Do you know "poor"?

[Coyote]

Do I know "poor"? No, not really.

I'm more familiar with "rough times".

[binnie]

Originally posted by svrwthr
Young and making $9.90/hr in 1987. Hooked up with wife with built in family in 88, lost job in 89 with kid on way wife making $4/hr and paying $550 a month rent. Interview opportunity for $10/hr job in field of study but after 9 months of no work and bills piling up took the for sure job by going to second interview at another job at the same time the higher paying job was to interview me. That job paid $6.70/hr in 92. Moved up fast and was making $11/hr in 1 year. Spent like mad we did, until 7 credit card bills maxed out and wife out of job in 93 and creditors wanted money. Claimed bankruptcy with $100,000.00 in liabilities and less than $50,000.00 in Assets. We evened out and got credit rating back by 2003 when I got laid off, wife had to have major surgery. Now the fun part begins. The major surgery was for a shunt from head to stomach. It malfunctioned after a month. Re did surgery. That one failed after 3 more months (mind you she was working for county for good money and I was making $13/hr by then). I had no job and she wasn't working. What surgery are we on, ooH, 3. well take that out to 5 more surgeries over the next three years and me getting back to work at $13/hr 2 kids, mortgage and numerous medical bills in the 6 figure range. Aldi's is a great place to shop but I will never, ever use those fucking food stamps ever a fucking again in my life. low of the fucking low. Ya, I barely kept roof over families head. Ya barely food on table. Kids love Ramen noodles and generic mac and cheese and never having meat (barf). End of 2006 wife still has medical problems and back to work out of her field of study working at Deli for Walmart because she can no longer lift people (She was a CNA). And I have not been at a desk doing mechanical design for years but am making decent money but the bills are still there piling up living paycheck to paycheck having to disappoint my daughter everytime she wants to go do things with friends. Point I've learned through all my shit is, When I think I couldn't get any lower in life, there is always someone worse off. just stick it out.


BTW, nobody is fucking poor here if they have a computer in front of them with internet access. I missed internet the most during my struggles. It has become my crack since the start of my families downfall. Was cheap entertainment for us until I couldn't afford it anymore.

BTW, I like writing in run on sentences without paragraphs. It's called ranting :confused:

Jeeezus!

I suddenly feel very, very lucky.

[ace diamond]

Originally posted by Ellyllions
I got this idea from an MSN article I just read, and I know "poor". When I was born, in 1970, my dad was only making $3,000 a year and my mother stayed home with me until I was 6 months old. I have NO idea how they made that work. We only had cold running water in the house and no indoor toilet. Growing up, I was the "poor kid" in school and I caught a LOT of flack for it.

But looking back on it all now, I wouldn't change a thing. My parents refused to apply for any kind of social assistance what-so-ever. Yes it was a struggle we ate the deer that they killed and grew our own vegetables, but I had such a rich and smart childhood. It was smart to live within our means and be independent from the rest of the "keeping up with the Jone's" people.

Do you have a story of knowing "poor"?

I HAVE BEEN SURVIVING ON MY OWN SINCE I WAS 7 YEAR OLD. MY DAD THREW MY ASS OUT JANUARY 19TH,1985. BEEN ON MY OWN EVER SINCE. I MAKE MORE $ A YEAR NOW THAN EVER IN MY LIFE,AND IT IS STILL LESS THE 10K A YEAR......ACTUALLY CLOSER TO 8.5 OR 9K A YEAR...............AND I AM GETTING BY JUST FINE. I MAKE A POINT OF LIVING WITHIN MY MEAN....IF I CANNOT PAY CASH FOR IT....I EITHER SAVE UP OR JUST DON'T BOTHER. AND I HAVE 3 JOBS. WELCOME TO THE REALITY OF LIVING MY WHOLE LIFE IN SO CAL.

[ace diamond]

Originally posted by Jimmy Jingles
I once had wealth, power, and the love of a beautiful woman. Now I only have two things: my friends and my thermos.

It was never easy for me. I was born a poor black child. I remember the days, sittin' on the porch with my family, singin' and dancin' down in Mississippi.



"THE JERK" is my favorite steve martin movie. came out in 1978,was his first film.

"NAVIN R. JOHNSON"




Oh wait...that wasn't me.

[ace diamond]

I WILL BE TURNING 30 ON JULY 2,2007.....AND I JUST GOT MY FIRST CAR TODAY.....$400. I STILL DO NOT EVEN HAVE A LISCENSE YET....HOPEFULLY SOON.
UNTIL THEN.....I'LL STILL BE WALKING, RIDING MY MOUNTAIN BIKE,OR RIDING THE BUS.

[ace diamond]

Originally posted by Terry
Meh.

How much money do you really NEED, anyway?

Roof over your head, clothes on your back, food in your belly. Everything else is just gravy.

check on everything except a roof over my head. cannot afford one.

[ace diamond]

Originally posted by scamper
I don't think you know poor until you move to a third world country and live like them.

i live like that right here in wonderful and sunny southern california!

[ace diamond]

the public library system has made free internet access a reality.....with some suck ass restrictions.

i am staying with a friend tonight, so she is letting me use her cpu.