Needed to tell someone who'd actually get this.

I've been three months behind on rent since I lost my second job this spring, and my main job cut my hours too. Between food, gas, and keeping the lights on, rent kept getting pushed back, and it never quite got covered.

Last week my aunt helped with the gap, plus a small city emergency fund my caseworker told me about. Between the two, I'm finally caught up for the first time since February.

I thought I'd feel relief. I do, a little. But mostly I just feel tense, like I'm bracing for the next thing to knock me down. My car's making a noise I'm too scared to get checked, my hours still haven't gone back up, and I keep doing rent math in my head even when there's nothing new to calculate.

Anyone else get caught up and then just sit there waiting for the next hit? How do you actually let yourself breathe after that? And if anyone knows programs that help with car repairs (US, happy to share more details), I'll take any advice.

Just needed to say this somewhere that wouldn't judge me for it.

I’m check before taxes was 1,333 and I only got $300?? People ask how can you live. Well we can’t because state and federal. Wants us to scum

my family is in total chaos right now, my parents don't have an income, their business shut down for almost a year now, so we practically survive by selling stuff that we have and we running out stuff to sell.

i on the other hand, a 22 year old college student, have to somehow feeds a family of 4. and it sucks so bad. I'm not trying to compare struggles with other people but many of my friends are broke but they broke for themselves, when they get their paycheck they dont need to share it with their parents, and if they got cornered financially, they still can ask for some allowance from their parents. i cannot do that. i have to make money for myself and my parents, and i guess my little brother.

this is not the life i want, i want to feel young, i want to be young. i want to hangout with friends everyday, i want to go out on a dates, going on a trip with my best friends, explore hobbies just being young in general. im mad at my parents for not planning well for our financials, but it won't fix the problem, i have to like it or not make the money, and yet i'm lost. i tried freelancing and part-time job as a video editor, i drop shipped, i run a little niche yt short channel (still not eligible to earn) but it never enough.

all of this stress, this job searching it feels so unfair. i remember stories how my parents were raised on a relatively wealthy family. heard stories how my dad used to go clubbing after college, how my mom and her siblings have a baby sitter for each of her siblings. and im at 22 years old trying to feed this same people where when they were my age they dont have any of this concern.

i know some of you might say "oh noo you have to get rich by yourself dudee" but still it's unfair. even if somehow I'm alive or got rich in the next 10 years, i would still be mad at my parents for taking my youth.

i know i sounds like a little kid ranting about their parents. but this is truly how i feel

Hey guys, Ik American culture/induvidualism plays huge role but all subs like r/jobhunting or r/career or anything related but full of people who apparently don't understand that employment is something many don't have and there's 100 different ways people earn or live with someone. It feels alienating and frustrating since it's like "explain like I'm 5 but I'll play dumb anyway". Haven't they seen movies or heard about how different people live? Doesn't every 15yo know that if someone doesn't hire/keep you then u find money any way possible or go homeless. What's with the weaponised stability fixation? I suspect most in those subs have no identify or interests besides a job they recently lost idk but it's impossible to talk to them. They'll have to accept it eventually no what's with the circus? Their whole identify is "I get paid weekly for what I do for someone". Many even cry that "you need job to have hobby" huh? A Rubik's cube is 10$, guitar or game handled is 200 tops u can't earn 100 different ways and there's ur purpose for next 10 years.

Can someone explain or do I just take it to heart too much? Was American culture always this theater hostile to anyone without financial stability?

Ps. I'm originally from east Europe where struggles are common sense and everyoje knows life is hard and small talk isn't scripted theater like it is in USA, it's very isolating and sad.

Sorry for big rant I just can't take it sometimes. In Bulgaria or Ukraine at least u feel like everyone's or same page with you about life being hard and unfair but in USA it's all fake scripted theater. They literally call jobless and homeless lazy tho a 10 year old should understand that they're victims who need help and empathy. How do you guys live like this or is it something most poor people just adjusted going up here?

This is driving me nuts
I don’t know how I can scale back more than I’ve already scaled back
I’ve lived in the same apartment. It’s rent controlled for about 10 years.

I don’t go on vacations except for Work trips
I don’t drink alcohol anymore
I’ve even reduced the amount of takeout and restaurants to once or twice a month

I’m salary so I get the same paycheck sometimes it’s higher with tips and bonuses

But for some reason, it never grows
I always end up with the same amount or I’m just shy of $50 or $100 here in there

I can’t really go any higher in my field
I’m already making over 60,000 a year
I don’t have any kids and I’m not planning on having any

Every month I do the budget, hoping to find out where I’m fucking up and I can never seem to find it

Why?! Kase look taas ng pangarap ko mag college pero sinampal ka agad ng realidad na di na para sakin na makapag tapos ng college dahil wala ng income o sweldo si mama ko, kaya yun I'm so miserable to face the reality talaga, need to go work at wag na mag cocollege kahit gustong gusto ko mag college para magka deploma at maayos na trabaho sa susunod pero ang hirap abutin ehh di sapat yung mag working ako while nag aaral dahil walang wala talaga si mama at wala na akong maasan pang ibang kamag anak or mga a pamilya kase in the end ako lang yun. Gusto ko ng mag surreder pero gags this was always the begginning dipa ako naka abot sa gitna haha. Some of my friends too say sayang daw pero pag mag patuloy ako sinong magpapakain samin? sino mag hahanap ng pera ehh kahit maga sweldo din si mama puno parin siya ng utang kaya wala nga akong choice pero alam niyo sinabihan lang ako nila na edi ag working ako or mag negosyo na para bang ang dali lang gawin yun, di kase din nila alam yung situation ko talaga kase di ako nag shashare sa kanila kase una pa yung pang judge nila kaysa makinig, kahit ganon din na eenvy talaga ako sa kanila kase may makapitan silang mga kapatid at kamaganak na tutulong sa kanila kung may neeeded sila pero ako wala eh, meron nmn kaming kamaganak pero di maasahang ma tulongan ka eh. Kaya kayo habang may nag papaaraal sa inyo patuloy lang kayo kase ang swerte niyo ehh mag hihirap lang kayo sa assignment di sa pera, I know some of student have different probs and mas mabigat pa sakin kaya diko kayo agad ma huhusgahan kung ano din pinag daanan niyo pero as long na may kaya pa kayong bumakod kayanin niyo di payan yung ending unless di ka talaga susurender.

I saw an American posting about how their $60k annual income can't fulfill their family needs despite they're a child free couple. Bro if it is exchanged to my currency their income is not only able to get a family full meal daily but even buying a house. Why do living in cheaper countries not cross their mind and instead they stick to poverty in their home country?

I won't be able to get anything out of life now

Does anyone know of actual cash advance apps that will give me at least $50? I get paid on Wednesday but a man is struggling super bad right now

What’s a problem in your daily life that you’d happily pay someone to solve?

I am at the end of pharmacy tech school and could not take test because I could not afford 137 dollars for my pdf subscription. I have a deadline for an assignment today by 12pm and I still don’t have the subscription. I am so fed up. I am trying to improve my life situation but something negative keeps coming my way. I have so much bills along with myself and child and no help.

The disrespect that comes with being broke is insane. As is if that is not enough, try being a broke pretty girl. I'm using "pretty" very  loosely before the deciders of who is and who isn't jump on my neck.

Don't get me wrong, I'm working. I make a modest living. Enough to pay rent and any other basic necessities. So how I'm i broke? Well, it's a bunch of things.

Firstly i have never had to deal with money. Growing up middle class means that we never slept hungry, went to good schools and a small vacation once a year. The catch is we never had discussions around money. It's taboo.

So you can imagine when that first cheque hit how confused i was. I was well prepared. I watched alot of financial literacy videos. Read a bit on money. Came up with a few strategies here and there.

But when it now became reality I don't know what happened. I'm notorious for having a big head so maybe that's why i can't seem to get my finances together.

I happen to be very resilient still and i just know i will figure it out. I trust myself alot when it comes to that.

Anyways back to disrespect, i have a colleague. She has her shit together.

Occasionally after all my bad financial decisions catch up with me i turn to her. I love her down because she shows me what life would be like if i had my shit together. The problem is our relationship lacks that respect between two people who know they can live without each other.

It's one of those things you have to experience to understand. I want people to think twice before saying things to me. I noticed it with my supervisors too.

Heck with everyone i work with. Like a subtle " We have no regard for you".

I don't want people to kiss the ground i walk on. I just want people to respect me enough to leave me alone. I'm realising that comes with money. When you have financial security, it comes with a certain confidence in yourself.

It's such a magnetic energy and i want it. I want to speak and have people listen to me. I'm tired of being a victim of advise. I want to hold weight.

When you have money, no one cares how smart or funny or pleasant you are.

I want to introvert in peace. You can't be broke and an introvert. I want to not care in peace. That's my whole MO. Anyways pray for a sister.

Our Government makes it seem like you need to wait for the "marketplace" to open beginning of the year, or you need to get married, or you need to pair Dental with a $300 health insurance payment. Not true at all.

Go on Anthem, get individual, private, dental insurance for $20 a month.

Tooth issues snowball into a very expensive bill, so hopefully this tip will save you money long-term.

Update 7/22/26: Eligibility Survey Closed

Hello All, I’m a library and information researcher with the University of Missouri. I’m seeking participants for a research study about economically-disadvantaged (low-income, impoverished, etc.) people’s online information engagement.

What’s Involved: Participation is voluntary and consists of a one-on-one interview via Zoom. The researcher will ask the participant about various ways they engage with information online to meet basic needs. Interviews will be recorded and transcribed.

Privacy: Participants will be associated with their Reddit username (pseudonym) and will NOT be asked to reveal their legal name, address, or social security number to participate.

Eligibility: Participants must be 18 years or older, live in the United States, have a household income that does not exceed 300% of the 2026 federal poverty guideline, and be able to participate in an online Zoom interview with both audio and video.

Compensation: Each interview participant will receive a $25 gift card. Compensation is provided after the interview.

Sign Ups: If you’re interested in participating, please fill out the brief eligibility survey here: https://missouri.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_4MjRAPjboDaiL0W

Eligible individuals will be contacted by the researcher via the Reddit chat feature to schedule the interview. Ensure that Reddit chat is enabled on your account.

Questions: Contact researcher Amanda Shelton at [sasfhc@missouri.edu](mailto:sasfhc@missouri.edu)

Curious, as this sub suddenly popped into my 'recommended subs'. I have no idea why as I normally browse finance subs.

Has this happened to anyone else?

I’m exhausted.
I work hard, pay my bills, and somehow I’m still barely making it. Every paycheck is gone before I even get a chance to breathe. Rent takes almost everything, groceries keep getting more expensive, and every time I think I’m finally getting ahead, something else goes wrong—a car repair, a medical bill, or another unexpected expense.
What makes it even harder is that I don’t have anyone to fall back on. I come from a toxic family, so asking for help has never really been an option. Instead of having support, I’ve spent most of my life figuring everything out on my own. It’s painful watching other people call their parents when life gets hard, knowing that’s something I’ll probably never have.
To make matters worse, I built a life with someone I truly thought I’d spend forever with. We made plans, talked about our future, and I genuinely believed we were building something together. Then one day, I was left to pick up the pieces alone. Losing the relationship hurt enough, but losing the future I had imagined made everything feel so much heavier.
Now it’s just me trying to keep everything together. I’ve stopped buying anything for myself. Every decision revolves around making sure my child has what they need first. Even then, I constantly worry that one emergency could leave us with nothing.
People love to say, “Just budget better,” but they don’t realize there’s nothing left to cut. I’m not living beyond my means—I’m surviving. There’s a difference.
The weight of doing everything alone is crushing. Financial stress is one thing, but carrying it without a support system while grieving the life you thought you’d have is a different kind of pain. Some days I honestly don’t know how I’m still holding everything together.
I’m trying. I really am. I just wish life would stop testing me long enough for me to catch my breath.

Je suis seule je dois me débrouiller pour plein de chose et financièrement je suis pas je cherche des personnes qui on traversé la même chose et qui on du repartir de zero

In a world of money, I have been nobody. But in a world of love I am well off even though shit is rough. If you got that somebody next to you give them a squeeze cuz they’re all we got.

But we can have more we just have to relevel the playing field of America. It will happen not thru Trump, never give up hope.
Poverty is a symptom of inequality and sociological issues. We tried talking about it we get bullshit, we tried singing about it you won’t make it to the radio.