No, it’s not. Having to use a budget and not spending whatever you want on anything you want at any time is not poverty. Fuck off with this.
this post was submitted on 09 Dec 2025
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The answer is NO, it's not. However, to be completely fair, I've bookmarked the "supporting materials" to give it a review later when I have a little more time.
As someone who grew up in a family actually straggling the poverty line, there's simply 0% chance that any family anywhere in this country is living in poverty with that kind of income. It's well above what most households are bringing in, and while there may be a limited subset of circumstances where that money isn't sufficient, that's not what poverty is.
And I read through some of the comments in this thread -- Assuming they've come from real humans not pushing an agenda, it makes me ashamed to be associated with those people.
and while there may be a limited subset of circumstances where that money isn’t sufficient, that’s not what poverty is.
bingo. where i live everyone thinks they are in 'poverty' because they can't afford luxuries like expensive cars, expensive vacations, and luxury housing. they are not anywhere near true poverty. but since most grew up wealthy/middle class, they think they are.
as someone who grew up lower-class, it blows my mind how poor most people are with money, and how they blame society rather than their own budgeting skills. i know people who make 40K a year who spend 10K a year traveling, and then cry poor.
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Rent is like 50% of my income currently and I'm trapped because nowhere charges less for the same space and I don't qualify for rentals without a guarantor that I no longer have. At this age, my parents were in their 3rd house on a single income with 3 kids.
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"a family of four needs $136,500 a year"
I could see that, more likely in more expensive areas. You aren't getting anywhere in New York or San Francisco on $140K.
I mean, we're poor but we make less than half that just outside San Francisco. Honestly we're doing okay. We don't get any of the luxuries my parents had at our age, but we have smartphones so we can never get away from anything!
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Like always, how far your money goes depends on multiple factors. 140k in the Midwest alone means you're living comfortably. Like all bills paid off, a lot of extra money for leisure, etc.
If you have a family and live in the bay area, then it's not that much. I personally wouldn't put it at poverty, but it'd be somewhat close to being paycheck to paycheck (assuming you still need to pay mortgage and whatnot)
I live alone in a moderately low cost of living area making about 52k take home. With no extenuating expenses related to health I can put away a hundred or two a month after rent, gas, utilities, food and car maintenance (I drive and fix old shit myself rather than make a car payment). But that is literally all I can do. If I had a second person to support or was in any other area I'd be underwater quick.
yeah but is your income going to go up? or are you like 50 and it's maxxed out?
context is everything. if you're 25 and your salary will double in 5-10 years your situation isn't bad.
blows my mind in my city how many 22-25 year olds scream how poor they are when they are just starting out their lives and think their 50-60K wage is 'poverty' when it will be 100K in 5 years.
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Yes. The people saying no are no longer temporarily embarrassed millionaires but temporarily embarrassed middle class. Have or have not, and 140k is have not given inflation, healthcare, education, food, rent/mortgage, energy etc.
140K is more 85% of the USA population.
It's upper middle class. it's about 5 grand a month in disposable income. assuming a 1/3 tax rate and 3K in rent/mortage
it's also what I make, and yeah i have that much disposable income per month.
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uh huh, thank you vice and mr wallstreet substack poster for spreading such awareness, but where does that leave people in actual poverty?
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