How Rising Housing and Child Costs Effect Households

🎯 The Pain Is Real, Even With a “Good” Income

Maybe your household brings in $125,000 or even $180,000.

On paper, that should mean security. But in reality, you are drained by increasing mortgage payments, rising childcare costs, and the pressure to maintain a lifestyle that appears successful, even when your bank account says otherwise.

This is the silent struggle for many upper middle class families in 2025.

📊 The Real Numbers Behind the Strain

According to recent data:

• Housing now consumes 40 to 50 percent of income for many professionals in cities like Tulsa, Dallas, and Denver

• Childcare expenses in Oklahoma have increased by over 25 percent in the last five years

• Private school tuition, extra curriculars, and food inflation widen the financial gap
  (source)

Even dual-income families feel financially stretched.

🧩 Why High Earners Still Struggle

• Higher income often brings higher fixed costs such as mortgages, insurance, and school tuition

• Many families are too busy to manage a financial system that grows with them

• Decisions are made in reaction to expenses rather than from a long-term plan

You may be doing everything "right," but if your framework is weak, the outcome will always feel uncertain.

✝️ Biblical Wisdom for Financial Pressure

Isaiah 32:8 says,
“But the noble make noble plans, and by noble deeds they stand.”

Upper middle class families may look stable from the outside, but without noble plans and clear financial stewardship, the pressure becomes overwhelming.

🛠️ Coaching That Changes the Equation

At Lionhood Financial, we guide high earners and faith-based families to:

• Rebuild their financial plan around values and vision

• Create long-term strategies for childcare, education, and housing costs

• Maximize tax benefits, deductions, and structured income planning

• Automate saving, giving, and building financial margin

This is not about restricting spending. It’s about taking full control with clarity and purpose.

✅ Three Immediate Steps to Regain Control

1. Reassess your housing-to-income ratio
   If it exceeds 35 percent, consider refinancing or restructuring your budget

2. Track childcare and education costs
   Use automation tools to manage seasonal or rising expenses

3. Convert fixed costs to flexible options where possible
   Identify two or three areas that can be shifted to variable or seasonal plans

📣 Real Clients, Real Results

“We thought we were doing well until we looked at the numbers. Coaching gave us a game plan, not just a budget.”
— Tulsa client, two children, dual-income household

“We’re now saving 20 percent more than last year with less stress.”
— Remote client, physician household

📞 Feeling the Pressure? There’s a Better Way Forward

If your income is high but your systems are weak, now is the time to act.
Schedule a free discovery session and gain control over your finances with peace and clarity.

👉 Book your session with Lionhood Financial

Verse of the Week

“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.” — Proverbs 16:3