Author Topic: Imprudent to get married when only making minimum wage (Read 4413 times)

saintaugustine · « **on:** February 19, 2015, 10:05:26 AM »

I have heard a number of horror stories of traditional Catholic families going through a financial nightmare because they got married and had children with only making minimum wage or just a little above minimum wage. The majority of them end up living in horrible conditions and extreme poverty. With this being said, isn't it imprudent to get married only making minimum wage?

My opinion is that if a couple is thinking about getting married, they should have at least an annual income of $45,000 to $50,000. The reason why I say this is because starting a family with an income of $40,000 or less is going to place a family in extremely serious financial problems. Lets face the reality here. We live in a world that consists of many expenses. We no longer live in a world of cottages and villages anymore. Yes, the essentials in life is to have food, clothing, and shelter. Though, the shelter part shouldn't just be any shelter. It should be a safe shelter, that is, living in an area that is not crime-ridden. Who wants to raise a family in a neighborhood of where you have to worry about getting shot at, having your car broken into, or getting mugged? It costs a good amount of money to live in a decent area that is not crime ridden. I'm not talking about living in a fancy luxurious area that is drenched in materialism. I'm just talking about living somewhere that is just decent ... and this costs money to do so.

With all of the above being said, wouldn't you say that it's imprudent to get married and have kids only making minimum wage? Shouldn't a man have a good paying job before getting married?

Quasimodo · « **Reply #1 on:** February 19, 2015, 11:03:52 AM »

This sounds like the same kind of thinking that people use in defending NFP for limiting children. It reminds me of the breed like rabbits thing. How much money would be enough? Should people in poor countries not marry? A good job can be easily taken away and health can fail. Should only healthy, financially sound people reproduce? If poor people didn't breed would the world be a better place? Would we have been better off without St Bernadette, St Pius X, etc. It may be imprudent to delay marriage solely because of finances.

Matto · « **Reply #2 on:** February 19, 2015, 12:08:42 PM »

So you are saying that poor people should not get married or have children. Most Americans are poor, so I guess only the top twenty percent should marry and everyone else should remain alone.

What about in countries where nearly everyone is poor? Should no one marry there?

Why not say instead that rich people should not marry. For Christ said it is harder for rich people to make it to heaven. Therefore nobody rich should ever have any children because they will most likely be damned.

BTNYC · « **Reply #3 on:** February 19, 2015, 12:21:49 PM »

Making your very first post here a shill piece for NFP-type sloganeering and bourgeois Americanist attitudes about deferring the divine mandate to marry and procreate until some arbitrary pie in the sky amount of lucre has been amassed is a sure way to get people here to not trust you right off the bat, "saintaugustine," despite the very illustrious and holy name you've opted to gilt yourself with.

If we want to hear more garbage about "good Catholics" not having to "breed like rabbits" (which we don't), we already know where to find it.

JezusDeKoning · « **Reply #4 on:** February 19, 2015, 01:00:20 PM »

OP, unless you're intentionally choosing to live somewhere very costly like San Francisco or the Upper West Side, $40k a year will afford you a very decent 1-2 bedroom apartment in a very decent neighborhood. Weddings can also be very cheap. A marriage license is $150, and clothes for the ceremony can be found at much lower rates than stores that specialize in it would have you think. Traditional churches probably don't ask for a fee to use the parish like the Novus Ordo.

Matto: I think it depends. Yes, there will be some of the rich that put their faith into avarice before God. But others not. It's all different with everyone.

songbird · « **Reply #5 on:** February 19, 2015, 01:15:09 PM »

Saint Augustine: I hear you. Are you considering marriage? Speak with in-laws and your own parents about your thoughts.

We are age 62 and our children, the youngest being 28 married 5 years ago. We were able to help our daughter and son-in-law in a home 4 years ago that was $120,000 for $50,000!

The generations of us kids at age 62, know what you are facing. We know that to have grandchildren we have to help our children and babysit and such. We do and our daughter knows that she will have to work as well.

Reality is what it is, as the devil has his time. We are praying for ways to get around the gov't and its ploys.

If God is asking for you to marry, then you do. Pray for the supernatural. Pray for the favors and miracles and for the Graces to carry you through and we do the best we can til God has His Day.

insidebaseball · « **Reply #6 on:** February 19, 2015, 05:51:47 PM »

40,000 is a good number depending on where you live. If you not mature enough to know the realities of life maybe you need some maturing before you take the plunge.

LaramieHirsch · « **Reply #7 on:** February 19, 2015, 06:32:53 PM »

The OP's suggestion seems to make sense to me, at least.

MaterDominici · « **Reply #8 on:** February 19, 2015, 11:06:19 PM »

My problem with the OP is that there is a big difference between $15,000 (minimum wage) and $45,000. So, what the OP is really asking is if it is imprudent to marry when making anything less than 3 times the minimum wage.

My answer: NO. It is alright to get married making less than $21.75/hr. Plenty of people do so all the time.

Charlemagne · « **Reply #9 on:** February 19, 2015, 11:44:12 PM »

My first thought when reading the OP was, "I thought ggreg was banned."

poche · « **Reply #10 on:** February 19, 2015, 11:49:53 PM »

If it is a choice between fornication/living in sin arrangements while making minimum wage or being married in the Catholic Church while making minimum wage I would choose being married in the Catholic Church. Jesus was born in a stable. He was the son of a poor carpenter. There is no shame in an honest living. What is shameful is living in sin and a dishonest living.

Cantarella · « **Reply #11 on:** February 19, 2015, 11:55:08 PM »

Quote from: MaterDominici

My problem with the OP is that there is a big difference between $15,000 (minimum wage) and $45,000. So, what the OP is really asking is if it is imprudent to marry when making anything less than 3 times the minimum wage.

My answer: NO. It is alright to get married making less than $21.75/hr. Plenty of people do so all the time.

Not only this, but although it is true that we should cover the needs of the body (roof, food, clothing, etc) as Catholics, we ought to know that all these goods belong to God alone, not us, and that we need to be detached from the material things of the world, because even if at a point we seem to enjoy great financial fortune, God can take it all away overnight.

No, we should not wait until we "think" we have finantial prosperity in order to get married but do so when we have the proper spiritual and mental disposition to discern such vocation, always following God's will.

Traditional Guy 20 · « **Reply #12 on:** February 20, 2015, 12:25:39 AM »

What a highly materialistic OP full of crap. Both the man and woman are meant to struggle in life in terms of being able to live.

Nadir · « **Reply #13 on:** February 20, 2015, 01:10:06 AM »

Quote from: Charlemagne

My first thought when reading the OP was, "I thought ggreg was banned."

Mine was "He's come back under another name."

saintaugustine · « **Reply #14 on:** February 21, 2015, 03:03:22 PM »

For those of you who criticize my view about being prudent, then my criticism to you is that you're very ignorant if you think it's possible to start a family on minimum wage.

By the way, I've never been banned before on this website, so I'm not the person you're referring to.