Mum breaks down in tears over living ‘paycheck-to-paycheck’ despite good wage

'I'm so stressed out, this isn't how it's supposed to be'

Mackenzie Moan, from Pennsylvania, juggle her full time job as a nurse with her studying for a PhD.

In a video on TikTok, she explained that even though her and her husband earn "good money," they are still living "paycheck-to-paycheck" and had only a few hundred dollars to last them two weeks after paying their bills.

Speaking through tears, Mackenzie said that she and her spouse, Steve, didn't 'live above their means,' yet they hardly had enough money to get by.

The health worker said: "I feel like my husband and I are doing everything right.

"We both have good jobs. I'm a registered nurse, I work full time, he works full time. 

"We just got paid this past Friday and we paid the mortgage, bought some groceries, put some gas in the car, and guys, it is Tuesday and we have like $200-$300 to last until next Friday."

She went on to say that the family of four "don't live in a big house, and that "somebody has to do something to change this."

Mackenzie continued: "I'm in school full time, I work full time, and he works more than full time, he works overtime every week. I don't know what to do. I'm so stressed out, this isn't how it's supposed to be."

The mum-of-two revealed she had been a "homeless drug addict" in the past, but that she turned her life around after deciding to study medicine at college.

At the time, she would tell herself "it will get better after I graduate and start working."

"I thought I'd be able to pay my bills and not have to check my bank account if my kids say: 'Mom, can we go to the movies this weekend?'" she continued.

"I thought we'd be comfortable and we're not, at all. Growing up we were told 'Go to college, get a degree, work to support your family.' Here we are. Did that, now what?"

Taking to the comments, many sympathised with Mackenzie and shared their support for her.

One person wrote: "I promise it’s not just you. It’s all of America."

Another said: "I make 6 figures and am STILL paycheck to paycheck! How in the hell?? I don't live beyond my means either. It is so depressing!"

A third commented: "There is the rich and the poor now... no middle class."

"As sad as this is, it feels good to not be alone," someone else added.

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