How are you making it?

Hey hey hey kids!

No, I was just wondering how you are all making it financially. Not much else to say, I wanted a personal point of view from the community.

But as far as my house hold goes, it's my brother and I, and my Mother and Father. Me and my brother don't eat many meals or junk food, but we do this by choice. We are never really eating too much. But still, my parents eat decently. My Dad is obsessed with food.

Anyways, we are still paying the bills, but our savings are going down. They have dropped a good 3,000$ in the past year. It's pretty scary, and my Dad's work is slowing down. Plumbing has it's ups and downs. The greedy housing builders are not helping things though..

But I am in a much better position than most. Still have own vehicle, part time job, nice computer, and my Mom loves cooking for us. It's perfecto.

How are you all making it?

My student loans defaulted, overall roughly 20,000 in debt, but making most payments.

I read these things about people not being able to make these loans, and all this garbage they have to go through. Makes me feel like college is a scam, and that going is a horrible idea.

But I wish you the best of luck, it won't matter in a few months anyways..

Originally posted by WillNiendick
I read these things about people not being able to make these loans, and all this garbage they have to go through. Makes me feel like college is a scam, and that going is a horrible idea.

But I wish you the best of luck, it won't matter in a few months anyways..

Why do you think it won't matter in a few months anyway.

reply to post by WillNiendick


My wife is a nurse. Always employed, where ever she chooses.

I have put myself in a position to be one of the biggest fish in a small little pond. I have a fairly unique blending of job skills that keeps me making decent money. I don't want to be rich, and my willingness to accept lower pay for what I do than anyone else, along with the high quality of work i provide, makes me an attractive employee.

I am greatfull. Every day, I sigh with a happy feeling of total greatfullness. In years past, I had been to hell and back. Tried by fire. Now, my life is like something some would regard as a prison, though. I stay in, have a cozy small abode, have two cute funny 20 lb cats who cost me alot to maintain, I have this small humble computer, and a nice but old color TV with full cable, provided by the Landlord. I don't have a car, or enough to get one and travel anywhere interesting. There is NO public transportation where I live, and when it snows, they pile it all on the sidewalks. Yet I feel the most greatfull now. I'm not defending austerity however. If someone handed me a mllion bucks, I wouldn't say no. (Thats for sure.)

I think of our family as rich- we are all healthy, have food and shelter, we know our all of our neighbors and fellow church members. Our vehicles are older but paid off, we do not have any credit cards, and we ONLY pay cash. ( i guess we must be domestic terrorists.......NOT...). We are making it through these hard times by relying on each other. Also- when money gets tight we dip into our emergency food storage. Thank goodness we have prepared.

The sad fact is, this is the only support we (all of us) can rely on.

Friends and family pulling together to help each other out.

Our 20yr old daughter and boyfriend have moved back home because of financial hardship, and while it is crowded and stressful sometimes, boy am I glad to have them here!

I'm lucky im working, though far away from home and making all my bills on time. College is a great thing if you are cut out for it, i was not lol. Just a help full hint really research student loans before you take them out i had problems with mine and it was a nightmare for sure.

The world is in a sad state right now due to all the economical strife, im not sure of your age and how fast the fatal decision of college, skilled trade, or mcjobbing it is coming up on you but this is a really good time to start thinking about it so star and flag for you.

I make a decent living i suppose. Living in canada.
40k In student loans, $1500 credit card i can never seem to pay down. Usually out of money a week after i get it.
My bills get paid, for the most part, i'm behind now because i had to pay rent for two places this september.
Can't afford a car. Can't afford anything nice really.

Its not a bad living, It costs a lot for two people to eat.

The girlfriend will have roughly the same debt at the end of college, but she probably won't get a job. There is just no work around for some reason. Took my friend two years to find a place that would hire him.

I managed to get extremely lucky with a paid work term after college, and the job was outsourced to a new company. I got hired at that new company and make 31k a year. Before taxes and deductions.

At the original place for the job, i was a temp with 9 other people. We made half of what fulltimers made, and did twice the amount of work.

I am a disabled veteran on 100% disability so i get my check evey month plus my wife makes 25k a year. We are still able to provide everything we need. We both hate money for what it is and what it does to people. We grow most of our own food and get our meat through local family farms so we eat good. My year and a half year old has everything that a year and a half year old needs. Most people in my shoes would be unhappy with our income, but what matters most to us is that we have each other. As long as I can provide for my family I don't need anything more. It makes me sick to see how materialistic people have become in today's world. It's just money people, nothing more.

Not doing well. My husband and I were doing fine until things went bad in 2008.

My husband had to take work in a lesser paying part of the factory in order to keep his job. He is a head injury survivor and has many health problems. I am on disability due to a heart condition, but I work as much as I am allowed because I have to. We have two kids, an 17 year-old and an 11 year-old.

Our mortgage is way more than it should be for the house we live in, and we have struggled to make the payments for a couple of years now. We will probably lose it before long. Our mortgage provider has given us modifications, but the modifications expire every 6 months. Then they renegotiate the terms usually at their advantage. This last time they modified just barely and we will probably not be able to keep the house containing our life memories. I hate that we have invested so much into our home only to see it all for naught. The bank doesn't care about our feelings, memories, etc.

After the pre-k I worked the past 7 years for cut hours because of low enrollment, I struggled to find a job. Time and time again, I lost out to younger workers who apparently can't pour piss from a boot with instructions on the heel (I'm sure of this because the businesses don't keep them long.) Finally, a convenience store took a chance on me, and I am, not to toot my own horn, one of their stellar workers. I have no choice but to be the best I can be. I NEED that job.

I walk to work often because my daughter totaled our second vehicle and it only had liability insurance, so there went another investment gone. She is a great student and is looking to go to college, but we won't be able to help her and I don't really want her racking up student loans either.

I feel so depleted, mind, body, and soul. I miss the days when we happily went to the mall, science center, or out for dinner. My husband and I spent our anniversary gift money for his meds. I'm in my forties and experienced these hard times once in my life already in the early years. I never dreamed I'd be looking at my middle age and beyond in even worse shape than I was in before. If the end times came tonight, I'd be ready. I want my kids to have a future, but I am exhausted.

reply to post by WillNiendick

I drill holes in pennies and sell them as washers for 10 cents apiece. A decent markup.

Actually, I'm a locksmith and business is based on human nature, which we can most always count on, for better or worse. If the economy is bad, crime can be up, which can be good for business. If the economy is good, building is going on, and every building has doors, and probably locks. And people will ALWAYS lose keys or lock themselves out of homes, businesses, and vehicles!

reply to post by jaxnmarko


can i steel that business plan i have a lot of penny's laying around and if i could turn them into a tidy profit that would be great lol

reply to post by dizziedame


I have a feeling there is going to be a massive market refresh, and there is a chance that things could get reset. Who knows, we might have the debt record erased. Probably not, but oh well.

Big things are going to happen. Lots of possibilities.

I stand with the poor.

We're all just waiting to die.


David Grouchy

reply to post by jaxnmarko

I posted my earlier reply somewhat flippantly, and I regret that portion of my post now, as I then read what had gotten to post before me. And I feel fortunate for having some work if not the busy work I had a few years back... and I'm really not a salesperson, but I used to manufacture a sculpting material that's non-toxic and has a lot of cool properties. I also live in a fairly remote area as far as reaching people face to face.... and a few of the postings here sounded like people are having a tough time, and anyone who doesn't have their head in the sand knows that. Anyway..... I stopped making the stuff because.... as I said, I'm not a good salesperson. But I DO know how to make the stuff! And if some people were interested enough and it could be a mutually good thing, it might be worth my time and theirs to get a connection going. Maybe some of the people that answered this thread, or maybe someone you know, might be interested in....maybe a way to make some money? My target was schools, craft stores, artists wanting a new medium.... I know this is partially self-serving, though really, its a pain in the ass to manufacture by one's self, and this is probably considered a no-no by the people in charge here, but heck.... if they allow it, maybe I can help others and help myself too. It's NOT easy out there, and frankly, I think anyone that talked about the Golden Years must have meant you need a fair bit of gold during them. I worry about the future. And yet, I'm a major procrastinator, not a really ambitious person, and not very driven. And at the same time, I have something that can be sold. Well.... this post may get removed, but if not, uh... get a hold of me if you are interested in knowing more. It seems a lot of people count on others to get their jobs when the American Know How also used to mean, Create Your Own Ideas and Jobs. Maybe here is some opportunity for some people.

Damn. My heart hurts reading some of these responses. Obviously, there is my deep empathy for people and the pain they feel. And I see a lot of pain. But I also have seen a few people (1 in particular whom I am familiar with and would normally respect the opinion of) claim to welcome death or the "end times".

I am going to share with you a conversation I had with my son last night, as i drove him home after a football game. We start talking about the differences in the school we had him in last year, vs this year. I moved him for a reason, as I graduated from the school I have him in now, and realize how great it is. He has realized it, too. He mentioned that at the old school, people were divided up into groups. Mostly, these groups had to do with how much money you had ("thugs" were poor, "preppies" weren't, so on and so forth). At his new school, there are no real social divisions. Bullying just doesn't happen. If it ever starts, the entire class will come to the defense of the bullied. It is really just a great, great school.

I explained to him that, firstly I was very happy to hear him say that. But went on:

"Son, you remember when I got onto you for referring to a girl as a 'slut'? I told you that what someone does between their legs, even if they are gay, has nothing to do with 'who' they are. It is only 'what' they are, and we all have hundreds of 'whats', like tall, or blonde, or pale, or loud. 'What' you are has nothing to do with 'who' you are.

The same with money. If you are rich, that is a 'what'. People who let the 'what' become the 'who' are the people that we avoid. Never let that happen. Be true to 'who' you are, not 'what' you are, as 'what' you are has nothing to do with 'who' you are."

I belabor this point with him a lot. Any time he wants to insult someone he doesn't like, i make him consider if he dislikes who, or what. if it is what, then he has to learn to get over it, as that is what freedom and tolerance is. if it is who they are, then we can discuss that individually.

People, i have had hard times. We all have had hard times. Your breaths are a gift, and one you should be greatful. for. We are not here to achieve wealth or happiness in life. We are here for the experience, be it good or bad. And there will always be a little of both.

While I understand how difficult it is, I also understand that most of what is being lost here is unnecessary stuff. People are focusing on the "what", not the "who". It isn't what you have lost, it is who you have lost. If you can't list many "who's", then you should buck up a little and be grateful for "what" you do have. And always remember, your money and clothes are all about "what" you are, not "who" you are. Develop those values that allow you to sustain in lean times. And if you can't do it for yourself, do it for your kids. Teach them to be a little tougher.

And to the person who says its expensive for two people to eat....wrong. It is the exact same price to feed two people as it is one. A can of soup, for example, feeds 2 people. Not just 1. That is, unless you are not preparing your own meals. Then it can be expensive But in that case, you are just bad and managing your money.

To most everyone here: if you can afford an internet connection, you might not be as broke as you want to think.

Like many others, I am struggeling finacially, but I am making it. I am lucky to have a very understanding and very patient landlord. He allows me to pay what I can to a limit. Many landlords would have evicted me MONTHS ago! I have not have cable (don't even have a tv) in 3 years, so I spend a lot of time entertaining myself with books or painting. And because I have to be tight with my money, I have become better at stretching my meals. I can take a few ingredients, make an exquisit meal and make last for at least 3 days. My culinary skills have improved greatly in my opinion. And when you end up with ingrediants that most people would think it odd to combind, that's when you have to be creative! Never know. I've made my best meals that way.


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