Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I got another one. I knew a woman who cried poor all of the time (her husband had a decent utility co job but she didn't want to work). When a kid was within one year of starting school, she'd have another so she didn't have to go to work. She also refused to learn how to drive...because that would be another reason for her to have to go out and work.
We all know someone who cries poor mouth, yet annoys you with their hypocrisy? Who is that person? What annoys you?
I know a few of those folks. My brother, my sister, a coworker, and a close friend of mine. At least my friend has shaped up, but he's $8,000 upside down on a Chevy Colorado, unemployed (he got rid of the Blackberry, though), and just got served by his credit union for not paying on a loan--oh, he hasn't paid since February and never kept in touch. Darn.
But, yeah, anyway...while my brother and sister like living in apartments they can't afford, have vehicle payments they have no biz having, have Blackberries, and the coworker cries abotu being broker while buying $1100 LCD tvs and tats...I can run to Toronto or San Antonio for conferences and not sweat too much.
I used to work at a gas station/convenience store. I had a number of regular customers who would from time to time complain about money. Inevitably, these were the people buying at least a $5 six pack, $3 of cigarettes, and $2 of lottery tickets every single day. There's $300/month right there! Sometimes the six pack was a twelve pack, there were two packs of cigarettes, and the lottery was $5.
Years ago I worked with a young single girl who had a baby, and she was constantly borrowing money and complaining about her financial situation. She needed extra time for lunch to get WIC for the baby, she never participated in any collections, she would get the rest of us to pick up the tab if we all went out for lunch, etc. She claimed she couldn't buy the most basic necessities for the baby, so we often pitched in to get things like diapers, and even gave her a few big ticket items we weren't using any more.
The funny thing was she stopped at Starbucks every day--but we looked the other way, figured it was her one vice. Then after about a year she started showing up with expensive outfits. We figured they were gifts.
But then one day she came in to work bragging about how she had gone to Ethan Allen and bought a china cabinet for $1500. Not even a necessary piece of furniture like a table or a bed. No, it was a china cabinet. At the time most of my furniture came from IKEA or Goodwill, I think my entire apartment cost less than $1500 to furnish. When people looked askance she tried to explain that it's important to buy top quality furniture that she didn't want her neighbors to think poorly of her.
Needless to say, that was the last time we pitched in to buy her diapers.
It seems like this person you describe ( an many others described in this thread ) are essentially confused and/or afraid to say what is really on their mind. What they really mean to say is I don't want to spend my money on this. I'd rather spend it on other things. Saying I can't afford it has become a culturally acceptable way of saying no, without having to actually say it.
I reserve the right not to say anything. I don't claim to be poor, i just don't volunteer to go out to lunch with the group or donate the money to the surprise baby shower/lunch($25). The baby shower collection was today, i went out of my way to put 25 in my pocket in case i felt guilty, but low and behold i held my ground and that cash will go to tonight's drinking The thing is if i did donate, i would still be drinking tonight, i just like to decide where my money goes.
To the frugal people - do you find eating out to be a waste? I feel most places serve too much food and i don't eat my "share". When my girl and I make dinner, we typically share one plate of food and are satisfied. Granted one plate to us could be 4 plates to you or .5 plates so it is relative. Anyhow, i do not have a problem going out to eat, i just wish i could minimize the servings along with the price tag.
Is the real problem that a person claims to be "poor" to avoid paying for certain things? It sounds like they are lying and that is would irks some of you. As i said i will never make a comment about not having money, i just stay mum or say "not today" thanks.
My sister is like this. She worries about not having enough money to buy food but she buys things like fries, corn dogs and chicken nuggets for her kids. Then other meals they'll just have hot dogs. I share with her some of the meals we're having and how yummy they are but she says after working a 10 hour day with in food service, she isn't in the mood to go home and cook. I worked in a deli once with deep fat fried foods. When I went home after smelling the grease all day, all I wanted was a big salad.
I am WAY more frugal than my husband. I just made the decision to cut $50 off our satellite (don‘t watch much in the summer anyway, would have cut it entirely but HD wouldn‘t have it), cut long distance and the other services besides local on our home phone cause we have Blackberries (gasp!) that we use for the business. (BTW, the blackberries were free with the service) I hang the clothes out to dry, unless DH decides to wash laundry. I planted a big garden. I unscrewed nine light bulbs in the house that don't need to be used this time of year, though dh has screwed some of those back in. I just wanted one month to prove to him we could be doing this a lot cheaper.
Things we won’t skimp on: hamburger, it has to be extra lean but we don’t eat much anyway, chicken, has to be boneless skinless chicken breast (though I’ve convinced DH to by whole chickens for soups), his crutches are soda, smoking, and some junk food, though I don‘t have any. We only eat out maybe every couple of months, Chinese buffet only for the multiple choices for the kids for b-day’s as they come around (have 5 in our house.) But even this is because we do not have big parties for the kids. Too much money put into entertaining everyone for them to bring over a bunch of crap the kids don’t need, or most the time want, that they are shoving down MY throat because they kids don’t like certain things (ie Hannah Montana) or because we only allow toys that they can actually play with (ie, blocks, craft type gifts, nothing that you just push a button to make it work)
If I had my way, we’d be way more frugal. We don’t really need to be but I would like to save some more money but DH is so against it.
I know a family who lost their home due to foreclosure. Their house payment was $1400/month and they couldn't afford it even though the household income is about $100,000/year. When they were forced to move out they rented a house for $1600/month.
That's crazy stupid and maybe the winner of this thread so far.
We've known way many more 'poor mouth' folks than frugal or financially wise folks. They are everywhere...folks who 'can't afford' health insurance but can afford to take multiple vacations each year and upsize to a larger home and buy new cars (and then of course complain about their medical bills). Folks who can't afford to pay off student loans but can afford to buy new furniture each time they move (and then complain that Sallie Mae calls all the time). Folks who can't afford to travel to visit relatives but can afford whatever else they want (and then complain that we don't visit often enough).
Fact is, they can afford all of what they need but they aren't willing to give up some of what they want to get it. It isn't ever about having enough money but about having priorities in the right order.
They buy a cheap, crappy item that then breaks down.
So they go and buy another cheap, crappy item - that breaks down.
Eventually they buy a decent item - having wasted the gas money on returning two crappy items beforehand AND having suffered the inconvenience of not being able to use the item.
Or, slightly off-topic, one of my family members who always makes any restaurant trip uncomfortable.
Always is the first to lunge in with "Only water for me" which makes me feel bad about having wine.
Always makes a big deal about "I'll just have an appetiser" so I feel bad ordering an entree.
Then complains about the food and pokes it around her plate making everyone else uncomfortable.
Then rounds it off by always causing a big embarrassing brou-ha-ha about the check and INSISTING on paying even when we have TOLD her specifically that dinner is on us.
I avoid dining out with her at every possible opportunity - it's just too excruciating.
She will also drive 10 miles round trip to "save" money on some fricking zip-loc bags
She will also drive 10 miles round trip to "save" money on some fricking zip-loc bags
Someone's gotta keep the oil companies in business!
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The thing is if i did donate, i would still be drinking tonight, i just like to decide where my money goes.
