General Discussion

ErikJ

(6,335 posts)

73. Not really, I was very poor on food stamps once

Wed Dec 2, 2015, 12:52 AM

Dec 2015

I've been relatively poor most of my life, $20K-$30k/yr. But by being very thrifty (on everything) I've been able to save quite a bit and now making more, but I'm STILL very thrifty. I shop at Trader Joes, eat a lot of beans, and simple healthy foods.

I've got most of my clothes at Goodwill (NEVER brandnames) always buy a 10 yr old car and keep it for 10 yrs. I bought a small old dilapidated but cozy house for very cheap which I've fixed up and rarely eat out at nice restaurants etc etc. etc.

But I have friends though that live for almost free (with parents or friends) with fairly good paychecks and theyre always broke. I ask what the hell they spending all their $ on and its like cigs, clothes, eating out, and who knows what else. And then they are always asking me for loans as a result. And they dont use drugs either.

But for those single mothers trying to raise kids on Walmart pay I can understand.

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Why Poor People Stay Poor [View all] madamesilverspurs Dec 2015 OP

I often see how the media often act like the poor don't exist, with everything geared toward... AZ Progressive Dec 2015 #1

Its not just "The Media". bvar22 Dec 2015 #103

There are incredible layers to all this nadinbrzezinski Dec 2015 #2

Poverty? SmittynMo Dec 2015 #18

Well, I am talking of media in general nadinbrzezinski Dec 2015 #19

Only one candidate has integrity and compassion. Enthusiast Dec 2015 #120

thank you w0nderer Dec 2015 #36

PM going your way nadinbrzezinski Dec 2015 #42

got it w0nderer Dec 2015 #57

I'd say its because the deck is stacked greater and greater against you... GummyBearz Dec 2015 #3

+10000000000 2naSalit Dec 2015 #15

if you feel like it w0nderer Dec 2015 #38

so so true w0nderer Dec 2015 #37

It's also very expensive to be poor. KentuckyWoman Dec 2015 #46

if you are w0nderer Dec 2015 #58

WHY are basic groceries higher in poor neighborhoods? KamaAina Dec 2015 #104

The cost is not just in money werknotgoin2takeit Dec 2015 #106

You are exactly right KentuckyWoman Dec 2015 #114

poverty is the hardest job in America annabanana Dec 2015 #127

as well as the atrocious Marty McGraw Dec 2015 #124

I grew up in poverty, chervilant Dec 2015 #68

i'm sure both w0nderer Dec 2015 #72

Hang in there! Things will get better. closeupready Dec 2015 #102

K & R historylovr Dec 2015 #4

:-) w0nderer Dec 2015 #39

Money provides options. Throd Dec 2015 #5

this is so true w0nderer Dec 2015 #11

Exactly. SusanCalvin Dec 2015 #22

hope you are never here sister! n/t w0nderer Dec 2015 #28

Thanks, and I wish nobody was. nt SusanCalvin Dec 2015 #30

Yes indeed. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Orrex Dec 2015 #98

The excerpt doesn't even go into some of the more insidious problems. jeff47 Dec 2015 #6

i do budget w0nderer Dec 2015 #12

Holy cow. 7 days a week and not even 30 grand yeoman6987 Dec 2015 #29

place before last before last! w0nderer Dec 2015 #31

You are awesome! I wish you the best. yeoman6987 Dec 2015 #32

same :-) w0nderer Dec 2015 #34

So many variables, Wellstone ruled Dec 2015 #7

+1 ErikJ Dec 2015 #23

truth, but more often w0nderer Dec 2015 #41

Grew up with and among the so called trapped. Wellstone ruled Dec 2015 #50

glad to hear it n/t w0nderer Dec 2015 #52

k&r Liberal_in_LA Dec 2015 #8

Running LEAD....KICK and recommend! w0nderer Dec 2015 #9

K&R LiberalArkie Dec 2015 #10

YES!!! - How to have $1,000,000 when you retire - and I'd add: advice concerning layoffs - LiberalElite Dec 2015 #13

Thank you. nt SusanCalvin Dec 2015 #24

rocks!! w0nderer Dec 2015 #44

I'll try to find it. eom LiberalElite Dec 2015 #49

thanks :-) w0nderer Dec 2015 #59

K&R 2naSalit Dec 2015 #14

I hate thatgemguy Dec 2015 #16

It's expensive to be poor Electric Monk Dec 2015 #17

My first thought too hibbing Dec 2015 #40

K&R. A must read. "It actually costs money to save money" riderinthestorm Dec 2015 #20

things are more expensive when you are poor Marrah_G Dec 2015 #21

let me invite you w0nderer Dec 2015 #45

Thank you- I didn't know we had one Marrah_G Dec 2015 #80

:-) w0nderer Dec 2015 #81

I didn't know we had one either nxylas Dec 2015 #118

Years ago when I was a smart ass I walked into a bank that jwirr Dec 2015 #25

rotflmao w0nderer Dec 2015 #47

I know they do not get the point until it is placed directly jwirr Dec 2015 #100

I'd say most are trying to live beyond their means, poor at saving ErikJ Dec 2015 #26

It's hard to save when you don't have anything left over at the end of the month. ForgoTheConsequence Dec 2015 #27

Pure conservative horseshit Facility Inspector Dec 2015 #35

really? w0nderer Dec 2015 #51

Obviously you should only own a burlap sack and two soup cans. ForgoTheConsequence Dec 2015 #53

got the soup cans w0nderer Dec 2015 #131

No one likes a braggar! tazkcmo Dec 2015 #108

appologies w0nderer Dec 2015 #130

This was alerted -- but we saved your ass. immoderate Dec 2015 #55

Thanks for posting that. It shows what we are dealing with even on a "politically liberal" message rhett o rick Dec 2015 #126

Bashing the poor is a favorite CONSERVATIVE activity. DLevine Dec 2015 #129

Ah yes, some wonderful RW pure anti poor propaganda nadinbrzezinski Dec 2015 #56

Not really, I was very poor on food stamps once ErikJ Dec 2015 #73

You friends from your description would not be poor nadinbrzezinski Dec 2015 #76

lol. One of their friends they live with is me ErikJ Dec 2015 #77

Well he is poor nadinbrzezinski Dec 2015 #85

"I've been relatively poor most of my life, $20K-$30k/yr" tazkcmo Dec 2015 #109

I was making barely anything for many years while on food stamps ErikJ Dec 2015 #115

"Madison Ave pimps that you have to have. " tazkcmo Dec 2015 #116

I have gotten lots of things from the curb too ErikJ Dec 2015 #122

here's $1000 w0nderer Dec 2015 #60

lol. With my lifestyle, very easily. ErikJ Dec 2015 #75

and he started with nothing w0nderer Dec 2015 #78

Well he now lives on SS ErikJ Dec 2015 #79

hey i spent 100 000 buying a house and 150 k on a yacht but hey w0nderer Dec 2015 #82

Silverspoons? ErikJ Dec 2015 #84

ok so as he and you claim he claims w0nderer Dec 2015 #86

Free campgrounds?!? Stardust Dec 2015 #91

Yes they exist. ErikJ Dec 2015 #92

That's possibly the silliest suggestion I've ever read Orrex Dec 2015 #101

I suggest a 24 hour marathon..... daleanime Dec 2015 #61

Meh... nt Live and Learn Dec 2015 #66

I'd say chervilant Dec 2015 #70

No, Erik, that's not it. I'll admit there is a function of that in there, but what you may... Shandris Dec 2015 #87

Are you fucking kidding?! Arugula Latte Dec 2015 #88

bullshit treestar Dec 2015 #93

RW talking points. Sad to see this on DU. nt DLevine Dec 2015 #95

I'd say that most of that is victim-blaming garbage Orrex Dec 2015 #97

I'd say tazkcmo Dec 2015 #107

the people who live beyond their means tend to be middle class and higher JI7 Dec 2015 #117

Living beyond your means happens even with the poorest. ErikJ Dec 2015 #119

how was he asks to buy it ? JI7 Dec 2015 #121

This message was self-deleted by its author Go Vols Dec 2015 #33

What? ForgoTheConsequence Dec 2015 #54

scuse the shit outta you? w0nderer Dec 2015 #62

Great article. Thanks. n/t pnwmom Dec 2015 #43

come join us in working poor group w0nderer Dec 2015 #64

Is it open to supporters? pnwmom Dec 2015 #69

put it this way pnwmom w0nderer Dec 2015 #71

K&R nt Live and Learn Dec 2015 #48

:-) w0nderer Dec 2015 #65

Just One Major Illness Away StarzGuy Dec 2015 #63

it's no wonder but i'd rather see you in w0nderer Dec 2015 #67

StarzGuy tazkcmo Dec 2015 #113

How do feel about 60 Minutes and their assertion that every recipient of disability was a fraud? Enthusiast Dec 2015 #123

I get a kick madamesilverspurs Dec 2015 #74

The rich get richer ... slipslidingaway Dec 2015 #83

My father understood this well. Scruffy1 Dec 2015 #89

"Precarious employment" is the new fangled term inanna Dec 2015 #90

To make money off the poor, you have to keep them poor. spinbaby Dec 2015 #94

Good quote!! nt 2naSalit Dec 2015 #96

B-b-but whadabout bootstrappin', rags-to-riches *insert anecdote here* YoungDemCA Dec 2015 #99

Barbara Ehrenreich nailed this topic in "Nickel and Dimed" KamaAina Dec 2015 #105

What annoys me is middle class people who actually ARE sloppy with their money.... Spitfire of ATJ Dec 2015 #110

Sometimes they are. In fact, Linda herself became famous for writing ... lumberjack_jeff Dec 2015 #111

We need a "How to be poor" classes Prism Dec 2015 #112

Both my husband and I have done worse than our middle class parents and our kids are doing Dont call me Shirley Dec 2015 #125

This was posted December 8, 2014 on DU, here is that thread happyslug Dec 2015 #128