I'm so confused. In the United States being under the poverty line means making under 24k for a household. My parents make around 80k together but were poorer than everyone else. We live in a broken down country house, literally the lowest standard of house possible, cars need repairing, we have no food, my parents can never go on vacation literally never, I don't have enough clothes to wear, as a kid I heard the word no more than a serial rapist.
How the fuck does it get this bad I don't think my parents have a drug habit or anything. My entire life we've always been poorer than all my peers. I still have Windows made of wood for fuck sake. The last time I had a job my parents literally took every single paycheck I got. Being this poor pretty much gave me a minority state of mind but I'm white so it doesn't work. I can't even have people over because I'm so embarrassed of my house.
Your parents most likely spend money on the stupidest shit. Food, cigarettes, alcohol all add up
>>17352987
either:
your parents are spending that 80k on luxuries that you dont know about
they are in crippling debt and havnt told you
they dont make 80k
>Being this poor pretty much gave me a minority state of mind but I'm white so it doesn't work
kek
>>17353028
I know they have crippling debt but Jesus we live in rags
>>17353498
Wonder how you guys got into debt making 80k a year.
What the fuck aren't you able to pay off?
I'm a strong believer that credit cards and loans are for the weak minded.
Why would you ever purchase something you cannot afford at the time of purchase?
>>17353505
My parents were low wage earners for a long time until a few years ago I think they went from 40k a year to 80k
You need to take cost of living into account as well. 80k in SF is very, very different than in the Midwest.
>>17353521
40k is still a reasonable enough income to live very comfortably unless you're a full retard financially.
>>17353498
That's the only answer you need. Debt spirals out of control, even for people who seem to make "enough." They probably have years, possibly decades of interest-heavy debt history. The longer you take to pay it off, the more interest accumulates, and suddenly you are in a hole you can never climb out of unless you claim bankruptcy or win the lottery and can pay it all off at once.
So... yeah, your parents are really stupid and typical poor people. Got into too much debt. Now they'll live with it.
Learn from their mistakes and never do what they did.
>>17353531
But everyone tells me to go in debt and go to college especially if I want to live this rural nascaresque hillbilly shit hole
>>17353535
Everyone tells me I should smoke weed, but I have a brain of my own and don't do what others tell me I "should."
College is good. Debt is always bad. Never go into debt. Go to college only if you can manage to do so without taking on debt. That means federal and state financial aid, community college and a full time job. Then work your way to a cheap state university, transfer with straight A's, get scholarships and make up the rest of the cost in state/federal aide and the money you earn from working.
>it's so haaaard
Yeah, life's hard. I did it. I have no debt. Life's fuckin' great.
>>17353535
see>>17353505
"Why would you ever purchase something you cannot afford at the time of purchase?"
Everyone thinks you have to go to college directly after highschool or you will never get to go to college or something.
You can get a job. You can save money. And believe it or not, you can pay for college and avoid debt entirely.
You want a car? Buy that 600 beater and drive the piss out of it for the next 2 years. You just saved 300 bucks every month which you could easily put towards that really nice car you wanted to go into debt for, clean and clear. No interest.
>>17352987
> My parents make around 80k together but were poorer than everyone else.
That white powder that your parents put up their nose every night? It's not sinus medicine.
> but I'm white so it doesn't work.
Sure is summer in here.
