"Drive 50–60 Km From The Ring Road, And You'll Discover A Whole New World."

A heated debate has erupted in Belarus over whether it is possible to get by on 1,500 rubles a month.

“How is it possible to get by in Belarus on 1,500? What do you eat? Gold?”—this post by a resident of Lida sparked a heated discussion on “Treds,” writes “Solidarnast”.

“Is that all you do—just eat? Don’t you have any other needs?” the author of the post was asked.

Belarusians were divided into two camps. For some, a 1,500-ruble salary covers utilities, food, and leaves nothing to save. Others believe that’s enough for a family.

“I live in a 120-square-meter apartment, and my utility bill in the winter is only 300 rubles—and that includes electrical appliances and gas heating—and 1,500 is enough to feed a family of five. Full breakfast, lunch, and dinner.”

“I have a two-room apartment. My utility bills in the winter—including all installments, phone bills, and internet (basically, mandatory monthly payments)—come to 250–270 rubles.

I spend about 500 rubles on food. I spend the rest on myself or save it for a vacation. And if you live in a small provincial town, you’ll need even less.”

“I’d even say that’s just the communal apartment, extracurricular activities, school, and my child’s school meals—but what about food and clothes?”

“Right, no clothes, no shoes, no backpacks... A communal apartment and a hedgehog (a blanket).”

“Come on. Look at people’s pensions. They manage to get by somehow; they pay their communal apartment bills.”

If you’ve managed to have a house, modern renovations, new furniture, a car less than five years old, kids with their clubs, swings, and merry-go-rounds—all on that kind of money—and you fly to the seaside at least once every three years, then you’re a financial genius.

“Well, look. Utilities are 300. Internet and phone are 100. Manicure, pedicure, and hair coloring for 250 at a basic salon, plus 200 for gas. I have two cats. That’s at least 100 a month for them. Miscellaneous household expenses: 150 rubles. Total: 1,100.

And that’s without groceries or even just buying something for yourself! Can you buy gold with the remaining 400 a month? A gram of gold costs almost 400 rubles in a store. One gram! In case you didn’t know. That’s what I wrote to one person—who isn’t sick and doesn’t have a child!”

Of course, it’s possible to get by. My husband’s parents will slaughter a pig and send over vegetables; my wife’s parents will send berries, fruit preserves, and eggs.

My brothers and sisters will give the kids clothes. That covers part of the expenses. And it’s entirely possible to get by. But not everyone has relatives like that.

Photographer Vera, inspired by a post from a Lidchany resident, wrote on Threads: “How and where should one live so that this would be more than enough for a grown man? What are his hobbies? What kind of women is he in relationships with?”

She received the following response:

“The man lives a home-work-home routine, with both places within walking distance; he lives alone (in an inherited home) or with his mom. He buys pasta with sausages and instant coffee on sale at Eureka.

Once every couple of years, he buys a basic cell phone on an installment plan. His “pastimes” include drinking beer on a bench and watching TV. He has neither hobbies nor aspirations. He’s in relatively good health. So what’s missing? He has more than enough.”

A man earning 1,800 rubles responded in the comments:

“I live in my own apartment, I don’t use delivery services or taxis, I don’t own a car, I’m single, I have no bad habits, and I don’t drink coffee. My basic expenses come to about 800 rubles (utilities + internet + cleaning supplies + food). And I don’t buy food at the market—I have a great diet for that money, and I’ve never even looked at sales. I can even treat myself to pizza a few times a month, or eat shawarma every day if I wanted to, but I usually cook for myself.

Sometimes I spend a little more in a month, but overall, I could spend even less. If I cut out the pizza, 650 rubles is more than enough. I send the rest to my parents and keep some for myself for entertainment, clothes, gifts, games, and other things.

I even have some left over to save, and if I urgently need to buy an electronic device, I just spend the entire balance on it.”

How to Live on 100 Rubles a Month

The author of the comment admitted that a few years ago, just for fun, he decided to live on 100 rubles a month:

“I’m talking specifically about food; everything else was covered. It was tough, but not that bad. Plus, I was losing weight back then, so going hungry was actually good for me. I had a total of 25 rubles for the whole week; with that money, I’d buy two cartons of milk, oatmeal, tea, apples, two packages of pelmeni, and a large pack of waffles.

Or pasta and sausages instead of pelmeni, or pre-cooked cutlets. It was modest, not particularly healthy, and my diet was lacking in many things, but it was livable. But I’ll say it again: I already had various spices at home, so I didn’t spend any money on them. Now I spend 100 a week on food—it’s enough for everything.”

Step outside your Minsk apartment, drive 50–60 km from the ring road, and you’ll discover a whole new, wonderful world where entire families live on 1,500 rubles.

“There’s no need to leave Minsk—junior medical staff in hospitals <earn> a maximum of 1,000 rubles.”

“They get by. There’s nowhere else to go. But that doesn’t mean it’s exactly normal.” There are those who get by on even less money. But they work in their vegetable gardens, or at their parents’ dachas, or go out to pick berries, mushrooms, and so on. Yes, their children won’t have any paid extracurricular classes, sports teams, or tutors. The kids will only ever see pictures of the ocean online. They’ll wear hand-me-downs. If that’s a parent’s dream, then they’re a lousy parent, I’ll tell you that.”

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