Soo who is really really broke?

[Pull~My~Hair]

I don't think it's ever been this bad.
Our phones are off,
our rent check bounced,
Bryans paycheck bounced (wtf right?), so now our bank account is way negative...
I haven't went grocery shopping in a month,
we're just royally fucked.
I've been looking for anything to make some extra money online, I can't find shit. I seriously just feel like signing custody of Kaden over to my parents and becoming homeless, and disappearing. I can't freaking take care of a kid, I cant even take care of myself. It's so utterly hopeless right now there is just no way to get caught up..we're screwed

I talked to a friend of mine tonight her house got broken into the other day and they stole everything, including their rent money. And someone used her credit card in california for plastic surgery and she doesnt have the money to fight it.

Is everyone else this bad? Is it making you consider doing things you normally wouldn't?

[keiko]

I have less than two dollars to my name, I quit smoking more because i couldn't afford it than because i really wanted to. I'm living in a friends basement, thankfully rent free, but getting a job in this place is like trying to pull teeth from a cranky spider bear. if it stresses me out any more i'mma go all ophelia and really drop off the deep end of sanity.

~K

[Wickedanima]

Well, right now we are struggling without having heat. It hasn't been... THAT bad, its only been in the late 30's early 40's here this month. I'm worried about this next week, where it will drop into the 20's. The little electric heater wasn't worth much the colder it got, I'm currently covered in an electric blanket, which I am VERY grateful for.

I'm worried about my food lasting until next week. I'm worried about how much money the Electric bill is going to be, because I literally have nothing to help my boy with if it should overstep his already spindly bill budget.

He's in need of gas as well, to get back and forth from work.

Sigh.

[Amelia G]

October was so hideous, it was scary. I think the news of the bailout and crisis made everything worse for everyone. Those things have a real domino effect where people are scared to spend anything, so nobody buys anything, so nobody makes anything, so nobody can afford to hire anyone, so nobody knows where their next check is coming from . . . and the circle goes around again getting worse.

I've noticed a definite uptick since the election though, so I'm optimistic that things are about to get a lot better. Both gas and groceries are crazy cheaper now than they were a month ago. I went to the grocery store on Sunday and the tab was literally like half what it normally was the month before and I gassed up and it was $38 instead of a gajillion.

[mystoo]

Well, I haven't been to work in two months on account of my broken wrist, I was getting 60% of my regular wage (without bonus), I've been having to pay my bills with my credit card which is now almost maxed out (again), I'm $200 overdraft in my chequing account, my savings which wasn't much is gone, I had to borrow $500 from my mom. I managed to pay my rent 2 weeks late of course and I'm going back to work tomorrow only to find out that our benefits have been cut in half. I work in the automotive industry which is not a very good place to be right now. The company I work for just laid off close to 1000 people with more lay offs to come so I'm a little worried and a lot stressed.

[OliX]

That sucks. I'm sad to hear your situation gals. A little bit crazy idea but.... have you ever considered moving? I moved from Sweden to Norway because of my economics. I literally earn double as I did when you take in account everything. Chose a good standing country and don't forget that Europeans are crazy about you Americans. They just love you. Specially Scandinavian folks.

Emigrate as a political refugee...

[Lady Alias]

I will have to second OliX. My mom and I moved from FL to TN, and she got completely out of debt. Don't even have to go to another country, just somewhere with a cheaper living situation.

[One Eyed Cat]

I'm bleeding cash at this point. Everyone who does shows here is. We're hopeful. It has forced us to work together more at least. That's a good thing. I have it worked out .... for 2009. Now? No. I have to take a hit and invest for when things pick up. There appears to be an uptick. Will know more after the show we're doing tonight. There is mild desperation amongst venues, booking agents, and promoters. The sad part is watching the performers struggle though. The industry is in a bad way at the mid-national to local levels now.

OEC

[OliX]

Oh I forgot, America is not just one state. It's states, actually 51 of them. Almost like here in EU. I think here is 25 but we have totally different culture and languages. Bigger variety.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

I don't think it's ever been this bad.
Our phones are off,
our rent check bounced,
Bryans paycheck bounced (wtf right?), so now our bank account is way negative...
I haven't went grocery shopping in a month,
we're just royally fucked.
I've been looking for anything to make some extra money online, I can't find shit. I seriously just feel like signing custody of Kaden over to my parents and becoming homeless, and disappearing. I can't freaking take care of a kid, I cant even take care of myself. It's so utterly hopeless right now there is just no way to get caught up..we're screwed

I talked to a friend of mine tonight her house got broken into the other day and they stole everything, including their rent money. And someone used her credit card in california for plastic surgery and she doesnt have the money to fight it.

Is everyone else this bad? Is it making you consider doing things you normally wouldn't?

Why does she need money to fight it? I would think she would just put in an EFT unauthorized dispute request and unless the plastic surgery company can prove she made the charge (matching signatures), I can't see why the credit company would not be able to get her money back. Has your friend even been in California? Was the credit card stolen during the burglary? Did she file a police report?

[Ajax Knucklebones]

Oh I forgot, America is not just one state. It's states, actually 51 of them. Almost like here in EU. I think here is 25 but we have totally different culture and languages. Bigger variety.

51? Are you counting Puerto Rico in that?

It is true though. Each state has it's own taxes. Tennessee, as far as I know, as dirt cheap taxes. Real cheap property taxes. I know alot of people the moved out of Florida to Tennessee. I think the job prospects are also alot better there.

[soma_stardust]

i'm broker than broke. i'm seriously starting to worry about survival.
and yes, i've done and considered doing things i normally wouldn't, just so i can have some goddamn money.
it's depressing as hell.
at least we're not completely alone. -_-

[soma_stardust]

I have less than two dollars to my name, I quit smoking more because i couldn't afford it than because i really wanted to. I'm living in a friends basement, thankfully rent free, but getting a job in this place is like trying to pull teeth from a cranky spider bear. if it stresses me out any more i'mma go all ophelia and really drop off the deep end of sanity.

~K

nuuu. not my smokes D:
i'm worried about this more than i am about food. i could stand to lose weight, but cigarettes keep me just this side of sanity.

[jonny.illuminati]

nuuu. not my smokes D:
i'm worried about this more than i am about food. i could stand to lose weight, but cigarettes keep me just this side of sanity.

We should have met for coffee and cigarettes

[Mr Karl]

so far things are all right with me................I just got a letter telling me my mortgage rate is now 3.1%, and if I sort of pay attention to the budget I get by with a little left over.

so it's alright .........................

knock wood

[Vexbeast]

You know what's awesome?

Walking. :3

[Pull~My~Hair]

Why does she need money to fight it? I would think she would just put in an EFT unauthorized dispute request and unless the plastic surgery company can prove she made the charge (matching signatures), I can't see why the credit company would not be able to get her money back. Has your friend even been in California? Was the credit card stolen during the burglary? Did she file a police report?

im not sure of all of the details, but it has something to do with the fact that it was in a different state, and she doesn't have fraud protection...the credit card company said something to the effect that they cant "take her word for it" and she will have to take it to court

[Wickedanima]

You know what's awesome?

Walking. :3

Personally, I'm always glad to walk when its possible. But where I live there aren't sidewalks, or proper road shoulders. In my town, its not a matter of being too lazy to walk, but taking your life in your hands walking a hairsbreadth from where people are going 60 in a 35.

[OliX]

so far things are all right with me................I just got a letter telling me my mortgage rate is now 3.1%, and if I sort of pay attention to the budget I get by with a little left over.

so it's alright .........................

knock wood

Ok. Now I gotta ask you. Why are you knocking on wood when everything is fine? What's the reason or meaning behind it?

[Pull~My~Hair]

Ok. Now I gotta ask you. Why are you knocking on wood when everything is fine? What's the reason or meaning behind it?

Knocking on wood, and the spoken expression "knock on wood" or "touch wood" are used to express a desire to avoid "tempting fate" after making some boast or speaking of one's own death.
The expression is usually used in the hope that a good thing will continue to occur after it has been acknowledged. So, for example, one might say: "The rain looks like it's holding off, touch wood", or "Knock on wood, I'm much better now."

[OliX]

Well... we actually do it instead of saying it.

I thought it was only Balkan folks that did it since I never met anyone doing that "ritual" in rest of the Europe.

[Morning Glory]

Ok let's say you spend 5 bucks every two days on cigarettes that comes out to 70 bucks a month.

That's not too bad of a chunk of change, you could buy groceries or diapers with that.

Don't even talk about 4 dollar Starbucks coffee.

How much do you spend on gas, or your car payment? for 30 bucks a month you can get a bus pass.

Most people say they are on a budget, but that just means that they are keeping track of all their unnecessary spending while not actually reducing it.

You pretty much have to buy food, or else steal it, or else eat from the garbage can or be a pretty good hunter. You have to pay rent, or else be homeless. As far as survival goes, those are really the only things that you need to pay for.

Water and electricity are nice, and they rank pretty high up on the list of things that you want to have.

If you can't afford those things then you are screwed. If you can afford those things but you are still broke, then you need to really start making a list of priorities.

[a_small_death]

I have less than two dollars to my name, I quit smoking more because i couldn't afford it than because i really wanted to. I'm living in a friends basement, thankfully rent free, but getting a job in this place is like trying to pull teeth from a cranky spider bear. if it stresses me out any more i'mma go all ophelia and really drop off the deep end of sanity.

~K

I had to move back to my home town and now stuck in basement as well. I haven't been to work in while do to repairs. This is going to be the longest winter I have ever seen and I don't even have chicken. Fuck you, Fuck you very much George Suck a rotten goat ass bush!!!

[Ajax Knucklebones]

My employees always tell me how broke they are and then go and buy McDonald's for lunch. When I was broke, McDonalds might as well been a 5 course meal at a fancy restaurant because I couldn't afford either of them.

In the United States (as in alot of countries nowadays), we see luxuries as necessities. I think what this whole recession is going to teach people is, really what is, and is not a luxury.

[Mr Karl]

Well... we actually do it instead of saying it.

I thought it was only Balkan folks that did it since I never met anyone doing that "ritual" in rest of the Europe.

oh I actually do it too, and say it while I'm doing it, but yeah, things are alright for me and I don't want to jinx it cause I know what being completely broke is like. I could do it again but I'd rather not.

[Amelia G]

im not sure of all of the details, but it has something to do with the fact that it was in a different state, and she doesn't have fraud protection...the credit card company said something to the effect that they cant "take her word for it" and she will have to take it to court

What credit card company is that? I want to make sure never to have an account with them.

[Amelia G]

My employees always tell me how broke they are and then go and buy McDonald's for lunch. When I was broke, McDonalds might as well been a 5 course meal at a fancy restaurant because I couldn't afford either of them.

In the United States (as in alot of countries nowadays), we see luxuries as necessities. I think what this whole recession is going to teach people is, really what is, and is not a luxury.

A lot of people go out into the world not knowing how to cook at all. Lots of people don't realize that they could eat healthy grocery store food for less than unhealthy McDonald's costs. But they don't know how to prepare it.

I think this is partly a failure on the part of our educational system. While they were teaching me dickall in elementary school and junior high, they could have taught me how to plan a nutritious meal or balance a check book. I'm fortunate in having learned some of the food part from my parents.

It is possible to buy a cheapo espresso machine for fifty/sixty bucks (although a much less good one than they'd have in a coffeehouse of course), buy better beans than Starbucks, and have homemade fancy coffee that costs a heck of a lot less and may even taste better.

But Starbucks or McDonald's, even if they are luxuries, are small luxuries, and everybody needs the occasional pleasant thing to make it worth existing. If as a nation, the average citizen can't afford the occasional $4 coffee, then somebody done fucked up.

[Buster Friendly]

My employees always tell me how broke they are and then go and buy McDonald's for lunch. When I was broke, McDonalds might as well been a 5 course meal at a fancy restaurant because I couldn't afford either of them.

In the United States (as in alot of countries nowadays), we see luxuries as necessities. I think what this whole recession is going to teach people is, really what is, and is not a luxury.

This is so true.

I started eating in chinatown because I could get a big bowl of homemade soup with fresh greens for $2 a few years ago when I was super broke ass.

Now I realize that a pound of lentil beans costs about a buck (maybe a buck fifty now, I'm running low I'll have to go buy more, and find out) which lasts for a week, and is super nutritious. Eggs are cheap too, and I know where to get them for less than $2. I consider fresh greens to be a necessity rather than a luxury, but yeah I can get them cheap, and make them at home too. (Green beans are my favorite.) I still eat out way too much, but mcdonalds is so fuckin' over priced for what it is, and when I was REALLY broke I definitely couldn't afford it.

[Buster Friendly]

. If as a nation, the average citizen can't afford the occasional $4 coffee, then somebody done fucked up.

Well, that's just it Amelia, I could potentially prepare almost a week's worth of healthy meals for $4. (Beans, eggs, cabbage.) Almost. The average meal at McD's here in NYC is like $8, which might be more than the rest of the country, but I could definitely eat for a week on that. If I wanted to eat very well for a week, I could get by on $20-30, getting things like chicken, and lettuce, and broccoli, and such. (you have to know where to shop here.)

My supersecretsacred herbal teas cost .12 a cup, vs. the $4 coffee.

I spend WAY more than that on average, but if I had to...

...and Pull-My-Hair- I feel your pain. Sucky as it is to say so. I don't know what I'd do if I had to raise a kid. I've been super ass broke in the past, and am not that far away right from it right now. It's life draining. Having steady employment (or underemployment as it were) has been one of the best things to ever happen to me. Yay barely scraping by ! I really hope things start looking up for you guys soon.

[Bikerpunk]

I bought an espresso machine for $5 at the goodwill.

[Morning Glory]

first of all, what the fuck is an espresso? don't people drink coffee anymore?

[Buster Friendly]

first of all, what the fuck is an espresso? don't people drink coffee anymore?

I think it's some sort of fancy Chilean enema, or suppository or some shit.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

im not sure of all of the details, but it has something to do with the fact that it was in a different state, and she doesn't have fraud protection...the credit card company said something to the effect that they cant "take her word for it" and she will have to take it to court

That's bullshit. It's not about taking her word. It's about the plastic surgeon having to have a credit slip that does or does not match her signature. She needs to talk to a supervisor at the credit card company. Something doesn't smell right here.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

A lot of people go out into the world not knowing how to cook at all. Lots of people don't realize that they could eat healthy grocery store food for less than unhealthy McDonald's costs. But they don't know how to prepare it.

I think this is partly a failure on the part of our educational system. While they were teaching me dickall in elementary school and junior high, they could have taught me how to plan a nutritious meal or balance a check book. I'm fortunate in having learned some of the food part from my parents.

It is possible to buy a cheapo espresso machine for fifty/sixty bucks (although a much less good one than they'd have in a coffeehouse of course), buy better beans than Starbucks, and have homemade fancy coffee that costs a heck of a lot less and may even taste better.

But Starbucks or McDonald's, even if they are luxuries, are small luxuries, and everybody needs the occasional pleasant thing to make it worth existing. If as a nation, the average citizen can't afford the occasional $4 coffee, then somebody done fucked up.

I am just saying there's "broke" and then there's "BROKE". When you're "broke", I don't want to hear it all the time because I've been "BROKE" before and I sure didn't broadcast it to the whole world. It's like they do it as a martyr ploy. They all work, but they all spend they're money in stupid ways. So, don't tell me how "broke" you are when you're buying lunch everyday at a fastfood joint. Does that make any sense?

Alot of these comments here, these people are "BROKE" and I do definietly feel for them. They're not making these comments because they're looking for pity. They're saying these comments to see how many other people are feeling the "heat" of the economy such as themselves. I see it more as them probably feeling a little better that they are not all alone in this.

The people though at my job....Yeah, it's more like a pity party.

[Ajax Knucklebones]

im not sure of all of the details, but it has something to do with the fact that it was in a different state, and she doesn't have fraud protection...the credit card company said something to the effect that they cant "take her word for it" and she will have to take it to court

And the fact that it happened in a different state is even more cause to see that it's fraudalent. If it's a VISA or Mastercard, she might even be able to talk to them directly and bypass her credit card company altogether.

[Mr Karl]

I started eating in chinatown because I could get a big bowl of homemade soup with fresh greens for $2 a few years ago when I was super broke ass.

.

you could have gone to the sallyann and had some liver stew for free.

[Buster Friendly]

you could have gone to the sallyann and had some liver stew for free.

I said "broke", not "willing to put up with christian charity."

[helcyon]

A lot of people go out into the world not knowing how to cook at all. Lots of people don't realize that they could eat healthy grocery store food for less than unhealthy McDonald's costs. But they don't know how to prepare it.

I think this is partly a failure on the part of our educational system. While they were teaching me dickall in elementary school and junior high, they could have taught me how to plan a nutritious meal or balance a check book. I'm fortunate in having learned some of the food part from my parents.

Quite true. When I moved out of home I had no clue what-so-ever. And i couldn't cook either . I distinctly remember trying to cook fried rice by heating up oil and pouring uncooked rice into it. maybe i was expecting it to work like popcorn or something.

Now I can cook ok but I don't bother. It's just not worth the effort cooking for one and you can find places that sell food for almost what it costs to make a meal for one person. Also I am lucky enough to get food from work as we have a catering department.

To me cooking takes total effort and concentration otherwise it doesn't turn out right. At home I don't even bother having the gas on but if someone moves in I'll get it for them plus it's hard to melt substances when your lighter runs out.

Oh yeah - broke - pretty much. The thing is I just spend away on partying because life gets pretty grim without a bit of treating of myself for quality of life purposes. Plus my rent is high because I want a decent pad where I can do music and stuff. That means it's my fault but I accept it. I really feel for anyone who can't make ends meet even for basic necessities. I hope everyone gets enough together to spoil themselves a bit soon.

[One Eyed Cat]

Last night: $100 to each performer (all local). Put beer money in my pocket and went home. To be understood: We were all actually happy with that (and not out of generosity alone on my part). I'm not seeing a lot of daylight beyond that which my cronies and I make for ourselves via freelance.

OEC

[drewblood]

money sucks!

good luck everyone.