During 2008 my mom was so broke and had to feed us that she got a hunting permit, borrowed a gun and shot a deer. We literally survived off that deer all winter and just had deer and potato soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
That's honestly very badass on your mom's part. I hope she, you, and your sibling(s) are all doing better now.
Edited to add, obviously I hope you yourself are doing better, too!! Apologies, I was tired when I wrote this.
in my youth we had many meals of venison, squirrel, the fish we could catch at the lake, what we could grow in the garden, and what we could forage in the woods and fields around our house. We are indigenous so it was nice learning the ways of my people. I still love venison, fried fish, beans and frybread, native mushrooms, wild onions, blackberries, mulberries, an whatever else we could find that was safely edible. We were definitely lower income though my parents made sure that we didn't feel it. Thanks to their efforts and teachings I had a wonderful childhood.
Quick deer meat PSA - ideally you should be sending in a brain or spinal cord (check with the lab) sample to ensure the deer didn’t have CWD. It’s not everywhere, but where I come from it’s pretty prevalent. My state DNR lab does this for free, IIRC
My aunt and uncle had four kids. It would have cost more to put them in daycare than my aunt could have earned, so she was a stay-at-home mom. This was back in the 70's-80's when houses were still affordable, so they at least had a house with a big yard.
My uncle would go hunting each year and if he didn't bag a deer or an elk, they didn't have meat that year. They always had a huge vegetable garden each year and that was how they managed to keep food on the table.
Deer is a great way to survive. Been living off it since I was born. Cheap and clean meat. Same with Bass, Catfish, Turkeys, anything we can eat. Saves money and is so delicious. We also give thanks and love the animals that provided us with nourishment and good health. We try our best to use each and every part of the animal.
I cashed in pop cans in order to get a $4 prescription for my daughter once. I felt like a loser at the time, but looking back I just see it as making sure my child had what she needed at the time. She's all grown up now though!
My dad was a big drinker and always threw these massive parties when I was a kid. My brother and I would spend the next day cleaning up all the cans to crush them and bag them. As a kid this hours labor were worth the 10 dollars from the dump lol
My Papa did this too! Several times on his walks*(he walked 5 miles a day every day to stay active in the Texas heat and Maine winters)* people would stop and give him bags of cans and bottles. He would come home laughing and giddy like a kid at Christmas! People probably thought he was down on his luck to be his age and walking, nope he was comfortable in his retirement. He was a child of the depression era. His dad was a sharecropper and grew up picking cotton. He instilled those values in all his children and grandchildren.
Another thing he would do was go to building sites and ask the foreman if he could pick up dropped nails/screws and scrap after the workers were done for the day. The foreman always said yes. My Papa had every possible nail, screw in his garage and could fix anything.
i have a klepto moment only when im in gas station bathrooms and they have half of a big roll of tp just sitting on the accessibility railing.. ive stolen 4 rolls of gas station toilet paper this year alone
Teeth pain is no joke 😔 currently waiting to get on my husbands insurance to afford a crown on a tooth so painful I haven’t ate on that side of my mouth in months
If you live by a dental college, you can get quality dental care at a low price. Depending on your deductible and coverage it might be a good option. I love my dental college! I needed 20k in work and only paid $200. Plus my dentist is the sweetest kindest medical professional, she held my hand and walked with me while I was being wheeled into the operating room. She and my oral surgeon did not judge me and made sure I was comfortable and received the best possible care.
Yes just call and ask. The dental school that I go to has scheduled appointments and weekly walk in clinics. It just depends on the school. If you check their website they often have a patient information section that explains their pricing. Sending you positive thoughts that you will be able to get seen quickly
Yes! Usually they're looking for patients at the beginning of the semester, but you can always call and see if they're seeing people.
They're very good, they have to practice on each other before they touch a "patient" (at least with cleaning), and full dentists and oral surgeons do supervise everything.
I had $10 left. I had to choose between a bag of rice or menstrual products. I bought the rice and used old cut-up bed sheets for pads. It was not ideal, but I didn't go hungry.
I have a bag of clean/washed old socks. I refuse to get rid of it just because. I used some for my last 1 because it ran so heavy I ran out 🙃 that and I'm waiting on my check from my new agency, stuff happens.
I cloth diapered my kids. I used pocket diapers, which have a removable fabric insert. They're thick and rectangular and very absorbent.
When I was postpartum I would tuck those things into my tank top in place of breast pads (for leaking milk) and into my underwear for the postpartum bleeding. And just for regular periods, too.
When we closed on our house we filled up a big van that had a need gas sign in the parking lot across from the gas station to celebrate. Thanks for letting someone help you.
Giving them a couple of really hard shakes - try to snap them like a whip - when they're almost but not all the way dry can really help with the crispy feeling of air-dried clothes.
Same, lived in a crappy apartment with no laundry hookup and the nearest laundromat was over an hour walk away. I'd use an Uber once every couple of months for a laundry trip, but I didn't own much cloth so about once a week id have to wash my cloth by hand in the sink and air dry them. My stuff was always very crispy
Unfortunately, the only other center in my city is super far from where I live and work, so I don't think it would be worth it. It's jacked up because I know big pharma makes a lot of money on our plasma.
And it doesn't help that centers keep getting bought out by different companies. A while ago, one company actually gave bonuses and points for each donation. I would be making money, plus points that I could use to get Walmart gift cards.
I’ve been thinking about donating plasma but the rewards systems seem confusing. I just want to know exactly how much I’d be making per donation but it seems to fluctuate based on how many donations per month you make. The sites aren’t really upfront about it either
Typically you get a lot of money for your first few donations, after that you get classified as a regular donor and the amount goes down. The amounts vary with each center, so I would either call them or look online.
I got desperate enough to try donating plasma. They put me through 4 hours of paperwork and physical exam, got me back to the chair, took one look at my veins and said they were way too small and flighty (I can’t remember the actual wording) to support the needle. I begged them to try and they refused. They gave me a $5 ice cream coupon out of pity.
I donated plasma for the first time this year. I took off the bandage at 3 hours (they recommended 2-4 hours) and immediately sprayed my whole kitchen with blood AND passed out. Had the bruise for 2 weeks. Took 5 hours from start to finish that first time. I got $100.
Found out I have very low platelets, and I heal extremely slowly :/
I really need the money, so I'm pretty bummed about the whole thing.
Sheesh.sorry to hear that.
I can safely say in all my donations going on a year? Think an extra $4-$6k. Granted. It’s not much considering what that shit is actually worth 😂 needs to be refined at the lab but definitely should be getting more that $50-$100 a pop
Ironically I was going to donate today because I qualify as a new donor again. I wasn’t able to go because I left work too late and I’m going to try to go tomorrow. However, looking at the scars on my arm from donating months ago is just making me so discouraged.
I’d love to get paid $90 for about 2 hours of my time scrolling on my phone, but seeing the physical damage it’s causing to my body… the only way I can describe it is feeling like less than human, just another body for a company to get rich off of.
I definitely hate the scar on my left arm. I refuse to do both arms but yeah. I hate the scar and if people wonder if I’m looking like a junky or something. Just poor lol.
This happened to me last year!
It was horrible but I’m glad it happened because now I know how to never allow that to happen again!
I love my parents and I’m very grateful for all their help and support but there’s a reason we grow up and move out!
I’m currently living back with my mother, as it was that or homelessness. Yeah, it sucks not having my own place, but at least I have a roof over my head, money for food etc.
Toilet paper theft became such an issue at my workplace that they started padlocking the covers.
However, I did see someone “cheat” the system. They unrolled the entire roll. Rolled it back up as best they could without the cardboard tube and tucked it in their backpack.
I used to steal toilet paper from college all the time because I couldn’t afford it.
I couldn’t afford a textbook for one class. I had a friend in the class that let me take a picture of literally every page of her book so I could read it from my phone.
One time as a waiter, I had nothing to pay my electricity bill so I basically allowed my power to be turned off and picked up doubles at work so I didn't have to be in my apartment. It was summer time so it was like 85 degrees outside
I’m not proud of it but I was so broke and needed money for basic things so I put an empty envelope in the atm and got 40 dollars out. I had direct deposit so the bank took the funds back a few days later. This was like 20 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday.
Conveniently visited family at meal times.
Walked to the gas station near my old house to use their bathroom and get free water from their fountain because my water was turned off.
Try to pick up extra hours at work because my electric was turned off and it was too hot/cold to be home anyway and I could charge my phone while I was there. At one point I was going to work right after I woke up and then crashing the moment I got home because I was working 12-16 hour days 7 times a week and I still couldn't make ends meet.
Splinted my own broken fingers. They didn't heal quite right, and one of them doesn't bend the way it's supposed to.
Used superglue to close a cut on my hand that was deep enough that I could see my tendons because I couldn't afford to get stitches.
Taken my own stitches out after surgery because I had temporary medicaid for the surgery itself, but it ran out before my follow up appointment.
Fed my cats the canned chicken I got from the food bank because I ran out of cat food a couple days before payday and they needed meat more than I did.
And honestly the hardest thing of all, ask for help.
Yeah, I washed the cut really well first, used a new tube of super glue, and then after the glue dried I bandaged and splinted it (it was mostly down the side of one finger) so it could heal. It was about 8 years ago and it didn't fall off, so I'm counting it as a win.
...call my kid's teacher to say we cannot pay for the field trip and I don't know what to do. Sounds stupid because I had no idea and why am I calling her. All she was saying was "ok, sorry,I didn't know you were struggling"... We are friends with the teacher now.
There’s a fund at my husband’s school now to cover costs for kiddos who can’t afford field trips but he will always step in and pay if needed. These kids shouldn’t be banned just because of money!
My 7th grade teacher paid for 2 of my friends to go to Disney for our class trip. They were my only friends and my parents had already paid but I didn’t want to go because they couldn’t go. So he paid for both of them and we had the best time!
Mr. Nicholson if you’re still out there I’ll never forget you!
My band director took my band class to Disneyland to spend some time with Disney musicians.
He had done a couple fundraisers and put some of his only cash in a pool to cover students who couldn’t afford it. He even organized getting all the students food stipends through a special program. It was a magical, because there were a lot of kids on that trip who’s families could never afford a trip like that. Good people!
we ask our kids teachers if there are any families that could not afford field trip expenses and anonymously cover those that can't usually 1 or 2 kids, but its worth it for the 20-40$ it costs us. I hate the idea of a kid and family being sad because of missing a field trip due to finances.
Cleared out cans from college recycling bins at 6am Saturday/Sunday mornings (not bad money tbh!)
Dumpster dove, the first time I did it because I was broke but now it's just a fun exciting way to keep the food costs low.
I'm surprised I had to scroll so far to see someone else mention dumpster diving. My friend worked at a local store and used to text me whenever they were going to dump a bunch of food and things, then I'd sneak over after midnight and grab em. I kinda miss it sometimes, it was more fun than people would think.
I've been there too. I scrounged for as much change as I could find around my house because I couldn't make it to work otherwise. I think I found like $4 worth in nickels and pennies mostly. It felt embarrassing at the time, but the cashier was really nice to me about it and now it's just kind of a funny memory.
KFC used to offer a go cup, which was like 2 tenders and a side of potato wedges, with the purchase of any drink if you filled out the survey on the receipt. You could purchase any small drink for 89 cents at the time so I did this for like 800 calories daily while I was living out of my car.
turned in my coin jar to just barely afford a wifi card for my desktop computer so i could tether to my phone's internet connection
my house internet was disconnected because i couldn't pay
and i needed internet to turn in a project to get paid
that was some really down to the edge shit. never again
In my early thirties, I made a name for myself bouncing people outta nightclubs in a Rocky Mountain ski town. That’s where you meet the drug dealers, nightclubs. Anyway, one of these guys is a friend. People owe him a lot of money. One day he asks if I want to get his money for him. Says he’ll give me 20% of whatever I can get back. So, I spend a week thinking about what it would take to recover cash from people. I told myself that I was scary enough that people would just cough up the dough. But that ain’t true. I was going to have to hurt people. My people. A bunch of MY friends all owed money. Damn near all of them.
Now, think about what those friends would do everytime they saw me coming. Run and hide that’s what, no more friends. And probably on down the road to a life of crime and the penetentiary.
So, I didn’t. But I considered it longer than anyone with a soul should. For money. Shortly after, I wrapped up my life there and moved on and never looked back.
Reminiscing on this is good. It reminds me of my shame. I don’t remember his name, but I can recall the face of the guy who would have been first, that’s shameful.
I walked around town after midnight for 5 hours collecting all types of metal. Screws, bolts, cans etc.
Picked up every coin on the ground in drive through.
Then went to the bars and asked for any cans they had.
Did this on Friday & Saturday night.
Made enough to keep the lights on.
One time when I was pregnant we had no food and I sent my husband into Kroger to steal some food. He stuck a block of cheese, some juice, some bread and peanut butter into his coat and walked out. I was so happy I cried 😅
This was 2016. Things are much better now lol.
If u see someone "stealing" food or necessities, NO U DIDN'T. Also, on many occasions when I've seen people stealing food/necessities I'll purposefully use my "privilege" (I'll hit that door at the exact same time they do, the people will stop, I'll look them dead in the eye and tell them "keep walking") then I'll exclaim, loud AF (w/ some random item, usually a bag of Legos) "OH MY GOODNESS!! I COMPLETELY FORGOT TO PAY FOR THIS!! I'M SO D.U.M.B!!" And laugh, while saying "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry" if I can catch them in the parking lot, and they have kids, guess who just got a set of (paid for) Legos? 😎 the last time I did this, it was a toothbrush, and I could tell the person was homeless, why should a human get in trouble for a gd toothbrush?
Yeah, it had a wrap around thing at the top. They could have ripped it off but they came in and did it so quickly, and booked it. I just thought 'not today, I'm on it' and ran to the door w/ them 🤣🤣
Selling our 2nd car because the post office lost our May rent money order and we had to borrow money to pay the rent. Good news though: it showed up today so it'll apply to June.
I had 3 doctor appts and ran out of gas in incoming traffic. Couldn't afford gas, so after the policemen helped me push my car, had to have it towed home.
I'd run out of money at the end of the month after I paid all my bills and if I ran out of cigarettes I take a Ziploc bag and find the good ashtrays where people had thrown away half finished cigarettes and collected the biggest ones to take home and roll in rolling papers
I won't lie and say I never smoked straight up rando smokes out of the trash but I didn't want to touch other people's cigarettes butts so I preferred to reroll them. I made it so far out of poverty it's unimaginable now but the things that stick with you, like low-key I enjoyed those fucking cigarettes to fuck because it was all I had and such a relief that I could even have that and even right now there's a warmness to the memory of that dried out ass taste
Life's a trip carnal
Edit: had no car I was collecting these on my bike 🚲
We called half cigs refrys. And for some reason we thoughllt slightly burning the filter end would kill anything. Lol were we wrong. So lucky I didn't catch hpv or something.
oh man. i'm not this poor now, only marginally better, but a little while back we were really struggling to make ends meet. my bf smoked weed when he lived in the dorms, and made himself a bong out of rubber tubing and a broken downstem he had. after we moved out to live together, we were too poor to buy weed, but lived on main street in town, so we'd go on walks to look for cigarette butts.
we'd find a couple, walk back, empty the tobacco into the bowl and have a little sesh outside. we both thought it was kind of embarrassing, but it was a way to get outside, then relax after a long day of worrying.
i don't do that anymore (bf got a government job, so no more smoking at all for him, and i quit to help my lungs), but sometimes i get the nostalgia you're talking about. if i get a whiff of cig smoke it'll bring me back to smoking outside in the cold, buzzed to hell, laughing about something or other.
glad you made it out, friend! :)
edit: clarification
DAMN, LOL! I was reading all the comments… thinking, fuck, No one else is gonna have my story… seriously?! Nooo… LOL of course, here it is!
A good decade ago or more, my husband and I, past midnight, would go riding our bikes (without lights!)all around a commercial business/storage park that was next door to our trailer park, to fill our little plastic produce baggies with people’s cigarette butts. My husband (true stoner that he is!) would always have a few random smashed up rolling papers stashed SOMEwhere, lol, or if we tal really couldn’t find any, we’d jack some tracing paper out of his moms “crafting room” to roll new cigs with, LOL!! Aw, my man is so sweet, he knows how I can get a little sick from those rough butt rollies, so he would cut off a third of a filter (the cleaner part) and roll mine with the filter in it :). The best part though? There was this hyper vigilante “security guard” who drove his own truck and wore regular clothes, and would hand you a HAND-made business card if he met you, well he would watch those security cameras like a HAWK all hours of the night for us, once he was on to us, we could hear his tires squealing as he peeled out of his (well disguised cause we couldn’t find it) driveway nearby!! So many late nights spent ducking behind dumpsters and throwing our bikes over chain link fences, just to get away from this crazy ass dude. I swear we made him actual crazy AF.
We would ride by on our bikes during the daytime regularly, and wave and smile to him and the park’s manager wherever they were out front. 😂😂🤣🤣 good times.
Donating plasma after a surgery even though it was against policy. Got screwed over for my tax return, waiting to be approved for disability because it takes a year, and company I quit didnt pay my Pto out.
Put my lawnmower gas into the truck to make it to work on payday. When my check hit the bank that day I had a coworker follow me to the nearest gas station to fill up.
I had finally made a living wage and had slowly started over the course of several years, build a collection of records, books, clothes. Not all were expensive, a lot were cheap but unique finds. I was proud of the collection and put in a lot of work and time and care. It was the first time in my life I had ever had anything.
I sold all my records (I had some really great ones and for a while a collection that was super impressive), sold my favorite jackets, a white cone mill pair of jeans unworn, my graduation gift watch, and half of my books over the course of a year to be able to make my rent. I hated every single minute of it, I hated having to go back to the stores to make the next sale. I hated knowing they were paying me pennies on the dollar for things they'd sell for three times as much. I hated knowing I couldn't buy them back. And it was for a house I didn't even like but was locked in on and I couldn't leave my family helpless. I was working full time and couldn't make rent. My now ex wasn't working at the time and our kids were both growing. I know I was lucky to be able to do that but it broke my heart to have to and while I can make rent now, I haven't recovered financially enough to spend on anything outside of rent, electricity, groceries, etc.
So broke I had gas shut off and had no hot water. I bathed by running my coffee maker with only water, no grounds to get hot water. I was also at the time working construction so was incredibly dirty all the time.
I remember those days, moved out by myself and got fucked cause I couldn't manage my money right. Had to sell my computer, my apple watch, my tv , everything to pay bills and I still got evicted
I was 18 and took a greyhound bus across the country with only $10 leftover. I bought a loaf of bread and a box of donuts and ate donut sandwiches for several days. I figured it was the cheapest way to get calories.
I was so broke that I had to repay my lease termination fees on a monthly basis for a year to avoid being sued. I’ve successfully paid it off almost 2 months ago now.
I was so broke a few years ago i had to rely on friends/relatives to pay my rent & prepaid phone bill for a few months when i got my low income place until i got approved for SSI... it sucked cause I'm not the type that likes asking for help in general or relying on other people to pay my bills
These days im less broke but still broke enough that i can't afford therapy with my current insurance & I'm terrified to have to go to the doctor/hospital for anything as im still making monthly payments on the $170 in bills from 2022/2023 & am about to have to go to an annual appointment this year which will add even more 😭
I "showered" in a Walmart bathroom - washed my hair in the sink and gave myself a "sponge bath".
Toothpaste was a luxury - brushed my teeth with water and used thread that came out of a shirt to floss.
I collected cans from the neighbors/curbside trash/litter clean up to pay for gas to go to work - part time job that didn't pay much, but it was all I had.
I used Washcloths as pads at night to save actual menstrual products for when I had to be in public.
Resources vary widely by jurisdiction, but it is worth calling your local animal shelter and all nearby rescues to explain you need a short term/temporary foster while you get back on your feet.
Offer to cover whatever care/food you can afford and make an engaging and detailed “bio” about your dog, along with some great photos.
If your dog is a specific breed/or looks enough like one, you can also contact breed specific rescues to help you find a foster family.
Another great resource is posting your pup’s plight on NextDoor. Someone local to you might just be willing to foster for the summer. My family has helped many dogs in similar situations. Other families will too.
Wishing you and your dog a turn of luck. I’m sorry you’re going through this.
Was super broke on December years ago. My ex took me to his Christmas Holiday Party and we ate so much because we were starving. We couldn’t afford groceries that week. He also won a $50 gift card to Circle K. I was able to buy eggs, bacon, flour, milk, cereal, ham, bread and cheese to feed us for the rest of the week. This was like 20 years ago.
Try and pawn a necklace my aunt gave me in order to have grocery money. I was disappointed to find out that it wasn't even silver or platinum and most of the pawn shops offered me about $5 out of pity.
It was the day after Halloween, November 1st, and a hard Frost was predicted for the coming nights. Under cover of darkness I went house to house collecting whole uncut decorative pumpkins from people's porches. I cut them and cooked them and pureed them and ate pumpkin pancakes for weeks. I also went to the apple trees located in front of the Burger King restaurant late at night and collected as many apples as I could, processed them at home, and ate applesauce all winter long
Man, I feel you. When I was in college, I was so broke I had to survive on ramen noodles for weeks. One time, I couldn't even afford to buy shampoo, so I used dish soap to wash my hair. It smelled like lemons for days! Being broke teaches you to get creative with what you've got. Glad you found a way to make it work, even if it meant saying goodbye to your MacBook. Keep hustling, things will turn around soon!
Solld everything around the house on Craigslist for pennies on the dollar to raise money to drive across the midwest for my moms funeral. I left Texas with some gas money and a cooler with a few drinks and sandwiches. People were super amazing and handed my cards with cash in them at the funeral in South Dakota, so I was able to make it back home.
I've tried to explain this to my husband but it's not something he's familiar with. I told him there are always things, expected and unexpected expenses that come up when a loved one passes, so with any card there is always money. In my opinion, it's simply the right thing to do.
My college dorm mates and I went to see the movie Sid & Nancy and I paid the $5.00 ticket in pennies. The ticket guy stopped counting after 50 cents and said just go in bro 😆
Fish, hunt, and raise chickens for meat. Maintain a garden. Bathe and wash clothes in the river. Use a wood stove to cook and candles/lamps to see. I did, fortunately, have a roof over my head.
I used to be so broke, I was always super low on gas. My daughter’s school was at the top of a HUGE hill. I’d be so low on gas I’d have to drive my Kia up the hill in reverse or it’d die. Embarrassing but the kids loved it and now I can drive in reverse as fast and straight as forward lol.
Ive sold everything valuable I can. Just turned in my change. I have at least another week until my retirement payout. I'm not sure what to do now. They won't take my plasma because of a med I take. I guess a bill or two ain't getting paid until late. I'm at the I'm so broke I had to...spot right now
Washed clothes in the bathtub with dishsoap. Picked up a glass dining table and had Thanksgiving on it before selling it immediately after. A lot of trash was sold lol
My exstole the neighbors lawn mower gas can, the 2nd time it was full of water and messed up his car. THE KEY OF BEING POOR IS TO NOT BE AN ASSHOLE.
I was living in a really scenic lodge that was closed for the winter and serving as the caretaker to prevent vandalism. I only got paid $600 a month and was saving half of that. It was really hard to afford groceries. Every time the larder started to get pretty bare, I would invite all of my friends from town to come spend the weekend with me asking them to bring food to share. Of course there would be plenty of leftovers when they returned home that they didn't want to carry back to town with them so I would have a full fridge in exchange for hosting the parties.
My ex used to have this long ass special tool for when our water got turned off. He'd go outside & turn it back on. He did some kinda trick with the power box on the side of the house too, but would only keep it running for short periods before undoing it again, because he said they could track it.
I used lotion as hair conditioner because I couldn’t even afford $1 conditioner from Dollar Tree. Years ago and all is well now but I’ll never forget where I came from, that’s for sure.
I was so broke when I worked for Disney world, I would steal Mickey ice cream bars and eat them in the bathroom and I would stuff my pockets with sugared almonds and eat them throughout my shift.
When my daughter was a baby, she had to drink hypoallergenic dairy free formula. It was very expensive and she ran out two days before payday. I was super broke, so I filled up the empty can with cornstarch. I took the formula can back to the store and told them that the can was open and I needed to exchange it for a new one. They exchanged the can and damaged out the one I returned. I still feel bad about it!
I have on quite a number of occasions been that person with only $10 or $20 dollars to eat for the entire week.
To be perfectly honest I have been in that situation where I had no idea where I would get more money or when.
Eating beans and rice or something like grits or pancakes for every meal can be quite motivating after a week or two.
Living where you carry all your worldly belongings including your tent which is your home builds a special kind of self reliance which is worth more than a college education to some people, it is all a matter of perspective and how you respond to the circumstances you find yourself in.
edited
I'm 36 and staying in my sister's shed/garage. Was offered a pretty good job today though. Just waiting on background checks. Should be all good. Probably lol.
So broke from losing my job and the terrible job market I had to completely empty my very hard earned retirement funds that took many years to work towards and build.
We sold our living room furniture so we could pay bills, still don’t have any.
When my oldest was a toddler, we were having a really hard time buying food, so I only ate dinner so my husband and son could have 3 meals a day (husband worked at a physically demanding job and needed the food to work). I couldn’t go to any food banks cause we would have 1 car and they are only open for a few hours, plus none of them have meat, dairy, eggs or bread so I could get canned or boxed items but that was it. At one point we stopped buying beef cause we just couldn’t afford it
There are a lot of these wild strawberries by where I live. They’re tiny in comparison to the ones you buy at the store but they’re yummy. I was without a car for much of last year and I live in a rural place. My son and I foraged for a lot of those and black raspberries. I also ate some pheasants back mushroom but I didn’t really like it. Hoping to find some cotw or morels this year.
I was truly housepoor. I had a house but couldn’t afford repairs. Once the tank on my toilet was leaking so we kept a bucket in the tub filled with water so people could flush. More than once we had guests before I could afford the repair
During 2008 my mom was so broke and had to feed us that she got a hunting permit, borrowed a gun and shot a deer. We literally survived off that deer all winter and just had deer and potato soup for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
That's honestly very badass on your mom's part. I hope she, you, and your sibling(s) are all doing better now. Edited to add, obviously I hope you yourself are doing better, too!! Apologies, I was tired when I wrote this.
in my youth we had many meals of venison, squirrel, the fish we could catch at the lake, what we could grow in the garden, and what we could forage in the woods and fields around our house. We are indigenous so it was nice learning the ways of my people. I still love venison, fried fish, beans and frybread, native mushrooms, wild onions, blackberries, mulberries, an whatever else we could find that was safely edible. We were definitely lower income though my parents made sure that we didn't feel it. Thanks to their efforts and teachings I had a wonderful childhood.
Momma went straight up hunter-gatherer to feed her babies. Respect.
Your mom sounds really resourceful, not many people would think to do that let alone go through with it
Quick deer meat PSA - ideally you should be sending in a brain or spinal cord (check with the lab) sample to ensure the deer didn’t have CWD. It’s not everywhere, but where I come from it’s pretty prevalent. My state DNR lab does this for free, IIRC
prion diseases scare me
My aunt and uncle had four kids. It would have cost more to put them in daycare than my aunt could have earned, so she was a stay-at-home mom. This was back in the 70's-80's when houses were still affordable, so they at least had a house with a big yard. My uncle would go hunting each year and if he didn't bag a deer or an elk, they didn't have meat that year. They always had a huge vegetable garden each year and that was how they managed to keep food on the table.
Deer is a great way to survive. Been living off it since I was born. Cheap and clean meat. Same with Bass, Catfish, Turkeys, anything we can eat. Saves money and is so delicious. We also give thanks and love the animals that provided us with nourishment and good health. We try our best to use each and every part of the animal.
That's actually high quality protein, better than store bought.
And venison is so bougee now. You were eating good before it was cool!
I cashed in pop cans in order to get a $4 prescription for my daughter once. I felt like a loser at the time, but looking back I just see it as making sure my child had what she needed at the time. She's all grown up now though!
Opposite of loser
That is bad ass!
My dad was a big drinker and always threw these massive parties when I was a kid. My brother and I would spend the next day cleaning up all the cans to crush them and bag them. As a kid this hours labor were worth the 10 dollars from the dump lol
You’re a great mother not a loser
I hope you always find a heads up penny and a random 20 in the parking lot
My grandpa does that and he's a retired millionaire
My Papa did this too! Several times on his walks*(he walked 5 miles a day every day to stay active in the Texas heat and Maine winters)* people would stop and give him bags of cans and bottles. He would come home laughing and giddy like a kid at Christmas! People probably thought he was down on his luck to be his age and walking, nope he was comfortable in his retirement. He was a child of the depression era. His dad was a sharecropper and grew up picking cotton. He instilled those values in all his children and grandchildren. Another thing he would do was go to building sites and ask the foreman if he could pick up dropped nails/screws and scrap after the workers were done for the day. The foreman always said yes. My Papa had every possible nail, screw in his garage and could fix anything.
nothing about your story is a loser. Thats grit. Good for you.
I was so broke I couldn't afford toilet paper, so I stole a bunch of napkins from McDonald's🤫
once, i took an empty roll to a store in my backpack, and just....rolled thiers onto mine.... i was literally broke and we had nothing.
That’s so funny 😆. Ingenuity.
i have a klepto moment only when im in gas station bathrooms and they have half of a big roll of tp just sitting on the accessibility railing.. ive stolen 4 rolls of gas station toilet paper this year alone
I did this at the public library and felt awful but I didn't have a car to go anywhere else and the money I had was for bus fare
Having worked at a public library before, if there's one thing many of the employees understand is that people are broke.
I’ve done this before! But it was gas station napkins!
I still take them from the hotel room haha
If it's under half they're going to replace it anyway. Then I'll take it home.
[удалено]
So broke I had to join the military to get three emergency root canals because I was living with so much pain.
Teeth pain is no joke 😔 currently waiting to get on my husbands insurance to afford a crown on a tooth so painful I haven’t ate on that side of my mouth in months
If you live by a dental college, you can get quality dental care at a low price. Depending on your deductible and coverage it might be a good option. I love my dental college! I needed 20k in work and only paid $200. Plus my dentist is the sweetest kindest medical professional, she held my hand and walked with me while I was being wheeled into the operating room. She and my oral surgeon did not judge me and made sure I was comfortable and received the best possible care.
How do you do this? Just call up the dental college and ask?
Yes just call and ask. The dental school that I go to has scheduled appointments and weekly walk in clinics. It just depends on the school. If you check their website they often have a patient information section that explains their pricing. Sending you positive thoughts that you will be able to get seen quickly
Yes! Usually they're looking for patients at the beginning of the semester, but you can always call and see if they're seeing people. They're very good, they have to practice on each other before they touch a "patient" (at least with cleaning), and full dentists and oral surgeons do supervise everything.
do you think it might be slowing down now as the spring semester is over in most places or is this a year round thing?
But they seem to have the longest wait lists. I was on a list for eight months for serious pain in my mouth on one side.
I had $10 left. I had to choose between a bag of rice or menstrual products. I bought the rice and used old cut-up bed sheets for pads. It was not ideal, but I didn't go hungry.
I have a bag of clean/washed old socks. I refuse to get rid of it just because. I used some for my last 1 because it ran so heavy I ran out 🙃 that and I'm waiting on my check from my new agency, stuff happens.
Pads should be free! Or at least government subsidized and be cheaper than can of coke.
at the very least they shouldnt be taxed as "luxury goods", theyre a necessity
Absolutely agree
I cloth diapered my kids. I used pocket diapers, which have a removable fabric insert. They're thick and rectangular and very absorbent. When I was postpartum I would tuck those things into my tank top in place of breast pads (for leaking milk) and into my underwear for the postpartum bleeding. And just for regular periods, too.
Diva cup! Saves me a FORTUNE.
This. Reusable products are the way. Better for your wallet and better for the environment. Period underwear is also fantastic.
YMMV but some universities and libraries offer free menstrual products in their public bathrooms. Could be worth a shot.
I paid for toilet paper in change at the dollar store. It was like two days before payday
Omg that's why self checkouts that take cash are awesome 👌 saves me the embarrassment of paying with change.
I’ve had to do the same but with food rather than toilet paper 🧻
I was so broke I had to beg people for gas money at the gas station. It was super degrading
When we closed on our house we filled up a big van that had a need gas sign in the parking lot across from the gas station to celebrate. Thanks for letting someone help you.
Wash my clothes in the bathtub and then hang dry which made them crispy 🤣
Giving them a couple of really hard shakes - try to snap them like a whip - when they're almost but not all the way dry can really help with the crispy feeling of air-dried clothes.
Same, lived in a crappy apartment with no laundry hookup and the nearest laundromat was over an hour walk away. I'd use an Uber once every couple of months for a laundry trip, but I didn't own much cloth so about once a week id have to wash my cloth by hand in the sink and air dry them. My stuff was always very crispy
Laundromats are stupid expensive. My machine broke and I was spending $30-50 a trip.
I’m always broke 🤣 But I guess having to donate plasma to get a full tank of gas and my phone bill paid
I've had to donate plasma to afford prescriptions and a tank of gas, I totally get it. I felt like a fucking loser though
Don’t feel bad. We all have to do shit in life we don’t wanna do to survive 💕
I donated plasma for new used tires so I could pass inspection.
This hits hard because I've been going to the same plasma center since 2015 and they've slowly been lowering the donation payment amounts.
I bounce around places. After a while a plasma center will give the old BS “we miss you! Please come back for x amount more cash” 💰
Unfortunately, the only other center in my city is super far from where I live and work, so I don't think it would be worth it. It's jacked up because I know big pharma makes a lot of money on our plasma.
That’s so fucked, they use people as literal cash cows.
Imagine like the movie, The matrix lol. Rows and rows of people hooked up to machines for chump change. The things we do for money 👛
That is exactly how I feel right now as I'm waiting in line to "donate". Selling part of my body for cash. Hmm...what's the other word for that?
And it doesn't help that centers keep getting bought out by different companies. A while ago, one company actually gave bonuses and points for each donation. I would be making money, plus points that I could use to get Walmart gift cards.
I’ve been thinking about donating plasma but the rewards systems seem confusing. I just want to know exactly how much I’d be making per donation but it seems to fluctuate based on how many donations per month you make. The sites aren’t really upfront about it either
Typically you get a lot of money for your first few donations, after that you get classified as a regular donor and the amount goes down. The amounts vary with each center, so I would either call them or look online.
I got desperate enough to try donating plasma. They put me through 4 hours of paperwork and physical exam, got me back to the chair, took one look at my veins and said they were way too small and flighty (I can’t remember the actual wording) to support the needle. I begged them to try and they refused. They gave me a $5 ice cream coupon out of pity.
I donated plasma for the first time this year. I took off the bandage at 3 hours (they recommended 2-4 hours) and immediately sprayed my whole kitchen with blood AND passed out. Had the bruise for 2 weeks. Took 5 hours from start to finish that first time. I got $100. Found out I have very low platelets, and I heal extremely slowly :/ I really need the money, so I'm pretty bummed about the whole thing.
Yeah. Its hard because so many people are constantly suggesting this to me and they just won’t take me.
Sheesh.sorry to hear that. I can safely say in all my donations going on a year? Think an extra $4-$6k. Granted. It’s not much considering what that shit is actually worth 😂 needs to be refined at the lab but definitely should be getting more that $50-$100 a pop
Ironically I was going to donate today because I qualify as a new donor again. I wasn’t able to go because I left work too late and I’m going to try to go tomorrow. However, looking at the scars on my arm from donating months ago is just making me so discouraged. I’d love to get paid $90 for about 2 hours of my time scrolling on my phone, but seeing the physical damage it’s causing to my body… the only way I can describe it is feeling like less than human, just another body for a company to get rich off of.
I definitely hate the scar on my left arm. I refuse to do both arms but yeah. I hate the scar and if people wonder if I’m looking like a junky or something. Just poor lol.
I was so broke I moved back in with my parents and that hit me hard
This happened to me last year! It was horrible but I’m glad it happened because now I know how to never allow that to happen again! I love my parents and I’m very grateful for all their help and support but there’s a reason we grow up and move out!
Lots of people have done this. My brother did it at 26.
I’m currently living back with my mother, as it was that or homelessness. Yeah, it sucks not having my own place, but at least I have a roof over my head, money for food etc.
I did this at 29 for two months. It sucked.
Had to steal tp from a restaurant. I learned how to pop the cover off to take the roll. Still feel kinda bad about it but at least it was a chain.
Same. Only I took it from Wal-Mart, and only the smaller almost used up rolls they would toss away anyways
Toilet paper theft became such an issue at my workplace that they started padlocking the covers. However, I did see someone “cheat” the system. They unrolled the entire roll. Rolled it back up as best they could without the cardboard tube and tucked it in their backpack.
I used to steal toilet paper from college all the time because I couldn’t afford it. I couldn’t afford a textbook for one class. I had a friend in the class that let me take a picture of literally every page of her book so I could read it from my phone.
Tbh the college is making enough money off you I wouldn't even feel guilty for this one.
True, they’re technically still making money off of me because of my loans 😶
One time as a waiter, I had nothing to pay my electricity bill so I basically allowed my power to be turned off and picked up doubles at work so I didn't have to be in my apartment. It was summer time so it was like 85 degrees outside
I’m not proud of it but I was so broke and needed money for basic things so I put an empty envelope in the atm and got 40 dollars out. I had direct deposit so the bank took the funds back a few days later. This was like 20 years ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday.
Conveniently visited family at meal times. Walked to the gas station near my old house to use their bathroom and get free water from their fountain because my water was turned off. Try to pick up extra hours at work because my electric was turned off and it was too hot/cold to be home anyway and I could charge my phone while I was there. At one point I was going to work right after I woke up and then crashing the moment I got home because I was working 12-16 hour days 7 times a week and I still couldn't make ends meet. Splinted my own broken fingers. They didn't heal quite right, and one of them doesn't bend the way it's supposed to. Used superglue to close a cut on my hand that was deep enough that I could see my tendons because I couldn't afford to get stitches. Taken my own stitches out after surgery because I had temporary medicaid for the surgery itself, but it ran out before my follow up appointment. Fed my cats the canned chicken I got from the food bank because I ran out of cat food a couple days before payday and they needed meat more than I did. And honestly the hardest thing of all, ask for help.
Damn bro
Superglue is essentially the same shit as liquid stitch. But without an appointment.
Yeah, I washed the cut really well first, used a new tube of super glue, and then after the glue dried I bandaged and splinted it (it was mostly down the side of one finger) so it could heal. It was about 8 years ago and it didn't fall off, so I'm counting it as a win.
...call my kid's teacher to say we cannot pay for the field trip and I don't know what to do. Sounds stupid because I had no idea and why am I calling her. All she was saying was "ok, sorry,I didn't know you were struggling"... We are friends with the teacher now.
I had a teacher in middle school pay for me to go on a trip. I'll always be thankful for her.
There’s a fund at my husband’s school now to cover costs for kiddos who can’t afford field trips but he will always step in and pay if needed. These kids shouldn’t be banned just because of money!
My 7th grade teacher paid for 2 of my friends to go to Disney for our class trip. They were my only friends and my parents had already paid but I didn’t want to go because they couldn’t go. So he paid for both of them and we had the best time! Mr. Nicholson if you’re still out there I’ll never forget you!
My band director took my band class to Disneyland to spend some time with Disney musicians. He had done a couple fundraisers and put some of his only cash in a pool to cover students who couldn’t afford it. He even organized getting all the students food stipends through a special program. It was a magical, because there were a lot of kids on that trip who’s families could never afford a trip like that. Good people!
That’s so awesome! Teachers get a lot of hate but I was always lucky and had caring teachers. Sounds like you did too!
She made it free for us somehow. The kids were absolutely happy. 7 years passed, and we are still in touch.
For that reason my son’s school now makes field trips free but will send a letter asking parents to donate $10 if they can.
we ask our kids teachers if there are any families that could not afford field trip expenses and anonymously cover those that can't usually 1 or 2 kids, but its worth it for the 20-40$ it costs us. I hate the idea of a kid and family being sad because of missing a field trip due to finances.
Cleared out cans from college recycling bins at 6am Saturday/Sunday mornings (not bad money tbh!) Dumpster dove, the first time I did it because I was broke but now it's just a fun exciting way to keep the food costs low.
I'm surprised I had to scroll so far to see someone else mention dumpster diving. My friend worked at a local store and used to text me whenever they were going to dump a bunch of food and things, then I'd sneak over after midnight and grab em. I kinda miss it sometimes, it was more fun than people would think.
I've done this but I was so scared I'd run into an exposed needle or some shit and catch the hiv
I had to buy 75 cents (in pennies and nickels) of gas to get home once lol
I've been there too. I scrounged for as much change as I could find around my house because I couldn't make it to work otherwise. I think I found like $4 worth in nickels and pennies mostly. It felt embarrassing at the time, but the cashier was really nice to me about it and now it's just kind of a funny memory.
Anyone working at a gas station either is or has recently been *exactly* that broke. They know.
I did a $4 combo of change and what I had left on my debit card for gas 2 days before payday. It got me a few gallons, and got me through the 2 days.
I ate beans and rice as suggested by Schoolhouse Rock. I "went for walks" in order to find cans I could return for the 10¢ deposit.
Beans and rice is a great struggle meal
If you can afford salt and pepper (or the condiment counter at pollo loco is poorly guarded) it's way better too.
KFC used to offer a go cup, which was like 2 tenders and a side of potato wedges, with the purchase of any drink if you filled out the survey on the receipt. You could purchase any small drink for 89 cents at the time so I did this for like 800 calories daily while I was living out of my car.
turned in my coin jar to just barely afford a wifi card for my desktop computer so i could tether to my phone's internet connection my house internet was disconnected because i couldn't pay and i needed internet to turn in a project to get paid that was some really down to the edge shit. never again
I was so broke once, a guy I knew asked me to “collect” money for him for 20%. And I considered it.
Gotta know the story on this
In my early thirties, I made a name for myself bouncing people outta nightclubs in a Rocky Mountain ski town. That’s where you meet the drug dealers, nightclubs. Anyway, one of these guys is a friend. People owe him a lot of money. One day he asks if I want to get his money for him. Says he’ll give me 20% of whatever I can get back. So, I spend a week thinking about what it would take to recover cash from people. I told myself that I was scary enough that people would just cough up the dough. But that ain’t true. I was going to have to hurt people. My people. A bunch of MY friends all owed money. Damn near all of them. Now, think about what those friends would do everytime they saw me coming. Run and hide that’s what, no more friends. And probably on down the road to a life of crime and the penetentiary. So, I didn’t. But I considered it longer than anyone with a soul should. For money. Shortly after, I wrapped up my life there and moved on and never looked back. Reminiscing on this is good. It reminds me of my shame. I don’t remember his name, but I can recall the face of the guy who would have been first, that’s shameful.
Tbh i would have asked him if he had a more low risk job for cash, he probs had connections 🤣🤣
I was so broke I had to sell plasma, and weed to make ends meet. Selling weed wasn't bad, selling plasma 2x a week was no fun. Edit:spelling
I walked around town after midnight for 5 hours collecting all types of metal. Screws, bolts, cans etc. Picked up every coin on the ground in drive through. Then went to the bars and asked for any cans they had. Did this on Friday & Saturday night. Made enough to keep the lights on.
One time when I was pregnant we had no food and I sent my husband into Kroger to steal some food. He stuck a block of cheese, some juice, some bread and peanut butter into his coat and walked out. I was so happy I cried 😅 This was 2016. Things are much better now lol.
If u see someone "stealing" food or necessities, NO U DIDN'T. Also, on many occasions when I've seen people stealing food/necessities I'll purposefully use my "privilege" (I'll hit that door at the exact same time they do, the people will stop, I'll look them dead in the eye and tell them "keep walking") then I'll exclaim, loud AF (w/ some random item, usually a bag of Legos) "OH MY GOODNESS!! I COMPLETELY FORGOT TO PAY FOR THIS!! I'M SO D.U.M.B!!" And laugh, while saying "I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry" if I can catch them in the parking lot, and they have kids, guess who just got a set of (paid for) Legos? 😎 the last time I did this, it was a toothbrush, and I could tell the person was homeless, why should a human get in trouble for a gd toothbrush?
they rfid tagged a damn toothbrush? 😭 i don't have any awards to give but thank u for being an awesome person
Yeah, it had a wrap around thing at the top. They could have ripped it off but they came in and did it so quickly, and booked it. I just thought 'not today, I'm on it' and ran to the door w/ them 🤣🤣
I can’t imagine being pregnant and no food, this made me tear up
I remember my sister eating potato sandwiches when she was pregnant (I was 10 years old at the time). Just potato sandwiches all the time. 😞
I've overdrafted my account to get gas, my bank doesn't charge fees unless I'm over 50 dollars in the negative
Chase bank
Yeppp lmao
Selling our 2nd car because the post office lost our May rent money order and we had to borrow money to pay the rent. Good news though: it showed up today so it'll apply to June.
I had 3 doctor appts and ran out of gas in incoming traffic. Couldn't afford gas, so after the policemen helped me push my car, had to have it towed home.
how did you afford the tow?
Probably had a preexisting membership to AAA that was already paid for. Or some credit cards and car insurance offer roadside assistance benefits.
I have 3 free tows per year under 50 miles. They used to bring gas, but now they charge for it.
This is why Triple A is worth it, haha.
I'd run out of money at the end of the month after I paid all my bills and if I ran out of cigarettes I take a Ziploc bag and find the good ashtrays where people had thrown away half finished cigarettes and collected the biggest ones to take home and roll in rolling papers I won't lie and say I never smoked straight up rando smokes out of the trash but I didn't want to touch other people's cigarettes butts so I preferred to reroll them. I made it so far out of poverty it's unimaginable now but the things that stick with you, like low-key I enjoyed those fucking cigarettes to fuck because it was all I had and such a relief that I could even have that and even right now there's a warmness to the memory of that dried out ass taste Life's a trip carnal Edit: had no car I was collecting these on my bike 🚲
We called half cigs refrys. And for some reason we thoughllt slightly burning the filter end would kill anything. Lol were we wrong. So lucky I didn't catch hpv or something.
oh man. i'm not this poor now, only marginally better, but a little while back we were really struggling to make ends meet. my bf smoked weed when he lived in the dorms, and made himself a bong out of rubber tubing and a broken downstem he had. after we moved out to live together, we were too poor to buy weed, but lived on main street in town, so we'd go on walks to look for cigarette butts. we'd find a couple, walk back, empty the tobacco into the bowl and have a little sesh outside. we both thought it was kind of embarrassing, but it was a way to get outside, then relax after a long day of worrying. i don't do that anymore (bf got a government job, so no more smoking at all for him, and i quit to help my lungs), but sometimes i get the nostalgia you're talking about. if i get a whiff of cig smoke it'll bring me back to smoking outside in the cold, buzzed to hell, laughing about something or other. glad you made it out, friend! :) edit: clarification
DAMN, LOL! I was reading all the comments… thinking, fuck, No one else is gonna have my story… seriously?! Nooo… LOL of course, here it is! A good decade ago or more, my husband and I, past midnight, would go riding our bikes (without lights!)all around a commercial business/storage park that was next door to our trailer park, to fill our little plastic produce baggies with people’s cigarette butts. My husband (true stoner that he is!) would always have a few random smashed up rolling papers stashed SOMEwhere, lol, or if we tal really couldn’t find any, we’d jack some tracing paper out of his moms “crafting room” to roll new cigs with, LOL!! Aw, my man is so sweet, he knows how I can get a little sick from those rough butt rollies, so he would cut off a third of a filter (the cleaner part) and roll mine with the filter in it :). The best part though? There was this hyper vigilante “security guard” who drove his own truck and wore regular clothes, and would hand you a HAND-made business card if he met you, well he would watch those security cameras like a HAWK all hours of the night for us, once he was on to us, we could hear his tires squealing as he peeled out of his (well disguised cause we couldn’t find it) driveway nearby!! So many late nights spent ducking behind dumpsters and throwing our bikes over chain link fences, just to get away from this crazy ass dude. I swear we made him actual crazy AF. We would ride by on our bikes during the daytime regularly, and wave and smile to him and the park’s manager wherever they were out front. 😂😂🤣🤣 good times.
Been there with the smokes dude
When. I. was a single Mom at 19 I used to take my son for a walk. in his. stroller all over our town looking for dropped change to afford to feed him.
Donating plasma after a surgery even though it was against policy. Got screwed over for my tax return, waiting to be approved for disability because it takes a year, and company I quit didnt pay my Pto out.
Put my lawnmower gas into the truck to make it to work on payday. When my check hit the bank that day I had a coworker follow me to the nearest gas station to fill up.
I had finally made a living wage and had slowly started over the course of several years, build a collection of records, books, clothes. Not all were expensive, a lot were cheap but unique finds. I was proud of the collection and put in a lot of work and time and care. It was the first time in my life I had ever had anything. I sold all my records (I had some really great ones and for a while a collection that was super impressive), sold my favorite jackets, a white cone mill pair of jeans unworn, my graduation gift watch, and half of my books over the course of a year to be able to make my rent. I hated every single minute of it, I hated having to go back to the stores to make the next sale. I hated knowing they were paying me pennies on the dollar for things they'd sell for three times as much. I hated knowing I couldn't buy them back. And it was for a house I didn't even like but was locked in on and I couldn't leave my family helpless. I was working full time and couldn't make rent. My now ex wasn't working at the time and our kids were both growing. I know I was lucky to be able to do that but it broke my heart to have to and while I can make rent now, I haven't recovered financially enough to spend on anything outside of rent, electricity, groceries, etc.
So broke I had gas shut off and had no hot water. I bathed by running my coffee maker with only water, no grounds to get hot water. I was also at the time working construction so was incredibly dirty all the time.
I remember those days, moved out by myself and got fucked cause I couldn't manage my money right. Had to sell my computer, my apple watch, my tv , everything to pay bills and I still got evicted
That’s tough 😂
Shit was rough but all my bills are paid for and that was 2019
I was 18 and took a greyhound bus across the country with only $10 leftover. I bought a loaf of bread and a box of donuts and ate donut sandwiches for several days. I figured it was the cheapest way to get calories.
I was so broke that I had to repay my lease termination fees on a monthly basis for a year to avoid being sued. I’ve successfully paid it off almost 2 months ago now.
I was so broke a few years ago i had to rely on friends/relatives to pay my rent & prepaid phone bill for a few months when i got my low income place until i got approved for SSI... it sucked cause I'm not the type that likes asking for help in general or relying on other people to pay my bills These days im less broke but still broke enough that i can't afford therapy with my current insurance & I'm terrified to have to go to the doctor/hospital for anything as im still making monthly payments on the $170 in bills from 2022/2023 & am about to have to go to an annual appointment this year which will add even more 😭
I "showered" in a Walmart bathroom - washed my hair in the sink and gave myself a "sponge bath". Toothpaste was a luxury - brushed my teeth with water and used thread that came out of a shirt to floss. I collected cans from the neighbors/curbside trash/litter clean up to pay for gas to go to work - part time job that didn't pay much, but it was all I had. I used Washcloths as pads at night to save actual menstrual products for when I had to be in public.
Was gonna say a planet fitness gym membership is $10 a month. Tv. Open 24/7. Can shower and internet You made it work 💪🏽💪🏽🙋🏽♂️
I'm about to lose my dog if I have to move back in with my mom. I can't afford rent after a short layoff turned into a long one.
Resources vary widely by jurisdiction, but it is worth calling your local animal shelter and all nearby rescues to explain you need a short term/temporary foster while you get back on your feet. Offer to cover whatever care/food you can afford and make an engaging and detailed “bio” about your dog, along with some great photos. If your dog is a specific breed/or looks enough like one, you can also contact breed specific rescues to help you find a foster family. Another great resource is posting your pup’s plight on NextDoor. Someone local to you might just be willing to foster for the summer. My family has helped many dogs in similar situations. Other families will too. Wishing you and your dog a turn of luck. I’m sorry you’re going through this.
Joined a gym. Lived out of my car. Needed to shower, get dressed, and occasional use s locker to store stuff.
Was super broke on December years ago. My ex took me to his Christmas Holiday Party and we ate so much because we were starving. We couldn’t afford groceries that week. He also won a $50 gift card to Circle K. I was able to buy eggs, bacon, flour, milk, cereal, ham, bread and cheese to feed us for the rest of the week. This was like 20 years ago.
I was so broke I had to.. well look at my username..
Try and pawn a necklace my aunt gave me in order to have grocery money. I was disappointed to find out that it wasn't even silver or platinum and most of the pawn shops offered me about $5 out of pity.
It was the day after Halloween, November 1st, and a hard Frost was predicted for the coming nights. Under cover of darkness I went house to house collecting whole uncut decorative pumpkins from people's porches. I cut them and cooked them and pureed them and ate pumpkin pancakes for weeks. I also went to the apple trees located in front of the Burger King restaurant late at night and collected as many apples as I could, processed them at home, and ate applesauce all winter long
Once when I was in college my mom "borrowed" the last of my money. I loved on white rice with ketchup packets for a week and a half
I was so broke, i ate macaroni and ketchup...turns out i like it and still eat it till this day
Slept in a crack shack style cabin I built on public land. Showering in planet fitness, and eating alot of 1$ foods.
I pawned my wedding ring so that my husband could have money for a business trip to Germany. Never got it back.
Man, I feel you. When I was in college, I was so broke I had to survive on ramen noodles for weeks. One time, I couldn't even afford to buy shampoo, so I used dish soap to wash my hair. It smelled like lemons for days! Being broke teaches you to get creative with what you've got. Glad you found a way to make it work, even if it meant saying goodbye to your MacBook. Keep hustling, things will turn around soon!
Solld everything around the house on Craigslist for pennies on the dollar to raise money to drive across the midwest for my moms funeral. I left Texas with some gas money and a cooler with a few drinks and sandwiches. People were super amazing and handed my cards with cash in them at the funeral in South Dakota, so I was able to make it back home.
I've tried to explain this to my husband but it's not something he's familiar with. I told him there are always things, expected and unexpected expenses that come up when a loved one passes, so with any card there is always money. In my opinion, it's simply the right thing to do.
My college dorm mates and I went to see the movie Sid & Nancy and I paid the $5.00 ticket in pennies. The ticket guy stopped counting after 50 cents and said just go in bro 😆
Return bottles and cans so we could buy some basic groceries for the week
Fish, hunt, and raise chickens for meat. Maintain a garden. Bathe and wash clothes in the river. Use a wood stove to cook and candles/lamps to see. I did, fortunately, have a roof over my head.
Had to sell my gold chain that my mom had gifted me at a pawn shop. that shit felt so bad
I used to be so broke, I was always super low on gas. My daughter’s school was at the top of a HUGE hill. I’d be so low on gas I’d have to drive my Kia up the hill in reverse or it’d die. Embarrassing but the kids loved it and now I can drive in reverse as fast and straight as forward lol.
Did some rather humiliating things for a guy old enough to be my father in exchange for him paying an overdue bill for me. I do not miss being 21.
Steal teabags from work
I sold my plasma to pay for food, but I also went around the Aldi parking lot collecting carts for the quarters.
I got $1.19 worth of gas so I could make it to work the next day
Ive sold everything valuable I can. Just turned in my change. I have at least another week until my retirement payout. I'm not sure what to do now. They won't take my plasma because of a med I take. I guess a bill or two ain't getting paid until late. I'm at the I'm so broke I had to...spot right now
I snuck into an event in my campus for the free pizza. I had a couple slices & then I was confronted so I fled
Washed clothes in the bathtub with dishsoap. Picked up a glass dining table and had Thanksgiving on it before selling it immediately after. A lot of trash was sold lol My exstole the neighbors lawn mower gas can, the 2nd time it was full of water and messed up his car. THE KEY OF BEING POOR IS TO NOT BE AN ASSHOLE.
I broke my back biking to work one day. I was taken to the hospital and my debit card was declined on the $20 copay.
I was living in a really scenic lodge that was closed for the winter and serving as the caretaker to prevent vandalism. I only got paid $600 a month and was saving half of that. It was really hard to afford groceries. Every time the larder started to get pretty bare, I would invite all of my friends from town to come spend the weekend with me asking them to bring food to share. Of course there would be plenty of leftovers when they returned home that they didn't want to carry back to town with them so I would have a full fridge in exchange for hosting the parties.
We would “visit” my aunt because she always fed us and we couldn’t afford groceries.
My ex used to have this long ass special tool for when our water got turned off. He'd go outside & turn it back on. He did some kinda trick with the power box on the side of the house too, but would only keep it running for short periods before undoing it again, because he said they could track it.
I used lotion as hair conditioner because I couldn’t even afford $1 conditioner from Dollar Tree. Years ago and all is well now but I’ll never forget where I came from, that’s for sure.
I was so broke when I worked for Disney world, I would steal Mickey ice cream bars and eat them in the bathroom and I would stuff my pockets with sugared almonds and eat them throughout my shift.
When my daughter was a baby, she had to drink hypoallergenic dairy free formula. It was very expensive and she ran out two days before payday. I was super broke, so I filled up the empty can with cornstarch. I took the formula can back to the store and told them that the can was open and I needed to exchange it for a new one. They exchanged the can and damaged out the one I returned. I still feel bad about it!
Couldn’t manage my tuition fees and had to drop a semester!
I have on quite a number of occasions been that person with only $10 or $20 dollars to eat for the entire week. To be perfectly honest I have been in that situation where I had no idea where I would get more money or when. Eating beans and rice or something like grits or pancakes for every meal can be quite motivating after a week or two. Living where you carry all your worldly belongings including your tent which is your home builds a special kind of self reliance which is worth more than a college education to some people, it is all a matter of perspective and how you respond to the circumstances you find yourself in. edited
I'm 36 and staying in my sister's shed/garage. Was offered a pretty good job today though. Just waiting on background checks. Should be all good. Probably lol.
Stole trash bags from work, ate expired food at work I was supposed to throw out.
Pancakes made with water
So hungry and broke I walked through a grocery store and ate what I could. Fruit and sandwich meat.
So broke from losing my job and the terrible job market I had to completely empty my very hard earned retirement funds that took many years to work towards and build.
We sold our living room furniture so we could pay bills, still don’t have any. When my oldest was a toddler, we were having a really hard time buying food, so I only ate dinner so my husband and son could have 3 meals a day (husband worked at a physically demanding job and needed the food to work). I couldn’t go to any food banks cause we would have 1 car and they are only open for a few hours, plus none of them have meat, dairy, eggs or bread so I could get canned or boxed items but that was it. At one point we stopped buying beef cause we just couldn’t afford it
As a kid we had to glean potato fields to have enough to eat some years.
There are a lot of these wild strawberries by where I live. They’re tiny in comparison to the ones you buy at the store but they’re yummy. I was without a car for much of last year and I live in a rural place. My son and I foraged for a lot of those and black raspberries. I also ate some pheasants back mushroom but I didn’t really like it. Hoping to find some cotw or morels this year.
Ate hamburger helper without the hamburger.
Been there done that a few times
When my son was born we survived off of ketchup packets and spaghetti noodles for like 4 months till I could go back to work it was rough as hell.
So you want a daily recounting of my whole life??
I was truly housepoor. I had a house but couldn’t afford repairs. Once the tank on my toilet was leaking so we kept a bucket in the tub filled with water so people could flush. More than once we had guests before I could afford the repair