• We’re currently investigating an issue related to the forum theme and styling that is impacting page layout and visual formatting. The problem has been identified, and we are actively working on a resolution. There is no impact to user data or functionality, this is strictly a front-end display issue. We’ll post an update once the fix has been deployed. Thanks for your patience while we get this sorted.

What's the lowest you've been in your life financially?

Page 4 - Seeking answers? Join the AnandTech community: where nearly half-a-million members share solutions and discuss the latest tech.
Originally posted by: daveymark
Originally posted by: Wallydraigle
I had to pick up a second job at Wendy's to pay for my kid's hospital bills. One day after pulling a double shift all night and then going to my Wendy's job, some asshole ordered some crap for $6.34. I had been up for about 48 hours straight and just couldn't figure out how much change to give him.



6/10

No way dude, that deserves like an 8 or a 9. I liked it.
 
Originally posted by: Spamela
i'm still using an athlon XP 1800+🙁

seriously, i had trouble finding employment during the
recession in the early 80's. i was never on the streets, but
i have a lot of sympathy for people who are.

I've got a 1700+ running at 2.2GHz
 
Originally posted by: randal
I remember quite clearly my 3rd semester at college. I had been paying on the student loans (which came due after I took a semester off) while trying to buy books, pay rent, car insurance, gas, food, the works. It was over $3k/mo and at the time I was turning less than $2k/mo, so everything was going on credit cards. It got to the point where I was eating mac & cheese (made with just water, no milk/butter) once a day for a week because they were 5 for $.99, and that's how much I had dug out of the carpet of my truck, and then the following week eating ramen once a day because it tasted better than mac & cheese.

Eventually I was notified of eviction out of my apartment, which was when I went to the school for financial aid (again) ... unfortunately, my parents make too much money for a cracker like me to get help. So I turned to my parents for help and they told me that since I didn't go to BYU they wouldn't help. So I dropped out of college, got a new credit card in the mail and used it to sign up for a new apartment with my truck as collateral as my credit was in the crapper. Got a job and joined the rat race with everybody else.

That was right about 3 years ago. I still carry ~4k of debt from the fiasco, and I still have no degree :-/ ... and no, I haven't forgiven my parents yet.

Damn... Do you know that once you are 25 your parent's income and wealth is no longer relevant to your financial aid situation? Some liberal arts colleges actually give the alternative students a break beyond that too.
 
Originally posted by: randal
I went to CU Boulder. And yes, I was accepted to BYU, CalTech, Berkely and a host of others -- but CU was the cheapest, so I went there. My parents are die-hard mormons and I am not the perfect son, hence the BYU issue.

BYU is a sick, sick place, from what I have read. Place has a reputation for performing fvcked up 'scientific' experiments on gay people, amongst other things (electric shocks and other stuff - just like the Nazis).

 
Originally posted by: adambooth
I ran away from home in high school. And I made a lot of friends, mostly cons, dealers, boozers, and 18 karat pimps. I eventually screwed up and did a lot of time for prostitution. I got out, and went right back in after stealing a TV. 32 years later, I'm starting my life fresh. I'm going back to high school, living at home, and learning all sorts of new things about my body.
I take it you are not a stranger with candy eh?
 
Originally posted by: cmv
Originally posted by: randal
I remember quite clearly my 3rd semester at college. I had been paying on the student loans (which came due after I took a semester off) while trying to buy books, pay rent, car insurance, gas, food, the works. It was over $3k/mo and at the time I was turning less than $2k/mo, so everything was going on credit cards. It got to the point where I was eating mac & cheese (made with just water, no milk/butter) once a day for a week because they were 5 for $.99, and that's how much I had dug out of the carpet of my truck, and then the following week eating ramen once a day because it tasted better than mac & cheese.

Eventually I was notified of eviction out of my apartment, which was when I went to the school for financial aid (again) ... unfortunately, my parents make too much money for a cracker like me to get help. So I turned to my parents for help and they told me that since I didn't go to BYU they wouldn't help. So I dropped out of college, got a new credit card in the mail and used it to sign up for a new apartment with my truck as collateral as my credit was in the crapper. Got a job and joined the rat race with everybody else.

That was right about 3 years ago. I still carry ~4k of debt from the fiasco, and I still have no degree :-/ ... and no, I haven't forgiven my parents yet.

Damn... Do you know that once you are 25 your parent's income and wealth is no longer relevant to your financial aid situation? Some liberal arts colleges actually give the alternative students a break beyond that too.


I do know that, and I think it's at 24 - then, through marriage or via emancipation. I'm almost 23 now, the next is /not/ an option, and the last was unbelievably more difficult than I thought it would turn out.

Next year I'll go back, once the uni doesn't require parent's tax info etc.
 
Originally posted by: randal
Originally posted by: cmv
Originally posted by: randal
I remember quite clearly my 3rd semester at college. I had been paying on the student loans (which came due after I took a semester off) while trying to buy books, pay rent, car insurance, gas, food, the works. It was over $3k/mo and at the time I was turning less than $2k/mo, so everything was going on credit cards. It got to the point where I was eating mac & cheese (made with just water, no milk/butter) once a day for a week because they were 5 for $.99, and that's how much I had dug out of the carpet of my truck, and then the following week eating ramen once a day because it tasted better than mac & cheese.

Eventually I was notified of eviction out of my apartment, which was when I went to the school for financial aid (again) ... unfortunately, my parents make too much money for a cracker like me to get help. So I turned to my parents for help and they told me that since I didn't go to BYU they wouldn't help. So I dropped out of college, got a new credit card in the mail and used it to sign up for a new apartment with my truck as collateral as my credit was in the crapper. Got a job and joined the rat race with everybody else.

That was right about 3 years ago. I still carry ~4k of debt from the fiasco, and I still have no degree :-/ ... and no, I haven't forgiven my parents yet.

Damn... Do you know that once you are 25 your parent's income and wealth is no longer relevant to your financial aid situation? Some liberal arts colleges actually give the alternative students a break beyond that too.


I do know that, and I think it's at 24 - then, through marriage or via emancipation. I'm almost 23 now, the next is /not/ an option, and the last was unbelievably more difficult than I thought it would turn out.

Next year I'll go back, once the uni doesn't require parent's tax info etc.

Sounds good. I wish you the best of luck. I took the long road to school and now I'm actually working to gain residency. I'll be back for 2 more years starting this fall for Computer Science(s).
 
Originally posted by: aidanjm
Originally posted by: randal
I went to CU Boulder. And yes, I was accepted to BYU, CalTech, Berkely and a host of others -- but CU was the cheapest, so I went there. My parents are die-hard mormons and I am not the perfect son, hence the BYU issue.

BYU is a sick, sick place, from what I have read. Place has a reputation for performing fvcked up 'scientific' experiments on gay people, amongst other things (electric shocks and other stuff - just like the Nazis).

I've heard that as well, and read about it several times in magazines and papers -- other universities have done similar crazy things, but BYU still gives me the heebeyjeebies.

http://www.lds-mormon.com/legacies.shtml
 
Originally posted by: shenaniganz
Originally posted by: daveymark
Originally posted by: Wallydraigle
I had to pick up a second job at Wendy's to pay for my kid's hospital bills. One day after pulling a double shift all night and then going to my Wendy's job, some asshole ordered some crap for $6.34. I had been up for about 48 hours straight and just couldn't figure out how much change to give him.



6/10

I give this 10/10, since a separate thread was not started.


hahahaha! awesome, 10/10 from me, though I did not read the other thread until now
 
Originally posted by: Wallydraigle
I had to pick up a second job at Wendy's to pay for my kid's hospital bills. One day after pulling a double shift all night and then going to my Wendy's job, some asshole ordered some crap for $6.34. I had been up for about 48 hours straight and just couldn't figure out how much change to give him.

LOL!
 
Originally posted by: cmv
Originally posted by: randal
Originally posted by: cmv
Originally posted by: randal
I remember quite clearly my 3rd semester at college. I had been paying on the student loans (which came due after I took a semester off) while trying to buy books, pay rent, car insurance, gas, food, the works. It was over $3k/mo and at the time I was turning less than $2k/mo, so everything was going on credit cards. It got to the point where I was eating mac & cheese (made with just water, no milk/butter) once a day for a week because they were 5 for $.99, and that's how much I had dug out of the carpet of my truck, and then the following week eating ramen once a day because it tasted better than mac & cheese.

Eventually I was notified of eviction out of my apartment, which was when I went to the school for financial aid (again) ... unfortunately, my parents make too much money for a cracker like me to get help. So I turned to my parents for help and they told me that since I didn't go to BYU they wouldn't help. So I dropped out of college, got a new credit card in the mail and used it to sign up for a new apartment with my truck as collateral as my credit was in the crapper. Got a job and joined the rat race with everybody else.

That was right about 3 years ago. I still carry ~4k of debt from the fiasco, and I still have no degree :-/ ... and no, I haven't forgiven my parents yet.

Damn... Do you know that once you are 25 your parent's income and wealth is no longer relevant to your financial aid situation? Some liberal arts colleges actually give the alternative students a break beyond that too.


I do know that, and I think it's at 24 - then, through marriage or via emancipation. I'm almost 23 now, the next is /not/ an option, and the last was unbelievably more difficult than I thought it would turn out.

Next year I'll go back, once the uni doesn't require parent's tax info etc.

Sounds good. I wish you the best of luck. I took the long road to school and now I'm actually working to gain residency. I'll be back for 2 more years starting this fall for Computer Science(s).
Dude have your parents read
Jacob 2:17 -> "Think of your brethren like unto yourselves, and be familiar with all and free with your substance..."
and Mosiah 4:14-19-> "And ye will not suffer your children that they go hungry, or naked...ye yourselves will succor those that stand in need of your succor; ye will adminster of your substance unto him that standeth in need..."

:roll:
 
Back in the 1970s:

- My father was an alcoholic - and the disease killed him in 1980. He would work construction work during the summer, but would get laid off in the winter. We would rely on food stamps to get the necessary food for our family. Sadly, my father couldn't realize what was happening and work to make things better. Instead, he would drink even more in the winter months because he wasn't working.

We lived in a very old house and the mortgage was only $25.00 per month. I know the amount because I would walk the payment down to the local savings and loan office on a monthly basis for my mother. I'm sure my father would drink this much money up in booze on a *weekly* basis - again, this was the 70s.

I guess I always felt like we would be homeless, but we never ended up there. I guess even though my prayers to God were not answered in the sense that my father didn't stop drinking, God still looked out for us in this situation.

True story.

 
I've had my checking account be over drawn a few times. I'm pretty good with making sure I've got enough money for the essentials, rent and internet bills for example. I've lived of the food in the snack bar at work and Ramen noodles for about week until payday came. That sucked. Good thing I like Ramen though.
 
I had just graduated college at 25.
Hadn't work in 2 years and ran up my CC to about $20K.
Still no job and living in my parents 2nd house. They made me move home so they can rent the place out.

So I'm living at home, no job and $20K in debt but hey I still have my car.
Then a druken @ss driver ram me from behind and now NO car either.
Pretty desperate at this point and I'm borrowing from one CC to make nimimum payments to other CCs.

Then it started looking up for me.
Somehow, that druken dude had insurance so I get $2000 for my car.
Then I got a job, discovered Ebay and managed to pay off my $20K debt.

Actually something I will always remembered.
When I finally got the job and was bring home decent money, I was like "why am I wasting my money to pay off these CC bills ??"
I was "this close" to filing bankruptcy but a co-worker told me "its like me stealing $20K"
I changed my mind and paid off my debt.
 
You know even though I was so much in debt, I was never at a point to where I had to resort to eating Ramen noodles or of that nature. I always had plenty of CCs to buy food.
 
Originally posted by: CTrain
I had just graduated college at 25.
Hadn't work in 2 years and ran up my CC to about $20K.
Still no job and living in my parents 2nd house. They made me move home so they can rent the place out.

So I'm living at home, no job and $20K in debt but hey I still have my car.
Then a druken @ss driver ram me from behind and now NO car either.
Pretty desperate at this point and I'm borrowing from one CC to make nimimum payments to other CCs.

Then it started looking up for me.
Somehow, that druken dude had insurance so I get $2000 for my car.
Then I got a job, discovered Ebay and managed to pay off my $20K debt.

Actually something I will always remembered.
When I finally got the job and was bring home decent money, I was like "why am I wasting my money to pay off these CC bills ??"
I was "this close" to filing bankruptcy but a co-worker told me "its like me stealing $20K"
I changed my mind and paid off my debt.

what did you ebay? how much did it help?
 
right now.

I was doing pretty good financially, but right after Christmas, I got into a car accident -- cost $900 to fix, and neither of us were at fault, so I couldn't file a claim against his insurance. then a few days after I got my car back from the repair shop, the exhaust breaks -- another $400. pile that on top of the $900 I owe on my credit card from Christmas shopping and the $500 I still owe on my laptop, and I need to come up with $3,000 somehow. (not to mention my insurance comes due next month).

I have the money, so I'm not in danger of living on top ramen or being evicted, but the thought of using it makes me depressed as hell. Unless I come into some unexpected money, I'm going to need to withdrawl the money from my savings account where I've been trying to save up money to go to grad school. this is going to push me at least 6 months back.
 
Originally posted by: her34
Originally posted by: CTrain
I had just graduated college at 25.
Hadn't work in 2 years and ran up my CC to about $20K.
Still no job and living in my parents 2nd house. They made me move home so they can rent the place out.

So I'm living at home, no job and $20K in debt but hey I still have my car.
Then a druken @ss driver ram me from behind and now NO car either.
Pretty desperate at this point and I'm borrowing from one CC to make nimimum payments to other CCs.

Then it started looking up for me.
Somehow, that druken dude had insurance so I get $2000 for my car.
Then I got a job, discovered Ebay and managed to pay off my $20K debt.

Actually something I will always remembered.
When I finally got the job and was bring home decent money, I was like "why am I wasting my money to pay off these CC bills ??"
I was "this close" to filing bankruptcy but a co-worker told me "its like me stealing $20K"
I changed my mind and paid off my debt.

what did you ebay? how much did it help?


Well, you know this was the begining era of HOT DEALS and also the start of Paypal(no surcharges).
There was Value America and hot deals that most people didn't know about.
Then I had this guy that kept offering me the latest electronic stuff cheap.( I bought most stuff no question asked).
I was making a killing on Ebay....people were buying stuff sometimes higher than most online vendors.
I was profiting I'd say on average $30-$40 per item.
The 1 item I remembered the most was a rebadged Plextor external CD burner that CompUSA had on sale for $200. It was big because of its ability to do CloneCD. I bought like 25 of them and sold it on average $280-290 on Ebay.

Sadly, that guy stopped offering me stuff and alot others jumped on the Ebay band wagon.
I never really kept track but I was able to pay off my debt in 2 yrs and I know my job didn't pay that much.

I don't see Ebay as a place to make money these days but more like a place to sell your junks.
 
Originally posted by: loki8481
right now.

I was doing pretty good financially, but right after Christmas, I got into a car accident -- cost $900 to fix, and neither of us were at fault, so I couldn't file a claim against his insurance. then a few days after I got my car back from the repair shop, the exhaust breaks -- another $400. pile that on top of the $900 I owe on my credit card from Christmas shopping and the $500 I still owe on my laptop, and I need to come up with $3,000 somehow. (not to mention my insurance comes due next month).

I have the money, so I'm not in danger of living on top ramen or being evicted, but the thought of using it makes me depressed as hell. Unless I come into some unexpected money, I'm going to need to withdrawl the money from my savings account where I've been trying to save up money to go to grad school. this is going to push me at least 6 months back.

When you have buyers remorse, do what I do, return everything.
 
when I was a kid, lived out of the back of our truck with a camper shell in the boonies

other than that, right now is the worst I've ever been- maxed credit cards, just got my car stolen, spent
$700 last week alone to fix my old car enough to drive (had it parked off street), and I owe so much in student loans
I just laugh thinking about it
 
Originally posted by: daveymark
Anyone ever been to the point where they had to live out of their car?

I have. Lived next to the West Plano Bus stop and worked for Sohoware til I could get on my feet. In total I spent about 2 months living out of my car. After those 2 months got a real $$$ job and was able to get an apartment. Still am paying off all my bad debts tho...

That was the hardest 2 months of my life. I lived exclusivly off of peanut butter and jelly sandwiches for 2 months. Had to go and change clothes at a nearby fast food restaurant and shave all in 5 minutes tops or they would suspect something was up. Tho they always were wondering why i was using their restroom but NEVER buying anything nor even parking in their parking lot. (2 years later I ate lunch and dinner there for 2 months straight to make it up to them in my own mind.) As far as showers i would bum one off a friend here and there just to keep HR from jumping on me for smelling like crap at work.

Once I peed my pants because it was 3am and no place was open to go and use the restroom. That made the next 2 weeks living in my car hell because of the smell since i had to save up for laundry money.

In case you are wondering all my money except for a few dollars went to repay someone I had wronged. It was an honor thing and they were using the debt to beat me down emotionally so I had to get that removed from my life. So no further questions on this specific topic will be answered.
 
Back
Top