re: Did You Ever Live Paycheck to Paycheck?

Good God if you haven’t you are probably a spoiled shitstain.
I can remember when Guaranty Bank in Laffy ATM gave $5. And i didn’t know if I had the money to get the withdrawal.

Good times. Macaroni and tuna was splurging.

quote:

---

had about $20 left over every 2 weeks. Prayed to God we didn't have an emergency. But we swore we'd never use a CC. Here we are 11 years later, doing really well, she stays at home with the kids and we are debt free minus the house. Thankful for the hard times early on. Made us appreciate where we are today and not take it for granted

---

This right here. People who had life handed to them will never understand the joy I have every time I pay for something that I never could have bought years ago.

I remember a girl in HS who got a brand new Porsche on her 16th birthday. I didn't think "I wish that was me." I thought, "what the hell is next for her?"

I can remember having $34 one week to eat on. Went to the grocery store with a calculator so checkout wouldn’t be embarrassing. Now there nothing I can’t have or do. Subtle endorsement of hard work and delayed gratification.

Poli board

quote:

---

What was life like for you during that time? How were you able to get out of that cycle?

---

Life was great, you don't go on vacations, you drive a shitty car and do your own maintenance, don't have a bunch of kids, don't eat out much, live in a shitty low-rent apartment, beans rice pasta ramen et al., if you only clear $300/w then make sure to only spend $200/wk and you get out of paycheck-to-paycheck mode pretty quick. In the blink of an eye really. Having $2000 in the bank and having the discipline to try to turn that into $10k without spending it is the real difference maker. Some people stay on the path long enough to build up some kind of savings, but they look at it every day and one day say frick it, you only live once, and they blow it on a vehicle they don't need, or a boat, etc. "I paid cash so I'm financially responsible!" they think. Nope, you just wiped out your life savings on a toy. If it's a legit urgent need, that's different. Some people just don't have the constitution to save money and see that balance every month getting higher and higher and keep their hands off it. You are stealing from yourself.

In 95% of cases, poverty is a choice.

I was lucky and my Mom and Dad covered all of my tuition and living expenses while in college. The one thing my Dad would not pay for was drinking and going out money. If I wanted extra money I had to work for him for 12 hours each weekend at $6 per hour cash. So each week I had $72 cash to just go out and blow on whatever. This doesn't sound like much, but we are talking 1991 so it went further than today. Anyway, in my last year my dad tells me that we would do the same deal if I wanted to go to graduate school. My reply was that I was ready to get in the real world and make some real money. Well once that happened and after paying all bills each month I figured out that I no longer had $72 of disposable income each week which really sucked.

Maybe a year or two in my early 20's, maybe not even that long. I grew up watching my brother 8 years older and how bad he was managing money. When I was a teenager I swore I would never be like that and borrowing money and being broke.

$150k last year and I basically (comfortably) live paycheck to paycheck.

Vehicle paid off, small 1400 sq/ft 2 bdrm house, and sold every asset I have. $2k/month child support (to an ex wife that makes $20k/year more) will really throw your life into a downward spiral.

Yes. Absolutely. It builds character. I have more money now than I ever thought was possible but It does nothing for me. I really don't give a shite about money.

Never. Even when I was living on my own and paying for everything I saved half of my income.

Getting married derailed that quickly, but I still saved more than most. Never check to check.