How women live with money and without in America and at home
'01.03.2019'
Source: gubdaily.ru
4 Americans with different incomes honestly talked about how they spend money: we compared them with Russian women and asked both of them to describe their daily fortune on a ten-point scale of happiness. Stories clearly show: joy is not only in money, and sometimes even large incomes do not bring any satisfaction.
If happiness is not in money, then what? Four American women with a very different income level and two women in Russia tried to answer this question. gubdaily.ru offers to see what we are like and what is different.
Heidi Burkhart, 34 of the year. Revenue $ 1 000 000 per year
Heidi is one of those who don't just want to live in Manhattan - she lives there. An affordable real estate agent pays $ 6 a month for his home and is not used to budgeting. Heidi spends about $ 500 a week on groceries, and would love to travel, but cannot afford it due to lack of time. In principle, the girl would not refuse a personal plane. Miss Burkhart actively uses credit cards: two for work and two for personal needs. A successful realtor has no debts, but there is a mortgage on investment property. Heidi began saving her retirement savings at the age of 200. Now this amount is expressed in seven figures. However, she plans to work as much as she can. In 24 years, Burkhart expects to become the owner of the $ 10 million property.
- Daily fortune on a ten-point scale of happiness - 10 points: “I choose happiness!”
Megan Williams, 37 years. Revenue $ 350 000 per year
The family psychotherapist, Megan 14, is married and has three children: 4 years, 3 years and 11 months. The family has its own housing and mortgage in $ 379 000. Williams tries to have the family spend money within reason, so that there is no debt the next month. The concept of artificial shortage helps in this - so at the end of the month there is always money. The whole family spends about $ 225 and $ 75 on restaurants for food. The thing that you need, but you can not afford: "Honestly, I do not think that there is something like that." Megan admits that she would like to spend more time with her family, to live more calmly and measuredly. But at the moment can not afford to work not so much. There is only one credit card in the family, and it is used only for children's needs. A woman does not think about retirement yet, and through 10 she would like to save up $ 5 000 000 and live on rent.
- The daily condition on the ten-point scale of happiness - 8 points: “Regardless of what happens during the day, I come home and see my children. Thanks to them, every day ends with 8-point happiness. ”
Jill Shankman, 38 years. Revenue $ 80 000 per year
A primary school teacher brings up two children - 9 and 2 years. The husband is not employed. The housing tax that the family bought at 2004 is $ 1 800 per month. Jill has to keep a close eye on the budget: first pay the bills and live on what remains. The family would love to have a swimming pool, but this will have to wait. As, however, and with repair of the car. The last major waste was the trip to the Shakespeare campus. It will cost a family $ 670 in two weeks. But you need to wait for a tax return. As a rule, Shankmans use a debit card, a credit card only for large purchases or unexpected expenses, for example, going to the dentist or buying new glasses. Credit card debt is now $ 20 000. He is already many years old and very hard to pay it. Jill, as a school teacher, is entitled to a pension, so the woman does not make savings and counts on her. She may retire at 55, but intends to work up to 56 to make 30 years of service. In addition, the second daughter was born late, so by the time of retirement she will be studying in college. It also needs money. Through 10, Jill hopes to increase his annual income to $ 100 000.
- The daily condition on the ten-point scale of happiness - 9: "There are bad and good days, but basically I feel that I am doing something important, meaningful."
Monika Pilar, 38 years. Revenue $ 34 000 per year
A resident of California works as an art historian and part-time nurse to make ends meet. 4 years ago, Monica divorced her husband, and now she has two children in her arms - the sons of 6 and 4 years, both diagnosed with autism. Almost every year is forced to go to court because of the claims of her husband. Alone, raising boys is very hard. Monthly rent for housing (and Monica and her sons live in a temporary home, which is provided under a program to help single mothers in a difficult situation) - $ 400. The budget has to be monitored very strictly. The family spends $ 40 per month on cable television, because the boys really like the program “Sesame Street”. Through the court, Monica obtained alimony for the treatment of boys. It takes a lot of money to wear them - they grow quickly.
The forced repair of the car became a big waste, it cost $ 360. Weekly bill from the grocery store: about $ 250 per week, due to illness, boys need a gluten-free diet on natural products. Monica admits that she does not remember when she was in a cafe, and is happy that her family has at least enough food. Sometimes children are given rations at their school. “I don’t remember when I dined in a cafe. The thing that you need, but you can not afford? We are fine. The most important thing is that there is enough food. ” Now Monica has only one credit card, but it took several years to pay off the debts that her ex-husband collected on her passport. The woman does not have pension savings, she does not think about going on a well-deserved rest. Over the next ten years, Monica wants to double her income and reach the sum of $ 7 000 per month.
- The daily condition on the ten-point scale of happiness is 8 points: “And in the evenings, when I come to the children, to all 10. Even with all the costs, our life is stable, we are safe, and in the end I will transport my mother, she will look after the children, and find a way to earn more! ”
Anonymous Moscow PR man. Income $ 4000 per month
The girl became famous after complaining on the Internet to a beggarly existence. Renting a two-room apartment in the center of Moscow eats up almost half of the income and costs 100 000 rubles ($ 1666) per month. A grocery check from the ABC of Taste eats 40 000 rubles ($ 650). Apparently, there is no pension savings of the girl, because after spending money on housing, food, fitness and transport, she only has 20 000 rubles ($ 303). So shopping and traveling have to be forgotten.
- The daily condition on the ten-point scale of happiness is obviously 0: “I’m 30 and I'm tired. I would go into another sphere, but with a diploma of a PR manager there is nothing to catch. And the time is already lost. While you learn, you die ten times. Of course, in poverty! ".
Svetlana, 34 of the year. Income $ 530 per month
Svetlana is a waitress from Petrozavodsk. She has a one-room apartment for which she pays 3500 rubles ($ 53) a month. The girl admits that the biggest expense item is self-care. She spends 2000 rubles ($ 30) a month on fitness, 1500 ($ 23) on manicure, 5000 rubles ($ 76) to visit a beauty salon, and Svetlana leaves another 2000 rubles ($ 30) at a hairdresser. With the rest of the money he travels to St. Petersburg or Finland to buy clothes, and saves some of it for vacation. The girl does not think about pension and savings, she prefers to live for today.
- The daily fortune on a ten-point scale of happiness is no less than 5, because the profession suits Sveta: “I don’t find my job easy: a whole day on my feet, constant communication, when you have to smile, despite your well-being and mood. Those who are younger get worse, because there is not enough life experience, the ability to adapt to the situation, and excessive ambitions prevent them. ”
