r/poor

16f

I’ve lost over 25lbs due to lack of eating. And im slowly losing my appetite. I’m 5’7 and 140lbs a few months ago I was 165lbs. There’s never food in the house. We don’t have that much money. Whenever I go to my friends house I steal food from them. I was at a sleepover a few days ago and stole a bunch of donuts. My mom said we don’t qualify for EBT because we make too much money. My dad DoorDashes all day and I feel bad. They won’t accept help like food banks. Makes me really sad. :(

Fuck.

I can’t find work, not even sure if I could work due to health issues. Fucked up a 10 year career. I’m behind on rent and my account is in overdraft, I can’t afford groceries. I’m working part time but it’s not enough. Besides a huge pile of debt that I can’t overcome. I’m fucked. Death might be my only answer. I can’t do anything. I’m worthless and sick and poor.

today I got a letter in the mail from the property manager. essentially saying we are almost 8 grand behind in payments for multiple months accross the last 2 years.

no, I was not aware of this. as embarassing as this is i'm disabled and absolutely horrible about keeping dates times and what not. I've proven time and time again I just cant keep up with it. usually the wife gets the money and handles getting it out the door.

this last few months in particular have been brutal. the labor market in this area seems dried out and most of the jobs im finding are paying wages lower than I can seem to keep us afloat with.

my personal lawncare business has gone to shit as well.

so far i've come up with the following:

sell the guns and all associated gear (maybe 2 grand.. maybe)

sell what little silver we have left (70-140)

plasma 1-150 a week

welder $100

plasma cutter $100

air compressor $50

continue selling eggs as much as possible 3/doz @3doz week

ask the property manager for yards

work placement assistance

rent assistance

unemployment.

so I know if I fight tooth and nail im not unredeemable but jfc my wife couldn't tell me we didnt make rent? how is this even possible it seems like they chase us down for a single late payment, how are we missing a payment september of 2024 and JUST NOW hearing about it well after our opportunity to re lease for another 2-3 years?

we pay by money order and again, im terrible with records so she handles that part and I dont even know if she has those . at that point my mother was still living with us and shes STILL on the lease so shes on this too.

to say im a bit shook up is an understatement.

what can I do to get my family caught up. it sounds like they're willing to make payment plan concessions but it also has a paragraph about how this is no different than robbing a bank and how the landlord has requested immediate eviction if we dont all resend lease documents and funds.

surely this isnt the FIRST letter right? am I fkn crazy for thinking this is a completely out if left field blind side? surely i'm not seeing the full picture here right???

I fought to get off the streets and I refuse to go back. idc if I have to sell pictures of my feet to make it happen.

WHAT CAN I DO?

-yes, i'm already reaching out to larger competitors and conceeding in hopes of finding immediate work. im also looking where ever I can find a reasonable opportunity..

My meds have been called in for the month.. they were 20 bucks last month, I call to make sure and it’s $73!!! Bc my insurance is inactive. Call to see why I guess the “free” insurance that was offered(not Medicaid, it was through bcbs) is no longer available. Idk how long I’ll have to go without it. It’s for my IBS and I’ve been waiting on it😭

I have had a cough for about 2-3 weeks. It started dry then became productive with phlegm. I’ve been managing it with the leftover cough medicine and mucinex i had in my cabinet. It simply will not go away. Some days it’s dry, some days I cough up stuff but I’m really worried. I’m out of meds and can’t afford anymore. I work a 1099 Job and have no health insurance. I make too much for Medicaid but not enough to afford regular insurance.

I can’t go to the ER because it will eat into the times where I do DoorDash/ubereats AND I can’t afford the bill. I used my roommates stethoscope and heard crackling/wheezing sounds in my lungs so I’m scared.

This is the first time jn my life I have had to choose between income and health. I really feel something is wrong because I have to take my inhaler more often than normal (I have mild asthma) and my lungs just feel…weird. I can’t really explain but I get winded more often etc. I can’t afford urgent care for the chest xray. I’m worried I have pneumonia or bronchitis. I’m worried I’ll die in my sleep.

WHY IS BEING POOR SO HARD??? Why do I have to choose between gas for my car and a chest xray?!! Why can’t I get Medicaid when I’m poor?? I am at my wits end. It shouldn’t be like this. I can’t afford to stop working or I’ll be evicted from the room I rent. I cannot keep going like this.

Today, I carry a weight I never imagined I would bear. And I know there are so many mothers out there doing the same quietly fighting their battles, carrying responsibilities that feel too heavy, facing challenges that can be overwhelming, and often longing for even the smallest act of support. If this message reaches you, and if you can, please reach out to a mother, especially a single mother. Kindly take it as a gentle reminder that your kindness, your presence, and your support, in whatever form it comes, can mean more than words can express.

I understand it’s usually with good intentions but how many of yall have either actually used it yourself or seen it work? Personally, it hasn’t. Anyone who’s actually in homelessness/ poverty knows it’s borderline useless, unless maybe the person can’t use the internet or work a cell phone to otherwise google. Best case scenario, they give you a number to call for a community org that doesn’t pick up. Honestly it just feels like an answer to give someone when you don’t have a productive answer or help to offer.

When I think things are starting to look up, I'm reminded of how terrible this economy truly is. Here in South Africa the youth employment is horrendous, I started a crochet business but I haven't seen any sales , my mom and my sister have health scares and all the money we get goes to the medical bills. Life is just difficult

I’m an immigrant and I work cleaning. I have done one hundred things to be in this country legally, get my degree here, learn the language (I live in a non-English speaking country in Europe), navigate my life here working shitty jobs. I suffer from constant stress, anxiety and depression, and coming back to my country is not a choice, not anymore. I clean for rich people, this job is basically cleaning rich people’s shit, so no, it’s not my dream job. My boss told me today they’re not happy with my work because I’m missing some spots and corners, and if I don’t improve they’ll let me go. I mean, it’s only fair that they want a good job. But something inside me broke when he said that cause I hate this fucking job, you know? My body hurts, my hand’s skin is fucked, I’m so anxious and depressed I can’t eat or sleep sometimes. And I can’t quite simply because I have no other chance, it’s either this or being homeless. I know in my situation I can’t get a better job right now, that’s my reality. I live day by day with the crumbs these people give me as a salary, god forbids I miss a fucking spot of their mansion.

And it depresses me it doesn’t matter how much I work in my life, the chances of having a life like they have will always be zero for me, just because I was born in the wrong part of the world, in a poor family.

Anyways, I’ll stop complaining and will be more careful with the corners. But just wanted to say, it sucks to be poor.

For many years, I did not own a pet because I couldn’t afford one. I needed every dollar for basic needs. I am seeing people posting online all the time that they can’t afford housing/ food/ clothing/ etc, but they have multiple pets. One family was looking for affordable housing with two kids and 2 dogs and 2 cats. With food/ litter/ pet healthcare/ grooming/ pet deposits/ pet rent the average cost of ownership is around $2,000 per dog and $1,000 per cat. Just google it. So this family of four is paying around $6,000 per year for pets. That is $500 real American dollars per month! Yet they can’t afford housing. I’m not saying us poor people don’t deserve pets. I’m saying, we cannot afford them. Why do so many truly struggling, broke people own pets?

Genuinely hate my fucking existence right now. I don't even want to be rich, I just want to be in a better position where I don't need to survive off benefits provided by an unreliable government (I did everything they asked and I still may have lost SNAP).

It feels like I will never stop being poor and in this hell. I am tired of basic things being things I can't have just because I don't have money. I should be able to get my medical issues addressed, to eat regularly, and to have a nice enough house.

I don't want to be rich, I just want to have enough so I'm not stressed to hell over worrying if I can pay all my bills this month or have enough to eat or be able to just LIVE.

So I've posted about how we live in the barrio, but because we're on the border of one of the richest neighborhoods in the US my daughter has a lot of rich friends.

Well, around age 3 she met two friends. We'll call the first Amanda and they met in music class. Her dad is a stock broker and her parents live in a mansion.

The second we'll call Lilith and they met in ballet. Her dad is a trust fund baby and they live and a very nice 5 bedroom home in the same neighborhood as Amanda.

Well, these two girls happen to have the SAME BIRTHDAY. And for years we would get invitations to both, and I would only go to Amanda's birthday.

Y'all. This would be a catered event, with butlers. With face painting, balloon animals, snow cones, cotton candy machines and 2 bouncy houses. In addition, they would have a big attraction; for example, one year it was a petting zoo, one year a canvas painting class, one year they had two "unicorns" for the girls to dress and do their hair, etc. And free flowing champagne.

After a couple of years though, I noticed Lilith would always come to my daughter's (rather humble) birthday party, but Amanda NEVER did. Plus they did more stuff together and just really like each other.

So I started splitting our time, half one party half the other (because they're always on the same day at the same dang time!)

Lilith's parties are still amazing, but usually at their house with one bouncy house and sandwiches and a cake, or something like that.

Well, last year as usual, Lilith came to my daughter's party by Amanda didn't. And when I got the invites, Lilith's party was indoor rock climbing halfway across town.

I realized I couldn't do both, so I had to make a tough choice. And after discussing it with my daughter, I decided to pick Lilith, even though I'll probably never again go to a party like Amanda's in my life.

When I texted Amanda's mom about my quandary and apologetically said we wouldn't make it this year, she texted simply, "I understand." And that's when I knew... I done f'd up.

And sure enough, this April, we were not invited to Amanda's party. In fact her mom stopped returning my texts.

It was an amazing run you guys.

What would ya'll have done?

Still not sure I made the right choice 😆​i

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent confirmed an executive order forcing every US bank to collect proof of citizenship is "in process."

And he just doubled down: "If Treasury and the banking regulators say it's their job, it's their job."

This sounds irrelevant but here's what this really means:

Per the Congressional Research Service, only 48% of Americans hold a US passport.

That leaves over 170 million Americans without one.

REAL IDs don't count. Driver's licenses don't count. Social Security cards don't count. It takes money to get a passport, and I don't have one so what to do?

https://x.com/Ric_RTP/status/2045140896069439761

I don’t mean to sound like I’m bragging, because I’ve read post in this sub and there’s some people who have a lot more to worry about then boredom. I’m 28 years old and everyday just feels the same you know? I make enough to pay my bills and have nothing left over at the end to do anything or buy anything. Can’t spend money to invest in a hobby or go out to eat and enjoy yourself or even buy a new gaming console or toy.

Hey guys, so my mom and I live in a mobile home, and honestly we’ve been struggling to pay for it. It feels a bit selfish of us to keep staying here, but this is my childhood home where so many memories of my family were made. My dad passed away, and since then it has been really hard for us to keep up with the payments.

My mom is a nanny and she doesn’t earn much at all, and it’s been difficult for her to find a higher‑paying job since she doesn’t know English. I’m about to go to law school, and I feel selfish leaving her and not being able to work because of school. But both she and I really want me to finish law school so I can escape this cycle. Still, I can’t help but feel guilty since I won’t be able to help her financially.

I’ve worked my ass off these past few months since graduating undergrad, but I can’t seem to save money because my job isn’t high‑paying and the bills keep piling up. Is there a way we can lower the monthly payments without refinancing? We already refinanced once, and it only increased our debt. I’m really worried. I don’t want her to lose the home while I’m in school. This causes so much stress, and I can see she’s not happy. I wish I could do more for her.

We’re planning on renting out the rest of the house and both staying in one room, but I don’t know if that will be enough, especially since she’s also the main support for my grandma. On top of that, we still have funeral and medical bills from my dad and grandpa, who passed away the same year.

I make $3000 of monthly income. My rent is 800. Car payment 450. Food 350. Student loans 400. Travel to work 300. Credit card bill 500. Insurance/ medical 400. Bnpl 300. I left out child care, clothes and a few others. The bnpl is from car repair. I’m not paying the student loan. What would you cut? I worry about the unexpected expenses that would really push me down.

Need one ASAP.

thank you.

im single and no kids just fyi...

Anyway, last year was my the worst year of my entire life.

I fired and finding full time job. finised school....got scammed

horrible.

until I found a job, passed classes, and got a better vehicle.

now, I have alot money return.

I will either saved or use 500 dollars as an investment

Context
I'm an Sydney, Australia

Got laid-off in a mass redundancy due to budget cuts.

Everyday I am ashamed

every week we live off food hampers

I can't take public transport because no money is coming in

Bills are constantly mounting higher and higher and we live in a poverty circle.

I have reached out to mental health providers but just have appointments

Everyday we wake up hungry, and trying to think without enough food daily.