How poor have you ever been? What did you do to make money and better yourself?

I practically grew up with a very poor family. My father is not working and very irresponsible. My mother is a sewer. My eldest sister took good care of us when our mom is not at home. There were times we have no food to eat. We got our water from deep well. Our clothes were old and weary. After graduation in college, I took the courage to work until i landed on managerial position. I married a very responsible man as well. Now, i can say, our life is much better. And I promise to myself, i will not let my children experience the same hardship I does.

Because my mother is a single parent and has some issues with learning, she was never really able to go to school to really think about getting a better job. Because of this, we lived with my grandparents and still do actually because we'd just never make it. Without their help, we'd definitely be poor. I never thought about money matters much until I started college. It's making me definitely think a lot about how I'm spending and how I should spend in the future when I'm out on my own with a job (and all those student loans).

i have been in some pretty desperate situations but thankfully never like that.. i have worked for 50 dollars a day at for 12 hours a day cooking to support myself an 2 daughters it was one of the worst times of my life but i made sure they had a roof over their heads and food in their belly i on the other hand lost close to 70 lbs and looked anerexic but i just called it the being poor diet because my kids always came first but if i were childless i could see myself doing what you did to save up money

Wow, I thought I've had it rough!! I had a period in college where I literally could not afford to eat, but that only lasted a couple months. I was too proud to say anything to my roommates, but I would scarf their leftovers from dinner! Thankfully it ended, and now I have EXCELLENT food budgetting skills. Being poor builds character! It's a cliche, but absolutely true in my opinion!

There have been times that my husband and I came close to hitting rock bottom. But we always manage to pull ourselves out. It has not always been easy. I can't say that we have been in the same tough situations that you have been in. There were times when we just had to drive around looking for a place to go and stayed in the woods one day and had to stand by a fire and cook beans by it. It was time that I would like to forget and I don't want to go through it again. That situation happened before we were married and it didn't last that long. We are now in a house that is alright.

Wow I love camping too but doing what you did for two months would of driven me barmy! Thankfully I've never had any memorable instances where I was so poor I couldn't afford food or housin, etc. Never been so poor... yet...

This is not ever happened to me but I sure I will get this in future if I will not be able to get the job. At that time I will have to go on searching for food here and there. I hope my lot will make me some sort of rich .

I remembered the time I was going through hunger during my pregnancy. Thank God I received food from my neighbour and friends. I worked after giving birth to my son and I learnt computer skills. Now I can live on my own and I can support my son. Not much money I earn in this job so I am learning some new skills which can help me to become rich.

Yes I have been very very poor. I was raised poor. After I married at a too young age my husband joined the airforce and I went to be with him. His allotment was not coming in yet and we talked a person into renting us a little bitty house (had a carseat for a couch) and told him we would pay him as soon as money came in. It was close enough for us to walk to the base as we did not have a car. Our neighbor would turn water on for us to take a shower and we had a plum tree in back yard and ate a lot of plums. I finally got a job as a car hop at a small drive in close by. Had to tell owner I was single to get the job. After 2 months we were sent somewhere else and by than we had gotten his allotment and was able to pay rent and leave in good standing. I admire your ability to survive and get yourself going. I like to camp but do not think I want to live in a tent, although not to good to if had to.

Hands down to you and to all the people who responded to your discussion... and I thought I was miserable... I never lived in a poor life like you do... I have a plae to live in, I eat 3 meals a day, I finished college but I cant find a job, I have savings and my parents can provide me anything I need... Right now I am not happy with my life, I dont have a job and cant find one even the easiest job... I feel miserable because well aside from being jobless, I cant help my family and fulfill my dreams, though my family have enough money to live... I just feel useless... But after reading your post and the things that happened to other mylotters who responded, I feel more thankful with my life and now believes that I can make it... You guys did, and I will for sure.. This discussion is very inspiring... Thanks to all of you! :)

Well i was poor like that too, i got myself together though, and now i earn some extra spending cash off http://www.rewards1.com/index.php?referrer_id=123609 just by filling out some surveys, its great!