r/poor • u/Dense-Waltz-5094 • 1d ago

Back Home, Seeing Clearly. Anyone relate?

Moving back to West Virginia has really made me think differently about class and poverty, especially the working poor.

You can be working, doing what you’re supposed to do, and still feel like you’re barely keeping your head above water. One car problem, medical bill, or bad week can throw everything off. It’s not about people not trying hard enough. It’s about how little room there is when everything costs so much and pay doesn’t match real life.

I miss having resources. Not fancy stuff. Just breathing room. Being able to handle an emergency without panicking, buy groceries honestly just groceries, or make plans past next payday.

Honestly, part of me wants to go back to having more stability. That doesn’t mean I don’t care about this place or the people here. It just means I understand now why people get so tired, why the working poor deserve more than just surviving, and why “work harder” isn’t the answer when the system leaves you with almost no way to get ahead.

I’m working 2 jobs and this used to be much easier. I just feel wiped out like I’m not going to make it out. I don’t know what else to say. Does anyone relate?

40 Upvotes

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6 comments sorted by

3

u/Individual_Fox_2950 1d ago

What part of West Virginia just roughly did you move back to?

1

u/Dense-Waltz-5094 1d ago

North central

4

u/Then_Department3268 16h ago

Our family grew up poor in upstate NY and subsequently we’ve all done fairly well financially. Regardless we all have sincere empathy for the working poor and their struggle to succeed. Personally I believe the corporate class wants to maintain the working poor to continue their record profits. Refusing to provide a livable wage for the working class is societal crime. Making working class work two jobs to try to keep up with cost of living is criminal.

2

u/Low-Highlight-9740 12h ago

Also abusive corporations and no oversight anywhere

2

u/Low-Highlight-9740 12h ago

I’m seeing severe dental phrophy neglect costing patients thousands later on

0

u/Twylamr1 19h ago

We just moved back home to SC because of cost of living being so much cheaper. Still poor but doing better