Considering rent or mortgages alone takes a vast percentage of many people’s paychecks before you factor in things like student loan and medical debts, most people cannot.
And I have no idea how you can even live on $40k a year in a major city unless you’re eating beans and rice with every meal and living in a studio apartment with 4 other people.
Median income here is in the mid $60’s. I’m definitely poor, but I do save some money.
I live alone, and cook basically all my meals. Eating out and processed foods from a grocery store are both too pricey for more than once or twice a month. Mostly buy meat and fresh produce because carbs tend to give me stomach issues in large amounts.
Unfortunately, I am disabled. So while I have insurance, I cannot afford to see a specialist as regularly as I should. To be fair, this is out of network and like $700/month on top of my existing premiums and HSA contributions.
If nothing too crazy happens in the next year, I’ll be able to change jobs and get my medical care back in network, meaning I don’t need to ration doctor’s visits for my disability. If nothing happens in 2 or 3, I’ll have my emergency savings in a very good place. If nothing happens in 5, I might pay cash for my next car.
After that, fuck it. I’ll be financially stable, I’ll have another decade before I have a planned major expense like a car, and home ownership is a pipe dream here anyways. Last I looked, they start around $400k, which would mean coming up with about $180,000 for my down payment lol
Edit: Since you brought it up specifically, my rent and utilities is about $1200. I live in a very old building in a shitty neighborhood. The jail is right across the street, so there’s enough of a police presence to keep it safe. It is clean, but my landlord is fucking terrible and I have to sue or threaten to sue to get anything fixed.
Considering rent or mortgages alone takes a vast percentage of many people’s paychecks before you factor in things like student loan and medical debts, most people cannot.
And I have no idea how you can even live on $40k a year in a major city unless you’re eating beans and rice with every meal and living in a studio apartment with 4 other people.
Median income here is in the mid $60’s. I’m definitely poor, but I do save some money.
I live alone, and cook basically all my meals. Eating out and processed foods from a grocery store are both too pricey for more than once or twice a month. Mostly buy meat and fresh produce because carbs tend to give me stomach issues in large amounts.
Unfortunately, I am disabled. So while I have insurance, I cannot afford to see a specialist as regularly as I should. To be fair, this is out of network and like $700/month on top of my existing premiums and HSA contributions.
If nothing too crazy happens in the next year, I’ll be able to change jobs and get my medical care back in network, meaning I don’t need to ration doctor’s visits for my disability. If nothing happens in 2 or 3, I’ll have my emergency savings in a very good place. If nothing happens in 5, I might pay cash for my next car.
After that, fuck it. I’ll be financially stable, I’ll have another decade before I have a planned major expense like a car, and home ownership is a pipe dream here anyways. Last I looked, they start around $400k, which would mean coming up with about $180,000 for my down payment lol
Edit: Since you brought it up specifically, my rent and utilities is about $1200. I live in a very old building in a shitty neighborhood. The jail is right across the street, so there’s enough of a police presence to keep it safe. It is clean, but my landlord is fucking terrible and I have to sue or threaten to sue to get anything fixed.
Sorry that you have to go through all of that. I’m dealing with a mystery illness right now which involves food, so I understand.