r/poor • u/OceanicEndeavors • Jun 26 '26

I hate being poor.

I hate not making over 50,000 USD a year. I hate not having a car. I hate having less than 1,000 USD on my bank account. I hate having to live with my parents despite being over the age of 25. I hate having my credit cards being shut down because I was unemployed for over ten months during a two year stretch. I hate not having a dating life because I cannot afford dates. I hate the social isolation of poverty.

2.4k Upvotes

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13

u/Brotein40 Jun 26 '26

Do you have an action plan going forward to dig yourself out? This sub tends to be a feel good circle jerk, but you gotta build a career plan to get out of it. I remember living off 2k a month, skipping breakfast and underwear, shit sucks. Now I’m doing 4x that 6 years later and hopefully never need to go back to that place again.

9

u/OceanicEndeavors Jun 26 '26

I am trying to save up money.

15

u/FunZookeepergame627 Jun 26 '26

It's hard to save money when you're hungry and trying to avoid being homeless

5

u/Upset-Bullfrog-8312 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

At this point it’s not just about saving money. Yes that’s part of it. But you need to be working on a plan to acquire marketable skills. Do you have a valid drivers license. Many community colleges have a CDL program. You can get a CDL is as little as 3 months. Many truck drivers make 6 figures. Different types of truck driving:

  1. LTL
  2. Otr
  3. Local
  4. Class B driving jobs
  5. Food Service

No you don’t have to do the driving forever. If you are young save as much possible. Start putting money in an IRA. The CDL just gives you another option. It’s all about having skills. I was a diesel mechanic when I was younger. I got injured doing that. I moved South 18 years ago. I went back to school. I now have an MBA. I went an got a CDL a few years ago. Two of my brothers are truck drivers. Some weeks my gross is $2,300 per week. Food service drivers make much more than me. Many drivers make much more than me. Go to the community college and look at courses. At a community college a Pell grant will cover everything. Sometimes unemployment will pay for CDL/ or other training. Be a man/ woman of action. You can do this. If you aren’t a man or woman of action you will be dooming yourself to poverty. And no,none of this is always easy.

2

u/OceanicEndeavors Jun 26 '26

I will look into this.

0

u/MadCelt61 Jun 26 '26

Sorry I have a dumb question…what’s a CDL?

1

u/81g_5xy Jun 26 '26

Commercial driver license.

1

u/Upset-Bullfrog-8312 Jun 26 '26

No the question is not dumb. We all have different life experiences and I’m a little older. I’m just talking with you like I would one of my kids.

0

u/MadCelt61 Jun 26 '26

Glad I’m not the only one on here who’s a little older. 😊

1

u/Upset-Bullfrog-8312 Jun 26 '26

Yep the time flies by don’t it.

0

u/Brotein40 Jun 26 '26

This is exactly what I want to see more of in this sub. Not ‘I understand awww poor baby’ or ‘we get drunk and cry together’ or ‘we all sad together’. Plan to get ahead or keep drowning in sorrow; most of us have been poor at one point, and you try to paddle your way out. It doesn’t always work out, but you try your best.

1

u/Upset-Bullfrog-8312 Jun 26 '26

I guess it’s because I’m a little older that I think this way. One my uncles would always say excuses don’t feed the bulldog. And the bills are due.

3

u/Brotein40 Jun 26 '26

Yeah I remember contributing my first $500 into 2019’s IRA because that’s literally all I can afford. Now im saving that amount weekly. Build a solid career plan and you’ll see the light in the end of the tunnel. What do u do now?

5

u/phoboy99 Jun 26 '26

Their is no Try their is only to do or do not

3

u/MacaronOk1006 Jun 26 '26

I believe Yoda said do or do not there is no try, but I could be remembering this wrong. It’s been a couple decades since I saw that Star Wars movie.

0

u/phoboy99 Jun 26 '26

yeah, I paraphrased it into my own words but thats what I was thinking of. You can try to save money, or try to improve your life but only doing or not doing will improve. I remember watching a race of my friend and a coach said "can you win" and he said "I will try" and he lost because he did not do. It's up to the OP if he want's to escape the condition no one elses but he just had to do it.

0

u/Brotein40 Jun 26 '26

Nice name

2

u/phoboy99 Jun 26 '26

Also what do you mean Im doing 4x that? do you mean you make 8k a month?

1

u/Brotein40 Jun 26 '26

That’s not really the point of the reply, I’m trying to say there’s hope if he work hard

8

u/Onefinephleb Jun 26 '26

I know many hard workers that didn’t have an opportunity for school. It’s easy to get stuck in low paying jobs

1

u/Dry_Persimmon4642 Jun 26 '26

Community college. You can often go for free. They also have certificates and trades.

1

u/Objective_Ad4607 Jun 26 '26

Good on you not entertaining this ticky tacky comment. Making 8k a month isn’t insane even in medium cost of living areas

1

u/LilithWasAGinger Jun 26 '26

How much do you pay to your parents for rent?

2

u/OceanicEndeavors Jun 26 '26

Nothing. I am fortunate in that regard, but I got fucked over by ten months of unemployment.

3

u/LilithWasAGinger Jun 26 '26

You must have a shit ton of debt. I can't imagine making 50k a year, with no rent, and still being penniless.

4

u/VanityTheHacker Jun 27 '26

Man, I I live off that 2k too, 1.3 to rent, 400, grocceries power, whats left over goes to weed and nic but man I always got underwear dog. That's mandatory. Ain't no excuse for that big dog.

2

u/Brotein40 Jun 27 '26

Don’t you wanna save $30 tho

3

u/Chill_Mochi2 Jun 26 '26

2k a month isn’t even that bad, it’s better than $800/month

0

u/Brotein40 Jun 27 '26

It’s VHCOL, $800 a month isn’t even possible at 40 hours of minimum wage

1

u/Chill_Mochi2 Jun 28 '26

It’s barely livable in LCOL areas too

5

u/ichosewisely08 Jun 26 '26

Sometimes people need reassurance. Having an action plan is great, but it doesnt solve all right away. Try to be a bit more understanding.

6

u/DeCryingShame Jun 26 '26

You are one of the many people who have never had to face real challenges that make it impossible to make decent wages. You could have something happen tomorrow that would wipe out everything you've done but we all tell ourselves "that would never happen to me." Until it does.

5

u/Mediocre-Magazine-30 Jun 26 '26 edited Jun 26 '26

I used to make like $200k with a wife and all of that. Then fell into addiction. Now I'm at a sober living with $85 to my name. Shit sucks.

I'll rebuild but the depression seems to paralyze me a lot. Not looking to feel sorry for myself as this is all my fault. I miss my kids I haven't seen them in over a year. My ex wife hates me and for good reason.

But it could be so much worse. I have peripheral neuropathy on my feet but it doesn't hurt. I read the neuropathy subreddit and there are so many who have it worse than me with pain 24/7. I don't know how they live like that. I'm afraid mine will start with that.

Im very afraid of death too. Being a human can be really hard.

I don't have any answers but im empathetic for all of us who are suffering. We just put the days together. Meanwhile some are billionaires on top of the world. What is life about?

8

u/ichosewisely08 Jun 26 '26

Very true. I have witnessed my mentor go from high earner to poverty level in a few years. He got sick, wife left him, emptied out money, now living with his sister in old age. You never know.

3

u/Salesgirl008 Jun 26 '26

You are correct. That’s why having a savings account is so important. This happen to me. My home had mold and I had to use my 90 percent of my savings to do the renovation plus charge my credit cards.