Financial hardship is a common experience, touching people at various points in their lives, from fleeting setbacks to prolonged struggles. A user asked the forum, “What’s the brokest you’ve ever been?”
Here are some responses he got!
FOUND FOUR UNOPENED PACKAGES OF PASTA
“Found four unopened packages of pasta while dumpster diving. Nearly cried.”
CAUGHT UP IN THE HOUSING CRISIS
“I got caught up in the housing crisis back in 2006.
It looked like I had enough to afford a cute little house, nothing extravagant. I was surprised when they gave me the loan as I didn’t have much in the way of credit, and I was in my early 20’s.
When I went to sign and saw the monthly note, my heart sank. I should have refused to sign and cut my losses, but I was dumb and went ahead. I figured I could just budget like hell and make it work.”
WHEN THE GAS TANK WAS EMPTY
“One day, my gas tank was empty. I needed gas, had $0 in my account, and no other money. I went to a pawn shop and barely got over face value for all my silver coins. We got 3/4 of a tank of gas. It wasn’t about the money, though. It was about those two years searching and collecting and getting excited when I’d come across one… all to trade it away for something my car burned off in less than a week.”
WATCHING MY STUFF BEING CARRIED TO THE CURB
“Watching all my stuff being carried to the curb at 20 years old. It changed my perspective and priorities.”
DIDN’T HAVE ENOUGH MONEY TO EAT
“Really didn’t have enough money to eat regularly. My mother kept giving me articles about anorexia; I couldn’t get it into her head. I was broke.”
WHEN FIND SOME FORGOTTEN RICE AND SPINACH
“Happy to find some forgotten rice and spinach in a cupboard so I had something to eat until my next paycheck’ poor.”
GIVING CHANGE AT GAS STATION
“Giving change to a gas station attendant doesn’t feel good.”
FATHER LEFT US IN DEBT
“Probably when I was a kid and my parents divorced. My father left us in debt and didn’t contribute financially to helping my mother raise me. I’ve never been particularly well off, but nowadays, I have a job and can afford to do things.”
SHARED A FUTON FOR A YEAR
“My 2-year-old son and I shared a futon for a year, and we had no refrigerator, but we made things work. I broke down and cried that first Christmas alone because I barely had anything to give my kids. I was having suicidal thoughts, but my kids kept me grounded.”
WHEN RENT WAS DUE
“Newly married, lousy apartment, and couldn’t buy food that week because the rent was due. That moment changed my life, though. Spent the next decade working a job with a tuition reimbursement plan and earned a degree. Completely paid off.”
ACCOUNT WAS OVERDRAWN
“Drunk gambling bender woke up to get gas and head into work, and my account was overdrawn 80 dollars. Lost close to 20 grand.”
LIVING WITH MY GIRLFRIEND
“Luckily, I didn’t have debt, but at 33, I was broke cause I had the wrong idea to go live with my girlfriend then. She was abusive and spent all our money, and I had nowhere to go after a while. It was living with her or on the streets.
One day, I chose the streets, left with only the clothes I had on, and found a place to recover.”
DEBIT CARD DECLINED
“My debit card got declined for .99c Jack in the Box tacos, and they took the bag back out of my hand in the drive-through. That was a low.”
EATING POPCORN
“Eating popcorn and ketchup sandwiches because I was out of food and money.”
LOW PAYCHECK
“Age 20, living in my truck working 10+ hours a day, every day, as a home health aide for an abusive woman and getting paid $300.00 a month, no meals included.”
EATING POTATOES FOR A WEEK
“I bought a 5lb bag of potatoes for $1.00. I ate potatoes for almost every meal for a week.”
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This article was originally published on Mrs. Daaku Studio.