How to Avoid Poverty

According to the US Census Bureau, about 15% of all Americans live in poverty. From homelessness to malnutrition, impoverished Americans suffer a great deal. Although poverty is inevitable in many cases, here is what you can do to avoid it entirely or to put yourself in the path to eventually get out of it.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A strong will

1. Graduate from high school. By simply graduating from high school, you drastically cut your chances of ever being below the poverty line. This is because most decent jobs require a high school diploma at the minimum.

2. Delay having children until after you have a good job, and preferably after marriage. Having children as a young adult is the easiest way to land in poverty. Children are a major responsibility--timewise and financially, and having children early could mean having to drop out of college, be a single parent, depend on welfare, or be stuck working minimum wage jobs. Most pregnant teenagers think their boyfriends will marry them, but only 8% of teenage fathers ever marry their pregnant girlfriends, and these marriages usually do not last.

3. Work full-time. For a single person, the poverty line is around $11,000. By working full-time, even at minimum wage, you can avoid crossing below this time. Hard work is a major fighter of poverty.

4. Get married. Marriage is the biggest deterrent to poverty for the simple fact that two incomes are better than one, and in cases where only one spouse works, one income is better than none! Married persons share their living spaces and bills, thereby cutting bills for both parties in half. And married people have lower poverty rates than any other demographic group.

5. Avoid crime. Having a criminal record or some other violation will not only cost you money in legal fees, but it will also cost you employment opportunities. Future employers always want to know if you have a criminal record, and having one diminishes your chances of getting a solid job.

Tips & Warnings

• Also, being wise with your money and saving up for what you want will lessen your chances of being in poverty.
• There are situations where one has completed all these steps and is still poor. But these instances are the exception and not the rule.

[JRIngrisano]

on 1/2/2010 An excellent, common-sense article. If more young people would follow your advice, we would reduce poverty in this country tremendously.

[beanandpumpkin]

on 11/26/2009 Great article on avoiding poverty!

[missval7]

on 11/22/2009 Great tips for avoiding poverty! It can happen to anyone in these times if not careful. 5*

[veronica1987]

on 11/11/2009 It's important to learn how to avoid poverty.

[sneedc]

on 9/12/2009 Thanks for these ways to avoid poverty, I've done what you've recommended, but still think I need to get a cardboard box together and head up the street with a tin cup and beg for income! 5*