When Expenses Outpace Income, Despite Low Debt

[@kattttt9585]

Holy cow I’m all for giving & tithing, but the fact that her income is $1400 a month FROM a church and they pay $640 in tithes is wild to me. Obviously she might work at a different church than they attend, but I assume she still works at a church that she agrees with the values of. In my head that lets them off the hook at least for her portion of income. They are definitely much better people than I am!

[@rubyrocks5]

@@kattttt9585 I agree, $640 does feel high, especially when you’re struggling to make ends meet. I suppose it’s okay if it’s genuinely part of your faith. But I would be wary of churches that recommend giving a tenth of your income to their institution in order to be blessed because that sounds super transactional and predatory. While tithing is biblical it’s not necessarily Christian.

[@fasteddy3336]

Hope you plan on doing follow-ups on these videos. Always like to see people succeeding on there goals and debt.

[@colorsofavon934]

For some of us, the priority is tithe, retirement and then expenses. Thanks for having different people on your channel. 💖

[@tstarmanqaz]

The tithing is crazy tbh, that could fund your whole retirement long term with compounding. I think Jesus would rather you have a higher quality of life.

[@rubyrocks5]

For your husband’s gas station + fast food spending, you might want to try an actual cash envelope system (instead of a virtual envelope system) to keep those categories in check. My husband has ADHD and really struggles to stick to a budget. He also has a job where he’s constantly on the road so our snacks/sodas/food out category was insane. We decided on a weekly amount for those categories (that we both felt good about) and now every Friday I hand him a wad of cash to spend however he wants. He thinks it’s helpful to work with physical dollars vs. a credit/debit card because he can visually ration out the money and it forces him to prioritize the purchases he values most. Good luck with everything! I’d love to hear an update in a year or so to hear about any progress toward your goals!

[@StarletOfDavid]

They should also follow the tip that they should buy a boatload of snacks and drinks in bulk if that’s what he’s craving.

[@susanhoover1820]

Between Daycare and Tithing, this Mom is paying over $150 per month to work part time. Please rethink your budget to bring it inline with your current income.

[@AlyssaWolverton]

Great video! Very brave for showing her finances. I'm surprised you didn't address her not working and being home with the kids.

[@StarletOfDavid]

With the skill set her husband has, I’m sure they would be happy for him to do repair work, help old members of their church instead of tithing. Also I know people are going crazy for Disney - which after having been in the Paris one - I don’t really understand. But I would especially not go with really small children. In between stroller watching and long lines, greasy foods which are unhandy for small toddlers and the stress of flying- I just wouldn’t do it.

[@Elizabethgitana12]

You aren’t giving 10% to God you are giving it to who ever runs the church the fact she’s willing to give this amount of money away instead of thinking of the family future is just mind blowing Keep the faith no need to drown because of it

[@juliequick5526]

I hope that this couple is able to bring their spending into line. You are generous in their expenditure in some categories and I love your gentle approach generally. However there seems to be scope for more restraint. I’m not talking about tithing, which I totally agree with. Each to their own but some honest self talk may reap dividends. No judgement intended, just an honest reappraisal of priorities 🙏🏻

[@isiah675]

I love Jesus too but working all those hours doing manual labor and giving that much away when you have small children and are in the red is flagrant. bless this man she's going to work him to death

[@robertmorris2576]

Thanks for all you do, Leila!

[@PersonalFinancewithLeila]

Thank you so much again!!

[@Lp2074]

If a 529 is not used for education it can be rolled into a Roth IRA now.

[@OurRetireEarlyJourney]

It makes that account much more flexible now!

[@maribel-89]

For the account holder or the beneficiary?

[@kaylapippitt655]

I know they still need to increase their income to deal with their long-term savings and investing goals, but the $750 for union dues is a biannual expense. Without it, they'll be in the green next month, even with the lower income. I'm also in the "just had two kids" blur of getting life back together, and it's crazy how expensive those first couple of years can be between medical expenses and the extra "comforts" we do to keep our sanity -- like eating out. You got this, mama!

[@catgodfrey6451]

Great review. I’m hoping hubby was in the room listening. He really should have been a part of the podcast. 😊❤😊 Best of luck

[@mara-shields]

It may be different per state, but I know my accountant told me clothes don’t count as a write off. Some say if it has a company logo on it they do but it’s a weird gray area!