The poor in America - How do they live?

[carver]

Originally Posted by herohog

We went from "Comfortable" (just under 100k/year combined income) to "All but homeless" over night December 17, 2009. I became disabled and we lost our home, SUV and everything we could sell. Our only income was the pittance my wife made as a Nanny and the whopping 10% disability I was drawing from the VA as an E4 ($123/month).

After a year and several months, we have my VA disability increased to 20% and we FINALLY got Social Security Disability at 100% which, along with what my wife makes at $10/hour sitting with the elderly/ill is JUST enough to live on but there is NO slack and we aren't saving a dime and our saving account is at a whopping $10.02.

In the time it took to get my Social Security, we lived with whoever could put us up. For several months that included living in a storage area with no windows, no A/C and the only heat was provided by tiny electric space heaters. We used a portable toilet as well and had no bathtub but did have a shower.

If it weren't for the VA, I wouldn't be here. They provide my meds and all of my health care which is significant. Back when I was employed and had good insurance, I was spending better than $15,000 a year out of pocket on myself alone.

I know poor. I know how bad our healthcare system is. I know how corrupt our government is. I know how people cheat "the system" and live well where an honest guy like myself is left to starve and rot for following the rules...

About the same story here herohog. I grew up on welfare, I do know what poor is, but I never saw myself as poor. I've lost everything I owned several times, and had to dig deep, and start over. It ain't always easy, but it is what any self respecting person would do.

[fleetwood1976]

i am one of the richest poor people I know. people don't have enough money for what they want not what they need. It does not cost a fortune to survive, it does cost a lot to live outside your means.

[CampingJosh]

Originally Posted by geds

You do realize that you pay unemployment insurance (not a tax) and that your employer also pays unemployment insurance for you? Taking unemployment benefits is no different than making a claim with your insurance agency on a wrecked car or damaged home. There is no shame (or shouldn't be) for any of those circumstances.

And to be proud that you suffered through by not making a claim you were entitled to is like saying I decided not to file a claim on my house that burned down because I can tough it out! You sacrificed for the benefit of the insurance company.

WRONG! Unemployment tax is a tax.

The Federal Government will admit, when pressed, that they are not constitutionally permitted to create an insurance program. Instead, they have a tax system, and a wholly separate but suspicious-looking system of payments to individuals. This is the position that the government argued in the 1960 Supreme Court Case Flemming v. Nestor. There is no contractual agreement between the taxpayer and the government; nothing is ever "owed" to the taxpayer. It's not an insurance. It's a tax, the proceeds of which are then used to provide for the general welfare of unemployed people across the nation.

[CampingJosh]

Originally Posted by fleetwood1976

It does not cost a fortune to survive, it does cost a lot to live outside your means.

That's one of the wisest sayings I've ever read.

[glens67]

Originally Posted by CampingJosh

That's one of the wisest sayings I've ever read.

Twice on that!!!
Glen

[45nut]

Growing up, we weren't poor. We were definitely not rich either. My Dad worked for Ma Bell and took all the overtime he could get and my Mom was a medical secretary after my sister and I started school.

In retrospect, we were probably lower middle class and the reason we had extras was Dad's overtime. I know he has talked about how his overtime bought our school clothes and they scrimped and saved and bought a very used travel trailer in the early 70's that enabled us to take very cheap vacations.

When we went to Florida for a week vacation we brought our own food and ate out one (1) night during the week. Mom cooked two meals a day. Late breakfast and supper. It was easy white trash food, like tacos, spaghetti, sloppy joes, fried Spam & french fries, etc. Sandwiches for lunch.

One time, the restaurant was too expensive and we had to come home a day early. That shows me now, how tight the budget was. My Dad ate a chopped ham sandwich, cheetos or fritos and a piece of fruit for lunch for about 20 years. Just so he could save that lunch money to put towards school clothes, vacation and Christmas gifts.

I wish there was something I could do to repay them for all they did for us.

Herohog - check your messages.

[howlnmad]

Originally Posted by 45nut

It was easy white trash food, like tacos, spaghetti, sloppy joes, fried Spam & french fries, etc. Sandwiches for lunch.

a chopped ham sandwich, cheetos or fritos

Easy on the white trash comments. That there is some of the best eats there is.

Next to lobster and prime rib.

[treniaL]

Economic recessions have paradoxical effects on the mortality trends of populations in rich countries. I've read an article about this issue, please allow me to share it here. Two recently published studies examine the influence of the economy on the unborn. The study implies even they are affected by the economic down-turn. One draws a parallel between the recession and declining birthrates. Another, more disturbingly, shows a fall in the wellness of those that are born. Here is the proof: Studies say that the poor economy affects birthrates and newborn health. Today’s recession could also represent a global stimulus to redirect societal goals through wealth redistribution, in the same way the Great Depression did almost 80 years ago. Global health disparities are at unparalleled extremes, and we would all benefit from decreasing economic inequalities, not least through lessening the health gap.

[Zhurh]

Living rural along the Yukon where we do, you find half the community living way below the poverty line. They make it just fine living a subsistence lifestyle. Harvest moose, caribou, and nearly everybody has a fish net in the river when the salmon show up. People have gardens, and work seasonal jobs that often remove them from being taxed.

Some can't wait to sign up for any new govt program, others refuse to even collect social security, no joke I actually know a couple people in this boat and wonder if they are hiding out from a crime from many years back?

Then there are people who live marginally and own all kinds of land and tangible assets the govt has a hard time shaking down. One local guy owns over 800 acres, hasn't made 20 gran a year during his entire existence here, 36 years. He doesn't want anything from govt and always reminds me the trick is to not worry about how much you make, but how much one spends; alot of truth to that. Same guy doesn't worry too much about health care, (Our family plan costs 1800/month and I sure think about it) but this guy has become a regular health fanatic with clean living & natural homeopathic remedies that seem to work for him. Not suggesting that we all should start visiting the root doctor but some of it is beneficial, no joke.

People living urban have so many more expenses they can't lower or control; so they are forced to work several jobs to survive.

[Rhuga]

We are living day to day. We really to a hit during this depression, Stock Market collapse, and the housing bust. We need to vote out any Congressman that has been in office more than 2 years and get rid the graft, private agenda's, and the nut jobs in office. It's supposed to be, "government of the people, by the people, and for the people."

[45nut]

Originally Posted by howlnmad

Easy on the white trash comments. That there is some of the best eats there is.

Next to lobster and prime rib.

Hey, I still eat all of those, even the fried spam, but now I do tater tots in a toaster oven, instead of frying taters.

[carver]

Originally Posted by treniaL

Economic recessions have paradoxical effects on the mortality trends of populations in rich countries. I've read an article about this issue, please allow me to share it here. Two recently published studies examine the influence of the economy on the unborn. The study implies even they are affected by the economic down-turn. One draws a parallel between the recession and declining birthrates. Another, more disturbingly, shows a fall in the wellness of those that are born. Here is the proof: Studies say that the poor economy affects birthrates and newborn health. Today’s recession could also represent a global stimulus to redirect societal goals through wealth redistribution, in the same way the Great Depression did almost 80 years ago. Global health disparities are at unparalleled extremes, and we would all benefit from decreasing economic inequalities, not least through lessening the health gap.

Welcome to the forum! You make a good case here. This IMHO is leading us into a Socialist life style for the planet. And it is a life style that is not sustainable. At some point in time Governments run out of tax dollars, because there is no more room for further taxes. An average of 2.11 births per woman are needed to sustain a population. The birth rates of all European countries and Japan are well below this level. The U.S. birth rate is slightly below this level, and dropping. Of course the U.S. doesn't have to worry about this situation. We have enough children being born to illegal imigrants, and to the poor of this Nation who rely on a large family to earn even more of the tax payers dollars!

[carver]

Originally Posted by 45nut

Hey, I still eat all of those, even the fried spam, but now I do tater tots in a toaster oven, instead of frying taters.

I've never owned a toaster oven!

[Zhurh]

Carver, you're so right about not being unsustainable. When Palin was first elected as Governor up here in Alaska, Oil was $140/barrel. State was taking in 7-8 billion more than even our crooked politicals up here knew what to do with. So Palin forced through a state health care plan for all kids 18 and under. The Repubs went nuts, the dems didn't know what to think of her. Palin said we got the extra bucks, we're spending it on something good that will benefit all Alaskans equally (billion bucks too). I didn't know what to think of her, but figured ya know in the end it got to be a good thing for the kids lacking health care and if she didn't spend it on that our filthy legislators would get in their pockets anyway in the end.

Well, what ended up happening was once everybody found out about the program, they defaulted into it rather than other health plans they had. The Indians who have the best health care from the feds jumped on, the billion projected funding didn't even come close to what was needed and the numbers of people abusing it was higher than they ever expected. Program had to be pretty much cut back or go under. It came back to haunt Palin and she was trying to accomplish something good in the first place.

I think most Govt programs are similar, huge promises to make everything right, way under funded and they eventually fail miserably.

[vytoland]

i you want to be comfortable you work and save........................if you dont, just sit on your dead ass, hold your hand out and the government will provide.

[mogunner]

I guess, looking at that report, that me and the family are "poor"... went from being pretty darn comfortable to downright scared, still need to squeak it out till the middle of March before the wife's disability payments start. Right now I've got my $1k a month from my Federal disability annuity and I manage to sell about $600 in Mosin sight tools a month, my son was paying the electric bill and phone but HE just managed to mess up and get fired from his job and no unemployment yet... the daughter got on at Walmart for seasonal cashier in addition to her college classes, so I'm thinking we might have to do some creative financing, but have a fantastic landlady so we'll probably make it. No cable TV and no antenna, we get two channels that must be bleeding through the cable block. No game systems, I'm currently piggybacking on my neighbors wifi signal with his blessing on a computer that I built myself out of mostly discarded computers. We do use the local food pantry, but me and the wife already decided once we get her payments coming in, we're taking $20 a month of it and buying one lb chubs of hamburger for the pantry and whatever else we can manage to thank them for their help.
A night out now consists of eating out off the dollar menu at McDonalds... but things could be worse. We have a roof over our heads and I manage a good meal every day for everybody, lots of soups, stews and chili but it keeps the belly off the backbone.

[tireman]

i grew up mid level dad had back surgery and we went quickly to church donations and commodities this was in late 60s my grandparents had a well and an outhouse butt,,,,,, we drove two hundred miles every summer to the family reunion at my grandparents small town in southeast mo that i thought was poor when in 2009 i had a thriving shop and hurt my back-----took the surgery path got out and went without income 7 months than goodness for my wifes job and a few guns to barter and sell nobodies poor some just got more than others "if life gives u lemons, make lemonade"

[Dennis C]

With a family of 6 on a salary of 32k, I am sure I would be considered "poor" though I don't feel like we are. We watch our money carefully and pay for everything in cash. The only debt we have is our house. Unlike the government, we have to keep a balanced budget here!