How am I supposed to support a family when I can barely pay my bills?

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Dec 08, 2005 |Candice Watters

One of the reasons why young people want to balance their work life before they marry is that they want to be financially stable!

How am I supposed to support a family when I can barely afford to pay my bills? I think this is a HUGE reason young Americans want to be financially stable before they marry. Times have changed; the cost of living has skyrocketed. Who wouldn't want to be able to pay their bills, let alone "save" before trying to start and support a family.

I feel it's not a "devaluation of marriage" that causes the delay, but over-inflated costs of living.


Thanks for writing. To all those who may be delaying marriage so they can achieve financial stability, I would remind them that two can live more economically than one. A newly married couple paying for one apartment, can make their money go further than two singles, both working, renting two. There's a pragmatic reason to marry.

Also, it's been shown that married men earn more, on average, than single men do. I know from personal experience that our financial picture improved after we got married, probably due in part to the fact that as we've gotten older and more experienced, we're able to earn more. And those higher earnings started around the time we started having children.

It's understandable, and admirable, that a young groom wants to have a steady job. Sadly, too many singles put off marriage for an elusive goal of financial stability: something most people pursue their whole lives. Financial responsibility is part of living lives that please God, but not at the expense of all His other commands.

In addition to being good stewards, He tells us to marry. He tells young men to pursue marriage (Proverbs 18:22) and couples to be fruitful and multiply (Genesis 9:7); He calls children a reward (Psalm 127:3). Even if those things never add to your balance sheet, they enrich your life in ways the dollar never will.

May God increase your capacity to courageously embrace the whole of living.


Copyright 2005 Candice Watters. All rights reserved.



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