Have you ever been poor?

[Paalikles]

Nope.

Less wealthy than what I was when I was not a student. And I do probably earn* below the amount characterised by the government as being poor (80 thousand NOK per year), but I do have both liquidity to cope with low income and enough savings to fall back on. And I own an appartment.

So no. Not poor.

*In terms of real wage I have a low income (normal for a student).

 

[Steph]

I've never been poor. I've never been rich.
For me poor = doesn't have enough money to pay the bill
Rich = more money that you need so you can save a fair amount of money each month (or invest).

I earn enough to pay for the loan of my cars, for the house, heating, etc, or to eat about what we want (nothing really fancy though), buy some toys for the kids, etc.
However, I don't have enough to save when everything is payed.

I also don't have any property except for the house that has just been finished, but through a loan. (no land, flat, or money from inheritance, and probably will have very little if I have any).

 

[Neonanocyborgasm]

As one of my friends put it, "I've been broke, but never poor."

You?

I've been poor but always had a safety net in the form of support from family. For the last 5 years, I have been living way beyond my means. Since I got a "real job", I'm reasonably comfortable.

 

[silver 2039]

I've never been poor. There have been difficult times not so long ago but never really poor.

 

[nerovats]

It surpices me that there still are severl people calling themselves poor, but did live in a decent house. Here in the Netherlands more and more people claim to be poor, but still can go on holiday.

I hardly ever got new clothes when I was young, nor did we go on holiday. Never been even close to poor tho. I´m getting more and more upset of people (especially in the Netherlands) who are complaining, while still living very good.

Lot of people on welfare can still wear levi jeans, buy lottery tickets, inetrnet connection,... If you can do that you are rich. But the only thing people sea nowadays it that the neighbour has more then they have and 5 years ago they had more money to spend then they do now.

I challange everyone who claims to be poor (from a western country) to live on an averge wage in a 3th world counrty. Will be interested to see how they would like that.

 

[Dann]

I'm from a 3rd world country, and am still in another 3rd world country. By local standards I'm doing OK, but compared to my counterparts in the 1st world I'm dirt poor.

 

[Flak]

My family has been poor in America. We were homeless and lived in a shelter for a while. That's actually a good memory as I was very young, 6, and there were so many other kids around! After we finally got a place to live in, we still went for long periods where we ate maybe once a day. I remember not having any clothes except for what we were wearing, not even socks or shoes. I hated being hungry all the time. Those were some rough days I guess. My mom finally worked us out of that, but it was hard going for quite a few years.

I guess we should count ourselves lucky that in America it's actually possible to work your way out of a bad situation. This is not true for many countries of the world.

 

[tR1cKy]

I have been poor in the past. It's no fun. Luckily, my family could give some assistance.

 

[Narz]

I'm pretty poor by Western standards. I don't have a car, don't have savings, I live in a 14' by 14' studio and do my dishes in the bathroom sink. Things are looking up though. I'm moving again and plan to find work that will help me upgrade my lifestyle.

 

[Fifty]

This is really not a very clever thing to say, and while I could expect this sort of thing from some of the usual suspects here, it is disappointing coming from you, Fifty.

Sorry, I didn't mean any disrespect, but what I meant was that poorness is, in my experience, one of those things that there seems to be a disproportionally high number of people claiming they are on internet forums, specifically other forums I attend, which is why I thought it was kindof odd that there have been few here, and those that have seem genuine.

 

[Richard Cribb]

It surpices me that there still are severl people calling themselves poor, but did live in a decent house. Here in the Netherlands more and more people claim to be poor, but still can go on holiday.

I didn't say anything about the standard of my parent's house, and I see no reason why I should either. It is bad enough that people has to face a virtual inquisition when they are in a situation where they must ask for their rightful assistance from society.
And I know, I have been both on the receiving and the delivering end of this.
When it comes to claims of what people on welfare can or can not, some documention would be in order. From what I know of poverty research in my country , people on welfare ( a typical group would be a single parent in a low wage work) can't afford going on holidays or indulge their children with what the middle class regards as normal.

I hardly ever got new clothes when I was young, nor did we go on holiday. Never been even close to poor tho. I´m getting more and more upset of people (especially in the Netherlands) who are complaining, while still living very good.

Neither did I. But instead of being so upset, I recommend you to think about why there should be groups in affluent countries like yours or mine living in scarcity.
The way I see it, people are not complaining enough about this or acting accordingly.

Lot of people on welfare can still wear levi jeans, buy lottery tickets, inetrnet connection,... If you can do that you are rich. But the only thing people sea nowadays it that the neighbour has more then they have and 5 years ago they had more money to spend then they do now.

I don't know how many people who are living on welfare are wearing levi's and I doubt you know it either. If you can buy a lottery ticket you are rich?? For many it is a cheap thrill in an otherwise grey life and nothing to moralize over. Internet? Also not the most expensive, but I know many who hasn't.
The rest of this I don't even care to comment.

I challange everyone who claims to be poor (from a western country) to live on an averge wage in a 3th world counrty. Will be interested to see how they would like that.

The only challenge I accept on this forum is a game of chess.
And poverty is relative. Nobody here ever brought in the so-called third world. But it is a small consolation when you can't afford go to the dentist or having problems with paying the rent to know that many others have a much more difficult life. Poverty in rich countries is a real problem not the least for those suffering of it, and it has ill effects on the whole society.And important: this is not only about buying things, it also has to do with your ability to participate actively in society, hence being a democratic problem. You see, being poor usually does unfavourable things with your health and self-image.
Here is a recension of a book that addresses this problem in a good way:http://books.guardian.co.uk/reviews/politicsphilosophyandsociety/0,6121,1538844,00.html

Sorry, I didn't mean any disrespect, but what I meant was that poorness is, in my experience, one of those things that there seems to be a disproportionally high number of people claiming they are on internet forums, specifically other forums I attend, which is why I thought it was kindof odd that there have been few here, and those that have seem genuine.

No problem my friend, I see your point, it was only the way you phrased it that gave me indigestion. But I write so many strange things myself so it is no big deal.
What you write is still a bit surprising for me though, here poverty is still to a certain degree connected with shame, or denied to exist by people with a certain political agenda.

 

[storealex]

I've always been in the poor, hard working end of society. I work hard for my money (Less than 1800$ per month) But that's alright, I have my own place in the best part of the city, I never go hungry and I even have money for beer, so Im happy as can be

I'll never be rich by local standards, but I'll always have what I need.

 

[nonconformist]

Well, my family was quite poor from the time Thatcher came into power, and started reforms, to almost the time New Labour got in (almost from mid 1980's to 1997).
Her, and her idotic, moronic, bastardic reforms caused the biggest recession in UK history, and is the reason I hate the Conservative Party, fully support the welfare state, and I'm a "Maggie, today we celebrate because we're one day closer to your death" person.

Anyway, my dad, an air conditioning installer, was laid off. Along with thousands of others, mostly miners (which eventually led to Britain coming to a standstill). Anyway, because The Queen of Ice, in her wisdom, hadd decided to disassemble the welfare state, they not nothing, not a penny.
And then they instituted a Poll Tax, a flat rate payed tot he council, irregardless of whether your house is a palace, or a two room apartment (guess which my parents had?).
Anyway, my parents were unable to pay. They dragged my dad into court (and he had to take us into there while he took the stand to testify, me and my little brother, him having only just been born (this would have been 1991)), and he was told prior to testifying by the court-person that whatever he did, he could not plead not-guilty/refuse to pay.
My dad was called up, amid dozens of other unemployed people in the very same situation, and was asked how he pled.
His answer was quite simply "I do not recognise the authority of this court".
At this point, all the other people being tried roared in approval and support. The judge had to calm them down.
Once again, he asked my dad how he pled. My dad again sad, quite simply "I do not recognise the authority of this court", and again there was uproar.
I'm so proud of him

Anyway, the judge said that because my dad was unemployed, and therefore unable to pay, a bailiff would come on a weekly/monthly basis, and reposess a sum to the value of the tax (I think it was a tenner a week, not allowing for today's inflation).
My parents got to know the Bailiff by name, and were quite friendly, and he'd have a cup of tea with them every week, as he came to take their stuff away.

Through the miracles of scrounging, and makin deals, my parents eventually ot their hands on an old, malfunctioning black-and white TV set. They had it in the room, but it didn't have a remote control. Because the set was dodgy, the sound would occasionally go VERY, VERY LOUD AT RANDOM INTERVALS. The only way to fix it was the big wooden pole they had in their room, which they'd use to smack the TV into submission, while sitting.

Anyway, things got up since 1997, and now we have money :gooodjob:

 

[Silica_Pathways]

Being poor is having to keep buying $800 cars because they're what you can afford, and then having the cars break down on you, because there's not an $800 car in America that's worth a damn.

Wov, poor can afford cars in America ?

Then the word 'poor' doesn't fit, it sounds like laughing about those who are really poor

 

[Dida]

Wov, poor can afford cars in America ?

Then the word 'poor' doesn't fit, it sounds like laughing about those who are really poor

It depends on what type of car, or what condition the car is in.

 

[Fifty]

Wov, poor can afford cars in America ?

Then the word 'poor' doesn't fit, it sounds like laughing about those who are really poor

Well poor is always relative to the country in which the person is in. If we restricted poor to like "poor by Sudanese standards" I could probably throw away everything I have except for the spare change in my pocket and still be above the poverty line.

 

[Abaddon]

well last we the ATM ate my card... its the end of the term, and my bloody student loan STILL hasnt come through!

I had to borrow cash of my flatmates until my parents could bale me out (ok so not that poor, but i felt it!)

 

[Rhymes]

I'm kinda poor (15000$/year), but it helps to know that in about a year I'll start a soon to be 100K/year salary.

But I have to admit that in many cases poverty is caused by ignorance and lack of judgment. As mentionned earlyer, when your poor, you dont buy raisin brans, and you dont buy a car. If you know where to put your priorities and needs (like not smoking or drinking beer or playing lotery), many people that are considered as poor wouldn't be so bad.

But in certain case, like single moms, or sick people, life can be really hard even if your clever and do the best you can.