How much money does it take to raise a family in your state?

TOP OF MIND

Money changes everything
According to nearly every single study ever published, the issue couples argue most about is money, namely because we don't have nearly enough of it.

But just how much does a typical family of 4 need to survive? Well, it depends on the state you live in.

The important bits:
In at least 12 U.S. states, a family of 4 needs to earn over $100,000 to achieve a living wage, which is the minimum income a family needs in order to follow the 50/30/20 budget, as outlined by the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

The idea being that 50% of your budget is spent on necessities such as housing and utilities, 30% goes into your discretionary fund and 20% is left for savings or investments.

Sounds nice, right? Unfortunately, everything is more expensive these days, so not many families can afford to put 20% into savings. According to a recent study, 58% of all Americans live paycheck to paycheck, which probably doesn't come as a surprise to you. After all, if you're reading this, chances are you’re the one doing the grocery shopping for your household. You know how much prices have gone up. Maybe you’ve even had to convince your kids that "Crispy Hexagons" taste just the same as Corn Chex, even though we all know that's not true.

And while it's bad for everyone, it's worse depending on the state you live in. Based on a study by GOBankingRates, the living wage for a family of 4 in Hawaii is $182,900.

Massachusetts ($142,341), California ($130,239), New York ($118,127) and Alaska ($113,079) round out the top five most expensive states.

The most affordable state? Mississippi, where you can get by on $73,381 a year. Not far behind are Oklahoma ($74,253) and Alabama ($75,724).

Find out how much you need in your state here.

What's it all mean?
Mississippi here we come! No, it just means we have to be even smarter with our money, such as brushing up on ways you can save at the grocery store, or checking out these 4 tips from a couples therapist on how to navigate the minefield that is talking to your partner about money.

DID YOU HEAR

Speaking of $$$
Illinois has become the first state in the U.S. to ensure child social media stars are fairly compensated for their work. The bill, which was signed into law and will go into effect in July of 2024, covers children under the age of 16 featured in monetized online platforms, including kids being highlighted in family vlogs.

The law will entitle these children to a percentage of earnings based on how often they appear in the videos that generate at least 10 cents per view. But to qualify, the content must have been filmed in Illinois and the children would have to be featured in at least 30% of the content in a 30-day period.

Clearly, the way to get around this law is to have as many children as possible. Then you can just have a recurring cast of characters that never actually qualify for payment! Or you could just not live in Illinois. The choice is yours.

Are parents happier than non-parents?
For decades now, studies have suggested that people without children are happier than those with children. And no doubt, you've probably heard your one child-free friend brag about how amazing their life is, citing the fact that they were able to binge watch The Sopranos in a single weekend as evidence.

But according to new research, kids aren't the problem here. In fact, studies have found parents have a greater sense of purpose and more meaningful social relationships because of their children.

The problem? Literally everything else.

Drunk drivers will pay child support in Texas
A new law just went into effect this past week in Texas, and it will require convicted drunk drivers to pay child support if they kill a child's parent or guardian. The offender will be required to make the payments until the child turns 18 or graduates from high school.

If they're unable to pay the restitution due to being in prison, they will be expected to start making payments "no later than the first anniversary" of the date of their release.

Hold your baby!
Science says there's no such thing as holding your baby too much. Instead, researchers have found touch is essential to a baby's development. And get this, research on mammal development has shown that primate babies would prefer physical closeness over trying to find food, which is pretty dang neat.

More baby holding fun facts here.

Alexa, add 112 water slides to my cart
A 5-year-old used Alexa to buy 23 remote control monster trucks, 112 water slides, 45 walkie-talkies and a $500 hot tub.

Whoops.

A DOSE OF GOOD

JUST FOR YOU

Bites: Even though fall feels like it’s still weeks away (hello 🥵), it is apple-picking season. Which means apple recipe season! Everyone should have a go-to scone recipe, and for us, this is it. You should also have a go-to muffin (this one is gluten, dairy, and refined-sugar-free) and bread recipe as well. Hey, we’re just looking out for you! After all, an apple a day keeps the doctor away. For lunch, try these bacon bleu cheese and apple flatbreads (maybe paired with a green salad) and for dinner give this stuffed squash a try (which can easily be made with or without the sausage).

Deals: Did you know it's baby month at Target? Through the month of September, the suburban mom sanctuary will release a new set of baby deals every Sunday, with discounts ranging from 15% to 40% (and in some cases more!) Most deals are online only though, so you will miss out on the sacred experience of actually being inside the store.

Betterments: You've probably heard of sleep apnea, but what about screen apnea? Yeah, it's a thing. A former Microsoft exec conducted an informal study of over 200 people and found that 80% of them either held their breath or altered their breathing while checking their emails. Apparently, we're all overstimulated. I mean, how many times have you found yourself going back and forth between your television screen, your computer screen and your phone screen? Even some fridges have screens now! And all these distractions are causing us to lose focus on our breathing. Consider this your daily reminder to breathe. And here are 9 breathing exercises to calm your soul.

HERE’S A QUESTION

Last week, we asked you to rate your parents' parenting skills using TV show comparisons, and believe it or not, there was a tie for first place between Friends (reliable and supportive, always there for me) and Breaking Bad (started with good intentions but took a dark turn over time) 😬

RECALLS

TheraBreath Kids Strawberry Splash Oral Rinse
Church & Dwight, the company behind the TheraBreath brand, initiated a voluntary recall of one lot of their Kids Strawberry Splash Oral Rinse after they discovered a microbial contamination due to the presence of yeast. Yuck.

The 16oz bottles were sold exclusively on Amazon between May 31st and September 2nd, 2023. As of right now, the company is not aware of any illnesses, and they claim the contamination poses no risk to healthy children. They do warn it could cause illness in children with compromised immune systems.

If you believe you may have the recalled product, you can confirm so here. They've made the process super easy for you, so kudos to them for that.

You can contact them at 1-800-981-4710.

And lastly…
We're happy to report Trader Joe's had no new food recalls this past week! Yay!