sjb3

Yeah, I agree with that sentiment, though Clarksville, Tennessee stopped being rural a long time ago; its population is something over 100,000 and of course Ft. Campbell and the 101st Airborne are right next door. But I live decent on just over 38K annually. No mortgage (paid off in '09), no car payment, no debts of any kind, especially credit cards; 60K put away in a strictly-emergency account.
Prices on groceries and all are as high here as just about anywhere else, and we don't do impulse buying. I've never in my life had much money (I'm 73) but I've always had enough; I'll qualify that, however, by saying there were (and sometimes still are) times when it was barely enough. But everyone here knows That's Life...