After reading all the comments to my “Eating out of the pantry” post (thank you for the upvotes) I decided to go today to the food pantry. Although I think I had enough to last, next Monday is a holiday and the food pantry is only open three days a week. All of your comments have given me “permission,” so to speak, to make the food pantry the primary source of food for myself.

A little about me (56f) with schizophrenia on SSDI since 2013. Both of my parents have now passed and I have two siblings in other states who will front me $40 here and there, which is always welcome. I drive a 2005 Honda CR-V, and pay $800 in rent. I moved to a small town to care for my dad; being a general low-cost area I have decided to stay in my small town since I like my care team and the area overall. I have about $5k in debt and no savings. I’ve exhausted all of my resources, so if I lose my housing I will be living in my car, and if I lose my car, I will be taking the bus. I also have three sick cats, one inherited from my dad, who need to go to the vet.

I have been living on a food budget of $200 for the past few months, but it isn’t sustainable given my situation.

Seeing the generosity and outpouring of support from this community, I went to the food bank today. I was so happy with my “bounty,” I decided to make it into a September challenge to support my food budget with donations received.

With all said, here are photos of my take-home goods.

You know that advice people give about buying things in bulk because it's cheaper?

Oh Yeah. That's great advice until you don't actually have enough money to buy the bulk option.
I've been thinking about how many things are technically cheaper when you have more money.
Better quality clothes. Bigger packs of food. Buying something once instead of replacing the cheap version three times. Even transportation sometimes.
It's weird because people give generic advice "make better financial decisions" “just buy in bulk” or “buy quality instead of cheap things.”
without realizing that having money gives you access to better financial decisions.
quality instead of cheap things.”
Sometimes you know the cheaper option isn’t actually cheaper. You just can’t afford the better option today.

Maybe I'm looking at this wrong, but I've been thinking about it a lot lately.

What's something you've experienced where being short on money actually ended up costing you more?

There is a reason why they offer really high loan amounts with low credit.
Please, I’m begging you, do not do it.

Two years ago I made the biggest mistake of my life, at the time thinking, “not a big deal. I got this”
I’ve been in hell ever since.

I just had a seizure recently and woke up in the hospital after someone noticed me on the ground. I was hooked up to an IV and I'm very grateful they saved my life. But I just got an email for the billing statement. And I owe $1,610.86. For something I literally couldn't control, and I never asked them to treat me or take me to the hospital. This is literally crazy. I know I can probably bounce back from it. But it's getting ridiculous. I have been to the hospital multiple times these past years and now I'm scared to keep going. I'm currently homeless and thought I was making progress. So I'm going to try and take better care of my health. But where the hell are our taxes going? And why should we have to pay thousands every time we take a spill? I know it's going to hit my credit because I can't pay it anytime soon. It's just one thing after another and I know we all experienced this. Sometimes I'd just rather die. Why is life automatically this hard? And the system is literally failing us. I feel bad for future generations because it's been like this for a while and it doesn't seem to be changing anytime soon.

I’ve been feeling really down lately about my teeth but I can’t fix them right now and the doctors told me that I have multiple bacterial infections in my bones from failed root canals (I have experienced multiple cases of dental malpractice in the past also, which lead me to have severe dental trauma) .

I have had candida and Epstein Barr, along with 3 children in my past. Over time my teeth have started to fall out one by one and I’ve been resorting to crazy glue and temporary tooth plastic beads to keep some dignity. I’ve had trauma in the past with dentists before, so it was hard for me to get the courage to go to one, but now a lot of my teeth are missing. I recently mustered up the courage to get them evaluated by an implant specialist and they quoted me $43,000 for a full mouth.

I don’t have very good credit at the moment, neither does my husband, and my mortgage and daily expenses are insane right now and I just have no idea how to get the money for them. I’m hoping for something quick but I know that’s unrealistic. I’ve already done crowdfunders but no luck yet , and I can’t risk the strain on my vehicle & gas with door dashing. any advice is appreciated thank you.

I'm sharing some info from a Long distance friend off another app, hope this helps anyone . I asked for as many pictures as they could get, as of the last 30 minutes there are 5 FULL carts and the store scene is quiet

I had been visiting the food bank a few times recently, when bills were tight. It really helped me out SO MUCH! I had to swallow a bit of pride to admit I needed help.

I am in a slightly better position now, and over those trips I accumulated a lot of non-perishables that I either don't like, or can't have (I'm diabetic).

I just filled up a bunch of bags full of donations, and put them in the bin.

I hope someone enjoys what I couldn't eat!

After 1.5 uni semesters of being full time student and working maybe 3-4times a month I’ve finally deposited my last $50 to my savings to make it $591. Rarely spending when going out, paying with credit cards, asking parents for gas money even… Feels like a great great milestone :) Ofc I don’t touch this money unless is an emergency but I hope to keep on growing. Just wanted to share this moment!

I'm moving from Michigan to Maryland in 10 days, and today was honestly a lot.

I've been trying to get everything lined up for the move while also managing my money carefully. Today involved making several phone calls, waiting for answers, figuring out next steps, and dealing with the anxiety that comes with not knowing exactly how everything is going to work out.

But tonight I realized something: I actually have a plan.

I get paid September 3rd. I'm looking at my expenses day by day instead of looking at the entire month and freaking myself out. I have a few small bills coming up, but there isn't a huge stack of expenses immediately hitting me.

My plan for tomorrow is pretty simple: get up around 10 AM, walk to CVS around 11 before it gets too hot, come home, stay in the AC, and keep packing.

I'm also deliberately trying to have some low/no-spend days. At this point, every dollar matters because my goal is getting myself and my cat to Maryland safely.

I've spent a lot of today worrying about things I can't immediately control. By tonight, though, I feel calmer. Maybe I needed today to slow down and realize that I don't have to solve everything at once. I just need to handle the next thing.

I'm curious if anyone else has gone through a major move while living paycheck to paycheck. How did you handle those final days when there was still uncertainty but you had to keep moving forward?

My partner and I were doing ok with us working two jobs. We have a 4 year old and a 6 month old we don’t do daycare so we aligned our schedules for this. I worked two days and he worked 5. However his mental health was deteriorating he was working 13-15hrs a day and literally for a year didn’t have a day off. So I encouraged him when he’s ready to leave I’ll pick up the full time hours and he can stay home with the kiddos. But one day when we came to get him from work he said today is my last day I can do it anymore. OK great we got this.

Nope we do not got this. I was so wrong. That was a couple months ago and has not gotten a job. My job is flexible and I work 1:1 with patients but it’s not consistent. I was able to work 6 days one week and that was it. So trying to pick up hours is a toss up. The only client I could pick up was only 4 hrs a day and an hour away along with my scheduled 2days. But some days my clients can say we don’t need a nurse today and I’m screwed. Also struggling with PPD so going back to work full time while breastfeeding has been brutal on me mentally. But i have secured more hours for the next two weeks and my partner is still actively looking for work. We’re really hoping he’s able to get something in October.

We were keeping our heads above water before but now we’re drowning. We were able to pay rent the first month but this month I’m worried and I’m not sure we will have it by the 4th. I’ve called resources and no one has funding.

Although I am glad he left and his mental health has approved significantly we definitely should have made better decisions. The moment he was having doubts we could have made sure he was secured with another job. We could have been saving. Yes I know I can get a new job with consistent hours but that would be jumping through more hoops for the same pay. We only have one car that’s 7 years old that we got 3 years ago. Our car payment is high and with the state we’re in our car insurance is absolutely stupid .

But anyway I just wanted to come here to take accountability on some of our actions. It’s really getting hard out there groceries and gas is high and luckily we know how to cook. Honestly just praying for anyone reading it and trying to hold onto some kind of little hope I have left.

Just got the notice that my car will be repo'd in 2 days if I don't pay up $700. I recently just fixed the car and have been able to use it for work but I've had difficulties and had to stop working. I'm trying to get disability benefits but it takes too long. And now I'm going to lose my car which is my only way to go out and make money. I live in a very small town so public transportation isn't a thing and there are no jobs here. I don't know what to do. My credit score is so bad so loans just never accept me and I'm not working currently so that also doesn't help. Is there anything I can do at all?

I got a new job in a very wealthy area of California. Some luxury hotel where guests pay over 2k a night. Originally, I didn't tell anyone I didnt have a car because I know they wouldn't give me the job. I knew eventually they would be able to tell since I rush to catch the last bus.

Many of my coworkers are kids. They all have cars. I am being asked questions why I don't have a car. Management made comments too and they remind me to go catch the bus near the end of my shift. The reminder is fine but it feels almost that they don't like that I can't stay extra and there is a last bus I have to catch.

Meanwhile I mentioned how there is barely any tips. Some of my coworkers got offended and said we are here for the brand experience. I said fine but we also have bills. So I am getting told by coworkers that this job pays them enough.. one coworker showed me that he owns a boat. The other coworker showed me pics where he plays golf at a country club where he pays 2k a month. And so on. They all act super rich, looking down that I dont have a car while they work in hospitality and they claim to have a Masters in engineering.

Has anyone else worked at places like this?

Another free grocery haul. Almost everything is organic.

Shout-out to the ground wagu beef (say what!?), tahini, 🥩, raw unfiltered creamed honey, fire roasted tomatoes, peppermint tea, champagne grapes, goats cheese, mangos, avocados, mint, ect. Oh AND the flowers 🫪

Sending positive vibes to everyone that needs a reminder that help can come around.

Location: Colorado

Hi everyone! I’m currently looking for any information about grants, scholarships, financial assistance programs, or other resources that could help me financially while I finish high school. I’m a high school senior in Florida and the child of a parent who is struggling with alcohol addiction and a very bad recovery which has really made things unlivable at home. I am an only child, and unfortunately the financial and emotional impact of that has made things at home bad. I’m trying to become more financially independent so that I can continue getting through high school without having to sacrifice my education or theater as that’s what i’m going to college for. I already have some scholarships
lined up from schools with offers for a technical theatre BFA but i’m worried that if i can’t support myself now, i won’t be able to get to go to college.

I’m specifically looking for opportunities that are available to high school students that can help with things like transportation, school supplies, technology, food, housing/basic living expenses, college preparation, or other costs associated with finishing high school. If you know of any scholarships, grants, foundations, community organizations, or other resources that I could apply for, I would really appreciate it if you could comment or message me with the information. Even if you’re not sure whether I’d qualify, I’d rather have the opportunity to look into it. I’m working hard to stay in school and build a future for myself, and any resources or leads you can point me toward would genuinely mean a lot. Thank you so much to anyone who takes the time to help or share this.

I couldn't make the army because I'm underweight and couldn't keep up with PT. I've been trying to enlist to escape homelessness. But I was just fooling myself. I'm very sad how my life turned out. I literally can't eat right now. And outside of a McDonald's for the wifi in the rain. My life was always a joke. A terrible start and finish. I wanted to go to college and be a social worker. And use my life to try and help people, but I'm the opposite of that now. You're invisible when you're poor and I realized that. So much pain and struggle just to get through a single day. And it's still bad. I can't even sleep anymore at this point. I pray no one has to go through this. I'm out of all options. I've been trying to take advice from this page, and nothing's been working. I'm a failure and this may be my last note. Poverty is a huge cause for depression and suicides. I was never like this. I used to even have friends. Now I'm alone with just one pair of clothes, and my phone. It'll be over soon. I just wanted to get this out somewhere because there's no one else.

Hi, 20F here. A few months ago I escaped a DV situation. I work around 30 hours a week at a restaurant, I'm a line cook. One day I just got fed up with my abuser and left him. Now I live in a 2 bedroom apartment with my coworker.

I make around 900 dollars every check, and my portion of rent is 650 dollars. I have medical and therapy bills on top of that. I got paid yesterday, and now everything is gone. I'm borrowing money just to pay what I owe. And I know that's irresponsible. I had to drop out of college a few years ago because I just couldn't keep up with that. I have no car, I got in a horrible car accident a few years ago. I also just cannot afford it. My phone bill also doubled since I had to switch phones because my last one stopped working after 5 years.

I was a foster kid and my parents kicked me out when I was eighteen. They set me up with absolutely zero advice. I don't know what I'm doing. And the money just keeps disappearing. It's just never enough to keep up, and debt is piling up.

I don't even know what I'm asking for. Advice, I guess. I'm just sick of crying all the time. It's manifesting physically. I can't really afford food, so I'm losing weight rapidly. My hair is starting to fall out, and I vomit constantly from anxiety. I know millions of people are living like this, but I just don't know how much more I can take.

Edit: typo

So I found out last night my husband wasn't able to pay for our storage unit last month and this month is due so now it's $400 which we don't have so I'm losing a lifetime of memories. All of my pictures, yearbooks, kids mementos are going to be gone. I'm absolutely sick about it. I can't even look at him right now. I've been so depressed and lost lately. This did not help at all. I keep trying to get things back to good but shit like this happens. I'm really ready to just give up and jump the skyway.

hiii everyone! not sure what’s going on tbh so I decided to come here and ask. I’m 22 yo girl and basically I was originally on my parents section 8 because your automatically in when you’re a minor, then I moved out for a little bit when i turned 18 and eventually came back. I’ve been living with them again for about 3 years, and I literally just found out I’m supposed to be added back to this thing. not sure what’s is section 8 I believe it’s like financial aid of sorts but i’ve never been informed abt anything like this. I don’t have a job or income, car, or any assets.

My parents are doing the paperwork now, and it asks for my birth certificate, SS card, photo ID, and landlord approval (which the land lord she knows abt me ofc). Does anyone know what happens after they submit it? Like will I have to go in for an interview or anything, or will they ask why I’m being added now? i’m scared they’ll take this financial aid from my family and i feel like a huge burden and they won’t let me move out or anything (looong story). Has anyone dealt with this in? i get rlly scared when it comes to government things i rlly don’t play about it at all and I’m kinda freaking out

I don't know if other banks do this, and I don't know how effective this is. As a last resort, it looks good.

I have a Chase credit card and I inserted it at a Chase drive thru ATM at a Chase bank branch around 12:30am. It recognized the card and asked if I wanted to pay cash against my balance. The balance was accurate. It also listed my minimum payment requirement and I think the statement balance. I don't think the machine gives change, if you are trying to hit an exact number.

I was able to insert up to 100 bills to pay against the balance. I put in 13. You could "checkpoint" it in a way by inserting just a few bills at a time. The machine counted it and rejected one of my bills for being slightly folded. I uncreased it and it went through a second time. I didn't bother scanning my five $1 bills because a few of them were sketchy and I wasn't sure the machine would accept ones. It took my tens and twenties. I doubt it accepts coins.

I have another Chase card and a Chase Business card and I did not try either one. It didn't look like I could pay down other cards with the main card inserted -- I would need to insert each card to pay that card.

It said the payment would be credited based on 11:59 PM on the date of payment. So if you pay before midnight, it should be credited to that day. I'm not sure how it would work with time zones.

It said something like it "will" or "may" take some days (something like "several" or "up to 2 days", I can't remember) to credit the account. And there are occasional horror stories about people's ATM transactions not being credited.

I used it because I have funds coming in that will take a few days to transfer. Cash is the easiest way to pay my balance on time this month. It may also be possible to pay down a card in-person during business hours. I like that most ATMs are 24/7 (try not to get robbed).

edit: Today 12 hours later it shows as a deposit of the correct amount as a "branch transaction".

I think I am very hard on myself with groceries. I break it down to $5 a meal, 2 meals a day for 30 days.

As I write this I am realizing pricing varies heavily in my city. The same brand of eggs at Kroger cost much more at Target. Which should be obvious...but it wasn't to me until now. So let's just say approximately $300 a month for all of this.

Breakfast:

Eggs (Pasture Raised)

Sourdough Bread

Lunch/Dinner

Alfredo Pasta

Chicken (Organic)

(Some months I switch this for rice. But irrelevant for this discussion)

Snack/fruits

Watermelon

Honey (which is literally $25)

Lemon juice

As I write this out I feel a bit stupid considering my financial situation. I cannot afford to be purchasing organic, pasture raised anything.

I have lost over 70lbs in 2 years. I worked so hard on my health and if I let it slip now that i'm already sad because of my finances I dont know what will happen to me mentally.

So yah, finally got to a place where my life is "stable", but still poor and currently stuck working in retail hell again and trying to decide what would be the best option for me going forward.

1. Keep trying to get a new job.

• I've been trying this for over a year with no luck, and it's not a resume or interview issue, it's literally just not having anything besides more retail on my resume, but I can't get the "right kind" of work experience without getting hired in the first place so it's a catch-22. Would probably involve moving the second I get hired, which is fine since I don't have much stuff and would probably have enough saved up to live somewhere short-term until I get really settled settled. Also transportation is still a huge limiting factor for me so I've mostly been looking at places that have public transportation available and can get away without having a car.

1. Save up and get a car.

• Another big issue right now since I have to waste 3hrs+/day commuting, bus one-way and then walking home 5 miles at night. So a car would be another expense, but would save me time and at least open up the option to work a 2nd job which I've done before and that would be extra income. Also not having a car limits which jobs I can actually physically get to.

1. Student loans and try school again and then get a job.

• Didn't work out recently and then ran out of money and it's currently on indefinite hiatus, but I'd need to save up some first and then take out private student loans, I'm just not sure if 1.) It'll make enough difference finding a job to be worth it and 2.) If the same issue I had before won't happen again, and 3.) The time commitment just because I'd really only have the weekend to do any school work, and I also still have 1yr to 18months left on it probably.

So yah, dunno if I should just keep applying places and hope that eventually something works out, just admit defeat and get a car and make things easier and maybe a 2nd job as well, or try school again and hope that eventually leads to something.

Really all the options I could come up with to try and escape poverty, but I'm open to thoughts about best options and other suggestions too. No huge debts or obligations or anything besides just student loans.

joking but also not. i feel like dread and massive anxiety is my best asset for budgeting when not scrounging around at home.

I currently owe around €3,000. About three years ago, I was homeless for a couple of months, and somehow I still haven’t fully recovered financially from that period.

I work hard, but I feel like I simply don’t make enough to get ahead. Even when I’ve tried looking for another job, I haven’t been able to make enough extra money to significantly reduce my debt.

At this point, I feel like I’m stuck in a hole that I just can’t seem to climb out of.

Looking for another job unfortunately isn’t really an option right now because of the economic situation in my country. I’m honestly just grateful that I have a job in the first place.

So I’m wondering if anyone here has any advice. What are some realistic ways I could make a bit of extra money on the side? It doesn’t have to be a huge amount—even €100–€200 extra per month would make a difference for me.

I’d really appreciate any advice, ideas, or personal experiences. Thank you.