A teacher who launched a GoFundMe to help him afford a place to live has put a spotlight on teacher salaries as the new school year begins.
Bill Atkinson, a fourth grade teacher in Austin, Texas, said he began living in his car this summer when his previous living situation fell through and he could not afford rent on his $54,000 annual salary.
“No matter how much I borrowed or scraped, there was no catching up, because I just did not make enough to cover rent – because I was so used to living paycheck to paycheck, I didn’t have anything in savings to try to cover rent for a couple months,” he told “Good Morning America.” “So I tried to get a place, [but I] was having a hard time finding a place I could afford on my own.”
Everyone should have a budget, it’s like tracking anything else in your life. I always say to look for extra money, so you can get some sort of emergency fund saved up, because life is gonna life. I sold a few things online, did pet sitting and some phase 4 clinical trials. I have to be vaccinated for COVID, so I made over $1,000 taking part in the flu and COVID combo shot study. This allowed me to buy my usual stuff in bulk, furthering my money. Budgeting is super important and super helpful in getting out of the paycheck to paycheck loop. It’s like dieting and exercise for your finances to get them in shape.
That’s great to hear!