I know he wants to get engaged and married, but isn't several years long enough to set aside money for a modest ring? I even showed him a very inexpensive faux ring I liked, so he knew I didn't need a flashy diamond.

You don't need to wear a ring to be engaged, or even while legally married. If money is tight then you have to adjust your priorities. Savings and more money for necessities > a ring, faux or not.

But how could I ever marry someone who makes a fraction of the poverty limit? What if I have a tough pregnancy and need to take time off work? What if we have a family emergency? What if I'm depending on him to stand up for himself or me, ever?

Did you try to help him figure out other ways to earn money? Did you consider if he was depressed or had other issues that were preventing him from taking initiative himself? What was your relationship like besides the money issue? As far as those hypotheticals go, not having money would make each of those scenarios harder, but was your man at least loyal to you? It's clear that you are not loyal to him as you are unable to stand by him in hard times.

Also, this income means home ownership, visiting another country, and retiring would be off the table for life. I might as well start shooting up drugs, because I'll be at that level of society. Voluntarily.

Are there no opportunities for advancement in your own job? Are you 100% positive that this was not just a phase for him? You are choosing a specific lifestyle over the man you claim to love. Think about that for a moment.

I feel so guilty for dumping him, like I abandoned a helpless puppy by the side of the road somewhere. And yet this man is clearly not someone I can follow. He's a sweetheart and I love and miss him, but I can't just commit to a life of poverty and instability by choice.

Did you truly consider all of your options?

Please assure me this is a valid reason to abandon a man who truly loves me. I just feel so selfish and guilty.

We don't have the full story so I am hoping you can elaborate. I personally don't feel comfortable condemning him and validating you about this whole situation at this point in time.

I just feel so selfish and guilty. I even told him he was a gold digger right to his face. His poor, sweet, cute little face. I am that horrible.

That does sound horrible.

I'm a good 75lbs overweight (was 100, but I've lost 25lbs in the past two months), so I guess now the only thing to do is to go into monk mode for a year while I finish losing the weight and become emotionally prepared for a new relationship, right?

Was this man "failing" in any other way in your relationship? Being 75-100 pounds overweight is not good...

The idea of having to be with some other man instead of the man I love is scary and horrible. I really would have been willing to be the main breadwinner if he could have at least earned something.

He did earn money though.

I really did try to work it out as long as I could. I really did not want to break up.

I'm not convinced that either of these are true and I feel like there may be something missing.

I cry alone every day now over my plates of salad. I am so sad. Please just tell me I did the right thing. I am so sorry if this post sucks. I am just so sad.

Of course now I'll mention that there are several signs that this was written by a troll and this last part really seems fake. Regardless, RPW is not a place for free validation. Take a long look at yourself and your actions and think about if you were really acting in the best way possible.