SJSinNYC:
Lets talk Cincinnati or Cleveland. Knock 600$ off the apartment rental (No more then a two bedroom, with two bunkbeds and two children on the pull-out couch).
40K with 6 children will get a decent (net) refund on taxes, call it 4K (50K with 2 kids pays nothing except FICA), call it 46K
Kollel pays 10K, assume that is full parsonage (no taxes, pays for housing). Tutoring/camp rebbe will pay another 5-7K (on or off). Up to 52K after housing.
Health (if they don’t get medicaid, which many kollel couple do and don’t claim it is “gov. help”) lets agree. I think the number is too low.
800$ on food is too small for an OOT kollel family, but can be done if the sacrifice (and if they go to parents for yom tov, it will be less).
So out of 4K per month, they have spent 9+8+5=2.2K
Auto (yeshivish) & gas (insurance is very cheap in Ohio) lets add 200$ per month.
saving for simchos 500$ per month.
Life insurance 100$ per month.
Clothing 200$ per month
we are still “only” at about 3.2K per month, while the couple is making 4K.
I may have forgotten some expenses, feel free to add.