Being poor is very expensive.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by Ctopher

I feel like I’m the same boat as your GF. I’m 46 years old, soon to be 47 at end of month and was part of work force reduction at a major computer company after being there 23yrs. I’ve had trouble just getting interviews for jobs that was perfectly qualified or even over qualified for. It’s been hard and after 2yrs and 6 months I received my first job offer and looking forward to start working again very soon.

CTopher

I honestly told her to try a new career. I can't believe the petty nonsense she has to go through. Killer interviews, 2nd dates set then *boom* ghost cancel- crap like that. I honestly don't know how she carries on. I haven't seen her flash her CC to pick up the dinner tab in 1.5 years. I joke about it- she cries LOL.

Originally Posted by Racerbvd

, hell I never bothered to buy TV until the last 10 years, went without cable for ever.

I STILL won't pay for TV, LOL. I think my monthly internet access costs amongst my cell phone and the house is <$150, total.

rjp

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by jhynesrockmtn

$750 buys you almost nothing when you think about what it costs to pay rent, insurance, etc. I've sat with many and shown them the math of what even 20 hours/week at minimum wage gets you vs. this basic payment. .

Minimum wage is $8/hr.
20 hours a week gets you $640.

Even at premium minimum wage,
20 hours a week gets you $1120.
And you'll need to spend money to work, like transport, clothing, possibly daycare.

Not sure what "math" you're showing them,
but I can see why someone would opts for the free $750.

[Rick Lee]

People on SSDI likely also get Section 8 housing. So that's just about free rent. After a year or so they also get Medicare or Medicaid with the low income subsidy. One complaint I've never heard in this job is the cost of meds. No one pays for them with their own money. What's to complain about?

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by aschen

Plenty of working professionals are terrible with money and are trchnically broke as well

People who earn 80k a year, have 2 45k cars, call a plumber everytime the toilet runs, use lawnmower service, only eat organic food from whole foods etc. Must be stressful of living paycheck to paycheck

On the flip side, driving ****ty old cars, constantly doing house repairs, mowing your lawn all weekend, and eating garbage fast food. Must be stressful being a miser.

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by RANDY P

I believe the situation for being poor will only get worse- there's no stigma or penalty anymore for being poor. ..

What planet do you live on ? The entire basis for social media is to project wealth and status beyond your reality. The entire social foundation of this country is pretending you're not poor.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

What planet do you live on ? The entire basis for social media is to project wealth and status beyond your reality. The entire social foundation of this country is pretending you're not poor.

1)- For starters I wasn't talking about social media. Why would you think that's the only thing that mattered?

2)- You really think you're fooling anyone? Childish nonsense IS poor. Wealthy people don't act wealthy unless they're on TV.

Please.

rjp

[Rick Lee]

Poor people, at least the demographic I deal with, are not on social media. Plenty of them don't have cell phones, or, if they do, they're flip phones. I have one who has an "Obama" phone and her minutes are limited. Pain in the ass to call once she's used up her limit and her payment has bounced.

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Also must be stressful driving ****ty old cars, constantly doing house repairs, mowing your lawn all weekend, and eating garbage fast food. Must be stressful being a miser.

It's not a problem. Quit arguing until you have done it.

rjp

[sugarwood]

Originally Posted by RANDY P

1)- For starters I wasn't talking about social media. Why would you think that's the only thing that mattered?

2)- You really think you're fooling anyone? Childish nonsense IS poor. Wealthy people don't act wealthy unless they're on TV.

Please.

rjp

Haven't met a person on the planet who brags about being poor.
You live on a different planet

[RANDY P]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Haven't met a person on the planet who brags about being poor.
You live on a different planet

No, you just met people who refused to tell you. They're poor and you just have bad taste. Why you don't notice it.

rjp

[speeder]

My dad once said that if you took all of the money in the world and divided it up equally, within a relatively short period of time, the rich people would be rich again and the poor people would be poor.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Minimum wage is $8/hr.
20 hours a week gets you $640.

Even at premium minimum wage,
20 hours a week gets you $1120.
And you'll need to spend money to work, like transport, clothing, possibly daycare.

Not sure what "math" you're showing them,
but I can see why someone would opts for the free $750.

Heck, I probably would have done it when I was young and poor if it was an option. As noted earlier, the government is doing them a great disservice to offer these programs. It condemns them to a life where they never really get ahead.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

On the flip side, driving ****ty old cars, constantly doing house repairs, mowing your lawn all weekend, and eating garbage fast food. Must be stressful being a miser.

It is a pretty good life. Beats being old and broke one day. That is brutal.

[Rick Lee]

Originally Posted by speeder

My dad once said that if you took all of the money in the world and divided it up equally, within a relatively short period of time, the rich people would be rich again and the poor people would be poor.

So true.

[tabs]

Originally Posted by fintstone

It is a pretty good life. Beats being old and broke one day. That is brutal.

Ditto.

[tabs]

I am poor..i drive a 23 yr old truck.My Dryer is 34 years old my washing machine is 25 years old..my micro wave is 18 yrs old. My TV is 35 years old stereo is 42 yrs old. MY Weber bbq is 39 years old furniture is 30 years old...i bought an off brand Refer for 80...

[Arizona_928]

Originally Posted by tabs

I am poor..i drive a 23 yr old truck.My Dryer is 34 years old my washing machine is 25 years old..my micro wave is 18 yrs old. My TV is 35 years old stereo is 42 yrs old. MY Weber bbq is 39 years old furniture is 30 years old...i bought an off brand Refer for 80...

Just because appliances weren't disposable 20+ years ago doesn't mean you have to brag about it.

[jhynesrockmtn]

Originally Posted by sugarwood

Minimum wage is $8/hr.
20 hours a week gets you $640.

Even at premium minimum wage,
20 hours a week gets you $1120.
And you'll need to spend money to work, like transport, clothing, possibly daycare.

Not sure what "math" you're showing them,
but I can see why someone would opts for the free $750.

Minimum wage here is close to $14/hour, so it is that math. And it isn't just about whether they could make more than SSI working. It's about the long term impacts of living in that system doing nothing vs. the value of work. The value of contributing to your own independence and ability to earn much more long term by working full time, getting benefits, earning a retirement, self respect....

[GH85Carrera]

Back in the days of single life I dated a lot of different chicks. One was a very spoiled chick that was going to school and was working on a degree in liberal arts. Her dad told her when she started college he would pay her bills until the day she graduated, then she was officially cut-off of his support.

She always called me a money grubber because I worked two jobs and was almost always busy on Sundays shooting weddings, I never called in sick to goof off on a work day, and I was trying to earn more money with overtime.

She thought all one had to do is charge it on a credit card, and her it was paid for somehow magically.

I loved it when she graduated college, and her dad told her, while she was wearing her cap and gown, he had just called and canceled her credit card. and she was now on her own. She had no job, and no credit of her own. All of sudden she understood the reason I worked so much. She asked for a loan, and I told her no way, sorry I need my money for paying my bills and I had none to spare to give her. She broke up with me, and I was on to the next fish in the sea.

She ended up getting a job as a waitress at a night club and lived off of tips. She was a fun one but not even close to marriage material.

[fintstone]

Originally Posted by Arizona_928

Just because appliances weren't disposable 20+ years ago doesn't mean you have to brag about it.

I have the original kitchen appliances/cabinets (except for fridge) in a rental that was built in 1959. It also has the original bathrooms/tile. I am the second owner of the home. The detached garage was heated by a wood stove. The HVAC and garage door openers were from the 60s and the hot water heater was from the 70s (replaced those). The kitchen appliances look like new and work great (except small and chocolate brown so I cannot match. I think I will have to renovate the kitchen to sell the home though. It is very cute...but not what most buyers expect.