When Jesse Williams enlisted in the Navy in 2006, his plan was to become a nuclear reactor operator. But after working in a shipyard, he said, he developed lung and autoimmune diseases.<\/p>\n
After retiring from the military in 2012 for medical reasons, Williams, 39, moved back to his native Central Texas.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was smart enough, at least while I was still in, that I started applying for disability benefits,\u201d Williams said.<\/p>\n
Between those benefits and the workers\u2019 compensation his wife gets, the family of three \u2014 the couple have a 13-year-old son \u2014 live on $120,000 a year in Austin.<\/p>\n
Williams spoke to The Texas Newsroom as part of a series on how Texans are making ends meet<\/a>. While inflation is cooling and housing prices in parts of the state, including Austin<\/a>, are going down, gas is the highest it\u2019s been in years, and the price of things like childcare and groceries continues to rise.<\/p>\n The median household income in Austin is about $91,000 a year \u2014 higher than the $76,000 statewide \u2014 but families often argue they need to make much more to live comfortably in the capital city.<\/p>\n Fire and a major surgery<\/p>\n After Williams retired from the Navy he worked a series of odd jobs before enrolling at Texas State University in 2016 to pursue a media degree to get a job in TV news. But after spending grueling days in the field reporting stories, Williams had to pivot because of his lung disease.<\/p>\n \u201cYou’re required to walk and run all over the place,\u201d he said. \u201cAnd especially in TV news, like, hey, you need to carry this 30-pound camera all over a college campus for the day.\u201d<\/p>\n He decided to instead pursue digital media, minoring in theater. His goal was to become a lawyer.<\/p>\n \u201cLaw is writing intensive,\u201d Williams said of his major. Of his minor: \u201cYou’re trying to convince a jury that they need to see things the way you see things. I’m like, well, that’s what theater’s about.\u201d<\/p>\n Months before he was set to graduate, in 2023, the family\u2019s home was significantly damaged in a fire. Then in 2024 Williams had to have a double-lung transplant.<\/p>\n Given that the family is on a fixed income, Williams said he\u2019s had to be very budget conscious.<\/p>\n The family\u2019s biggest monthly expense is housing. They pay about $2,000 per month toward their mortgage, which Williams acknowledged is relatively low in Austin. That\u2019s because the family took advantage of lower pandemic-era interest rates.<\/p>\n \u201cIf we were to get a home loan now, it would be through the roof,\u201d Williams said.<\/p>\n As a disabled veteran, he qualifies for an exemption from paying property taxes in Texas.<\/p>\n \u201cIf I still had to pay taxes on [my home], even that alone would probably be $3,500 a month. A tax break really helps a veteran like me to stay in the neighborhood I’m at and be in Austin,\u201d he said (they live in Circle C Ranch).<\/p>\n The family spends about $650 to $700 per month on their phones, utilities and internet and anywhere from $200 to $250 a week on groceries. They\u2019ve cut back on red meat for their health and to save money, and Williams likes to browse the clearance aisles at grocery stores.<\/p>\n The family spends about $150 per week on gas for their two fuel-efficient cars. He said they don\u2019t make enough to contribute to a savings account or a traditional retirement account.<\/p>\n Williams is able to bring home movies for his family to watch for free through his work as a volunteer with the local nonprofit We Luv Video<\/a>. In the summer the family will buy season passes to local amusement parks, like Typhoon Texas, and leave their lunch and snacks in a cooler in their car to avoid paying for concessions.<\/p>\n Now that his son is older, Williams said he\u2019s looking for new employment opportunities.<\/p>\n \u201cWe’re both on fixed incomes, and I’ve been wanting to get back into work,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n