Poverty Guidelines

Poverty guidelines for Alaska are a bit different, you can basically add a couple grand across the board due to the increased cost of living. Here is the problem, and you probably already understand this because you're living it.  Look at the poverty guidelines for a family of 4. 

If you are in an area where you can find rent for $600 that adds up to $7,200. That leaves $15,150 for everything else: food and non-food essentials, utilities, car insurance, health insurance if  you're lucky, gas in the car, potentially a car payment.  Now, rent in this price range isn't even available in many areas of the United States, and in some places this kind of rent lands you in a dangerous area.

Let's pretend you could feed a family of 4 on $450 a month. I say pretend because we all know you can't really do this unless you're eating bologna and Ramen noodles exclusively. But, if you could this would add up to $5,400 and leaves just $9,750 for everything else on that list.

Now, imagine you can get away with just $350 in utilities for your home. Electric, water, gas, trash pick up etc.... We all also know this is impossible,  my heating alone is over this, but let's just pretend again. This adds up to $4,200.

This leaves just $5,550 for everything on that list. Non-food essentials, gas in your car, upkeep of a car, car insurance, potentially a car payment. What about clothes for the kids? School supplies? A winter jacket? What about cost for joining a soccer team or other extra- curricular activity? A modest birthday present? 

Obviously this leaves no room for health insurance and I sure hope you don't get sick because not only will that cost you, it will also decrease your earning as you miss work. You see, people living in poverty have no chance to escape when this is the reality they deal with from year to year.