Never watched South park. But im curious what the reference was supposed to mean or imply.
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I've been about as poor as you can get, but always rich in health and mental fortitude, so could have been much worse...
Homeless are 1/3 mentally ill, 1/3 drug addicted, and the worst is the 1/3 who have jobs but have to live out of their car if they're lucky but are set upon by the other 2/3.
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It's difficult to know if they start being mentally ill after being homeless, and the same with addictions. Addictions are a disease, and mental illness obviously are, so I think we shouldn't be comfortable with ill people having to live in the streets.
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I've been one of them multiple times and likely to end up with them again in the near future if things dont get better..
So i can say it's not as simple as i explained it, just easier for explaining the situation to people who are unfamiliar.
Mental illness and can cause drug addiction, and drug addiction can cause mental illness, while both can be caused by bad luck, or simply pushing oneself too hard emotionally and physically, which are culture tends to demand of us.
Which is why i say the worst is seeing those who have full time jobs and struggling to deal with addiction, mental illness(depression as the most common), and theft, and having no where to live but their cars.
When the media gets involved they just demean the whole situation and make out the entire group as deranged criminals.
The 1st step for me when getting over my fear of them, was humanizing them and finding what we had in common, rather than dehumanizing them. Sure i got robbed, threatened, targeted and followed, but there are also many out there happy to lend help as much as they can, and at least have your back as another brother sleeping under a bridge and seeking a safe, dry place to sleep.
Disgusting that we live in the richest country on the planet, that has the greatest prison population, and probably the greatest homeless population if they could be accurately counted.
It is literally better to commit crime and get a light 6 month jail sentence, just to get off the street and a place to live. Pretty sure we could be housing these people for much less, and the savings used to create work programs to give them something to do, such as clean the streets and garden if nothing else.
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worst is seeing those who have full time jobs and struggling to deal with addiction, mental illness(depression as the most common), and theft, and having no where to live but their cars
THE. FUCKIN. HORROR.
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Well i suppose living near a war zone or aggressive gangs would be worse.
But yeah, it can be rather horrifying on some nights.
Also what is horrific to a person at first, can quickly get normalized through repetition.
Used to disgust me seeing some shoot up with a needle, or smoke crack, but it became as normal as seeing someone step out for a smoke break at work.
I was fortunate i was only ever in smaller towns, as it gets exponentially worse in bigger cities, as people group up more. At which point me being a fairly large male would not give me much benefit against a group of 3 or more people.
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you've learnt a lot, innit.
so. much. love. and respect.
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We all have different perspectives and experiences.
Best to share them where and when applicable, so that we all may learn from and help one another from making bad choices. Although that is one way to truly learn something.
Love your energy and attitude.
Keep putting out your thoughts and vibe into the world, it is valuable to help push things to a higher vibration. Even when we need to discuss lower vibration concepts and experiences to get there.
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Thanks fr your comments! I didn't understand your first comment as you explained in the second, so thank you for explaining!
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Being poor and living in poverty are two different worlds.
I have been poor and barely lived on credit cards for a year before getting a new job. Clawed my way back up of not being in credit debt.
Ever since, I refuse to buy something on a credit card unless I know I can pay in full and not pay the sucker 20-30% APR interest fee.
Why borrow $100 and pay $30 every year if you dont pay it off?
Again, I did have to go down that road of indenturing servitude myself once. Hopefully never again.
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I have never been broke, but I have been poor. Something I never want to experience again(im not well off or anything... but I can not consider myself poor either).
not having any debt is something I wish everyone could easily do, it removes so much stress from your life.
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It really depends on your definition of "poor". Earn less than "poverty level" wages? Only my entire life (I'm in my 40s). But... I rent my home (probably on my 20th one in my lifetime counting families' homes as a child, but that's irrelevant). I have a (more or less) reliable vehicle. I'm able to pay all my current bills on time. I'm able to feed myself. I'm able to either save a little money each month or use that little extra to pay past bills that I never got around to paying (currently choosing the latter). My total debt owed is going down steadily (if slowly) every month. In fact, I'm like 98% back to where I want to be so I can afford to buy (usually part of Fanatical bundles) games to giveaway on here again. Maybe I'll be doing giveaways again in March. Or April. We'll see. So I'm doing better than some people I know who bring home 3x the amount of money I do but struggle to make their current bills let alone any past ones.
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Maybe I'll be doing giveaways again in March. Or April.
so hella b e a u t i f u l. you write the awesome way, Gwyn.
much respect.
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May i ask what your job is and if your finances (have been) affaecting any relationships (a relationship/children) etc?
I mean being around the same age i can place myself in your situation and it's 1 thing to be able to feed yourself, but other(s) is a different thing.
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I had a few random jobs here and there (mostly "day labor" through an agency like Labor Ready) which never lasted for long. Then I worked in a machine shop for almost 15 years, never making more than minimum wage. Every time I would get a raise, minimum wage would go up again and suddenly my current wages were less than minimum wage and I would be bumped up to the new minimum wage, then next time I was up for a raise it would be denied because I already had a raise that year (to bring me up to the required-by-law minimum wage, but that was apparently irrelevant). I probably could have chosen to work somewhere else and gotten paid almost double, but I believed in the "mission" ... the company I worked for was a nonprofit, any money they earned went into to the parent company, who then distributed that money to other companies under their umbrella that did a lot of humanitarian work (finding homes for homeless and getting them medical and psychological help, etc) and those companies had no income, we were the money makers for the entire organization.
Now I'm actually disabled (a genetic defect causing my body to attack my own nerve cells, which also means "muscle relaxant" type pain medicine won't work and I refuse to take opioids, my disability has nothing to do with my strenuous previous jobs), making about 1/4 of what I would have been making if I had kept my job and kept earning minimum wage, although still somehow "earning too much" to qualify for other benefits like food stamps. But now I'm living with a friend who owns his own home and can afford to rent me a room for a fraction of what it would cost to get an apartment, and I've reduced my other bills as well, so I'm actually doing fine with a little left over each month, like I mentioned.
As for the relationships, I never really had much interest in that. I did go on a few dates, maybe two or three a month, but we just never really "clicked" and mutually agreed to discontinue the relationship. That wasn't just one person, it happened with multiple people over the years. Each time, we both agreed that we enjoyed the nights out together, but didn't see ourselves with the other person for the rest of our lives. I'm still friends with most of them (and the ones that I'm not, it was still a pleasant parting, they just have moved on/away over time). So in a way, I got lucky ... by not really having a "proper" relationship I was able to concentrate my finances on other things ... but I still managed to slip on a bill here and there, which eventually went to collections and I'm currently struggling to pay them back.
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I guess technically I was sort of homeless from 12 to 14, only had clothes on my back and textbooks for school thanks to others who helped my family in the time of need. I'm far from well off now, but I work and have a paycheck and it keeps a roof over my head.
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This video reminded me of your thread, and everyone saying "what does it mean to be"... poor/middle class/rich.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=emBIAx2M6HA
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yes. i usually don care bout these. she isn't a professional, but even professional news on the telly loves to compare what's imo is just incomparable.
and you're right: next thread gona make an introductory video containing all my nice definitions of being poor, hella poor, a lil poor. a tad but not that much rich.
this thread here, has showed to be hella useful, more than any pro, non-pro, so-n-so pro telly news :)
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was like 13-14 yo and we were poor, not that poor but a southern family just traveled north, with big difficulties.
i once bought a pen, in a mall. it was a deal, pen was beautiful. still remember it.
i was hella happy.
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It's always the little things.
Most people that can afford whatever they want don't get it, but it's the little things that makes the dull life shine a little bit.
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It feels like most people maybe have too much these days. They think they're poor when they can't have Netflix, Disney+ and AppleTV at the same time.
Sometimes having lived in actual poverty gives you perspective and helps you enjoy what you have. Other times, it just makes you spend cash like a broken sieve when you do have it.
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spend cash like a broken sieve
have bought several fucked up sieves, these last days. won't stop anytime soon.
thought a bunch if and how to ask this. how much poor is very poor? want, have and must have all possible respect for people that have fuckin guts to speak about it here (and elsewhere).
also, mind is a mystery (but that's the fun where's comes from :P) and can perfectly feel that exact same sensation i had holding that pen, aaages ago. i was happy. life was easy and sweet like a chocolate...
thank. you. all.
🤗
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have bought several fucked up sieves, these last days. won't stop anytime soon.
Never stop being you Icaio, that would be a real loss.
can perfectly feel that exact same sensation i had holding that pen, aaages ago. i was happy. life was easy and sweet like a chocolate...
That's exactly what I was talking about with my grandparents. The pleasure of getting something you don't "need" but "want". Too few people appreciate that these days. We are all guilty of it because we live in societies that program us to buy stuff and want more stuff once we have that.
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There was a time we had food money enough only for rice and eggs...
...but, hey, we had rice. And EGGS. We never went really hungry, and we always had a roof over our heads. I am grateful for that.
Cheers!
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have i ever been not poor? NOPE
95%+ of everything i own is used
phone-used iPhone 6 i fixed with 2 youtube videos that i got for free, pc, most clothes, bed, couch, dresser, every book i own, every physical copy of a video game i own. never paid for a single subscription service of any kind. cant even afford the most basic human subscription services to life, having insurance. what are you saving up for to buy this holiday season/blackfriday? to get a tooth pulled, going to a dental school at some point to get it taken care of, much cheaper
most expensive vehicle ive ever owned is a bike, the kind with pedals. stolen and never purchased another one
purchased a new pair of shoes for the 1st time in my life like a month ago. solid 20$ shoes from wall-mart
instant ramen is my life blood
who needs to go out anywhere ever? staying home and playing video games is free
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I relate a lot to having most of your things be second-hand. Has been that way throughout my childhood, and still is the case now.
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There are so many good free games on Steam these days, kids can make do better than ever.
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was thinking how weirdly one's avatar changes, kinda has a new meaning, reading these beautiful lines.
thank you all, again
🤗
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Yea I'm broke as a joke. I live on other people's charity. I'm trying to get something going to make money since nobody will hire me or even give me an interview for that matter. I really shouldn't be spending money to do giveaways but it feels good to do something.
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I know that situation, i already sort of given up, i can be on wellfare for the rest of my life, but i don't think such a system really is great in the US?
How about some volunteer work, then companies atleast see you are willing to do something and give you that chance, i have a steam friend from the states and he lived on the streets for a while, and he managed to get several jobs (fast food, grocery store might not be dream jobs but they are jobs) and now he got a rental place and a wife (while we never had hope i always told him it will be alright, and for him it did and meanwhile i am still alone).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VjEq-r2agqc
For every job, so many men noone needs.
Noone wants you when you lose.
Don't give up.
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For the US my understanding is must have children to get welfare. So women can just magically get welfare without any issues or problems. For men they have a different solution and it is not good at all. Free meals and tv and plenty of room mates. I just work for myself and figure things out. Someone gave me the pair of akitas and they are good looking dogs so maybe the puppies will be easy to sell.
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It really depends on what you call "welfare". I'm a single man with no dependents, but I'm on disability which a few people (here anyway) call welfare even though I paid a form of insurance out of every paycheck for two decades to "earn" it. I make a fraction of what I would be earning if I was still able to work, but I "earn too much" to qualify for other things like food stamps. However, I know some other (single men with no children) people who do qualify for food stamps, despite having a job (because the job only ever schedules them for 24 hours a week at most to prevent having to pay any benefits). Pretty much everybody (here anyway) considers food stamps "welfare"... It's actually called SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program) and only certain things (only consumable food, not alcohol ever, not hot foods such as pre-cooked pizzas regardless if you have a kitchen at home or not, but a pre-assembled pizza you can take home and cook is allowed, etc, and yes, "filet minon" does qualify because you still have to cook it, but nobody I know is going to spend their entire month's allowance of food on a single fancy meal) qualify. It is sometimes referred to as EBT (Electronic Benefits Transfer) but that's technically the way the SNAP is delivered (aka they give you a debit card and load it with a certain amount every month), so if somebody is using their "EBT Card" it's actually just the card that the SNAP money is deposited onto (you'd be surprised how many people, even the ones actually using it, don't understand the distinction). There's also WIC, which is still technically SNAP but it's specifically for Women with Infants or Children (it draws from a separate "pool" of money to pay for it so there's the same amount of WIC to go around regardless of how many people are earning SNAP).
The main "welfare" that a single woman with children has priority over everybody else is called Section 8. It is basically subsidized rent, when you get approved you have to find a landlord that accepts it, then you will only be required to pay a certain amount (I believe it's around $400) and the government will pay the rest. But you also have greater restrictions because of it, they're allowed to inspect your living space at any time (with a couple days notice so you can schedule a time and don't have to take time off work to do it), you can have a "spouse" (which a friend of mine found out does NOT mean a boyfriend even if he's been living with her for the last 6 years and is the father of her child) living with you but not anybody else other than your children, you must have a dedicated room for all of your children (aka nobody is sleeping in the room with the parents or on the sofa in the living room, for example) and boys and girls can't sleep in the same room (so if you have at least one boy and at least one girl, you MUST have a 3-bedroom apartment, which is hard to find that actually accepts Section 8), you'll lose your subsidy if they find any drugs or alcohol (regardless of whether they're legal or not, but prescribed drugs from a pharmacy that are clearly marked and located in a place a child would have difficulty accessing is allowed), etc. Because it's specifically meant to find housing for those that can't afford it, people who have children and do not currently have stable housing (whether that's because they're currently "couch surfing" aka staying with friends for a short amount of time, or they're renting a cheap motel, or they're living in their car, etc) go to the top of the list (under everybody else already there that also have kids)... but it's meant for the children to have a "real" home while they grow up and go to school, it's not about the parent. Other than that, Section 8 is a first-come-first-served waiting list, and if I were to get on it right now (I'd only qualify if I lost my current home) they estimate I would have about a 12-year wait. It's not something they just give out to everybody (or even everybody with kids), there's only so much money, aka so many slots, available and the next person in line can't get in until somebody already in the program either earns enough on their own to no longer need it and "graduate" from the program or messes up somehow (like having a non-"spouse" living with you, as my friend found out) and get kicked out (or they get more funding to create extra slots, which is extremely rare).
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Yea but men can't make a baby and women still tend to end up with children in most custody cases. I never implied it was the woman getting the benefit, it's for kids which I don't have and honestly don't want so I get nothing. They gave me 3 months of SNAP and that was it. I'm in bad shape but I guess not bad enough to be considered disabled even though I see people in better shape considered disabled. I refuse to lie to manipulate a system even if it is broken. I would like to work but considering nobody will even respond to my applications in any fashion I just try to find ways to make money on my own. Ain't life grand? To be fair you don't need a child to qualify for government assistance, you can have a mentally disabled person or senior citizen who "depends" on you thereby a dependent. Believe me when I say the system is not single friendly, male or female.
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I've always had enough not to starve, had a roof over my head, had running water, electricity, access to education, access to a library, and more recently access to internet and a working computer. I don't think I can claim to have been poor or in poverty, when I have had my basic needs covered, as I have been very privileged in this way and I am grateful for it.
I think that anything above those basic needs is luxury. Such as being able to play video games (even old or free ones), is a luxury, and I'm grateful I am able to do that now (even if I still have a lot of student debt).
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I don't think I can claim to have been poor
this. thought a lot about this. bought a pen and was h e l l a happy. kinda want to feel that sensation again! (guess it's too late. or it's never too late).
what you wrote made me think about buddy has no money but is still creating giveaways here around, for us all: how generous is that?
don't want to start talkin about student debt. that f u c k i n g impossible dumb thing you have, there.
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Fortunately it's "I have been" for me already, reaching my retirement age a few months ago and actually due to some pretty weird circumstances having a very decent retirement payments (close to an average wage in my country) guaranteed for the rest of my life. Now, used to living on very little, I'm actually spending only close to 50% of money, that they pay me.
However, mostly due to health reasons (severe polyneuropathy), for pretty long time I've been oscillating between being quite poor and totally broke. By different means I've always been able to manage to have a decent (water, electricity) roof over my head, which has been a top priority (and at times also a top challenge) for me. Fortunately, there is no longer such thing as real hunger in practically all the western countries, food being abundant and massively wasted, even though getting it may require diving into supermarket dumpsters (which I have done out of necessity for something like 3 years). Which at times is much more mentally, than physically straining, so never asking or accepting cash, I have a few times asked folks getting into a bakery to buy me a loaf of bread. There was a summer as well, when being tired of city scavenging I lived for a month or so almost entirely on fruits from abandoned orchards. I also remember very well one Christmas Eve, when being quite depressed I've decided to go to a closing pastry shop, asking if they have any leftover holiday cakes (which actually very kindly and generously they have given me).
There was one thing, that has made it much easier for me though, that being the fact, that I always knew, that at the same time I've been doing something important and that it's been my choice to live in poverty instead of accepting a rotten deal with which some folks wanted to buy me off and stop from doing, what was my job to do. Not being a powerless victim in our own mind is a key to a meaningful survival IMO.
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can relate quite easily with last paragraph you wrote.
awesomely powerful!
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Not poor enough to starve, but poor enough to not be lvl 1.
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added you on Steam, please accept... we'll gonna fix dat!
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I've been impoverished to the point where I was pretty close to homelessness several times, and I've lived in some shitholes. I can't count the number of times we had to take nice things back to the store or sell them, to keep utilities on.
My family has thankfully managed to claw our way out of that. We now own our own good house, and can afford some luxuries. I almost cried when I bought my own Steam Deck. It was something I'd saved up for a while to get, and child me would have lost their mind over it. Not to mention all the games I've got. It's so cool. We've also got four dogs, and can afford to feed and treat them.
Honestly? Dreaming about this life is the only thing that kept me going, sometimes. I always wanted a nice house, dogs, and my own games that I don't have to share with anyone. That I don't have to sell. I'm also currently taking the medications I need to thrive. Life's good, and I love it. I always treasure things the way they are now.
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Growing up, yes. I've never had a problem since I started making my own money. I have fairly simple tastes, so even when I make more money, I don't suffer from lifestyle creep, and continue spending as I did when I didn't have much money.
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Grown up poor, make about 200€ a month now. My needs are taken care of and I can fulfill some wants, so I can't complain. The worst part is that you can't take care of big bills, we've had no warm water for over 5 years but we can endure the high electricity bill caused by electrical heaters and boiling water for "showers". It's not the nicest way to live, our house is incredibly cold right now and the bathroom doesn't get warm enough for not being able to cover your body in warm water consistently. I remember that Tay Zonday quote about being poor leading to being even more poor later on and it's so true. We are better off now than we were in 2019, but you know the years go by and you can never really make an experience. There will be a once-in-a-lifetime event near my birthday this year and I'd give anything to be able to attend it. But I have nothing to give. Even selling my laptop wouldn't cover it and I don't really want to lose my only source of joy.
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Hmm
Have I ever been poor? Yes
Have I ever lived in poverty? Yes
Am I poor now? no, but i make plenty of poor decisions :D
Growing up, we barely had food. My sister took care of us (me and my brother). My sister would often go to neighbours to borrow and egg, or a potato and that would be dinner for 3 kids. I've resorted to eating dog kibble I've been so hungry. I've lived in normal places and in an attic, a shed, a shared room with a number of people. but never one the street.. though there was this one time I ran away I think at 8? and stole the life necessities from 7-11 a bag of marbles and a kitkat. Got busted, police took me home so I could get the runaway beaten out of me.
Despite the access to hard drugs and alcohol I never participated. (still to this day). When I finally got the opportunity to have a video game, I no longer existed in this world, I truly credit it for saving my well being. There is an extended story that explains all of the above, but I'll spare the epic tl:dr story.
I moved out first day I could (must be more than 30yrs ago now) I got a job.. I never looked back.. but why would I. Suffice to say, I did the work and got better jobs, until I understood the value of a career much later than most.. created my own life that made it okay to step out of the video game world into reality. Okay maybe I haven't fully stepped back but sometimes it's best to keep a foot in the door of safety for your own sanity.
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currently poor now. so tired of eating banquet meals and ramen from the dollar store. at least i've got food and a roof over my head for now.
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Respect for you.
Ramen is weak nutrition. Banquet is not high quality but decent cheap nutrition.
I had an acquaintance who had a CC debt, newish car debt, IRS debt, and paid his rent 3 weeks left. But he would walk into his apartment with expensive treats, takeout, Doordash, restaurant, and premium groceries (at least groceries require work.) So much disrespect for his roommate. I have so little respect for someone who earns $60K but spends wastefully to $70K and then wonders why life is so hard with $80K+ or more of debt.
Fresh out of jail, a family friend was sleeping on my parents' couch for awhile. He had a case of ramen on top of the fridge because he knew he should not just expect a handout every time. In my book, that bought much respect that he had the forethought and humility to buy a small stock of cheap ramen to tide himself through the tough times.
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I usually take the ramen and some canned/frozen veggies and add some canned meat.. Really stretch the dollars worth. It's not really that great for a diabetic but it's better than nothing. All my debt is student loans and medical bills. I think my medical bills are about $14k to the state and about $3k to private health.
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No. There was never a day in my life when I had no roof over my head or no food so I can't tell I ever was poor.
But I know that having a roof over my head and food to eat and electricity and running water puts me probably in the top 25% of wealthiest people in the world.
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Yes. Currently struggling to not go back to that condition.
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Poor can mean such different things depending on where in the world you are. By Swedish standards I grew up pretty poor, but there was never any issue with putting food on the table, it was just that once all expenses were paid, there was not a whole lot of money left over for other things. "Vacation" for my family for a large portion of my childhood meant taking the ship over to Åland/Finland, which was not quite free, but almost (the cruise lines sold tickets onto the ships at a loss and then got their money by selling booze and gambling).
I'm by no means rich right now, but I live pretty comfortably. My economy is far better than that of my parents.
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cruise lines sold tickets onto the ships at a loss and then got their money by selling booze and gambling
the awesome picture, thanks a ton, F
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This, except Norway. Free vacations to Sweden for the cheap meat :')
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Poverty is an ambiguous concept. People living in different countries may have different understandings of this term. And this is not counting certain parts of the general welfare, such as education, medicine, which may be free or expensive, or pensions, which may not be. So I can consider myself poor, but for a neighboring state I am a well-off person, and for the countries of central Africa I am very rich. Conversely, for some countries I am a beggar
I'm sorry for my English, I use an auto-translator.
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(not asking about your finances now, but you can obv talk 'bout it)
••
...have you ever lived in poverty?
••
+
+
https://www.steamgifts.com/giveaway/tqDBk/the-forgotten-city <-- be-very-ware: contains amapiano
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