You realize that minimum wage is $7.25/hr. That's $290/wk or $15,080 per year working full time 40 hrs/wk. $10/hr is $400/wk or $20,800 per year. I know a few people that work hourly jobs and support a family. The spouse does not work because child care for the children would cost more than that person could bring in by working. So, they struggle along. Even in this area. I knew someone who came to the soup kitchen that I work at because their paycheck primarily went to the rent and some basic expenses (like occcasional clothes from the thrift store, etc). They could only get by because they got meals at the soup kitchen.

Areas with cheap houses like yhat also have low wages. Theres a reason the housing is so cheap...no one wants to live there. My brother packed up his family to move to kansas to buy an $8,000 house. Ten years later he wanted out so bad he bought a house back home sight unseen.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/957-Elmira-St_Mobile_AL_36604_M82071-38990?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/176-Forbes-St_Amsterdam_NY_12010_M42626-68760?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/5134-Tennis-Court-Cir_Tampa_FL_33617_M54554-17276?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2317-Carling-Dr-Unit-3_Madison_WI_53711_M84606-26361?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/20-Mobile-Ave_Chelmsford_MA_01824_M36562-61720?source=web

These are for sale. Not rent.

Sadly some of these look like north arlington and my mclean neighborhoods 600k homes. The south seems more affordable.

Anonymous wrote:http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/957-Elmira-St_Mobile_AL_36604_M82071-38990?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/176-Forbes-St_Amsterdam_NY_12010_M42626-68760?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/5134-Tennis-Court-Cir_Tampa_FL_33617_M54554-17276?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2317-Carling-Dr-Unit-3_Madison_WI_53711_M84606-26361?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/20-Mobile-Ave_Chelmsford_MA_01824_M36562-61720?source=web

These are for sale. Not rent.

Sadly some of these look like north arlington and my mclean neighborhoods 600k homes. The south seems more affordable.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Called the poverty line for a reason. If you are at that point you are in actual poverty. Not just having trouble making ends meet.

I agree. OP, what do you mean by "struggling"? How many days a week do you and your daughter go without food, because you can't afford it? Do you frequently need to choose between washing your hair, and brushing your teeth--because you can't afford both toothpaste and shampoo? Do you stuff rags in the walls/floors of your home because there are holes and you can't afford to get them repaired?

OP here. What I mean by "struggling" is that my credit is not good. A roof over my head and food on the table are my priorities. I have both toothpaste and shampoo and running water to use them with, thank god. I don't have to stuff rags in the walls/floors of my home because I rent and maintenance is good, but I'll probably be a lifelong renter, because, as I said, my credit is not good.

I think you misunderstood the intent of my post. What I meant is that NO ONE in this country should have to live the way you describe. What I meant is that it's virtually impossible to NOT live the way you describe with an income of $22K for a family of four.

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/957-Elmira-St_Mobile_AL_36604_M82071-38990?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/176-Forbes-St_Amsterdam_NY_12010_M42626-68760?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/5134-Tennis-Court-Cir_Tampa_FL_33617_M54554-17276?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/2317-Carling-Dr-Unit-3_Madison_WI_53711_M84606-26361?source=web

http://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/20-Mobile-Ave_Chelmsford_MA_01824_M36562-61720?source=web

These are for sale. Not rent.

Anonymous wrote:Called the poverty line for a reason. If you are at that point you are in actual poverty. Not just having trouble making ends meet.

I agree. OP, what do you mean by "struggling"? How many days a week do you and your daughter go without food, because you can't afford it? Do you frequently need to choose between washing your hair, and brushing your teeth--because you can't afford both toothpaste and shampoo? Do you stuff rags in the walls/floors of your home because there are holes and you can't afford to get them repaired?

Here's some more information about the report that was referred to:

http://www.pbs.org/newshour/businessdesk/2012/09/its-official-inequality-still-1.html

No offense, but you can buy a home in FL for $38,000. Imagine what rent is in small towns like that. If the median income in America is $44K then $22K actually sounds high for the poverty line. I thought it was $13K

Anonymous wrote:That's still about 5 times more than average income in my home country. People still live there.

And it's also like comparing apples and oranges.

That's still about 5 times more than average income in my home country. People still live there.

I made less than $11,000 my first year out of college. I was living in a home with 16 roommates (not joking, it was special housing for interns--we were crammed in like sardines), worked 40 hours a weeks as an unpaid intern and waited tables at night. I could barely afford my rent and ate whatever food I could snag from the restaurant. I took advantage of a tax service offered to low-income residents and went to one of their specialists to have my taxes prepared--not that taxes for my measly income was difficult, but I was hoping that I would be told by a professional that I earned so little that I was exempt or something. Nope. The poverty line for an individual was $8000--at least that's what she said. This was in 2003.

That is insane! I made $25K right out of college with no debt, and I barely got by. And that was just me...15 years ago! And I wasn't in DC.

Called the poverty line for a reason. If you are at that point you are in actual poverty. Not just having trouble making ends meet.

Anonymous wrote:Just saw this on NBC news and this was the statistic they cited. In what universe? I make $50K for me and DD and am struggling. Please don't say "DC is more expensive." 22K in ANY place in this country for four people is ridiculous. Anybody making only that... I just wonder how that family could survive.

Yes. It is absurd. So is the minimum wage.

Just saw this on NBC news and this was the statistic they cited. In what universe? I make $50K for me and DD and am struggling. Please don't say "DC is more expensive." 22K in ANY place in this country for four people is ridiculous. Anybody making only that... I just wonder how that family could survive.