Debate Erupts After A Woman Admits She Purposely Lives Below The Poverty Line

Lex Gabrielle
power opening an empty wallet showing no money
Unsplash | Towfiqu barbhuiya

Saving money is on the top of many people's agendas in life. Budgeting well is very difficult and challenging for many people.

With many of life's everyday costs rising and a vast majority of people living paycheck to paycheck, it can be very hard to stay financially stable. There are many people in the United States who live below the federal poverty line. However, some live there unintentionally, while others do intentionally.

One woman on YouTube recently shared a video on how she "happily" lives below the poverty line.

Woman recording a youtube video in her living room
youtube | YouTube

Prepper Princess, a YouTuber who shares tips and tricks for saving money, shared a video recently where she indicates that she lives below the federal poverty line in the United States.

However, unlike many people, she does this on purpose.

She shared that understanding poverty is imperative in this country.

cup with pennies in it sideways on sidewalk
Unsplash | Nick Fewings

The YouTuber said that over 25 million seniors are currently living in financial insecurity and are living without food and housing resources. Many do not have money to save or put away for emergencies or everyday life.

Prepper Princess says there are many ways she stays frugal.

TV screen in dark room
youtube | YouTube

First, she shares, "I keep all of my junk mail so I can use it for kindling on the fire. And I have a Roku box which gives me thousands and thousands of movies and TV shows and I don't pay for cable TV."

She also lives in a rather small home.

Woman recording a youtube video in her livingroom
youtube | YouTube

The YouTuber said she bought her home for only $67,000. The lot size is very small, as is her home, so the "running costs" to keep her home afloat are very, very low.

She also keeps her extra expenses low, as well.

store sign saying open
Unsplash | Mike Petrucci

"The only thing that I have bought new is the sofa, the kitchen table, and my bed," she shared.

She also gets most of her clothes from a thrift store or even the dollar store.

Her house was old and small when she purchased it, so she remodeled things herself.

remodeling home with open walls and stairs
Unsplash | Milivoj Kuhar

"The bathroom was in disrepair, rather than replacing, cleaned up the toilet, peel and stick tiles for just £24. The kitchen when I got here was unusable. It's a remodeled kitchen which I did mostly myself," she shared.

And, the YouTuber says she "could go smaller" if she wanted.

Woman recording youtube video in her living room
youtube | YouTube

The way in which she budgets and manages her money, she says she could go much, much smaller if she wanted to. And, she plans to do so, too.

Her advice for many is to do what she does.

person using a saw to cut wood
Unsplash | George Pastushok

For those who are living in poverty, she says getting a fixer-upper as she did is the way to go. If you are able to buy parts cheap and do the labor yourself, you can make it enjoyable.

In addition, she shared her yearly budgets online.

YouTube video recording of woman's yearly budget
youtube | YouTube

The YouTuber shared a photo of her "yearly" budget where she breaks down how much she spends on everything. A year, she spends a total of $10,650.96. This is a relatively small number compared to others.

Some people online think it's "weird" to do this on purpose.

bit weird gif
Giphy

Some online felt that it is very strange for someone to do this and live in this way on purpose when they can afford to do more and live in a much more lavish way.

However, others found this helpful and useful.

woman counting single dollar bills in her hand
Unsplash | Sharon McCutcheon

Although some found this insulting and also a bit weird, there were those who found it rather helpful and informative because they have been looking for ways to save and budget better. Sometimes, other people's lives can be a great place to learn.