Single Dog Dad Says People Who Complain About ‘Two Incomes Not Being Enough’ Are Probably Just Living Beyond Their Means
Maybe his dog should get a job.
Alena Darmel / Pexels The fact that life is wildly expensive is a well-worn narrative. It’s harder than ever for people to make ends meet. Even if they’re working full time, it sometimes just isn’t enough due to a heady mix of inflation, astronomical interest rates, and the high cost of living in most U.S. cities.
Yet there are always people willing to play devil’s advocate to others’ lived experiences, and those people are usually men.
A single dog dad said people who complain about ‘two incomes not being enough’ are probably just living beyond their means.
Leonidas Miller responded to a TikTok post from a woman explaining how she and her husband are still broke, despite working over 40 hours a week and making “more money than we’ve ever made before.”
“We still struggle between every paycheck,” the woman exclaimed. “We spend hours, every single Friday when we get paid, trying to figure out what we can cut back, trying to budget every penny we have.”
“You’re lying,” Miller declared in an eloquent reaction. “Something’s not right.”
“There’s part of these stories that y’all never say,” he continued. “Say where you live. Say what exactly your jobs are and how much money y’all make. Give us more details.”
“I’m a single guy,” he said. “It’s just me and my dog. But you know what? I spend money like I have children. I go out to eat all the time. I’ve literally been to festivals and concerts every weekend this month. I’ve traveled here, I’ve traveled there… I spend money.”
Yet through the act of describing how he supposedly spends money like he has kids to support, Miller proved how far from being a parent he actually is, as most parents aren’t going to festivals with their children or paying to travel the world.
They’re paying for groceries, a cost which has gone up significantly. They’re paying for daycare, which costs as much as college. They’re faced with surprise medical costs and having to take time off work when their kids are sick, which is something a dog dad doesn’t have to do.
Zen Chung / Pexels
“I’m paying two mortgages right now,” Miller said. So, my thing is, where exactly do you live? What are you doing? And what are the bills you’re not talking about? Because I have student loans, credit cards, all that jazz, and a car note. Like I said, I have two mortgages, and it’s just me.”
Miller declined to share where he lives or how much income he pulls in, the same questions he asked of people with two incomes who say they’re not enough.
He didn't share whether or not he had help from his family to buy his two houses, or when he bought them, which affects how high his mortgage payments are. He didn't reveal anything about his own financial background, yet tells others they should reveal theirs.
“If I actually had a partner that actually wanted to, I don’t know, work, and [expletive] make another paycheck, what we would be doing would be crazy,” he said, again reinforcing the fact that he doesn’t have small mouths to feed.
Farzin Yarahmadi / Pexels
“There’s more to this story every time I hear people talk like this,” he said. “What are you not saying? Like, did you live beyond your means and you’re having to make up for it now? To me, it’s just not gonna add up.”
The concept of “living beyond your means” holds a sense of judgment. It ignores the reality that so many people live in, which is that their income doesn’t match their basic survival needs.
In order to push forward in the world, we often spend money we don’t actually have, like when pursuing higher education to better our work opportunities.
Miller is essentially talking over people sharing their experiences, asking them to justify how they live, as though the answer to that question makes up for the fact that we’re all out here without a safety net, just trying not to drown.
Alexandra Blogier is a writer on YourTango's news and entertainment team. She covers social issues, pop culture analysis and all things to do with the entertainment industry.