My name is Sandra, I’m 36 years old, I’m from Guadalajara, I live in Koreatown (Los Angeles) with my husband and my two kids, and since 2023 our whole family lives VERY well on $1,400-$1,600 dollars a month.
And no, we are not bitter cheapskates: we go out to the park, eat steak on Sundays, the kids have Nintendo Switch and this year we even went to Disneyland (paid in cash).
Here is the exact plan being followed by thousands of Latino families in California, Texas, Florida and New York in 2025.
Housing – $0 or $500 maximum
- Rent Room or “room with family” in homes of paisanos: $400-$500 all inclusive (water, electricity, internet, washing machine).
Search the Facebook groups “Cuartos en renta Los Angeles sin depósito” or “Cuartos baratos Dallas”. - If there are 4 or more: rent a 2 bedroom apartment with 2-3 other adults and split: each one pays $420-$550.
Result: I never pay more than $480 a month to live in a good area.
2. Meals – $250-$300 a month for 4 persons
- Shop 99 Cents Only stores, Grocery Outlet and Aldi’s clearance sales on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
- Meat: buy the “family pack” of chicken ($0.67 lb) and ground beef ($2.49 lb) when on special.
- Tortillas: the lady on the corner sells 50 warm tortillas for $5, they last all week in the fridge.
- Make weekly menu and cook double: one day pozole, the other reheated with egg.
Breakfast every day: oatmeal with banana + coffee = $0.35 per person.
3. Transportation – $0-$80 per month
- Second hand bike on OfferUp ($30-$50) + helmet = daily commute to work and school.
- Or use the “church rideshare” or with neighbors who go to the same place (they pay $5-$10 per week).
- If you need a car: buy a 2008-2012 Honda Civic for $2,800-$3,800 cash and spend $60 a month on gas.
4. Cellular and Internet – $0-$25 per month
- Lifeline + ACP (government program): FREE phone + unlimited data (many paisanos qualify).
- If you do not qualify: Mint Mobile family 4 lines $15 each = $60 total, divided by 4 = $15 per person.
5. Children’s clothing and stuff – almost $0
- Facebook groups “Everything Free Los Angeles” or “Free Clothes for Kids”.
- Tianguis on Sundays: brand name clothing at $1-$3 per garment.
- Shoes: Ross Dress for Less on Tuesdays (extra 10% off).
6. Fun and outings – spending almost nothing
- Free parks every weekend + picnic (we bring grilled chicken and tortillas).
- Public libraries: toys, books, free English classes and movies on Saturdays.
- Cinema: Regal Cinemas on Tuesdays $5 a ticket (we go once a month).
- Disneyland: we save $50 a month in a piggy bank and pay in cash once a year.
7. The secret that saves the most money: the family batch
10 people (family and compadres) put in $100 every Friday. Each week one gets the $1,000.
In 10 weeks we all have an extra $1,000 interest free. With that we pay for emergencies or vacations.
My actual budget for December 2025
- Fourth: $480
- Meal: $290
- Transportation (bike + shared gasoline): $65
- Cell phones: $0 (Lifeline)
- Electricity/water/gas: included in the room
- Entertainment: $80
Total: $1,415
Family income: $2,800 → we saved $1,385 this month.
It’s not suffering, it’s being smart.
We eat well, the children are happy, we sleep peacefully and we are building our future without debt.
If you too are tired of your paycheck going to rent and bills, start tomorrow with just one thing from this list.
In six months your bank account will thank you… and you’ll sleep like never before.
– Sandra
Proud Latina mom who lives better on $1,400 than she used to on $4,000. 💪🏽❤️
Conoce mas sobre todas aplicaciones para conseguir casas para limpiar por tu cuenta lee nuestra guía al respecto.
