Being Poor

[It's me]

I am so very fortunate in that I've never been really, genuinely poor. But knowing that many of you folks here have been, or are, this really touched me.

http://whatever.scalzi.com/2005/09/03/being-poor/

[Bandit]

I've seen a lot of them far too close up and personal.

It made me think and be very glad that I remember where I was not long and and very thankful to be where I am now.

B

[DeltaSierra]

I've been there - both homeless (lived in my van) and dependent on food banks. Its not something I ever hope I have to experience again.

[XCashier]

I didn't quite get to that point, but I was close several years ago.

Back around 2007-2008, I couldn't get a job to save my life, Hubby's luck wasn't much better, and temp jobs were few and far between, even though we both signed with every temp agency in town. Had to work some truly nasty temp jobs just to keep the family fed and housed. Filthy, freezing cold, cramped places with so many violations it's a wonder OSHA hadn't jumped down their backs.

Some weeks I was lucky to get a four-hour temp job. Yes. Four hours of work for one week. I don't live on Bleecker Street, thirty dollars won't pay my rent. Many weeks, I didn't get any hours at all. I didn't qualify for unemployment or food stamps, had to find a free clinic for medical things and lived in fear of eviction and homelessness.

As irritating as my job can get sometimes, I am thankful that I have a steady job with a good company. I never want to have to be in that position again.

[chrislb]

Been there done that. Was homeless for a couple of years. Sucked so very badly. If it wasn't for a friend getting me a job I would probably still be homeless now.
They are very prejudiced about the homeless in tacoma.

Right now I am maybe 2 paychecks from the danger zone

[Kristev]

Pretty close. How long can this go on?

[Amina516]

This was my reality for a long time. 5 of us in one bedroom, alternating floor and bed. No cable, so I turned to the library and turned into a voracious reader. Squirting that fake lemon juice into my cup so it wouldnt taste like the plain old water i drank every day. Ignoring the bugs in my cereal b/c i was really hungry.

I was fortunate enough to be able to break myself and my family out of it through school. But who isnt one or two missed paychecks away from being back to this? I know I certainly can be. I hope things get better for you all, my friends.

[smileyeagle1021]

I have come damned close to that list... the only thing that has kept me from having more is that my mother has insisted on bailing me out. There are some things on there that I have done, mainly because I've had too much pride and too much decency to pull her down with me. I know that she is putting off her retirement savings to help me until I can become more self sufficient, and a lot of those things on that list, no matter how miserable, is no where near the misery of the guilt of knowing that you are making someone else sacrifice their future for your present, so I hide just how bad of shape I am in when I can, but it isn't hard for her to figure out and help me anyway.

[violiavampyr]

I know the list is (to steal a snoopsian word) mainly glurge, but I don't get the living next to a freeway bit. When I lived in San Diego that was pretty much everywhere, in fact I new more people well off that lived closer to freeways than poor people.
That being said, I've never been in abject poverty, but I have lived on the fringe of finances and played the cash advance game. That's a demon to get out from under.