[rtpg]

50 weeks at 15 dollars an hour, 40 hours a week is $30k.

I imagine there are better paying jobs but I do think that $40k is not an immediately accessible thing. Though to your point 15 seems in line with what’s on indeed for Chattanooga, many jobs are under that line as well (cashier stuff for $11 or $12), so it might be worth adjusting your preconceptions about the yearly wages that these positons offer.

[danielvf]

I pulled my number off full time Amazon driving, vehicle provided, which is about $20/hr here. Most low skill jobs in my area are around $12-$17 an hour. Eleven or below is there, but rare. We're probably a slightly more happening town than Chattanooga though.

But even so 30K is still a huge difference from having to scrap for food, or make a computer from spare parts. Changed post from $40K to $30K.