If I made 31k - after taxes, rent, health insurance, and utilities there would be almost nothing left for anything else, including food.

I make just under 70k and am the sole income for a family of 5. It's just enough to afford the essentials since the cost of groceries has gotten so damn high, and any attempts to save money are thwarted by the disaster of the month - which is usually an unexpected car repair, appliance repair/replacement, medical expenses, etc.