Michael and Lisa ThibaultMichael is a claims adjuster and Lisa is a freelance editor, who works part time from home.
Lisa was laid off from her publishing job and found this gig part time. This job is $17,000 per year less then her previous job. Michael was also laid off and was able to rebound in 5 months. Not too shabby in today's economy, but this job pays $13,000 less.
Here's where the story gets crazy. CNNmoney.com states
"Lisa and Michael, both with college degrees - Lisa also holds a master's - had
to apply for food assistance for their children. Lisa now stays at home
where the couple have a newborn girl, in addition to two other daughters."
Lisa, aka "Mrs. Masters Degree" also states,
"As I get older, I'm finding it's harder to do.""I thought it would be much
easier to be in the middle-class, especially after being in the workforce so
long," said Lisa. "It's been humbling."
Lesson No. 1
If you have to apply for food assistance for your children....
DO NOT HAVE ANYMORE!
Assistance means that you need help, so don't have another child. You have a Master's degree, go and get another job that pays you what you are worth. Hubby, go get a second job. I guarantee Mike, is sitting around the house, in his mustard stained wife beater watching the game instead of out hustling. Mike should be coming home on Sunday afternoons wearing a Best Buy Blue shirt, or a Target smock until they have their finances in order. We are getting lazy America. This is just plain embarrassing as a country. A couple can earn nearly $50,000 per year and still need food assistance....
Here is their spending pie chart.They spend 42% on health care. That's what happens when you have three kids, and don't make enough to support them. The health care per kid doesn't vary from household to household (assuming no chronic illnesses exist) therefore, when you can afford to have children your health care cost should be less then 25%.
Now that they have three kids, they need to put all their efforts in making sure that these kids do not suffer because of their lack of planning and selfishness. This means time and money; spend quality time with the children and earn money so they get a head start in life.
Hopefully their kids are smart enough not to make the same mistakes as Mom and Dad!
My Thibault tip of the day.....
If Mike wanted to make some extra money he could be a stunt double for Rob (from Survivor).
-MJL
1 comment:
You are right, Michael and Lisa need to do what they need to to support their family. I'm a single mom who lives in California and makes only a little over $41k a year (but getting a raise in the next 2 weeks, yay) I had my daughter early and would've loved to stay home BUT being a single mom I had to go out and get a job! I started out just working at Pep Boys and then moved on to Kragen which I soon became an assistant manager, I ended up getting hurt on the job so they retrained me, OPPORTUNITY to get out of a minimum wage job! I only had a couple of college classes behind me but I was smart enough to look and see what was the best move for me and where could I get a job making a decent amount of money (they were paying for my trade school so what the heck) so 7 yrs ago I chose a Microsoft Office program, I didn't even have a computer but found a place where they gave me one when I was done with school, forward 7yrs, I now make more with that little trade school diploma than I would with a lot of other trade school certificates, but I worked hard and I'm now almost done with my bachelors in business management and can move up in the corporate world with a degree and my experience. It doesn't take a lot to just try and see what is making money, more than minimum wage, don't go to a trade school to become a physicians assistant or front office superstar, why?, it will cost thousands of dollars and you'll be making a whopping $2 more an hour! check and see what jobs are out there before you enter school, then be on time for work, do you job and a little more, be dependable and take pride in your job, yes I am a single mom and my daughter does go to an after school program, BUT I'm also showing her, we don't need assistance, I paid off all my debt except school (when I got my taxes every year, I would've loved to just buy a new 42 in flat screen, but I need to be more responsible than that), we have enough money to go out to eat, go to universal studios, go to Vegas for the weekend, buy new clothes and live comfortably. I teach my daughter to work hard and go to school so she can be successful in her 20s instead of mid 30s, I teach my daughter to give back when we volunteer at youth programs, I teach my daughter about money on boys on the ride home for work and school, I teach her to want more in life and you can't live on the county and be happy, I teach her through my mistakes. Yes it's great when women can stay at home but you can still teach your children life skills and be there for them when you are working, you just have to work a little harder at it. All that I have a degree but want to stay home or can't get a job is a bunch of bull, if you can't find a job, then do some research and move to a place that has jobs with your degree background, don't get a degree in oceanography and then expect to find a job when don't live anywhere near water!!
Just my thoughts...
Post a Comment