ALABAMA: Towns Where People Live On $300 Weekly - How Poor Are They?

I visited the rural Alabama towns Camp Hill, Dadeville, La Fayette, Roanoke.

Travel Vlog 187

[tinajohnson]

I live in Shreveport Louisiana and I'm disabled. I get $1200 a month, and I can honestly say I lack nothing. It's a matter of living within my means, and having an attitude of gratitude. So many folks want to keep up with the Joneses. I have all I need because I don't care about keeping up with anyone. This is more prevalent in our wonderful country than most realize. You have the rich and you have the poor.

[shelleywilliams]

My income is $941 a month. My husband up until 2wks ago made $309-350 a week. We struggle but we make it. We live in a very rural area of NC. I coupon, can food in the summer, sale firewood or trade it for other household needs, etc. We just make it work.
Plus I help feed the homeless in my area on what we have. God provides always! He never lets us go hungry.

[mlthmp]

Im from Alabama.. sadly many of our towns look like this. Will say this though. The people that live in areas like that are usually some of the most down to Earth folks around.

[cloyking]

I'm from a small town in Alabama, and just as in my home town, the same thing happen in theirs. When NAFTA was pass, all these towns that did manufacturing and text tile, those jobs went to Mexico. The people in these small towns had to leave to find work. That's what killed small town America.

[cammiebaby]

Don't let the beautiful homes fool you, on the inside may be a different story. Some are falling apart, some folks aren't eating, it's not an easy life. I know. I live in one of these small towns in Alabama. One thing is for sure...We all have hearts of gold and it's always sugar, hunny, baby, darlin. Southern hospitality is not dead. Everyone loves to help each other, even if we don't have much ourselves.

[glennoconnor]

I live on $1420 per month in north central Missouri. In a rural town. Was paying $375 per month rent but during my stay here since retirement, I had worked part-time. Saved up a nice chunk and paid cash for my substandard house. Works for me and I am grateful for that opportunity!

[Giorgio]

I grew up the exact opposite of this. In Manhattan. No neighbors. Just money. I wish I had grown up in an area like this. Looks like everyone would help each other and are grateful. The homes are beautiful
Seems so relaxing 😊

[bethprice]

Many of the towns you visited are close to Auburn and Columbus, GA. The people drive to these areas for employment. Kia built a huge plant. What you are witnessing is decline due to the local mills being shut down.

[debbieschultz]

No crime in being poor my father lived on the streets when his mother died at age 42 after giving birth to her 10th child most of the siblings went to a catholic orphanage but my dad was 14 and his brother who was 13 they were to old to go to the orphanage so they lived on the streets and this was during the depression in illinois. My father was the best dad in my opinion in the world and he owned his own company by the age of 34...poor doesn't equal dumb. Thank God for my poor father.

[Gator]

When it comes down to basics, the people in the rural areas know how to hunt, how to farm, and know their neighbors. They don't go hungry and know how to work. They might not have every trinket that is for sale, but they are good people.

[loisporter]

I'm on my disability of $1004 per month. I live comfortably. I pay my rent of $400 monthly, my utilities, my internet and cellphone bills, and xar insurance. I feel that i am blessed. I have a roof over my head, my utilities to stay warm/cool and to cook, have a warm bath, abd never go without food. I may not live in the fanciest house or wear name brand clothes or eat a steak every night but i have what i need to survive. Ppl need to stop trying to live beyond their means. God provides our needs, not our wants

[VickiGonzales-ochj]

Joe Louis was a professional boxer who joined the U.S. Army during World War II1234. He donated almost $100, 000 worth of his earnings to Army and Navy relief societies1. During his service, he was part of over 96 boxing exhibitions. You have to be in the military to be buried at Arlington National Cemetary. You said, it was nice that they let him be buried there. Mr. Joe Louis earned it from his service.

[cindyfrost]

I’m about to turn 70. I owe nothing except my home. The mortgage is $550 per mo. I have 2 chickens, so I get eggs from them. I used to have a garden but, I’m in too much pain to have it again....courtesy of my abusive father who broke bones in my lower back and never healed right. I’m in good health otherwise. If I didn’t have the back pain to deal with, I could do pretty much anything. If I can’t pay cash for it, I don’t need it. I have a little in savings so, I get along just fine. I’m very blessed to have friends who help me with stuff around the house and a nephew who is a mechanic. My back pain is my only complaint. I’ve got a pretty good life.

[PhilMiCoochie]

I live in Huntsville but I frequent the small towns like these. They may look desolate and depressing but the people are very happy and full of life!

[terrifuller]

My father doesn’t live here, but lives in a small town in the state of VA. Has a paid off home, nice and reliable vehicle that was paid in full when he bought it, money in savings, ZERO debt (don’t think he even knows what debt is), food on the table and a clean yard that he takes pride in. You won’t find him shopping every weekend at TJ Maxx or Target (they’re nowhere around him anyway 🤣) and he’s retired. Now people think retired and they think pensions, etc. My dad worked at a gas station for 25 years until he retired. The most he made at his job was $8/hour. He did this because he had what he NEEDED (not wanted) and was able to retire before any of his siblings, whom are ALL still working in their 60’s and making 100x more than what he ever did. All this to say - none of these people in your video are trying to keep up with the Joneses. Not a single one. Instead, they’re living comfortably while people film their reality because, to so many in this world, their reality seems unrealistic. Maybe it’s everyone else who’s unrealistic. Just a thought. Thanks for the video!

[deannademerritt]

I make about $1, 200 a month on the west coast, in a small coastal town . I pay my rent, car payment, plus other big bills and I got cut from food stamps for “making too much”. I live every week going to work and going to the food bank for food because I can barely afford to shop, and gas is crazy expensive too!! By the end of the week I barely have anything left, and have to make it another week on nothing until payday. I’d get a better paying job but there’s not much in my region. I lived in Sacramento CA for a bit and that was even worse. But the food prices in my region are insane. Also having to drive 3-6 hours to see friends and family, or to shop for things I need. I love my home and the people I’ve met here but it’s so hard being alone all the time now and not making enough for ends meet. What matters at the end of the day is if you’re fed, clothed and sheltered, we have to be grateful for what we got ❤️

[avalonjustin]

I'm from Canada and I took one main point from this video: People in rural Alabama may not be wealthy but they take pride in their homes.

[danielmoore]

I'm retired on Social Security. I live in $1045 a month. If my home wasn't paid for, I'd be homeless. And they don't hire the handicapped any more

[cjbarlow]

From someone from a town just like that I can say that those nicer houses are not struggling to survive on $300 a week. The reason those towns look run down is because everyone there is literally struggling to survive and working 50 to 60hrs a week just to live

[TheCostumeJeweler]

Looks like a small, relaxing place. I bet the locals are happy with where and how they live.