$30k is below the median income for the country which is $36k. If you're a software engineer, even in alabama, you can easily make $60k a year. And anyway,

$30k is below the median income for the country which is $36k. If you're a software engineer, even in alabama, you can easily make $60k a year. And anyway, it doesn't matter-- if your income is that low, cost of living should be low as well. Alabama is probably a great place to start a startup-- just you should start living on half your income. Do that for a year and save the balance and you have a years living expenses to live off while you try and get your business going.