A teacher who launched a GoFundMe to help him afford a place to live has put a spotlight on teacher salaries as the new school year begins.
Bill Atkinson, a fourth grade teacher in Austin, Texas, said he began living in his car this summer when his previous living situation fell through and he could not afford rent on his $54,000 annual salary.
“No matter how much I borrowed or scraped, there was no catching up, because I just did not make enough to cover rent – because I was so used to living paycheck to paycheck, I didn’t have anything in savings to try to cover rent for a couple months,” he told “Good Morning America.” “So I tried to get a place, [but I] was having a hard time finding a place I could afford on my own.”
You got the facts straight and came to the logical conclusion but is it necessary to armchair quarterback his hypothetical financial situation?
The guy in the article is very open to sharing his financial struggles and asking for help, so I’m confident that his feelings wouldn’t be hurt if he reads what I wrote.
My goal was for someone else to read my comment and have it kick them into gear to get their finances straight. Maybe someone out there is researching how to budget right now after reading it, and that’s a good thing.
So yes, it’s valuable to speculate and discuss hypothetical financial struggles so that we can learn ways to avoid getting into a similar situation.
I know the point of the article is “teachers didn’t make enough money” which is true, but the point of my comment is “people don’t become unhoused while holding a steady job unless some mistakes were made along the way”.
I’m sure that’ll happen. Keep on preaching the good word of if you’re houseless it’s your own fault. Thanks bud!
Did I touch some sort of nerve? Why is taking about budgeting getting such a harsh reaction? Lemmy is really disappointing, sometimes.
A person can experience homelessness for a variety of reasons. This teacher is without a place to live because he is being turned down for having bad credit. Don’t get mad at me for there being credit bureaus in the US, I can’t change that.
You didn’t touch a nerve you took a very complicated situation and boiled it down to this man must not be budgeting properly. The real issue at play was the last thing you mentioned. You addressed it but it was one sentence. I’m not saying budgeting isn’t important I’m saying you’re not focusing on the issue. Sorry I was a dick but you’re missing the point entirely.
I understand the point of the article 100%. Teachers don’t get paid enough. Student loans. Medical debt. Predatory lending. The list goes on. It’s the system that we live in (in the US and a lot of other places, I’m sure).
This person’s story has a “shock” factor so it makes for a good way to spread the word about low teacher salaries. I just disagree with the low pay being one of the only reasons for him to him live in a car. There were many events and decisions made that lead to that result. People end up living in cars for a variety of reasons, no matter if they make $25k/yr. or $300k/yr. It all has to do with staying ahead and making good decisions. Shit happens, be ready.
It can hard to communicate tone with text, so I understand if I came across cold or harsh towards the guy. It’s just a story as old as time, and I’m a huge fan of budgeting so I mention it whenever I can.
No bud I get the tone you’re bringing to the conversation and the lack of empathy for the situation.
I know we’re going back and forth here, but that’s ok. I’m very empathetic to his situation, and it’s a situation shared by many. A lot of people don’t want to hear solutions or preventative measures, they just want to go “awww” and wait for things to hopefully get better. That’s a different type of empathy vs. my desire to affect change on the mans life. I want him to have a much better QOL. Pay is only a small piece of the puzzle.
You’ll get it eventually.
Because budgeting isn’t super helpful when it comes up with a negative number and there isn’t much you can do about it other than start cutting basic necessities
a budget is a plan, so say this again but change the wording from a budget to a plan and hear how it sounds.
Ok.
A plan doesn’t help when you don’t have any options but to start cutting basic necessities
Still doesn’t sound great
why is it cutting things out, and no options? increase your income with creative means, every little bit helps. So, no options means, no way whatsoever to increase your income and gradually cutting out necessities is it?
“Literally just get another job bro”
That’s what you’re saying and it isn’t that simple.