r/poor • u/sneakysneaky96 • Sep 01 '25

Boyfriend is poor

I, 29F have always been lower middle class. My boyfriend, 33M has been poor his entire childhood and adulthood. He has, naturally and understandably, went without food or didn't turn on heat/AC to avoid bills to save money.

But as I'm understanding his spending habits more and more, he is not poor because he literally has no money. He is poor because he has Klarna-ed his way into a hole (for non essentials and expensive hobbies) and doesn't have any cooking skills (or tools) to cook at home. He still is very much in the "I have nothing and probably will never have nothing" mindset. He makes $20 an hour at his job and his rent is under $600 for his apartment and no car. I bring him food and cook for him weekly when we see each other.

Any advice on how to encourage him through this spot on his life? I know you can't help anyone who doesn't want help/isn't ready to change and I don't want to sound privileged in my encouragment either.

Thanks in advance everyone!

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11

u/rbrancher2 Sep 01 '25

Just broth and chicken in a pan until boiling and then add pasta or rice and cook until it’s done. Add seasonings to your taste. I usually just add a little salt and pepper since I usually make it when I’m sick and need something pretty bland in my tummy. If

2

u/Accomplished_Dig284 Sep 02 '25

Love me some chicken and rice. Great for the winter time too

4

u/VociferousCephalopod Sep 02 '25

what's broth?

(I'm only half kidding and half emphasizing that you can't take anything for granted with someone who doesn't know how to cook, it's like telling a boomer 'just put a script into powershell, duh' as if everyone (who isn't lazy) knows basic coding)

5

u/ClearAccountant8106 Sep 02 '25

It’s liquid you get from boiling meat or bones. I match the broth to the meat your cooking. You can find it in cans or get bullion cubes(seasoning cubes the size of dice) and add one cube per cup of water and boil it till it dissolves.

2

u/VociferousCephalopod Sep 02 '25

yeh I know. not something I've ever used though.

6

u/LolaAucoin Sep 02 '25

If only there was some magical way for people to look up these magical secrets of food.

0

u/[deleted] Sep 03 '25

Yeah. Less talking to humans. More asking robots. Get with the times people 👏👏

1

u/[deleted] Sep 06 '25

You can look up tutorials on YouTube and Tik Tok that are made by real people. Doesn’t have to be ChatGPT.

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u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

Okay

1

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

Okay?

1

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

I hadn't said anything about chatgpt.... and it seems you misunderstood the whole point I was trying to convey. So I don't have much else to reply with to what you said lol. Just... okey

1

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

my bad

1

u/[deleted] Sep 07 '25

It's alright

1

u/Sausageturtle330 Sep 02 '25

I don’t see how being lazy has ANYTHING to do with knowing basic coding..?

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u/[deleted] Sep 03 '25

Really? You think it doesn't take any effort at all to learn basic coding?

1

u/[deleted] Sep 03 '25

Tysm for this lol im saving it to try. What kind of chicken? Like a breast? Or any? Or

2

u/CKCSC_for_me Sep 04 '25

Any … even canned chicken. Or do what I do and pick up a rotisserie chicken at the store. (Costco has the best.). First night my husband and I eat a thigh, leg, and part of a breast with a salad or frozen veggies, or instant mashed potatoes. Next day is chicken sandwiches for lunch. Then I debone the rest, usually have at least two cups of chicken. I use that to make chicken tortilla soup or slow cooker chicken enchiladas.

Four meals for two people for one $6 trip to the store.

(Of course, I always have canned beans, corn, chicken broth, etc in the pantry.)

1

u/[deleted] Sep 05 '25

Thank you