To say “I won’t listen to you about money because you have money” is absurd. Exchange the word “money” for “health” and it’s easy to see how stupid it is.

Frankly, I’d rather follow the path of someone who STARTED where I am and has found a good path up the mountain than someone who hasn’t ever left base camp and keeps walking in circles.

Trent, do you think maybe you could do a roundup of bloggers who are “poor”, live on minimum wage, practice voluntary simplicity, etc? I know I have struggled to find personal finance bloggers whose situations are closer to my own. Maybe that would help the person who wrote the original comment you responded to as well.

The Texas Hospital Association estimates the annual cost of uncompensated care to illegal immigrants at nearly $400 million a year. Yeah, it’s emergency room care, but it’s still medical care, and it’s FREE. My grandma has spent hours waiting in an emergency room, too. Lots of people do. And she goes home with a bill, and no, she is not rich. In fact, she’s not even middle class.

I’d say that’s a decent benefit, at least, my grandma would think so.

There is the benefit of education–guaranteed to illegal immigrants–which costs almost 4 billion per year in my state. In higher education, through House Bill 1403, passed in 2001, illegal immigrants have access to in-state tuition, a benefit that most legal immigrants don’t even have. The cost to the state for that is $34.5 million per year.

Also, in Texas, we have the Children with Special Health Care Needs program, a supplemental health care program designed to help children with health care problems that are too expensive for Medicaid. About 70 percent of all clients enrolled are non-citizens.

Note for Pchan–I’m not arguing about illegal immigration either way, so chill. I’m saying that there are significant taxpayer dollars that benefit illegal immigrants. I provided the specifics since you’re unable to simply Google it, for whatever reason.

I have no debt now, I feel empowered and I’ve learned that I can live on very little. I’ve frittered away a lifetime of savings opportunities. Now, I’m just a few years from retirement, but know that I’ll have a little nest egg.

Don’t wait…start eliminating your debt today!

Ha ha ha ha – I want to live where you live!!!! In my big, v. expensive town, 2000 square feet and even just a balcony (much less a small yard) are quite enormous.

I think my only regret with our 1000 sq feet condo (with small balcony – booya!) is that it is perhaps too big. There are so much cooler things when you get to the smaller size. Look at Apartment Therapy for all kinds of multi-use furnishings, including my favorite the Murphy Beds… sigh they’re kinda ‘spensive though.

I really like what Sandy @ Comment #122 said: “If you have had the choice of living at a higher income and throwing it away to be in debt, be kinder and gentler.” Thank you, Sandy, that was the most thought-provoking comment.

Trent, thank you for sharing what you know. I do enjoy reading it.

I think it’s awful that Marjorie can’t see the forest for the trees. Regardless, saving money is saving money. Spending less is spending less. NO ONE who finds good use of this site is in the exact same financial shoes as any other, much less the author.

That being said… rather than look at how an income of $20K relates to an income of $200K – let’s consider that maybe her situation is more like “I make $20K a year and have $100K in debt” versus the possibility that Trent’s is “I make $50K a year and have/had $20K in debt.” (No, I’m not assuming this is or was the case, I’m just using an example.) What I’m saying I guess is that Marjorie ranted rather than explained how supposedly Trent’s situation doesn’t relate to hers… she only vented and tried to make Trent feel bad about his success in learning how to take control of his money, because she has yet to figure out how to do it herself.

I think childfreelife has it right. It’s quite likely that Marjorie CAN’T get the help she needs here, right now in her life. It doesn’t mean she should chastise you for helping those who can.

P.S. I’m with Pchan. I’d also like some decent bean recipes.

INDEED. And share some decent bean recipes, while we’re at it. ;)

However, sometimes it is easier for a person to take advice from someone that has more in common with him or her.

You don’t spend a lot of time in here talking about how to cook with food from a food bank or to even find a food bank, or how to get the right paper work through the food stamps (and other welfare) systems. You don’t focus a lot on how to talk to the chaplain at a hospital about forgiving your medical bill. You don’t talk about how to write a scholarship application for a financial and make sure to emphasize how much you need it without depressing yourself.

When you do talk about being poor, you sometimes give terrible advice, like recommending people eat Ramen for the carbs! Ramen is mostly empty calories and very salty. Hypertension? Obesity? Does a poor person need that too? Wouldn’t it be better to recommend going to a Dented Can’s grocery store to buy spaghetti sauce or a bulk foods store to get whole wheat noodles, or talk about u-pick farms to get low cost vegetables? These foods will be healthy and very cheap.

For this place in my life, where I am working, have a house on a mortgage and student loan debt, your blog is incredibly helpful, but honestly, 5 years ago when I was on food stamps? I would have gone elsewhere for appropriate advice. And really that is okay. Write what you know Trent!

I’ve railed against the same sort of negativity in other posts as well- maybe I’m tilting at windmills, but I’d really love to see the personal jibes stop. And you’re right, Pchan, this includes jibes at other commenters.

“Can’t we all just get along?!?” ;)

Frankly, I find it hypocritical that people decry Marjorie’s assumptions about Trent and then go on to make assumptions about her (and about poor people in general).

If it’s not okay to make these kinds of assumptions about people who are in a higher income bracket, it’s not okay to make them about people who aren’t making a lot of money. I’ve seen a lot of nasty, vile, and frankly hateful comments in this thread about the poor–there’s been nothing rational or polite about it. They start out as criticism of what Marjorie said, and then expand to poor and low-income people in general. How is that any better than someone assuming that a person in with a higher income doesn’t have financial problems?

Pchan, you did not understand my comment at all. It’s fine to disagree with a blogger or offer them criticism- but it’s a low blow to just jump on the blogger in a rude manner. If Marjorie had said, “Trent, I don’t think you’re addressing the needs of people at much lower income levels,” that would have been a criticism given with respect and thoughtfulness, and would have made her point completely. (And it’s an interesting and good point.) It’s the MANNER in which she made her complaint that I object to.

I’m really sick of people who assume that it’s fine to attack bloggers with whom they disagree. I find that cowardly- most commenters are essentially anonymous readers, whereas Trent gives his real name and real life situations.

People here mostly engage in rational and polite discourse, and occasionally disagree with either Trent or each other. I like this site because most people here discuss ideas in a mature manner. Some people, however, don’t- and they deserve to be reminded that bringing up your points in a respectful and polite manner gets you listened to, while throwing out insults does the opposite.

Jim