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How To Survive On A Teachers Salary

Wondering how to survive on a teacher's salary? Unfortunately, teachers aren't usually paid near what they are worth. In many cases, you only receive pay for 10 or 11 months out of the year, meaning that you will have a month or two (usually during summer months) that you do not receive a check. Since the annual salary isn't usually all that high to begin with, it can be tough. In this article, you will learn how to survive on a teacher's salary so that you can not only make ends meet, you can live comfortably year round.

1. Consider a summer or seasonal job. If you find it hard to save a portion of the pay you receive during the 10 or 11 months that you do receive a pay check, consider working for those months that you do not get a check. Working a simple job such as sales clerk or customer service will often help you make it over the hump, until you start receiving a check again.

2. Make a list of your monthly expenses. Analyzing your expenses can help you save some of that money during the months you do receive a check. Your family may spend an extra $100 or more each month on things that aren't necessary such as flavored coffee on the way to work, text messaging on cell phones, etc. Also take a close look at your utilities to determine if there are ways to save in that area. You might put your entire family on one cell phone plan, determine ways to save on your electric bill, or even take away those "premium" satellite channels. You can also shop for cheaper insurance rates for your home, car, etc.

3. Save a portion of each pay check if possible. Even though you may think there is no way you can put some of your pay back each month, it's easier than it seems. Try to put 10 to 12% back each month; for example, if you normally bring home $3000 per month, put back $300 or $350 per month. At the end of 10 or 11 months, you have a good cushion to fall back on for those months you won't receive a check.

4. Avoid using credit cards by paying cash for your purchases. Often, people don't realize how much money they really do spend (or waste) during a week’s time. Make a list of all of the things you will need to pay for during the week, and hold that amount out of your check in cash. You will quickly see that there are a few expenses that can be eliminated! As an added bonus, you won’t be racking up interest charges on your credit card.

5. Combine these methods. If you can put back even a small portion of your check and do away with unnecessary expenses throughout the year, you will likely make it through those 1 or 2 months that you do not get paid without too much stress.

These tips will help you in determining how to survive on a teacher's salary. Each individual is different, but you may find that putting your creativity to work helps you find even more ways to make ends meet every month of the year.