conversation: User (keejwalton): "Hi!\n\nTLDR:I am trying to plan available income and would like some advice and perspective on things am likely missing. Also need some solid advice on used car shopping\n \nStarting with an annual income of 40,000 and applied it to a state tax website that roughly said 5600$ a year in taxes. I divided that by 12 and came up with 467 for monthly cost.  Being conservative subtracting 500 from my monthly income of 3200 I end up at 2700. I believe SS and medicare come out to be about 250, bring me down to 2450.  Once the child has arrived I believe health insurance in total will be about 350.  Bringing my total available income a month to 2100.  Of my 2100 available how much should I realistically be spending on rent, transportation and savings? \n\nMy initial idea: if I was renting with utilities and internet at 1300, paying 200 a month for car, that is too high for my current income, as much as i'd like it correct?  600$ for all additional expenses including food and savings seems very low.\n\nSo back to the drawing board I am not sure how much I can realistically lower rent, maybe 100 or 200 if I am lucky.  But for the  car and most likely no down payment I am going to have to look at used to very used to get below 200. If I could get rent to 1100 with internet and utilities and car to 100.  That would leave a good chunk for food, flexible income and hopefully savings as much as possible.  \n\nI feel like if I am lucky rent will be 1000$ with utilities &amp; internet for a small little studio. Not sure how this would be with baby.  I may have to grab a second job just due to the facts of my situation however time is so important to me with my girl and future child I'd really like to avoid it but the reality may not allow for it.  \n\n\nThe above covers it, but with out going into too much detail, here are the general details of my situation:\n\n1)Single income family(to be married soon.. no debt, 400$ in savings)\n\n2)Baby on the way in about 7ish months\n\n3)High cost of living city (expecting rent to be around 900-1200 for a studio or 1br, plan on moving in together maybe around sept-oct) Moving might be an option and the best one but for now let's presume its not because it may be unrealistic for a year or 2 at least for various reasons(most of all family)\n\n4)Currently I have a fairly heavy car payment on a lease relative to my income(300 a month) that is also going to have to be traded in because it only has two seats.  I am estimating 1000$ owed on trade if I trade-in in the next 3 months(mileage, trade in fee, wear and tear).\n\n6) My parents will continue to pay for my gas, car insurance, and mobile phone which is a big help - but I was living at home. So for the foreseeable future I am lucky to not have to account for these, however I may have to pick up my girl's plan. ~50$?\n\n7) I have a 320$ a month obligation until end of feb 2019.\n\n8) Internet is a requirement to live, without it we all will cease to exist. ~60$ I think\n\n9) I have good credit (~750 last I checked)\n\nThanks for reading, what am I missing, what do you recommend, how can I not starve?"
  Self: "You need to get a second job as soon as possible. Getting married might not be in your best interest. Your girlfriend/fiancee should apply for WIC and Medicaid, if she doesn't qualify now, then at least when she quits working (assuming she is currently working). Medicaid/WiC might be better than being legally married from a financial angle. 30% take home is the rule of thumb for rent, so $630 using your $2100 number. You should be saving 15%. Don't finance another car. Give back the lease, pay the $1000 and then go buy something used with cash from the second job you are going to get by the end of this month. \n\nSomething significant is going to have to happen in your life in order for the 3 of you not to be living in poverty. I don't know if that means living with a parent long term, getting a better job, getting a second/third job, your girlfriend/fiancee not being a stay at home parent or moving to a lower cost of living city. Just reading your circumstances gave me anxiety. \n\nedit: rent changed to 630"
  