How poor/broke did you ever get?

[DangerAardvark]

Originally posted by: SlitheryDee
College. I used to sell plasma for cash. They had a nifty pay system. $15 for the first contribution in a week $20 for the second with an extra bonus of $25 for the sixth contribution in a month. 15+20+15+20+15+20+15+20+25 = $165 extra per month. Not bad considering you get to watch movies and relax in a comfy chair the whole time.

If only you could donate plasma and sperm at the same time...

 

[KingGheedora]

I was on my own since I was 20 years old (no financial backing from parents or anything). While I was in college I took the train into the city to work an internship. I sometimes only had enough money for fare to get to work on payday, had to cash my check while at work so I could buy fare back home.

Also had to use one of those cash advance places that charged ridiculous interest rates a few times. Thankfully, each time, I was able to pay on time and never carried a balance with them other than the time between the advance and when I got my next check. Felt shitty to have to walk all the way to that place because I didn't have a car, and those places are never located in great parts of town.

I had my internet, and utilities cut of several times. Being at home with nothing to do and no electricity at night sucks... I had to read by candle light until i fell asleep. .

Plenty of times I survived for weeks on nothing but home-cooked meals of spaghetti, olive oil, salt, and powdered parmessan cheese.

 

[Baked]

My bank account was in the negative once. I had to use CC to buy lunch 'cause I didn't have any cash on myself or at the bank. That was sad.

 

[Chaotic42]

-No job
-No power for at least a month
-Sold N64/Dreamcast/etc for food money
-Ate cabbage and dry ramen along with free food from friends who worked at fast food places
-No car

I was 19, I think. I had a few options open, some of which were very bad. I decided then and there that I would do whatever it took to never be in that situation again.

Now I'm 26, own a home, and make more than $40K on an Associate's Degree. Lots of pain, lots of working multiple jobs, lots of stress, but I got to where I wanted to be.

 

[Howard]

Reading some of the stories here makes me feel how god damned lucky (or unstupid) I am.

 

[CorCentral]

Living in a car in a state park campground for about 3 mths.
Ahhh, the fun times.

Hey, they had hot showers and bathrooms too and it was only $7.00 a night at the time.

 

[TXHokie]

Senior year college I decided not to rack up more loan debt and didn't want to have to work other than my measly $5/hr for 5 hrs/week job in the lab so I could spend time focused on my studies (laughable but that's another story). I calculated that I'd have to live on just $10/week food budget for the year. I made it thru the whole year staying within that budget. Granted this was many years ago and that $10 is probably now worth $20 but that still didn't buy a whole lot. At least I got really good with prices of grocery down to the pennies. Ate lots of veggies - fruits and dessert were luxuries, and probably ate way to many hot dogs or msg filled ramen noodles.

 

[queenrobot]

There was a time when I had to choose between paying for electricity and credit card bills. That sucked.

 

[xeemzor]

I feel downright rich after hearing all these stories Parents were able to raise just fine during HS, and now I'm pretty self sufficient with a job that pays far more than what most people in college make. I guess the least amount of money I ever had in the bank was about $3k.

 

[WingZero94]

I've been broke before, but I can honestly say that I never have lived (or feared) on the streets. I've always known that if I needed something, family would intervene.

That said lowest financial point was pre-graduation / commissioning into the Air Force. My wife and I had just had our first child - we lived in the basement of her parents house. Our daughters 'room' was the family room. It was great and terrible at the same time. I ate great (MIL made sure of that) and we always had heat / cooling. I was just so damn humiliating to me to have to live in their basement. That said, God has been excellent to us always. Financially my pay raises were the following (over four years) 11k, 36k, 45k, 64k, 82k, 89k. I honestly can't complain. Now that we have four children (yes I know) I know that I have to be solid in order to always be able to provide for them. Kinda scary sometimes - but I know we'll be just fine.

 

[Vehemence]

I once had to buy $150 jeans

 

[KingGheedora]

I sometimes wonder if i could save a lot more money by living the way I did back then, with the money I make now. No taxi cabs, no eating out -- only the most basic of groceries for food --, no movies or entertainment costs. No internet or cable at home, no money for going out to drink, socialize, or see movies. I could probably save almost $1K a month.

 

[state 08]

I have a little credit card debt, and right now, my parents are paying for my tuition and rent, and I thought I must be the shittiest person in the world.

Reading these stories make me realize how good I have it.

 

[Kadarin]

May of 2003, I'd been unemployed since Sept of '02 and was running out of money. I had 20K in credit card debt, and was down to almost nothing in my checking account. I remember feeling bad one night because my dog was hungry and I had nothing to give him...

Thankfully, it all worked out.

 

[CorCentral]

Originally posted by: WingZero94
I've been broke before, but I can honestly say that I never have lived (or feared) on the streets. I've always known that if I needed something, family would intervene.

That said lowest financial point was pre-graduation / commissioning into the Air Force. My wife and I had just had our first child - we lived in the basement of her parents house. Our daughters 'room' was the family room. It was great and terrible at the same time. I ate great (MIL made sure of that) and we always had heat / cooling. I was just so damn humiliating to me to have to live in their basement. That said, God has been excellent to us always. Financially my pay raises were the following (over four years) 11k, 36k, 45k, 64k, 82k, 89k. I honestly can't complain. Now that we have four children (yes I know) I know that I have to be solid in order to always be able to provide for them. Kinda scary sometimes - but I know we'll be just fine.

Uh, no........ It was from the help of your inlaws that helped you, not god.
Bash me if you will, but remember, sometimes things happen just because of the situation :laugh:

 

[Howard]

Originally posted by: CorCentral

Originally posted by: WingZero94
I've been broke before, but I can honestly say that I never have lived (or feared) on the streets. I've always known that if I needed something, family would intervene.

That said lowest financial point was pre-graduation / commissioning into the Air Force. My wife and I had just had our first child - we lived in the basement of her parents house. Our daughters 'room' was the family room. It was great and terrible at the same time. I ate great (MIL made sure of that) and we always had heat / cooling. I was just so damn humiliating to me to have to live in their basement. That said, God has been excellent to us always. Financially my pay raises were the following (over four years) 11k, 36k, 45k, 64k, 82k, 89k. I honestly can't complain. Now that we have four children (yes I know) I know that I have to be solid in order to always be able to provide for them. Kinda scary sometimes - but I know we'll be just fine.

Uh, no........ It was from the help of your inlaws that helped you, not god.
Bash me if you will, but remember, sometimes things happen just because of the situation :laugh:

You're so... extra.

 

[Bignate603]

When I was growing up my parents got pretty far down. I got pretty sick once and they couldn't afford to take me to the doctor's. A family friend that was a nurse came to take care of me. I still remember my mother crying at night because of it.

16 years later my family is doing well, and I've never gotten anywhere near that low again.

 

[CorCentral]

Originally posted by: Howard

Originally posted by: CorCentral

Originally posted by: WingZero94
I've been broke before, but I can honestly say that I never have lived (or feared) on the streets. I've always known that if I needed something, family would intervene.

That said lowest financial point was pre-graduation / commissioning into the Air Force. My wife and I had just had our first child - we lived in the basement of her parents house. Our daughters 'room' was the family room. It was great and terrible at the same time. I ate great (MIL made sure of that) and we always had heat / cooling. I was just so damn humiliating to me to have to live in their basement. That said, God has been excellent to us always. Financially my pay raises were the following (over four years) 11k, 36k, 45k, 64k, 82k, 89k. I honestly can't complain. Now that we have four children (yes I know) I know that I have to be solid in order to always be able to provide for them. Kinda scary sometimes - but I know we'll be just fine.

Uh, no........ It was from the help of your inlaws that helped you, not god.
Bash me if you will, but remember, sometimes things happen just because of the situation :laugh:

You're so... extra.

Yay me. I know how it is to be broke missy. Now that I'm doing well, I have no one to thank except myself for working my way up!

 

[Wheezer]

Uh, no........ It was from the help of your inlaws that helped you, not god.
Bash me if you will, but remember, sometimes things happen just because of the situation :laugh:

so um you did it all by yourself? No help or assistance from anyone?....lets say including the person that took a chance on you and hired you in your current position?

a teacher that inspired you?

a friend that coached you along and gave you support?

family that was there and had your back?


no your right...you did it all on your own...no help from a single soul....bravo.

 

[Capt Caveman]

Originally posted by: dNor
I once had to buy $150 jeans

Poor bastard! Must be tough slumming like that.

 

[WaTaGuMp]

My account balance dropped below 14 million once I couldnt even afford to get my turbo yugo fixed.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I was homeless for three months with a wife and two daughters. I appreciate the efforts of my wife and oldest daughter for helping to put us back on our feet. Pick your own farms saved us.

 

[Elstupido]

Delivering pizza to ATOT.....no diesel jeans

 

[JEDIYoda]

Presently I have been living in my car for the last 6 months.
Separated from the wife of 12 years.
I have $600 in the bank and am happier than I have ever been in my whole life!!
I just had surgery on my right wrist and will be having surgery on my left wrist in 4 weeks!
Because I can`t drive after the surgery I just park my car outside where I am having the surgery and they let me stay there for the next 24 hours or so!!


Peace!!

 

[theeedude]

Living in my grandma's garage before I went off to college. Hated it so much, went to summer and night school for a couple years to skip senior year of high school
But after that with financial aid and loans in college, it was relatively smooth sailing.