How do you afford it?

amother

Olive

Wed, Jul 20 2016, 6:16 am

MamaBear wrote:

I agree. The hardworking people I know with average jobs and no family wealth live at the near poverty level.This is just not fair. And I have an older son with learning disabilities and I wonder how he will ever hold a regular job, let alone one to pay for all this. Even if you live a very "simple" frum life, with shul membership, bare minimum tuition, kosher food, simchas to pay for (brissim, bar mitzvahs) etc etc it adds up to way more than non frum people pay for their day to day lives. I feel sick to my stomach worrying how my children will make it. We have enough that we personally do not struggle but not enough to pass on to them to take away their own struggle.

Aside from tuition (other than that, Mrs. Lincoln how did you enjoy the play?) it's not frumkeit that costs money. It's living in a certain social setting according to certain cultural norms.

Tuition needs to be addressed communally, big time. But I'm guessing that even without it, people would be living above their means.

And let's admit that if you marry and have children young, but enter the work force late (often without a degree) the cards are stacked against you.

losingweight

Wed, Jul 20 2016, 7:54 am

Can you make changes in your lifestyle to save money? How about wic for formula? Maybe you can get an insurance that's less expensive and covers your creams. Talk to the school. Explain your predicament. Work out a tuition amount you can and will pay monthly. They may surprise you and accept your children.

amother

Denim

Wed, Jul 20 2016, 12:36 pm

amother wrote:

im a ba'al teshuva, and I regret becoming religious. No one EVER told me how expensive this lifestyle is. We are both hardworking and do decently, but tuition (and kosher food, and preparing for Yom tovim [however simply] and living by a shul and being a member of a shul) is absolutely killing us. We can't get ahead. We will never get ahead. Religious Judaism is for the rich, I've decided. At this point I'm committed to this exhorbitant life, however simply we live it, but if I had it to do over again I....wouldn't.

I hear you. I keep asking my husband where in the Torah does it say Thou Shalt Be Rich.