'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

re: 'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

Yehia — Mon, 07 Sep 2009 14:18:04 GMT

i think we focus our thinking for luck on money. it might be true,but, not fully true.

there are some other aspects for luck . Sincere love, Supporting family and good health is luck. piece of mind is luck. optimisim is luck.

Meantime, i do not think that we are always lucky or unlucky. life is variable and dynamic and so our luck.

Most important is not to give up and to make decisions at the right time. Never regret the past because it will make you unable to handle the present.

re: 'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

IhATEmE — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 04:39:41 GMT

I work my butt off and I also make the right decisions. I barely survive! I just dont get paid what I should. I go home and cry everyday because all I want is more: a home, a family, a little financial security. I went to technical school and did very well. I work longer hours than I am supposed to because I think it will pay off. I always have a good attitude because I think life will be better if I did. I really want to just give up!!! somethings are not meant to be. I go on weekends and study to learn more on the side and NOTHING.....I FEEL THAT ITS OVER AND EVERYTHING ELSE I AM DOING IS JUST SO I WONT LIVE AS LONG. I am sooo tired of out doing everyone around me and NOTHING...STILL NOTHING!!! WHY???? WHY!!!!!!!!

Its like there is something bigger than any human or anything in the world that will not allow me to ADVANCE.....I should just give up becuase this is not getting me anywhere. I might as well lose my job and live off of unemployment!!!!

re: 'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

BLA: Basic Literacy Advocate — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 03:41:50 GMT

Doesn't anyone teach reading comprehension anymore? Your tax dollars at work...

re: 'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

Michelle — Mon, 12 May 2008 23:53:20 GMT

No Excuses points out what many Americans don't want to admit to themselves because it's so much easier to blame everyone else and the government. There are people all over the world clamoring to have just the chance to make it in the US. And they do make it! By working hard, living in conditions we Americans would not find acceptable, doing the work many of us would not do and persevering until they meet their goals. There are even people who will risk their lives to get to the US literally on a raft or by walking across the desert. I don't support illegal immigration, but it's existence shows that even without the legal permission to work and limited or no English language proficiency many people make it, support themselves AND help support their families back home. If you're not making it, you have to make changes. Just be happy that change, for Americans at least, doesn't involve a raft!

re: 'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

Jenifer — Fri, 02 May 2008 13:27:33 GMT

I agree with Mr. Dave. You need to take care of what you have and be aware of your personnal choices. Think about how many hours you had to work for a flleeting want and instead save your money for a future need. Americans cannot understand the difference between wants and needs.

re: 'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

Cat. — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 14:35:01 GMT

Fact: 96% of Lottery winners are bancrupt within 10 years.

People who can't manage a small income, can't manage a big one either.

The value of a home doesn't effect anything if you already live there and aren't trying to sell.

The avg. American family makes $52000.00 a year. That makes me Lower middle class as my husband has been out of work for 4 years and we are still waiting for SSD.

We struggled at 1st, on my measly 28K, but had to take a hard look at Budgeting.

It took some difficult choices and some extra work to get us where we are today.

We put back an emergancy fund, 401K gets taken out automatically, and we tuck away 10% of everything, and live on the rest.

I love flowers in my yard, so last year I collected seeds and wow, I have flowers for free.

We can't buy anything if we don't have the cash. $10.00 each a week and we will spend Christmas in the Bahamas all inclusive.

I do occaisional side jobs, clean houses or mow lawns.I sell stuff on Ebay. There is always something extra I can do if we need extra money.

Look at other Countries and tell me we don't have better opportunities for success.

If you live where jobs don't pay well, you can choose to move. If your home is too expensive, you can't live there.

" It isn't about having what you want, it's about wanting what you have."

My hardest choice was admitting, I can't afford that, and being OK with it.

I don't go to bed hungry, I have running water and electricity. My house is not a dream home, but I have shelter and it's clean. My furniture is nice even though it wasn't new, and I have a nice yard, because I made it that way.

The $6.00 I used to spend on Lotto every week is now $600.00 in an envelope. I still check my #'s and I still wouldn't have one after 2 years.

re: 'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

Jason — Sat, 26 Apr 2008 02:47:42 GMT

I will admit this it is not our governments place to whip our butt. One the other side of that coin though if there is something they can do they better well do it PERIOD! Lets face it ! There is plenty our government can do to get things back on par with whats hamnitarly right with atleast this country. Think about it for a sec. Where does atleast 23% of your pay go every week or 2 weeks? Into the hands of the government. Who decides where and when that money is spent? The elected officials ! Thats why it is so important for everyone who works a tax paying job to atleast care about where that money goes every week I mean O.M.G those elected officials are living off your hard work,sweat and blood. This is not funny not one bit of it. These officilas are modern day devils convincing the world that they don't exist. GO TO THE LIEBRAREY and look up your state officials and see what they are involved in. You owe it to your 40+ hours a week you work. Or atealst do this take your fedral income tax of your last pay stub times it buy 200 million then times it by 52 or 26 weeks. Thats what the government receives evry time you get payed times every person like you working. That calculation goes up much more that down when you figure in pple making crazy salaries. I am telling you this is no joke that money could be going to much advancing our human species rather than making a select few people in this world feel a lil better everyday.A molvement has got to start a movent of people fed up with accepting that running this country is hard work. Yea its hard work when you have to hide where billions of sqaundered tax payer money goes eveyr week. Its almost unfathomable how much money this government sees every week. I'm telling something has to change soon or this freedom right here could be gone in the next cple years. Ask yourself this question what are you gonna do when gas hits 5$ a gallon! yOU JUST GONNA SIT THERE AND FROWN ? Or are you gonna demand that those in power because of your right to vote fight for you the very reason they were appointed ?What I am typing may sound dictatorish but its better than what we are facing at the moment. Captilism to the point where it is a cancer on living PERIOD. Thats BIG OIL ! No company should be able to price a good that every person needs to survive at any price that they want.Why are they able to do it ? Because we the people have not forced our elected officials to draw up legislation forcing them to lower prices. Sound unamerican !? Well what I see as unamerican is a company creating a price monopoly on a specific good everyone needs because they can.This is not a 52 inch flat screen this is gas .This is a need not a want. Now the flip side don't want to regulate the big oil companies fine tax the bleep out of them have the government get into the oil buisness them selves and force them to lower prices through compitiion pricing . Ethier way something has to change all there is to it Rember The Government can only exist by the GOVERNED. Find out what your local officials are up to. Don't like what you see vote them out PERIOD.

re: 'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

No excuses — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:27:39 GMT

Starting from zero and no resources? Please.

My husband was born and raised in a 3rd world country. His family was and is not among the wealthy and under US standards would probably qualify as working poor.

My husband came here as an international student paying international student tuition (something like 3-4 times what in state students paid).

He had NO assistance from his parents, who lacked the financial resources to help him. When he landed in the US he had 1 suitcase worth of personal belongings with him and some money from jobs he worked overseas. He got a few small scholarships.

He also quickly found a job (on campus and before everyone starts screaming about it the immigration laws DO allow international students to work on campus. I know I used to practice immigration law.) working for a fast food restaurant (a job most college students in the US would probably turn up their noses to anyway).

He lived VERY cheaply, without a car, renting a room. He graduated 2 years later with ZERO student debt and a Bachelor's degree.

Ten years later he is a US citizen. He has added another Bachelor's degree and he has a very good job with a great company and great prospects.

How did he do this? He had the ONE and ONLY resource that matters: A brain AND the ability to use it.

re: 'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

LSN — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:04:31 GMT

Right the blame game once again. Frugal Dad says he has been in this situation himself. I doubt it. I am so tired of people blaming the poor for their situation. Its not possible that so many friends and my own family have hit rock bottom financially. One friends business has folded a small car dealership. Another friend works for commission only and has supported the family for years selling home appliances. Now he's had to take retirement money to live on while he looks for a job he can't find. I am on disabilty and have been for years from brain damage working for a company that exposed me to chemicals. I am now moving into 1 bedroom apartment while the doctor I have seen for years will no longer take medicare. When I called a new doctor he won't take medicare either. Yeah right if it makes you feel better to believe there are people crying about being poor just because they are lazy or stupid then have at it. One day you might find yourself crying about being poor too. Pride goes before a fall.

re: 'I work hard so I deserve it': Rants of the 'perpetual poor'

Old Geezer — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 22:00:52 GMT

My dad didn't graduate from the 8th grade. He was a child from a large family and during the great depression, he quit school to help his parents keep the family together. It was a setback he never recovered from, and my family grew up poor because of it. My parents never owned a home, never had a car newer than 10 years old. There were times when we had no vehicle at all, and we didn't live in a city with mass transit.

37 years ago I hired on as an apprentice lineman for the telephone company. I burned up in the summer and froze in the winter but stuck with it. My wife and I never got caught in the credit card trap; we did without until we could afford whatever it was we wanted. Next friday, I'll be retiring as an area manager. While we won't be spending our winters in the South of Spain, we won't have to eat Friskies either.

Does this mean I think there's anything special about myself? Not at all.... I'm not a brilliant person by any means, just pretty much and average Joe. The point is this...

Learn the difference between dreaming and wishing. Dreaming is a good thing as long as you actively pursue your dreams. Wishing is useless. As Dad used to say, 'wish in one hand and crap in the other. See which one fills up first'.

Frugal Dad has it pegged. Don't just wish for a better life or hope someone else will take pity on you. Go out and make it happen. Not everyolne will end up rich but the opportunity to better yourself is still there.

Next Friday when I walk out the door, I'll say (in the immortal words of Chief Joseph)

" hear me, my warriors. From where the sun now stands, I will work no more forever".