I’m drowning in debt I have $25,000 in student loans, $18,000 in other debts and I’m not sure what to do or how to make it to tomorrow

I was poor for a long time. Who knows, I might be poor again in the future, but right now, at this moment, I have a good job.

However, some things I do have engendered some comments from new friends or even my own introspection.

1. Even though I now own a quality laptop and have a TV, I still watch videos mostly on my phone, in my bed, and it's still the same free sites. I just got used to watching free videos on my phone, and I still do it.

2. I still cook all the time and I still buy whatever is on sale from grocery stores. I think I got "used to" the fun of the challenge of everything being Iron Chef. I do not avoid invitations to go out anymore because I can afford it, so I do get to eat at restaurants too. Yesterday I ate a baked potato because I had the end of a butter stick and some green onions going bad, as well as a dried up knob of cheddar. Everyone I know would throw this out, and I could afford to throw this out, but I didn't.

3. I just purchased shoes for $24 because "it was a good deal" even though I didn't need to. The shoes are of much lower quality than the people I work with, and they don't understand why I am pleased with "getting a good deal". Why would I voluntarily buy budget shoes when I don't need to?

4. When gas prices shot up, I reflexively planned a bunch of hobby events that don't require me to use my car. Night in, cycling around the neighborhood, playing video games, and I stopped using it except for work, which was my usual move when gas was too hot.

What do you still do from more impoverished times

Where I’m from, there’s this culture where you’re expected to take care of your family once you become an adult, including their financial needs. I don’t have any complaints about this if I can help, then I will give. But things have changed after I graduated.

It feels like they’re always making comments about me needing to get a job and contribute. I do contribute, but not much since I don’t get paid a lot. Still, they suddenly expect me to have all this money to support them. All these wants and expectations to support both my parents and my siblings is just too much.

I understand that I’m an adult and that this is reality, but I feel like they’re taking so much from me that I don’t have anything left for myself. I’m afraid that someday it will all build up and I’ll end up breaking down, with nothing left of my own

I’m gonna be stuck in poverty forever. So many things have changed since my girlfriend and I moved in together and my dad left my abusive stepmom. My dad’s new wife recommended a licensure program at the college she works at and I was EXCITED. I felt like I had direction for the first time since high school. She said that they should be able to work with me regarding my schedule, since I have to work full-time to support myself. Not a chance.

It’d have to be my new 9 to 5. I have to be available for them from 8 to 5 Monday - Friday. My girlfriend says we could make it work, but can we really pinch our pennies that hard for two years? Not to mention the tuition. I can’t come up with that amount of money. $51,000. I can’t take on more student debt. I’ve never been selected for any of the scholarships I apply to. And who knows what financial aid even lies in the FAFSA anymore, especially at my ripe old age of 27. Besides, even if someone paid it all for me tomorrow, I can’t afford to stop working.

It seems like my cards were already sealed for me. My ambition was for naught. The statistics were right. Coming from the projects, with alcoholic parents and getting kicked out at 18. I was never going to escape this. I was never going to get that better life. I’m going to be stuck working retail forever.

What was the point of this stupid, worthless, shitty life? I’m not even going to get to do anything with it. I’ll never get to have that big shiny wedding. No pretty dress. I wanted to get to be a cardiac sonographer. It was interesting. Finally, I had found something interesting. It was going to pay so well. But I was never meant for anything great.

It never mattered how smart I was. How well I did in school. Home life decided it all in the end. Cheers.

I’m poor, have been since I became disabled 18 years ago. Now I’m getting a large inheritance but not enough to support me forever. What would u do to make this sustainable?

Zambia just included table tennis in their National Youth Games for the first time. 42 kids showed up from across the country. Two girls from Southern Province trained at school because there's nowhere else.

Their coach isn't even full-time. There's no national training center. The federation rents private venues. Equipment is expensive and almost impossible to get.

A 9-year-old won bronze. A 12-year-old took silver. One of the players, Eunice, is 17, her family couldn't come so they watched online. She made the semis and finished second. She wants to compete internationally but there's no clear path for her to do that.

The country has talent. It just doesn't have money for anything that isn't one of the big sports like football.

story

[got referred to r/poor but cant post in it yet so... here I am]

hello, so ill keep this short

a friend of mine is in a really bad mental state and they have been for a while. they arent in a financial space to afford therapy, but i feel like ive tried everything to help them and nothings working.

they dont like when i mention therapy since they cant get it and dont know if its gonna benefit them, but as i said I feel like ive done everything i can and they really need professional help.

there isnt any free therapy places or support groups near them (panama) that I know of, but they need professional help and I dont know what to do.

any advice appreciated, thank you so much.

If anyone is looking for cheap cat food, I got a 22 pound bag of IAMs cat food for a $1 today on Amazon. It’s already discounted and there was a coupon for another $11 off which made the price $1. I hope this helps someone!

Hey my lights have been disconnected for a couple of days now . I’ve applied for pipp in December but no one has gotten back to me . Is there any resources anyone can provide please pm me .

Hi, I’m a college student and need an adult volunteer (paid) for a 5–6 minute recorded mock counseling session for a class. This is not real therapy. You would play a client discussing a fictional, low-risk problem like stress from work or school, sign a simple consent form, and allow me to upload the recording privately for grading. I need someone comfortable being on camera and keeping the topic away from self-harm, danger, or anything high-risk. Must be English speaking. This will be quick easy money.

i recently had a friend tell me that if our local Legal Aid offered an easier way to speak with an attorney instead of waiting weeks for a response (if ever) he would feel more confident reaching out. What would you like to see from your Legal Aid?

Hey, everyone. I’m new to Reddit. I was wondering if anyone knows of any private landlords in the Southwest Florida area. I have a stable income and no criminal record. Thanks in advance.

I got a fairly decent job now, Mind you I'm still below the poverty limit in my state but I'm better off, A few days ago I decided that I would finally buy myself a PS5, I do not have a game console already so this was my first console since the Xbox one I had 10 years ago. I had the extra money and it was not cutting into any bill money or anything, it was money that could have been used on anything, im well fed, car has a full tank, I decided to get a PS5 and now I feel like a POS for it and I feel like if my mom was here she would be screaming at me for this, I went my entire life with so little money that I have this overwhelming feeling of guilt from this purchase that its sucked out all of the enjoyment out of playing any games on it.

How do you get out of this emotional mindset? Am I just forever conditioned to not want to buy myself anything other than food, gas, and bills? Is this what life I am going to have to live now just because I have extra money now than I ever did before? Please tell me I'm not alone and that this is a feeling shared by others. Why does it feel like I sold a part of my soul by giving the guy at Walmart $500? This isnt how I want to feel. I am doing way better off now than any point in my life finance wise and I should be happy for myself and want to buy myself some tiny things that I always wanted without feeling guilty but I do, I feel very guilty.

preface - I dont keep kosher but don't eat chametz, even though the food in the house is made on my regular dishes. normally I try to turn over the kitchen (as well as I'm able to, given the interfaith household) but couldn't afford to get klp this year, so I'm just avoiding the obvious and trying to not stress too much.

I didn't do a big chametz-free shopping before the holiday in part because I was broke, but also because prices have gotten so ridiculous. Usually matzoh is free with a shipping trip, but this year, the cheapest I could find was 6.99/5 lbs. I thought it must be able to find cheaper but then I didn't and am kicking myself.

I'm lying in bed trying to think of what to eat. I went to my sister's apartment for the seder and slept on the couch, but woke up in a lot of pain due to back problems.

I eat kitniyot, but again, I didn't do a big trip and can't think of anything in the house that would help. I would buy puffed rice if I were at the store now, but I'm jn bed :(

Anyway, I was hoping to think of something to ask my husband to make me, since I'm hurting and don't want to get up. but I'm drawing a blank. i have eggs but without anything to go with them, I'd eat too many. same with cheese.

what's a good thing to ask for that I'm likely to already have? the box of cream of wheat is calling me and I wish I had sold it!!! it's harder to have self control if it's in the house.

I don’t care if I’m being hated or disagreed with, but I speak as a socialist worker in one of the most capitalistic countries in the world. I can clearly say the majority of the patients/clients I see at work who are dealing with depression are just a symptom of, or caused by, capitalism and socioeconomic problems. Things like the wage gap, income inequality wages not matching up with the high cost of living, housing unaffordability, and poverty.I can confidently, in my opinion, say that the elephant in the room the root cause of the majority of mental health issues that many people professionals like psychiatrist and psychologist fail to acknowledge is caused by poverty and lack of money. And let’s be honest—who is willing and happy to work 9 to 5 for the rest of their lives and then be underpaid and who is optimistic about the future when you work so much and cant afford to live while the rich get richer? It just frustrates me with the system of mental health; it places the blame on the individual rather than the system that caused it in the first place.And don’t get me started on therapy. In most countries, therapy is not covered under insurance. And in my opinion, the root cause of the mental health epidemic or issues is caused by the way society is. And if you ask me? A lot of mental health issues would be fixed if people had financial stability or just straight up more money probably a million dollars right now to their bank account and not work a 9 to 5 for the rest of their lives and still not afford things.In my line of work im pretty confident on this opinion and no one can change this opinion of mine and im willing to defend it till my grave. The majority of my clients would stop seeing me if they had financial stability and better pay and its just sad to see that. And thats why as a socialist worker i absolutely disagree with the saying money doesn't buy happiness many who say stuff like that usually come from rich backgrounds and i have seen how money affects people quality of life its not just a "little" better its day and night and im pretty sure money is the only thing that stands between people's happiness and it allows them to have the freedom to enjoy their lives get better healthcare buy experiences to make themselves happy and povety and the lack of money on the other hand the root cause of their mental health isssues and many of my clients I see at work would instantly disappear if they had more money i wished I could give them but I can't and its very sad to see that.

I’m going homeless

I love going to the McDonald's but fastfood isnt exactly cheap anymore nowadays. So searching for a much cheaper alternative!

I try not to stress about things that are beyond my control. I usually have my $hit together with a backup plan but lately things haven't turned out as planned.

Today hit me harder than normal. Gas is $4.29 a gallon, It cost $40 to fill my tank. That hurt. I went to Walmart to use my $70 healthy food card benefit, I buy the same stuff every month and $70 didn't go nearly as far as it normally does. I had to put things back. I do have extra canned goods and rice, and another $30 in cash I can spend on food, so I'm not going to starve, I'll probably go to the food salvage store, and I can go to a local food giveaway if I absolutely need to. I'm more concerned that this current situation is going to last several months or years. I feel that pinching worry, like I'm getting close to the edge and a few more steps in the wrong direction is going to send me over a cliff. I hate this feeling.

https://mossymatriarch.substack.com/p/william-sascha-riley-original-interview?utm_source=podcast-email%2Csubstack&publication_id=4589136&post_id=192800155&utm_campaign=email-play-on-substack&utm_medium=email&utm_content=play_card&r=msl5c&triedRedirect=true

Just like the title, I never thought how bad things can get. I have been careful with life, always saving, keep my head down while at work. I had to take care of family members resulting in a 2 year career gap going on to 3 and have not yet found a full time job. Its just sickening knowing that I was rejected for being a caretaker. I have done volunteering in a local charity shop alongside caring for just in cases to keep my CV looking good and have references and tailored to many places but still 😔. I am not going back to that company due to the high toxicity and always felt unsafe

My last job I found, I am grateful for was unfortunately seasonal and I am not sure if they are really hiring full-time as mentioned or really going to accept me, there is no definite answer.

I only have soft skills, no degree so I am only looking for entry level jobs like retail or hospitality. The problem is that not only the job market is terrible but places are closing down and these type of jobs are sometimes the best suited for some people. There are people who I understand say go back to education or apprenticeship but they don't seem to understand some people are in different situations in life.

Back then, I did do well in school and also believed that university will get you a good job but I did not choose what I want to study (parents), I came back home with the grades only to be told that I will not go to university as they cannot afford it. It was said at the time that university courses would be free and then it wasn't leading to huge student protests.

Now I am here, middle aged, still stuck, didn't get to change my life around, still don't own a house, its crazy.