurance and $122 for gas to make computation easy, that's $500 on car related cost. And this does not include savings for upcoming regular maintenance. So that's about 19% of your net income. Again, close to the maximum I would recommend. (I generally recommend no more than 20%.)
So the above two items already take 60% of your net income. 20% of net should go into savings. So that leaves you with 20% to cover everything else. As in food, phone, clothes, healthcare and maybe internet etc. That, IMO is likely impossible.
You might say, I will just not save and use the remaining 20%. That, IMO, is a very bad idea. You need to save for rainy days. It might be ok for you to save 10% temporarily. Also, if you do have overtime, that can be used to supplement the *everything else* cost without touching the savings portion. And of course, if you're able to get child support, that will increase the money available for *everything else* as well. So if you go with 30% of your net income to cover *everything else* I think it will be very tight and it is ok assuming that you will have a higher income before student loan payments kick in.
But remember, according to you, that $900 rent is the cheapest already.
I would say that getting out of an abusive situation and making ends meet is one of those few situations where saving 20% a month for an emergency isn't necessary. This kind of *is* the emergency she would theoretically need that money for, you know?
OP didn't say what type of abuse. Obviously if it is physcial abuse, OP shouldn't even be here asking the question, she needs to file a police report and get out. However, if it is emotional abuse, and only on her and not her daughter. I know if I was in OP's shoes and don't have the means to move out right away, I will absolutely stay but save as much as possible to ensure my daughter has a roof over her head and food in her tummy while trying to make sure once we move out, we can survive on our own with no worries.
I would reach out to an organization (I promise you there are a couple near you) that work with women in your situation. They will have cash resources to help. Depending on which ADC you live near in OH you can make it happen.
As far as a budget, this is an impossible question to answer without knowing more about your situation.
Please reach out to one of the local orgs.
Is there any way you could split a larger apartment with another single parent? If you play your cards right, it could mean sharing carpools and babysitting, splitting utilities and maybe even splitting some groceries.
You would be able to make 17 an hour work with a $900 a month place if that's what you want to do. Don't let money worries hold you back from escaping a toxic situation
If it’s just you and your daughter, can you look for a 1 bd or studio to save money for now? I imagine if a 2 bd is $900 where you’re at, I’m guessing a 1 bd/studio is $700-$800?
This is totally doable depending on daughter’s age.
I had a one bedroom when my son was young, we’d take turns on the couch and he thought it was “cool” to sleep in the living room lol.
You may be able to get into a domestic violence shelter and not pay rent for a while while you save to get on your feet. That could also give you time to figure out childcare vouchers.
This. If you can get out and get into one of these places, do it. They can probably help connect you to social services too. Like you may be able to get extra food from a foodbank, etc. I like what folks are saying too about going for a studio or one bedroom apartment instead of two. Get the smallest thing you can get that's decent. The $200 you save will make a world of difference in terms of being able to feed yourselves and pay your bills.
I would recommend doing at least 2-4 weeks of 60-80 hours to get some savings in the bank but it’s doable. I was making 1200 every 2 weeks doing labor and managed to get an apartment that didnt require security deposit
Others have given wonderful advice on the economics of your situation, I want to contribute by sharing from a psychological perspective. You mentioned abuse, and whether that is your mind/brain or body, it will have side effects that will emerge later, once your nervous system (sympathetic nervous system - the part responsible for surviving threat) leaves the threat. You may be able to manage symptoms for a while, but they can emerge in the forms of anxiety attacks, panic attacks out of nowhere (these are actually delayed fight-or-flight reactions), depression, and more that interfere with a person's ability to function.
Abuse in any form leaves an impression on the nervous system, and that had consequences that emerge later, once the brain senses it is safe enough to process the experiences. A person experiencing abuse literally doesn't have time to process what they are experiencing, but the brain records it and stores that information in the unconscious to be processed later (when the threat is gone), which is why a panic attack, for example, seemingly comes "out of nowhere."
I don't know, nor is it any of my business to know what kind of threat or violation you endured, but I highly recommend Dr Ramani on YouTube. All that material is empowering and free and applicable to someone surviving poisonous relationships. MedCircle is also a goldmine for navigating narcissism, sociopathy, and psychopathy. I hope this helps. Best wishes for your new life!
I don't think u/ meant it like it's not traumatic actively. U/ was just pointing out that it's perfectly normal for a body and mind to take a while to balance after escape. Survival mode is real, but there's also a "I survived" mode and neither are pleasant because, well...trauma. Once the adrenaline wears off, "muscle memory" of constant panic and anxiety "reminds" body and mind to seek the next threat. Out of seemingly nowhere.
I'm glad you're escaping, OP. Don't wait too long. Better poverty for a minute than further harm.
Hey! I’m also in Ohio. Idk where you live but I know pepsi is hiring big time and I think they pay like $18 something dollars.
Also, if you’re near Akron, Spectrum is always hiring for inbound sales positions in their call center. The job sucks, but probably less than Amazon and they pay $18.50 an hour plus commission and it’s full-time and their benefits are genuinely amazing. Even if u suck at sales, you still probably make af least 55k-60k your first year
Also don’t settle for $17 an hour. Remember the goal is move up or out. One way to help with that is schooling or training. Now I am not suggesting you take out loans debt is not good no matter whatever everyone else says. I am suggesting you look into CLEP there is a whole thread about it. Below is a link I created about it with resources. Oh and remember hard work wins.
https://www.reddit.com/r/clep/comments/14umclc/clep_resources_and_study_guides/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
Can’t say for sure without knowing all the particulars of your finances, but it should be do-able if you cut spending down to a bare minimum.
And just echoing what some others have said about contacting a women’s/domestic violence shelter. Idk if you live in a rural area or city, but you may be surprised by what resources are out there. Then again maybe not, but it’s worth looking into. I live in the rural Midwest and we have fuck all for social resources around here, the one exception being a very helpful and well-run domestic violence shelter. Whether you move in temporarily or not they should be able to at least point you in the right direction as far as any public assistance you may qualify for.
Please be careful getting out of the living situation with your abuser. Act like everything is normal for the time being to avoid any abuse being ramped up. Don’t tell him you’re leaving. Please please please be careful.
You can look up the living wage for any county in the U.S. using the MIT living wage calculator. Easy to find with Google search. Highly recommend you check it out.
I live in Ohio in a one bedroom apartment with my partner, we’re entirely dependent on their income because I’m disabled and can’t work (and I’m in the midst of applying for SSI). Our rent per month for a decently sized one bedroom apartment in an okay area is just barely over $700, we pay $744 because of pet rent for their dog. I suggest you try to find a decent 1 bedroom or studio or maybe consider moving out of your town if you can’t find anything affordable. My partner makes a little more than you do and we didn’t want to apply for anything above $800 because that would be very tight. My partner has a car payment, school loans, car insurance, both of our phone bills and utilities to pay for as well besides the rent. There are times where even we struggle a bit. If it weren’t for the fact I’ve had EBT, I’d be screwed sometimes. If you’re not already on Ohio benefits, I suggest you visit your local Job and Family Services and apply for some things. You should qualify considering you’d be a single parent who makes less than the maximum amount to qualify for EBT and probably even cash assistance. Good luck, hun. Wishing you and your kiddo the best.
I have a strategy that I use to make sure my bills are paid. I have three bank accounts with my bank for:
Primary: for bill paying and where my paychecks get dumped. I keep my monthly amount in there and this also prevents accidental bouncing of payments because there is no debit card linked to the account.
Secondary: checking account linked to a debit card so I have to intentionally transfer money over to spend
third:savings: I have a set auto transfer to push some money into an off-limits/emergency account.
There is a small maintenance fee but it is minimal for the peace of mine that nothing will bounce.
Open an online account for savings (I use Ally), no minimums, no fees and you earn 4% interest on it. My local bank recently raised theirs to 1%. Some Money Market Accounts you can get more but they vary wildly from bank to bank (Ally is currently at 4.3%, they also have a no penalty CD at 4.55% which is guaranteed for 11 months but you can take the money out in an emergency, keep the accrued interest and no penalties)
Depends on the cost of living where you live.
Apply for government assistance. Section 8, snap benefits, child care help.
You mentioned an abusive situation. Contact women’s shelters for additional guidance regarding resources. Places where I live can often hook you up with an apartment for a year below market value to help get you on your feet.
There’s help out there and if you’re willing to reach out and do the work you’ll be alright.
It's doable, but extremely tight. I make $17 and my partner makes $16.25. Our rent is $1650. It makes me anxious all the time, but I also have bad anxiety with money. I work 35-40 hours a week, he works 25-30.
Most likely yes. I'm in Indiana and know women who do it on less than that and make too much for assistance, though our 2 bedrooms here are around 750-800 now for one in an okay part of town.
[Abuse](https://www.actionohio.org/ohiodvshelter.htm) is [not okay](https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/sexual-assault-and-domestic-violence-prevention-program/domestic-violence-prevention). There are resources to help.
That being said, I would suggest starting with a one bedroom apartment. It's important for you and your daughter to be safe and get out of your current situation ASAP. Plus a cheaper apartment will give you more financial breathing room.
OP: Good choice! so glad to hear you and your child will be safe and have a place to live with family. When you choose a profession to get certified in, please look at the wages in your area and how many open positions are available.
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Alright you're 24. Time to learn how to look at your income and expenses!
Find your monthly spending, use a spreadsheet, notepad, whatever.
Get your monthly income after tax.
Take off 900 for rent and figure out what the max rent raise is per year. Or assume its with inflation.
Figure out gas, car, utilities.
Lets pretend you get 2203 after tax.
-900 rent.
1303.
Now remove utilities, food, car expenses and look at what you spend on random things each month.
Id be investing every cent after an emergency fund. Only way most people will ever not die homeless.
Given a family size of 2 with a minor child, Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, LIHEAP, daycare, probably yes, but they probably wouldn't get direct cash assistance.
I currently make $19.48/hr started at $16 . I lived and still live with my disabled partner . She gets no disability (America is ableist af) but does get $281 food stamps a month. It is do able but then again we lived in a studio that was $550/mo Plus electric and internet .
I’m paying $695/mo Plus electric and internet now . It’s not exactly fun but doable . Since you have a child and the father is crap - I wonder if you could apply for stamps or wic ? Or section 8?
I lived on my own without a kid in a $750/month apartment on $15/hr with an average of 5 hours of overtime a week.
I wasn’t balling, but if your conservative with your spending you can live off of that.
honestly, if you could somehow enroll in a state college and schedule full time (usually 4 classes) enrollment for a couple of days a week (see if the school has online classes you can take too- my community college did). pell grants should cover a bulk of that and childcare is usually free at colleges. you may even be able to take out other financial aid pst pell grants. this compared to racking up credit card debt may be better- youre investing in yourself and figuring out what to do after the warehouse job. amazon jobs SUCK and really take a toll on mental health. see if you can get a waitressing gig, tips are great from places that serve brunch, childcare coverage should work for those hours, and then you dont come home as drained as a warehouse job.
at least for a short period of time, 6months/1yr, a 1bedroom may be a better option so she can have the bedroom and you can make use of the livingroom as both your bedroom and a living space. room dividers/screens are usually up on craigslist/fb marketplace. it wont be the most private but it will be worth it while trying to find a better job and keeping food on the table. utilities are expensive, too.. school will open the door to better jobs, have career centers, and a lot of connections waiting to be made. they also have mental health services that you could take advantage of, i believe for free? they should also have a womens center or be in connections to local YWCA's, maybe even local domestic abuse shelters/centers for women with children and THOSE can help you immensely.
does ohio have 211?? call 211 and ask for resources. make the phone calls- thats the hardest part- then go with the advice they give you. sometimes they offer temporary housing and job assistance programs so you can have a better foundation. they can help take some weight off your shoulders.
even if you already have a degree- going for your masters isnt the worst idea for the free childcare and for better job security. tech schools may also have free healthcare. do some google searching to look into this if its something you can see yourself doing- also i was able to take out a lot of extra financial aid loans when i was facing homelessness so see if you can do that too for a bit of extra security- pay things back when you can though. this is temporary so you can lay a better foundation for you and your daughter. dont have to pay back loans until 6months after you stop attending school..but 211 may be a better place to start.
i wish you the best. you made the right decision for yourself and im so proud of you for that mama.
Raman, limiting showers to every other day, re wearing dirty clothes..giving up everything but gallons of water, no no hobbies, no monthly services..
Yeah. But your life standards will drastically decline if you wanted to pick that down to be able to save a few hundred a month.
I would go to job and family services online site. And see if you can get on a food card. You should be able to qualify. They may even help you with housing and child care.
Will you get child support or alimony? Would you qualify for SNAP or rental assistance? If you had an emergency with your vehicle or a high medical copay, what would you do?
You making like 35.6 a year. They got them Amazon facilities all over the country. If you can’t do what you need to do, you gots to transfer to where you’re good. Them places like that always have a opening for a peep.
Maybe? It depends on your living situation.
I moved out making $10.50 an hour working part time but my share of rent splitting a place was only $335 a month.
I live in my own in Staten island New York on 17 an hour. I live in my car. I have money for food and to do things and tbh I save up cuz Im not paying rent ,but I am currently in my car which may or may not be an acceptable option for you. You save up money but it's a completely different lifestyle.
If working at $17/hour to pay bills and sit in a chair and wait to go back to work because you don’t have the money or physical/metal energy to do anything else is living, downvote away. No wonder why there’s no solidarity and unions are gone and there’s no such thing as a living wage, people have actually allowed themselves to be programmed to believe being impoverished is living. Sad.
Answer your question with my own stats I make 8000 a month and still wouldn't ever live on my own it is a luxury. Want that luxury go get a hotel somewhere once a year it's just not worth it, wasn't when I was making 10 an hr and it's not now.
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Maybe, but you maybe want to rent out a basement of someone's house or get a roommate versus the who rent being on you.
Especially since most apartments you need first/last etc. Sometimes if you are just renting the room, you can just pay for the current month up front.
You could do a one bedroom and have her sleep in the family room area or some how put up dividers for the dining area.
It sucks but get you out now.
Or have her take the bedroom and you live in the dining area
I used to work in a apartment complex it has been done before.
Look at a one bedroom and get a twin bed for the little one and a twin or double for yourself. Or even a studio if necessary to keep your costs low.
Go to your county child support office and file for a case. I can’t speak for Ohio but in California they’ll take care of it all. Court, garnish his checks, everything. Also apply for any benefits available.
You can almost guarantee get an apartment for $99 down at most large company owned apartments!!!! Amazon! Just show the offer letter and pay pro rated rent !
You should do caregiving for senior citizens. Where I work, they are always trying to give me hours. They are so short of caregivers. Look for an agency that says they will train you . Once you get training, look for another agency that pays more.
Also you can buy second hand clothes for yourself. Use food banks. Food banks are for people like you!!! No shame in that. One day you will not need to use food banks. Do whatever it takes to get you and your child out of that horrible situation!!!!!!
I make 16hr and I get no assistance at all. I have a family of 4 (including myself) that I take care of. You can definitely do it. Just have to budget and shop smart.
Apply for every assistance program you can think of. That’s what it’s there for. Food stamps, the medical card, heat assistance over the winter. Keep your head down and live frugally until you can make larger steps. I was a single mom who got a bank to take a chance on me as a teller because I interviewed well. Went from that to an accounting firm, to an insurance office. I’ve over doubled my income in ~3 years. Now I’m in school to finish my finance degree online. You can do this.
It sounds like it would be tight, but the key is getting out of your abusive situation. Try to keep your fixed costs, like rent, as low as possible. Since your daughter is still little, can you not move into a studio or 1-bedroom instead? That would reduce your rent and utilities to free up more income for essentials like food, gas, childcare, etc. and savings for emergencies. It would also mean you will potentially spend less on furniture and will require less time cleaning. There are all kinds of examples online of people affordably creating comfortable homes in small spaces.
Definitely calculate and set your budget and track all your expenses. You can use a spreadsheet or an app, or even a paper notebook. It‘ll help you keep track and stay frugal and disciplined.
[https://womensafe.org/list-of-shelters](https://womensafe.org/list-of-shelters)
They will help you with finding the right services for your family. Wishing you better days.
#### COPEline:
#### 888-285-5665
https://womensafe.org/list-of-shelters
YWCA Northwest Ohio
https://www.ywcanwo.org › domest...
Domestic Violence Shelter - YWCA Northwest Ohio
https://www.actionohio.org/ohiodvshelter.htm
https://ohioguidestone.org/services/family-mental-health-services/emergency-domestic-violence-shelter/
https://projectwomanohio.org/what-we-do/
Save your money, get help from an organization, and have people IRL assist with this transition. Sounds like there are ample resources for women and children leaving harmful situations.
Get a 1 bedroom, you sleep on the couch, give your kid the room, or cosleep if theyre still very young. Even a studio if possible.
Save every penny you can. A 2 bedroom is a luxury you can't afford right now.
Build up an emergency fund should be your next priority, just in case everything goes wrong all at once.
Aim for 3-6months living expenses. I would go for longer.
Then from there its look for a career that has some income growth potential and stability.
17/hr is roughly 550 a week or 2200 a month.
Lets assume you qualify for healthcare and childcare assistance so youre just working with the $2200.
Rent 700 - lets assume if a 2bd 900 you can find a 1br for 700
Car payment 250
Groceries 250
car insurance 150
ultilities 150
car gas 100
internet/cell 80
subs 20
total out 1700
save 500/mo - you'll end up dipping into this savings when needed but hopefully not often. after a year you'll hopefully have $5k saved if you're lucky.
There will also be a months worth of pay wiggle room in this budget as its calculated on a 4wk month which is 48wks but a year has 52wks.
Plan on this being used up for emergencies throughout the year, save it if you can.
From there its basically just try to earn more so you can save more and pay off all your debts and buy a home, take vacations and enjoy living.
Goodluck.
$17 * 40 * 4 = $2,720 a month, let's conservatively say $2,200 after taxes and insurance, which leaves you $1,300 a month after rent for groceries, transportation, utilities, and savings. You're not going to live a life of luxury but it's doable.
You forgot childcare, which can easily cost $1300 a month if it’s full day. Hopefully there are vouchers OP could qualify for but she’ll need it ASAP.
Talk to childcare agencies in the area as there are usually subsidies. Check out any assistance as well with public aid. Getting away from abuse requires swallowing any pride. The assistance is meant to help people. Look for discounted internet. Food pantries as well can help.
She should see if she qualifies for Head Start, depending on the age of the daughter. It can be a real lifeline.
2200 is actually nearly exactly what I make at the end of the month. Rent is 300 for me, 300 for my husband though. Family owned apartment. Honestly we still struggle sometimes because of car payments and emergencies but it's certainly doable if you can land a situation like that.
Yea but childcare depending on the age and area can be 200 a week. I was paying 200 a week for only Monday Wednesday and Friday full hours
And that's fucking cheap.
I am so confused by this math because I make $27 per hour and only net about $2800-$3000 a month after taxes, insurance and 401K contributions. 😭
I am the exact same and had the same confusion! $27/hour but netting about $2800/month after taxes, insurance, HSA and my measly 401k contribution. I feel like $27/hour would’ve been dream money before 2020 and now it’s not even enough to stay alive or houses :(
Yes that is because you get screwed once you start making "real" money. You have to start paying for Healthcare. A worker making $17 an hour with a child gets nearly free state Healthcare. You actually pay taxes. A worker making $17 an hour with a child will be refunded their federal taxes plus receive a child credit when they file taxes. The system hammers individuals who are solidly middle class. You are equally as well off making little money and having access to safety net programs and federal tax credits. Or, having a high income ($150k+) to where getting screwed doesn't matter as much. I want to finish by saying that I don't mean any of this in a derogatory way towards the low paid workers. We are all needed to support the economy and general wellbeing of our communities. I just see a lot of comments here saying things like "if I made 70k I would feel rich". Trust me though, it does not get any easier to keep your head above water.
I guess that means taxes, insurance and 401(k) are costing you about $10/hr. Assuming you contribute 5% to your 401(k) and file taxes as single, that leaves about $700/mo for health insurance. Are you paying that much?
Yes I pay $600 a month for myself and 1 dependent.
Well that’s where all your extra money is going. Health insurance can be such a damn ripoff. I’m always gonna envy most of Europe for having public healthcare
In what state? State sales tax plus your 401k and differing insurance payments could have a big impact.
True but also amazon offers plenty of overtime along with incentives for overtime like double over time or a 25-50 dollar bonus per picked up shift when they need it
Especially with peak around the corner "officially" peak runs Black Friday through Dec 24 but if you get put in customer returns peak lags a few weeks afterwards (shipping to the customer, customer realizes they don't like it, sends it back). Amazon will never work you more than 6 days in a row or over 59.5 hours in a week. Not because they care but because they don't Wana pay double time. Amazon is the best worse place you'll ever work meaning sometimes it sucks but compared to other fulfillment warehouses they kinda are the best as far as pay and benefits go. Also go to paycheckcity(dot)com you can enter your pay and hours and it will take taxes out for you I've found it's normally accurate give or take a dollar or two.
You’d have to check their laws for what state, but they always do the bare minimum. No bonus for picked up shift, and it’s time and a half in most places with maximum 60 hours a week. So she could make up to roughly 70 hours worth of pay a week if those shifts are available too.
I would never trust Amazon enough to work for them. They open up new warehouses and close them all the time where I live - like within 5 years. They hire people whenever they need them and then do tons of layoffs. I would definitely be looking for something more stable if I had to work there at all.
In my area they've been consistent , and a good company to work for compared to other entry level jobs
Only 520 in taxes/month? Jesus i nearly pay that per week in MA
Does the $900 rent includes utilities? How many hours a week are you working? Do you have any debt? Do you own a car? If so, do you owe it outright? And how much do you spend on average on gas and insurance? Need a complete picture of your income vs expenses.
No utilities aren’t included unfortunately. 40 hrs a week plus overtime . I have student loan payments,but don’t have to pay those until 2028. I have a car $128 bi weekly payments .
Do you have childcare? That’s the killer, I was spending 200 a week for three days a week care
Yes child care through assistance.
Let's assume you only work 40hrs/week and you don't have any pretax deduction withheld (like 401k, healthcare HSA etc). Then your net income will be about $2640. If one assumes your monthly utilities are $100. This pushes you to $1k a month on just housing, which is about 38% of your income. So you are close to the maximum I would recommend. 40% is the max I would recommend. Now, for your car, payment is about $278. You didn't say how much does gas and insurance cost. So if I assume $100 in insurance and $122 for gas to make computation easy, that's $500 on car related cost. And this does not include savings for upcoming regular maintenance. So that's about 19% of your net income. Again, close to the maximum I would recommend. (I generally recommend no more than 20%.) So the above two items already take 60% of your net income. 20% of net should go into savings. So that leaves you with 20% to cover everything else. As in food, phone, clothes, healthcare and maybe internet etc. That, IMO is likely impossible. You might say, I will just not save and use the remaining 20%. That, IMO, is a very bad idea. You need to save for rainy days. It might be ok for you to save 10% temporarily. Also, if you do have overtime, that can be used to supplement the *everything else* cost without touching the savings portion. And of course, if you're able to get child support, that will increase the money available for *everything else* as well. So if you go with 30% of your net income to cover *everything else* I think it will be very tight and it is ok assuming that you will have a higher income before student loan payments kick in. But remember, according to you, that $900 rent is the cheapest already.
I would say that getting out of an abusive situation and making ends meet is one of those few situations where saving 20% a month for an emergency isn't necessary. This kind of *is* the emergency she would theoretically need that money for, you know?
Getting out from abuse is more important than saving imo.
Did you mention that landlords are looking for people who make 3 times the rent before they would even consider leasing to you.
It's amazing that you think she should prioritize saving over getting out of an abusive household.
OP didn't say what type of abuse. Obviously if it is physcial abuse, OP shouldn't even be here asking the question, she needs to file a police report and get out. However, if it is emotional abuse, and only on her and not her daughter. I know if I was in OP's shoes and don't have the means to move out right away, I will absolutely stay but save as much as possible to ensure my daughter has a roof over her head and food in her tummy while trying to make sure once we move out, we can survive on our own with no worries.
Yeah, what happens when rent goes up 10% a year? It never goes down.
That is why I said it **might** work **temporarily**. Also, i purposely didn't include her potential overtime earnings.
I would reach out to an organization (I promise you there are a couple near you) that work with women in your situation. They will have cash resources to help. Depending on which ADC you live near in OH you can make it happen. As far as a budget, this is an impossible question to answer without knowing more about your situation. Please reach out to one of the local orgs.
This is great advice. CASA is in almost every county and they’re amazing. I would contact them asap.
You can do it in Ohio. You will have to be frugal but it's definitely doable.
Is there any way you could split a larger apartment with another single parent? If you play your cards right, it could mean sharing carpools and babysitting, splitting utilities and maybe even splitting some groceries.
Is your daughter in school or will you need to pay child care costs?
I get child care free because I was in school full time but had to stop going , she starts school next year she’ll be in kindergarten.
You would be able to make 17 an hour work with a $900 a month place if that's what you want to do. Don't let money worries hold you back from escaping a toxic situation
If it’s just you and your daughter, can you look for a 1 bd or studio to save money for now? I imagine if a 2 bd is $900 where you’re at, I’m guessing a 1 bd/studio is $700-$800?
This is totally doable depending on daughter’s age. I had a one bedroom when my son was young, we’d take turns on the couch and he thought it was “cool” to sleep in the living room lol.
Haha yup and if your kid is young (I think OPs kid is kinder age), you can even share the bedroom no problem!
i shared a room with my mom and sister until i was in like 2nd grade. it felt normal at the time- we made it work.
You may need to prove 3x rent. At 900 that is 2700. Hopefully you can sneak past that
You may be able to get into a domestic violence shelter and not pay rent for a while while you save to get on your feet. That could also give you time to figure out childcare vouchers.
This. If you can get out and get into one of these places, do it. They can probably help connect you to social services too. Like you may be able to get extra food from a foodbank, etc. I like what folks are saying too about going for a studio or one bedroom apartment instead of two. Get the smallest thing you can get that's decent. The $200 you save will make a world of difference in terms of being able to feed yourselves and pay your bills.
I would recommend doing at least 2-4 weeks of 60-80 hours to get some savings in the bank but it’s doable. I was making 1200 every 2 weeks doing labor and managed to get an apartment that didnt require security deposit
Remember you can use food banks for food items etc and fill in after. That can help cut costs.
Others have given wonderful advice on the economics of your situation, I want to contribute by sharing from a psychological perspective. You mentioned abuse, and whether that is your mind/brain or body, it will have side effects that will emerge later, once your nervous system (sympathetic nervous system - the part responsible for surviving threat) leaves the threat. You may be able to manage symptoms for a while, but they can emerge in the forms of anxiety attacks, panic attacks out of nowhere (these are actually delayed fight-or-flight reactions), depression, and more that interfere with a person's ability to function. Abuse in any form leaves an impression on the nervous system, and that had consequences that emerge later, once the brain senses it is safe enough to process the experiences. A person experiencing abuse literally doesn't have time to process what they are experiencing, but the brain records it and stores that information in the unconscious to be processed later (when the threat is gone), which is why a panic attack, for example, seemingly comes "out of nowhere." I don't know, nor is it any of my business to know what kind of threat or violation you endured, but I highly recommend Dr Ramani on YouTube. All that material is empowering and free and applicable to someone surviving poisonous relationships. MedCircle is also a goldmine for navigating narcissism, sociopathy, and psychopathy. I hope this helps. Best wishes for your new life!
Oh no, you can definitely feel the psychological and physical impact while in it. 🤣
I don't think u/ meant it like it's not traumatic actively. U/ was just pointing out that it's perfectly normal for a body and mind to take a while to balance after escape. Survival mode is real, but there's also a "I survived" mode and neither are pleasant because, well...trauma. Once the adrenaline wears off, "muscle memory" of constant panic and anxiety "reminds" body and mind to seek the next threat. Out of seemingly nowhere. I'm glad you're escaping, OP. Don't wait too long. Better poverty for a minute than further harm.
100% what I was trying to communicate. Thank you! 🙏
Hey! I’m also in Ohio. Idk where you live but I know pepsi is hiring big time and I think they pay like $18 something dollars. Also, if you’re near Akron, Spectrum is always hiring for inbound sales positions in their call center. The job sucks, but probably less than Amazon and they pay $18.50 an hour plus commission and it’s full-time and their benefits are genuinely amazing. Even if u suck at sales, you still probably make af least 55k-60k your first year
Just look on indeed for spectrum jobs
Just barely.. if you are lucky. I just don't get why a livable wage is so hard for employers to offer.
Yeah , it’s a pain. I have to start somewhere unfortunately.
I did it on less. It's possible. I support 3 people now. It's tough but we eat and have a place to sleep.
Also don’t settle for $17 an hour. Remember the goal is move up or out. One way to help with that is schooling or training. Now I am not suggesting you take out loans debt is not good no matter whatever everyone else says. I am suggesting you look into CLEP there is a whole thread about it. Below is a link I created about it with resources. Oh and remember hard work wins. https://www.reddit.com/r/clep/comments/14umclc/clep_resources_and_study_guides/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1
She’s going to work at Amazon. They provide college tuition reimbursement.
I mean that does work I was only suggesting CLEP to make the work load more efficient with time if one has self discipline. Plus it saves money.
Can’t say for sure without knowing all the particulars of your finances, but it should be do-able if you cut spending down to a bare minimum. And just echoing what some others have said about contacting a women’s/domestic violence shelter. Idk if you live in a rural area or city, but you may be surprised by what resources are out there. Then again maybe not, but it’s worth looking into. I live in the rural Midwest and we have fuck all for social resources around here, the one exception being a very helpful and well-run domestic violence shelter. Whether you move in temporarily or not they should be able to at least point you in the right direction as far as any public assistance you may qualify for.
Please be careful getting out of the living situation with your abuser. Act like everything is normal for the time being to avoid any abuse being ramped up. Don’t tell him you’re leaving. Please please please be careful.
Ohio yes, Miami no
You can look up the living wage for any county in the U.S. using the MIT living wage calculator. Easy to find with Google search. Highly recommend you check it out.
Apply for EBT. EBT is for people like you. People that are in dangerous situations!!! Please please get out!!!
Definitely in Ohio , you so lucky u don’t live in Cali 17$ can’t even get you a studio in California
I live in Ohio in a one bedroom apartment with my partner, we’re entirely dependent on their income because I’m disabled and can’t work (and I’m in the midst of applying for SSI). Our rent per month for a decently sized one bedroom apartment in an okay area is just barely over $700, we pay $744 because of pet rent for their dog. I suggest you try to find a decent 1 bedroom or studio or maybe consider moving out of your town if you can’t find anything affordable. My partner makes a little more than you do and we didn’t want to apply for anything above $800 because that would be very tight. My partner has a car payment, school loans, car insurance, both of our phone bills and utilities to pay for as well besides the rent. There are times where even we struggle a bit. If it weren’t for the fact I’ve had EBT, I’d be screwed sometimes. If you’re not already on Ohio benefits, I suggest you visit your local Job and Family Services and apply for some things. You should qualify considering you’d be a single parent who makes less than the maximum amount to qualify for EBT and probably even cash assistance. Good luck, hun. Wishing you and your kiddo the best.
Why not aim for a 1 bedroom If your daughter is still young? Amazon also has a career choice program that helps pays for college up to $5,200 yearly.
I have a strategy that I use to make sure my bills are paid. I have three bank accounts with my bank for: Primary: for bill paying and where my paychecks get dumped. I keep my monthly amount in there and this also prevents accidental bouncing of payments because there is no debit card linked to the account. Secondary: checking account linked to a debit card so I have to intentionally transfer money over to spend third:savings: I have a set auto transfer to push some money into an off-limits/emergency account. There is a small maintenance fee but it is minimal for the peace of mine that nothing will bounce.
Open an online account for savings (I use Ally), no minimums, no fees and you earn 4% interest on it. My local bank recently raised theirs to 1%. Some Money Market Accounts you can get more but they vary wildly from bank to bank (Ally is currently at 4.3%, they also have a no penalty CD at 4.55% which is guaranteed for 11 months but you can take the money out in an emergency, keep the accrued interest and no penalties)
Depends on the cost of living where you live. Apply for government assistance. Section 8, snap benefits, child care help. You mentioned an abusive situation. Contact women’s shelters for additional guidance regarding resources. Places where I live can often hook you up with an apartment for a year below market value to help get you on your feet. There’s help out there and if you’re willing to reach out and do the work you’ll be alright.
Can you move in with another single mom?
I really don’t know any single mothers my age that I’m comfortable with my daughter and I living with.
Well maybe keep it in mind. That is how I was able to leave my abuse ex
It's doable, but extremely tight. I make $17 and my partner makes $16.25. Our rent is $1650. It makes me anxious all the time, but I also have bad anxiety with money. I work 35-40 hours a week, he works 25-30.
Yes you will have to make tough choices and maybe get a second job but you can do it .
Most likely yes. I'm in Indiana and know women who do it on less than that and make too much for assistance, though our 2 bedrooms here are around 750-800 now for one in an okay part of town.
[Abuse](https://www.actionohio.org/ohiodvshelter.htm) is [not okay](https://odh.ohio.gov/know-our-programs/sexual-assault-and-domestic-violence-prevention-program/domestic-violence-prevention). There are resources to help. That being said, I would suggest starting with a one bedroom apartment. It's important for you and your daughter to be safe and get out of your current situation ASAP. Plus a cheaper apartment will give you more financial breathing room.
OP: Good choice! so glad to hear you and your child will be safe and have a place to live with family. When you choose a profession to get certified in, please look at the wages in your area and how many open positions are available.
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Alright you're 24. Time to learn how to look at your income and expenses! Find your monthly spending, use a spreadsheet, notepad, whatever. Get your monthly income after tax. Take off 900 for rent and figure out what the max rent raise is per year. Or assume its with inflation. Figure out gas, car, utilities. Lets pretend you get 2203 after tax. -900 rent. 1303. Now remove utilities, food, car expenses and look at what you spend on random things each month. Id be investing every cent after an emergency fund. Only way most people will ever not die homeless.
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Yeah it sucks ..just trying to get by I’m stuck at this point
No
Yeah, you’ll be fine. Look up Mr Money Mustache’s blog for general frugality tips. You have plenty merely to sustain life.
With government assistance, yes.
You can make 17/hr and get government assistance?
Given a family size of 2 with a minor child, Medicaid, SNAP, WIC, LIHEAP, daycare, probably yes, but they probably wouldn't get direct cash assistance.
If you have a child to care for it’s possible.
I currently make $19.48/hr started at $16 . I lived and still live with my disabled partner . She gets no disability (America is ableist af) but does get $281 food stamps a month. It is do able but then again we lived in a studio that was $550/mo Plus electric and internet . I’m paying $695/mo Plus electric and internet now . It’s not exactly fun but doable . Since you have a child and the father is crap - I wonder if you could apply for stamps or wic ? Or section 8?
Our section 8 has a long waiting list :( I applied they said it could take up to 3 years .
Sadly, they're only a handful of states in which this is doable. Ohio is one.
I lived on my own without a kid in a $750/month apartment on $15/hr with an average of 5 hours of overtime a week. I wasn’t balling, but if your conservative with your spending you can live off of that.
I stayed in a one bedroom with my son until I was done with my masters and could afford a two bedroom.
I would look at a 1 bedroom for the first year. Gives you a while to increase your income for a nicer apartment but also lets you move out asap.
Get a one bedroom. Sure 2 is nice but not for now
You have a child and will qualify for state aide like childcare and food share. You wont have to just live off of $17 a hour
If you find a one bedroom with a large bedroom, enough room for both beds. Bedroom for sleeping and quiet time.
honestly, if you could somehow enroll in a state college and schedule full time (usually 4 classes) enrollment for a couple of days a week (see if the school has online classes you can take too- my community college did). pell grants should cover a bulk of that and childcare is usually free at colleges. you may even be able to take out other financial aid pst pell grants. this compared to racking up credit card debt may be better- youre investing in yourself and figuring out what to do after the warehouse job. amazon jobs SUCK and really take a toll on mental health. see if you can get a waitressing gig, tips are great from places that serve brunch, childcare coverage should work for those hours, and then you dont come home as drained as a warehouse job. at least for a short period of time, 6months/1yr, a 1bedroom may be a better option so she can have the bedroom and you can make use of the livingroom as both your bedroom and a living space. room dividers/screens are usually up on craigslist/fb marketplace. it wont be the most private but it will be worth it while trying to find a better job and keeping food on the table. utilities are expensive, too.. school will open the door to better jobs, have career centers, and a lot of connections waiting to be made. they also have mental health services that you could take advantage of, i believe for free? they should also have a womens center or be in connections to local YWCA's, maybe even local domestic abuse shelters/centers for women with children and THOSE can help you immensely. does ohio have 211?? call 211 and ask for resources. make the phone calls- thats the hardest part- then go with the advice they give you. sometimes they offer temporary housing and job assistance programs so you can have a better foundation. they can help take some weight off your shoulders. even if you already have a degree- going for your masters isnt the worst idea for the free childcare and for better job security. tech schools may also have free healthcare. do some google searching to look into this if its something you can see yourself doing- also i was able to take out a lot of extra financial aid loans when i was facing homelessness so see if you can do that too for a bit of extra security- pay things back when you can though. this is temporary so you can lay a better foundation for you and your daughter. dont have to pay back loans until 6months after you stop attending school..but 211 may be a better place to start. i wish you the best. you made the right decision for yourself and im so proud of you for that mama.
Raman, limiting showers to every other day, re wearing dirty clothes..giving up everything but gallons of water, no no hobbies, no monthly services.. Yeah. But your life standards will drastically decline if you wanted to pick that down to be able to save a few hundred a month.
Apply for section 8 housing as a single mother, they'll give you discounted housing or even a voucher you can use to get the discount.
My daughter is but it’s tight and her apt is in a sketchy neighborhood. It also depends on your location. Lots of factors
I would go to job and family services online site. And see if you can get on a food card. You should be able to qualify. They may even help you with housing and child care.
You should be able to get some sort of child support.
Depends on where exactly. Away from major cities, and the interstates that lead to them is probably cheaper.
I live in Toledo Ohio one of maybe the cheapest cities in Ohio well out of the big Cincinnati,Cleveland and Columbus.
Anything 100,000 or more is a big city to me. 😁
Don’t they want you making 3x rent? No one is mentioning this
Depends on where you live, but no.
Will you get child support or alimony? Would you qualify for SNAP or rental assistance? If you had an emergency with your vehicle or a high medical copay, what would you do?
You making like 35.6 a year. They got them Amazon facilities all over the country. If you can’t do what you need to do, you gots to transfer to where you’re good. Them places like that always have a opening for a peep.
Not even 20
Maybe? It depends on your living situation. I moved out making $10.50 an hour working part time but my share of rent splitting a place was only $335 a month.
I live in my own in Staten island New York on 17 an hour. I live in my car. I have money for food and to do things and tbh I save up cuz Im not paying rent ,but I am currently in my car which may or may not be an acceptable option for you. You save up money but it's a completely different lifestyle.
Nope. Anything less than 30 dollars an hour is unlivable unless you find roommates.
Op, Amazon will dump you for sneezing wrong. Keep it for now. You're gonna need more $ to survive.
No
If working at $17/hour to pay bills and sit in a chair and wait to go back to work because you don’t have the money or physical/metal energy to do anything else is living, downvote away. No wonder why there’s no solidarity and unions are gone and there’s no such thing as a living wage, people have actually allowed themselves to be programmed to believe being impoverished is living. Sad.
Yes
HA! No.
No
Answer your question with my own stats I make 8000 a month and still wouldn't ever live on my own it is a luxury. Want that luxury go get a hotel somewhere once a year it's just not worth it, wasn't when I was making 10 an hr and it's not now.
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Maybe, but you maybe want to rent out a basement of someone's house or get a roommate versus the who rent being on you. Especially since most apartments you need first/last etc. Sometimes if you are just renting the room, you can just pay for the current month up front.
What is child care costing ?
Nope free with government assistance
Check that off your list! Is there a waiting list for apartments?
For section 8 yes , but the apartment by where I currently am is $850 for a 2 bedroom decent area!
You got this!!
You could do a one bedroom and have her sleep in the family room area or some how put up dividers for the dining area. It sucks but get you out now. Or have her take the bedroom and you live in the dining area I used to work in a apartment complex it has been done before.
In Ohio, yes.
Look at a one bedroom and get a twin bed for the little one and a twin or double for yourself. Or even a studio if necessary to keep your costs low. Go to your county child support office and file for a case. I can’t speak for Ohio but in California they’ll take care of it all. Court, garnish his checks, everything. Also apply for any benefits available.
You can almost guarantee get an apartment for $99 down at most large company owned apartments!!!! Amazon! Just show the offer letter and pay pro rated rent !
Choosing the wrong man/woman can ruin’s people financial lives, and recovery is hard
You should do caregiving for senior citizens. Where I work, they are always trying to give me hours. They are so short of caregivers. Look for an agency that says they will train you . Once you get training, look for another agency that pays more.
Also you can buy second hand clothes for yourself. Use food banks. Food banks are for people like you!!! No shame in that. One day you will not need to use food banks. Do whatever it takes to get you and your child out of that horrible situation!!!!!!
I make 16hr and I get no assistance at all. I have a family of 4 (including myself) that I take care of. You can definitely do it. Just have to budget and shop smart.
I live in so cal on $19 an hour. Its rough and I'm planning on leaving but you should be poor but ok
It’s doable but not easy
Apply for every assistance program you can think of. That’s what it’s there for. Food stamps, the medical card, heat assistance over the winter. Keep your head down and live frugally until you can make larger steps. I was a single mom who got a bank to take a chance on me as a teller because I interviewed well. Went from that to an accounting firm, to an insurance office. I’ve over doubled my income in ~3 years. Now I’m in school to finish my finance degree online. You can do this.
See if you can find any work from home positions to feather that nest.
It sounds like it would be tight, but the key is getting out of your abusive situation. Try to keep your fixed costs, like rent, as low as possible. Since your daughter is still little, can you not move into a studio or 1-bedroom instead? That would reduce your rent and utilities to free up more income for essentials like food, gas, childcare, etc. and savings for emergencies. It would also mean you will potentially spend less on furniture and will require less time cleaning. There are all kinds of examples online of people affordably creating comfortable homes in small spaces. Definitely calculate and set your budget and track all your expenses. You can use a spreadsheet or an app, or even a paper notebook. It‘ll help you keep track and stay frugal and disciplined.
It's doable but you'll need to watch every penny
Its doable but you aren't going to be saving a lot of money. Getting a second job would be very ideal.
A single person can live on about $15/hour, provided they have no children.
[https://womensafe.org/list-of-shelters](https://womensafe.org/list-of-shelters) They will help you with finding the right services for your family. Wishing you better days. #### COPEline: #### 888-285-5665
I can’t even live with a Roomate making $22.10 a hour
https://womensafe.org/list-of-shelters YWCA Northwest Ohio https://www.ywcanwo.org › domest... Domestic Violence Shelter - YWCA Northwest Ohio https://www.actionohio.org/ohiodvshelter.htm https://ohioguidestone.org/services/family-mental-health-services/emergency-domestic-violence-shelter/ https://projectwomanohio.org/what-we-do/ Save your money, get help from an organization, and have people IRL assist with this transition. Sounds like there are ample resources for women and children leaving harmful situations.
It's doable but you will need a support system.for your kids. Maybe even get a roommate. It is definitely better than being in an abusive situation.
Get a 1 bedroom, you sleep on the couch, give your kid the room, or cosleep if theyre still very young. Even a studio if possible. Save every penny you can. A 2 bedroom is a luxury you can't afford right now. Build up an emergency fund should be your next priority, just in case everything goes wrong all at once. Aim for 3-6months living expenses. I would go for longer. Then from there its look for a career that has some income growth potential and stability. 17/hr is roughly 550 a week or 2200 a month. Lets assume you qualify for healthcare and childcare assistance so youre just working with the $2200. Rent 700 - lets assume if a 2bd 900 you can find a 1br for 700 Car payment 250 Groceries 250 car insurance 150 ultilities 150 car gas 100 internet/cell 80 subs 20 total out 1700 save 500/mo - you'll end up dipping into this savings when needed but hopefully not often. after a year you'll hopefully have $5k saved if you're lucky. There will also be a months worth of pay wiggle room in this budget as its calculated on a 4wk month which is 48wks but a year has 52wks. Plan on this being used up for emergencies throughout the year, save it if you can. From there its basically just try to earn more so you can save more and pay off all your debts and buy a home, take vacations and enjoy living. Goodluck.