What Living on Less Really Looks Like (2026 Guide)

Want to get more out of living less really looks without the guesswork? Below we walk through the essentials in plain language, with practical steps you can use right away.

Key Takeaways

• Neither of us has a college degree.
• We have a young child and three cats.
• Worth noting: we technically live just below the U.S. poverty line for a family of three, rent our home and do not own a car.
• We live in Detroit, a city with a reduce cost of living that allows us to get by.

How Living Less Really Looks Really Works

Numerous people act like money management skills are all poor people require to improve their lot in life, which doesn’t account for low wages and the cycles of generational wealth and poverty. As a low-income person and parent, I wanted to dig into my own family’s budget both for myself, and to provide people a little glimpse of what living on less genuinely looks like. (Hint: we don’t have the latest iPhone!) I’m a freelance writer and artist, and my wife works as a cook in a local restaurant.

On the flip side, since we don’t have a excellent public transit system, we spend more on transportation than we might in a different city. The Numbers Income: Mine: an average of $993 per month, pre-taxes.

Getting the Most From Living Less Really Looks

More importantly, hers: an average of $829 per month, post-taxes. That makes our monthly cash flow $1,822.

But these numbers are averages - when I looked at it the month-to-month, we were all over the map. Annual household income: Approximately $22,000.

Tips That Make a Difference

Remember that our monthly expenses currently average out to $1,995, which means that at least on average, we’re running a deficit of about $173 per month. Here’s how those expenses break down: Home Expenses $982 Rent: $650 Utilities: $332 Fixed Expenses $530 Internet: $79 Groceries: $400 Entertainment (Netflix and Amazon): $20 Phone: $31 Flexible Expenses $483 Pet requires: $90 Transportation (bus, cabs, etc): $134 Dining out: $179 Other household expenses: $80 What Surprised Me Honestly, the deficit shocked me.

I used to be impressive at budgeting, so much so that I’ve taught several friends how to do it. But since I started working for myself, I’ve been so busy that tracking my spending frequently falls by the wayside.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

As a rule, i knew that we had a couple genuinely rough months in the spring, but I honestly thought once everything was factored in, we’d be breaking even. To see that we aren’t proves to me that I require to allow more time for keeping track of my budget.

What You Don’t See These numbers are averages over the first half of 2017, which turned out to be six highly complicated months. In March, I had an illness that made me unable to work.

Is Living Less Really Looks Worth It?

In short, during that time, we also spent a lot more money on food, since I also wasn’t able to cook. In May, my wife took a new job, one that makes her a little less money, but also allows her to be home with our child more, so I can do more freelancing.

Ultimately, that decision has meant that our household pulls in more money per month than we did before, but that didn’t happen overnight. I’m on track to make more this month than any freelancing month so far, but we’re still playing catch-up.

Where the Real Savings Hide

Worth noting: while I’m glad that our financial status is improving, there’s still no denying that aspects are tight, and we’re one emergency away from getting genuinely behind again. What Makes Me Cringe Two aspects make me cringe.

The first is how much we are paying for internet. When we moved into our current house, we took an introductory rate, but the price has gone up and I haven’t looked into getting a reduce one.

A Closer Look at Living Less Really Looks

More importantly, looking at it as part of our larger budget, it seems genuinely ridiculous to be paying that much, when something can probably be done about it. The other cringe-worthy aspect is probably obvious, it’s how much we’re spending on eating out.

I knew we were prone to the occasional impulsive pizza delivery (especially when I’m on deadline) and I sometimes work at a local coffee shop, which also costs money, but these numbers reveal it has genuinely gotten out of hand. What Makes Me Proud When our kid was born in 2015, I lost my job, and my wife was attempting to support all three of us on a prep cook’s paycheck, and it just wasn’t possible.

What to Know About Living Less Really Looks

Remember that in 2016, I started writing professionally, and I started out making a maximum of $400 a month. The fact that I’m now making over double that - and half of our family income - is something I’m extremely proud of.

My work also enabled us to move from a highly unpleasant apartment into the house we’re in now, which is better for our entire family. I’m now finally able to think about my writing as a business, and I’m on track to make some large changes at the end of this year, which should make 2018 a lot less rocky.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I save money on living less really looks?

Compare prices across a few retailers, look for active coupon codes, and time bigger buys around sales events. As a low-income person and parent, I wanted to dig into my own family’s budget both for myself, and to provide people a little glimpse of what living on less genuinely looks like. (Hint: we don’t have the latest iPhone!)....

Is it worth shopping around for living less really looks?

Usually yes. On the flip side, since we don’t have a excellent public transit system, we spend more on transportation than we might in a different city.

What should I check before buying?

Read the terms, confirm any code still works, and factor in shipping or returns. The Numbers Income: Mine: an average of $993 per month, pre-taxes.

Smart Ways to Save More on Living Less Really Looks

• Stack a coupon code with an existing sale whenever the store allows it.
• Sign up for the retailer newsletter to catch first time and seasonal discounts.
• Compare the final price including shipping, not just the headline number.
• Check for student, military, or first order offers you may qualify for.
• Time non urgent purchases around major sale events for the deepest cuts.

Final Thoughts

The bottom line on living less really looks: a little research goes a long way. Compare your options, watch for seasonal offers, and never pay full price when a better deal is a click away.

Originally published at savingswitch.com.