Guest hahathhat Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 salt used to be expensive. the words "salary" and "saline" come from the same root. roman soldiers used to get an extra bit of pay with which to buy salt. hence, the word salary. salt, a vital nutrient we take for granted, and not once has it come up in a thread about borderline poverty. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sneaksta303 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 got a loaf of cheap white bread, a 12 pack of imitation american cheese singles, and a few packs of ramen. then i went to the homeless shelter/church a few blocks away and had a free meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR4 Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 oh man, i guarantee you, poor people have very, very easy access to salt. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest boo Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 yeah the hamburger helper was not a serious suggestion. those kind of things are a ripoff indeed. maybe it's different in the USA but ramen packs are a rip off compared to pasta. even the 9p ramen, compared to the cheapest pasta. well, not a ripoff but yeah. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sneaksta303 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 yeah, ramen is a ripoff, especially at the store I was forced to go to, but a regular 1 lb package of pasta was too expensive Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Blanket Fort Collapse Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Ramen is a ripoff? 18 cents and some fucking Sriracha. You got a stew goin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Candiru Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Cans of Campbell's Chunky soup. Dollar store trailmix. Lobster bisque with braised endive or Bayou blackened salmon with mango salsa* *From a dumpster Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chim Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Unemployed on benefits here for like 2 years, but have had somewhat of a shitty situation longer than that. Not actually poor but "white"-poor or however you'd put it, as in having internet access and mostly enough food to get through the month, but little beyond that, no car, no iphone, no savings, live from month to month. Have had the occasional terribly destitute stints, mostly due to making bad decisions or being out of luck. My computer is absolute shit, still I've found a way to make music on it. This month my modem broke down and I can't afford a new one till next month, and by afford I mean the motherfucking ISP got some expensive modems so it gets some of my food money because I'll rather have internet access than be satiated. I'm at my girlfriends place right now to dick around on watmm and facebook. The internet is an excellent poor pastime. I've never been well off but I had a sheltered childhood and was pretty geeky throughout my teens, then I had to move out on my own with little life skills and a messy family situation behind. I've mostly learnt through making mistakes. I don't think there's any good way to describe the worse parts, but at best it's feeling kinda useless, at worst you get into this survival mindset that's way older than you are. I fucked up with the paperwork majorly once and had to fast for 27 days once, it was an interesting experience to say the least. One of the fucked up things is realizing, not as a concept but experientially, in the here-and-now, that food keeps you from dying. It's something everybody knows in their head but a totally different thing to feel it - like this patriarchal force, that with all your ideas you depend on these basic things whether you like it or not. And if you don't have money or parents/people that back you up, you simply don't have those things that you need to survive. You start thinking about everything from stealing food to going out in the woods to catch something. For me, since then it made me always try to be extra careful and not spend food money on booze etc. Paradoxically, I also realized you can go hungry for longer periods than you think and you will feel less shitty the longer you go. Going through these things really changes you as a person. You reevaluate yourself, you change your values and priorities. Things happen like you realize little by little that at the same time you're contemplating jumping out a four story window, you're physiologically running on this pure need to survive, like there are these hidden aspects of your personality coming into play without your expressed approval, let alone your understanding of them. The food wasn't the worst though, the worst was when I almost went homeless (long story but one little thing snowballed into another like they usually do) but got a second chance and hadn't slipped up since. I've since then realized that one of the main laws of the universe is that people cut you slack, stick their neck out, give you love etc mostly when you least expect it, so I try not to expect too much. Once you let go of middle-class ideals you can get a bit more realistic and appreciative about your experience. It also helps to stay away from drugs, especially hard ones. To me there are also fascinating people and experiences in the underbelly of society. I mean, there's these primeval forces of nature and humanity at work that have existed for far longer and possess more power than our ideas of civilized society. This whole TV upper class, aspirational culture that has reached ridiculous peaks recently is just ludicrous these days. Mostly waxing philosophical here because it's what I do, it's a different thing in real life, but I think it helps to distance yourself from the gravity of your lot in life, to not take it that seriously. Like Marcus Aurelius said, there's no real meaning of life to be ascertained in wealth, it's just that it gets more direct and important when you struggle, but I don't think there's really any aspect of poverty that can't be connected with the general absurdity of existance. I think life is mostly about finding your enjoyment in that absurdity. It's just amazing how much people can ignore of what's going on outside of them, but I guess that's human nature. @SR4 - do you think this is the way things ought to be in society? Does this state of affairs bring you to question our "social" system? Serious question. I abhor my particular situation, but yes. Society is meant to be leveled. We are animals, and like the animal kingdom, there are alpha males and lesser males. I did not succeed in becoming an alpha male in capitalism, therefore I am in my rightful place and deserve to slave for little to nothing. Of course I don't think this is the way things ought to be. But maybe they are meant to be. Who is to say the situation won't change at some point? i dunno anything anymore You really describe the mindset down to a T. Especially the last sentence. At some point you stop trying to figure shit out. Funny things happen to your mind. Like this bit Louis CK did, at times being poor just becomes funny. Other moments it becomes the source for major anxiety, anguish and other stuff. Most of all it teaches you alot, about yourself, about life. I could go at lengths as to how mental you can get at times, I mean there's no media or drug that equals it, the feeling you get from the world and from yourself, but there's no point if you haven't been here. As an aside to what you put as leveling, I like to think beyond this idea of survival and hierarchy and recognize the thermodynamic law of action and reaction happening on a greater scale. Anyway, I just think you can learn to accept and appreciate parts of it, or at least what you uncover and experience within yourself on the journey. Money isn't everything and good friends goes a long way. Cheers to you other poor motherfuckers out there. One last thing. I really believe it does wonders for creativity. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest KY Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Ramen is a ripoff? 18 cents and some fucking Sriracha. You got a stew goin Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR4 Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 chimera, Fantastic post. I feel like I got a little bit o' wisdom right there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR4 Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 I have noticed Ive been eating healthier and spending less, somehow...well, im low on fruit but ill figure a way out of that. My work has taken an upswing too....I have a mountain of work ahead of me in manhours, but I seem to be doing rather well. Im considering selling my TV, ps3, cd collection, and some of my movies...it seems that im more productive without distraction, it makes me remember that I actually enjoy my work, I have a passion for it. One thing I am really looking forward to is the winter...can't wait to bundle up at night....far better than waking up in a damp, sweaty bundle of sheets every morning. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest disparaissant Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 yeah that was a good post chimera, pretty much nailed it on a lot of counts. being homeless really sucks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tontonz1 Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 that was awesome chimera. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Blanket Fort Collapse Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 chimera, Fantastic post. I feel like I got a little bit o' wisdom right there. Me too, good shit. Ramen is a ripoff? 18 cents and some fucking Sriracha. You got a stew goin trolololawl Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest disparaissant Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 this thread is getting depressing. lets talk about all the good parts of being poor! ... ... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR4 Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 i was trying to.. im getting in shape because of a forced diet, still able to lift weights, once i get so poor this becomes untenable, ill just do cardio 30min a day. im not anywhere near ripped, but im starting to get nice and cut. lack of booze money will certainly help out the stomach. downside is i cant afford prescriptions :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest disparaissant Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 yeah i was just finally gettin my tummy smaller when i moved back in with my parents, now i actually have to watch what i eat instead of just relying on the fact that i couldnt afford to eat more than once a day! and im not delivering papers so i actually have to force myself to exercise! and yeah i have no insurance and my parents have supplied me with a room to live in and food to eat but im almost out of meds and that is a fucking scary prospect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SR4 Posted September 9, 2011 Author Share Posted September 9, 2011 honestly, ive heard it said here before tons of times, and always ignored it or stopped initially because it didn't seem to be working, but exercise does wonders for depression and stress. even something as little as a walk around the area at night helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest disparaissant Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 i can deal with depression it's the other half im not so good with :/ $60 a month to stay sane! i love the USA! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest boo Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 Ramen is a ripoff? 18 cents and some fucking Sriracha. You got a stew goin well not by most standards. when i was really, really poor, 10p for 65g noodles compared to 30p for 500g spaghetti meant i just bought the spaghetti. got to get to know your price per kilos when you poor. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dale Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 chimera, Fantastic post. I feel like I got a little bit o' wisdom right there. I second that Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggs Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 damn. yall some broke ass muhfuckas. ill pray for you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YEK Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 i dunno if they'd be considered a good deal to everyone but perogies are a great meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Eggs Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 i dunno if they'd be considered a good deal to everyone but perogies are a great meal. are those anything like legumes? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
YEK Posted September 9, 2011 Share Posted September 9, 2011 i dunno if they'd be considered a good deal to everyone but perogies are a great meal. are those anything like legumes? errr. they're like a pasta filled with potato and cheese Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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