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Len Penzo dot Com

The offbeat personal finance blog for responsible people.

$40K Challenge

how to live on $40,000Despite all the evidence I offer, I occasionally get email from folks who say it’s easy for me to talk about living on $40,000 per year when I make significantly more than that. Never mind that I didn’t always earn a large salary. Forget that I’ve always spent far less than I’ve earned.

There are plenty of deniers out there who simply refuse to believe that anyone, including a family of four — or even more — can live comfortably on $40,000 or less per year.

For that reason, in 2013 I started a series that highlights Len Penzo dot Com readers who make ends meet on $40,000 per year — and oftentimes much less than that! Here is a list of all the stories that have been featured through the years, from July 2013 through 2020:

  1. Jen from Virginia
  2. Caine from Colorado
  3. Mary from New Mexico
  4. Barb from Alberta
  5. Ruth from Kansas
  6. Tracie from North Carolina
  7. Jonathan from Ohio
  8. Jeff from Washington
  9. Kacy from Iowa
  10. Lynsey from Minnesota
  11. Ralph from West Virginia
  12. Fawn from Illinois
  13. Calin from Romania
  14. Rebecca from Wisconsin
  15. Amanda from Michigan
  16. Paulie from New York
  17. Tara from Maryland
  18. Nick from Iowa
  19. Emily from Illinois
  20. John from Maryland
  21. Evan from Pennsylvania
  22. Ryan from North Carolina
  23. Jason from Maine
  24. Kai from California
  25. Randy from Missouri
  26. Matt from Massachusetts

If you’re a household CEO who is successfully making ends meet on roughly $40,000 per year or less ($45,000 maximum, please) — I’d love to hear from you. Contact me at Len@LenPenzo.com and be sure to put “$40,000” in the subject line. If I publish your story, you’ll get a $25 gift card!

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Disclaimer

This site is for informational and entertainment purposes only, and the content herein should not be mistaken for professional financial advice. In fact, making investment decisions based on information published here, or any other website for that matter, is more than unwise; it is folly. This website accepts advertising in the form of monetary and other compensation; as such, topics of discussion are occasionally influenced by these advertisers. Sometimes, an article may also include affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, this blog earns a commission if you click through and make a purchase (for example, as an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases). Remember, you and you alone are responsible for the decisions you make in life, so please contact an independent financial professional for advice regarding your unique personal situation.

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