Wow I would have lived big on 38k a year! I worked for over a decade at a bank thru my 20's and didn't make over 25k a year. I built a house on that budget and had a car payment and lived alone that entire time.I think you need to reevaluate your spending habits and make a budget. I tracked every year out of the country on my less than 25k budget. I'm married now and I don't work only my husband and we survive on less than 18k a year. No government help. We just have an extremely strict budget. It allows us to spend our extra time volunteering teaching people the bible 

Oh jesus Gabrielle, 38500 is plenty to live on. And with regards to being single, I've said it before, you really need help in this regard, learn to be alone and cope alone before you pursue a husband, this is what is causing you stress. Just stop looking. Your life will be better for it

Wow, some of these women are sooo rude. I live near seattle and 38k would be really hard to survive on. Plus, she completed a master's degree. She is probably at least in her mid-twenties coming out of school with maybe $50,000+ owed in student loans. It's not spoiled of you to expect a competitive wage. I made $42k my first year out of college with a bachelor's degree, and I remember feeling like I would never climb out of my $30,000 debt hole. It has now been 7 years since I graduated. The $30,000 is paid off, my car will be paid off next April, I own a house, have $12,000 in savings, and my husband and I are looking into buying property. The first few years out of college suck, but if you work hard, they do get better! I also understand wanting to find someone to settle down with. It's normal at that age. These women honestly sound jealous and calling you desperate is just a way to make themselves feel better. Good luck to you.

How does an individual not survive on $38k a year? It's all about living within your means. The poverty level in the US for one person is roughly $11000-$14000, depending on your state, so no $38k is NOT "like poverty". You need to find someone in real life to guide you bc you sound like you genuinely do need help.

$38k a year by yourself is a piece of cake girl. I don't know why you're so upset. You only have to support yourself. That's perfectly do-able. Poverty line is 23k I believe lol. You can live fine with the income you'll get and that's just starting out. You'll work your way up with time 

Lol I survived with my husband on 12k a year one year and we saved money and went out and did fun things. I would love 38k a year. 

You need to budget better if you are struggling on that paycheck! My husband and I make a combined 32k a year and live just fine in Portland Oregon. Don't live out of your means. Also, you do realize people raise entire Families on less than 20k. Don't be so spoiled.

Really? Where do you live?Honestly, I think you need to reevaluate your expenses. I could live perfectly fine on that.... But I suppose it differs depending on where you're from. 

I feel like this is more about your unhealthy obsession with finding a man than it is about actual concern about making it off of 38k a year with no kids to take care of. You should be able to live off of that. If you live in an expensive city get roommates to cut down on rent and household expenses. 

I live in New York City and 38K a year here would not be enough to survive in this city. When I graduated with my masters I was making 52K a year and struggling to pay rent, car, student loans, gas, utilities, credit cards (I accumulated going to school). So I understand this point of view and I was not living above my means. I now have a boyfriend and we just purchased a house last week and I would say in my case it did take two incomes to make the dream work. I think it depends on where you live and cost of living in your area, because anything under 50K in New York City is not a lot.