How do low income people survive? (need money, education, how much, traveling)

[fierce_flawless]

Originally Posted by TKramar

To explain:

I could have French toast, or eggs, or an omelet...with toast and milk. I could have a grilled cheese sandwich. Or an fried egg sandwich. Or hard boiled eggs...and a simple piece of buttered bread.

Stretched it out for my wife and I to last us two weeks.

We've done similar. Add to that list above, you can also make egg salad and bread pudding. If you can buy some potatoes (cheap) and tortillas (cheap) you can also have potato and egg tacos. We bought similar, plus refried beans, and had bean and cheese tacos as well as the above. Pancake dinners too. Pancakes w/peanut butter, even better. Cheap eats, but pretty tasty!

[norcalmom101]

We go without.

[TKramar]

Originally Posted by fierce_flawless

We've done similar. Add to that list above, you can also make egg salad and bread pudding. If you can buy some potatoes (cheap) and tortillas (cheap) you can also have potato and egg tacos. We bought similar, plus refried beans, and had bean and cheese tacos as well as the above. Pancake dinners too. Pancakes w/peanut butter, even better. Cheap eats, but pretty tasty!

True enough, buy flour, and you can make batters....didn't think of that.

[stan4]

They buy only the essentials and live within their means.

[Artsywoman]

Originally Posted by TKramar

True enough, buy flour, and you can make batters....didn't think of that.

That is not healthy however. This is why poor people are fat. No offense.

[Artsywoman]

Everyone please understand, you must not sacrifice your health by eating bad food. You can buy bags of frozen vegies for .97, fresh potatoes, broccoli, fruit. Also beans canned or in the bag, are very healthy, brown rice by the bag, boxes of multigrain pasta, homemade soup, go to bread outlets and buy good healthy brand names for a dollar. Prepare chicken thighs or drumsticks, make tuna cakes (I have a great cheap recipe) I do this. It's ok to eat eggs and such, but ramen noodles etc are filled with sodium etc. You can make cheaper, healthier soup in a crock pot. Go to the library and get easy recipes or online. You have to also practice preventive health. Health care is the highest cost.

Another thing is to take a bus or walk. I have never had a car and get anywhere I want, plus I am in good shape. Cars are a big waste of money.

[fnord]

Originally Posted by centre

You can survive. Not easily but it can be done.

Thift stores - All of my work clothes come from thrift stores. You can buy name brand stuff (some with tickets still on it) for next to nothing.

Buy store brand / generics. Not all generics are good, but lots of them are.

Distinguish between what you want and what you really need.

See what habits you have that waste money. I for example will pay 60 cents for a couple of diet mountain dew from the vending machine at work each day. Instead, I need to just buy a 12 pack at the grocery. Every little bit helps.

There is nothing hard about living simply and frugally. During the years of my highest incomes (which were, in fact, the "low income" $15/hr noted on the original post) my life sucked. The more I had, the more complicated and pointless everything became. It wasn't worth it.

Thrift stores and yard sales are a treasure chest. I honestly can't comprehend why someone would pay 20 bucks for a tshirt when you can get one at a thrift store (often brand new, as someone commented) for 50 cents. Clothes are a basic necessity - start with the basics.

Now that I'm "low income" and "below the poverty level", as deemed by whoever, I am so much better off than when I was making $35K a year. And I have more money now.

[Flexbaud]

I think it just depends on how you were raised. I was raised by my mom and grandparents. My mom and I lived with them because my mom was not really able to afford to live anywhere else and my grandparents were also low income. I am 23 and for some of my childhood, we only had one TV and one Phone and that phone was the old black rotery type. We had no cable and the house did not have central air. I didn't get my first TV until 1993 or so, and didn't get my first computer until 1997.

Now, I was spoiled when I was younger, I got every video game system, had a surround sound system, etc. I was very spoiled and got almost everything I wanted. As I got older and got a job, a car, etc... this really hurt me as I started living beyond my means for the longest time and lived on credit cards... which is why I am going through bankrupcy now.

Either way, It's possible to live on low income. It's all a matter of your location. $15 an hour for my area is considered a high paying job as most jobs here only pay $9 and $10 an hour. I own a home, and my mortgage payment is only $500 a month and it was built in 2000 and is 3 bedroom 2 bath and just a few blocks from the water. I am less than 5 minutes from 2 walmarts, and a target. I have limited basic cable (24 channels for $11 a month) and just basic internet ($42 a month) I have no home phone, I just use my cellular for everything.

It's honestly not that bad. You just need to learn how to live with less. When I was younger, I wanted digital cable with all the channels... now, I an actually thinking about just cancelling cable all together. i used to always have a new car.... now I am thinking about buying a used car for $2000 or so.

[Flexbaud]

Originally Posted by Artsywoman

Everyone please understand, you must not sacrifice your health by eating bad food. You can buy bags of frozen vegies for .97, fresh potatoes, broccoli, fruit. Also beans canned or in the bag, are very healthy, brown rice by the bag, boxes of multigrain pasta, homemade soup, go to bread outlets and buy good healthy brand names for a dollar. Prepare chicken thighs or drumsticks, make tuna cakes (I have a great cheap recipe) I do this. It's ok to eat eggs and such, but ramen noodles etc are filled with sodium etc. You can make cheaper, healthier soup in a crock pot. Go to the library and get easy recipes or online. You have to also practice preventive health. Health care is the highest cost.

Another thing is to take a bus or walk. I have never had a car and get anywhere I want, plus I am in good shape. Cars are a big waste of money.

It depends on where you live... My city is very spread out and I live outside the city line so while I am only 5 minutes from two wal-marts and a target... there is no bus service and the city has been cutting back bus routes where they do serve and not long ago they even talked about shutting the bus service down here. Bus isn't always a option...

[TKramar]

Originally Posted by Artsywoman

That is not healthy however. This is why poor people are fat. No offense.

When I was growing up, I was skinny. And poor.

But I didn't get fed every day either.