A Gen Xer struggles to afford housing and groceries, but her income is about $100 too high to get help

Wirestock / Getty Images

• Melinda Binkley, 56, struggles to afford basics but earns 'too much' for assistance, she said.
• Binkley is part of a growing group who live above the poverty live but can't afford necessities.
• The federal poverty line doesn't account for cost-of-living differences, leaving many without help.

Melinda Binkley, 56, has tried to apply for safety net programs before — like SNAP — but she's told her household makes too much money, usually by less than $100.