Have you ever been so broke ...

Since I live alone,I do find it hard to cope on my own, as I have been struggling to make ends meet. I have helped my daughter in the past, and i would end up wishing I hadn't as it would put me in the hole. I finally told her that she needs to do it on her own, as I just can't do it anymore. Now, she has to do it on her own, as her husband works, so he is bringing in money to the house, and my nine year old grandson is on ssi because he has Aspergers. There is no reason she shouldn't be able to do it on her own. She shasn't asked me anymore to help her, as she knows I can't and won't do it, as I have to look out for myself.

I grew up in a not so nice way... two food things I can remember is one my really evil stepfather made for me : mayonnaise and sugar sandwich. The other is when Mom and I were on our own and living in a trailer. We had nothing left. We ate popcorn for a bit and then she threw together a packet of cheese from a mac and cheese box (the noodles having been used for some other dish), three potatoes that she smashed up, a tablespoon of mayo, a tiny bit of butter (all we had left) I was actually good and filling. I still make something kind of like it today... just with better ingredients.

There are many times when I wish I could send my online friends some food. I may rummage, but we always have something here. At times when I was growing up we did not have food.

It was in 2000 when I took some decisions but things did not fall at place and thing got messy. That was the first time I really realized what it meant to be broke. yeah, I had very little experience as there were people around when I went broke at college hostel and as such I wont call that going broke. But in 2000 there was no one around to fall back to. I went without food for about a week before I got some money and start afresh. Pretty scary feeling eh!!! Today, I feel broke at times just because they wont allow me to have my choice of food.

Yes i have been that broke before where I use a credit card to buy food wondering where am i going to get the money to pay the credit card back.

Always make sure you have peanut butter (if you're not allergic) and bread on hand. We are at this point ourselves right now. Peanut butter has lots of PROTEIN and other good stuff for you. Soup beans are always good too. And of course.... a can of Spam....lol. And we have another week and 2 days to go for hubby's money to come in. But hubby and I are used to eating a regular meal, just in the evenings. (yep, just 1 meal/day. We nibble early afternoon, to hold us over till supper.) Food pantries are a god-send too!

Never scavenged the house for food. As all my food is kept in the kitchen. I tend to go to food banks when I am broke.

Yeah, I've been pretty broke. When I was at college from Fall 2010 til Spring 2013, there would be some weeks that I didn't have hardly any money at all. This would be toward the end of the semesters and I would have to wait until the next semester for my school money. Ugh.

Have you tried a local food pantry? I haven't really had food struggles in a long time. When I was young we went without food a lot. It was worse during my teen years because my mother went on disability so only got paid once a month. When she got her money we'd go out to eat and buy a lot of junk food at the grocery store, which my younger siblings would gobble up in about a day. Then we'd have 3 weeks of no food and no money. It was a vicious cycle because when you've been hungry for 3 weeks it's hard to control yourself when you get some money so that's why it was blown on junk food and eating out. All my adult life, I've put food first because I never want to go without again. We don't plan our bills until after I've grocery shopped. I get whatever I want at the grocery store, and then we pay bills with whatever money is left... where as most people pay bills first and get groceries with whatever is left. So as an adult we've been in tight spots due to putting off our bills and not getting them paid. I still do shop cheaply, even if I do put groceries first. I try not to spend a whole ton, and when I know there are bills to pay I do my best to shop even cheaper and will go without some things in order to keep the grocery bill down. It's not like I'm filling my cupboards with cookies and chips.. I'm just making sure we have enough meals to get through a week.

i was like that last week. hardly no money and seems the kids did not mind not much to eat here that i was able to fix myself. adult kids can be selfish at times once they already got the help. now i have money and no way to go get food. hopefully tomorrow my friend will be by. many times in the past i have had to take flour and mix it to make fried bread just to eat. hope you get food soon. is there any food pantries giving food in your area?

Oh yes - I went through hardships when we lived on the farm and there was a storm or hurricane. Bananas take 8 or 9 months to bear fruit again so it was desperate at times. I am worried as a Villa I manage is closing down end of this month and this is my biggest money earner. Not sure yet how I will manage

This is not how it should be with someone who is so generous with brownies. But have you forgotten that charity begins at home? On a serious note food shortages were there when we were kids. But somehow our parents saw to it that we did not starve. Food was being rationed those days and we were not allowed to hoard. Today I am in the attitude of gratitude that not only is there enough we can also feed the hungry.

Ah I'm sorry that you can't find anything good to eat. How about some Mexican? Chips and salsa always makes me feel better. Or perhaps a steak and baked potato fully loaded? Or maybe just some lays potato chips (the bag of course, cause you can't eat just one)? Oh darn, you said not to talk about food. Ok, I won't. How's the weather?

Yep, been there. One winter I was too proud to ask my folks for help with food when I got my hours cut at work and couldn't afford much. I stocked up on free bread given away by the food bank nearby and ate almost nothing but that. Ended up developing wheat intolerance! Careful, sometimes you are better off going a little hungry than overdoing it on something that can make you sick. I also had to go to the food pantry earlier this summer. No shame in it. Very kind people are all around. Don't hesitate to ask for help if you need it. Chances are there is someone throwing food away that is perfectly good and goes to waste because there is no one to eat it!

can you drive up to Austin? I have some YUMMY food you can have!

We had a pot luck today and I wish you could have been there, we had plenty of food to go around.....but seriously been there and it's not funny when you want some good grub and don't have any money

It happened with me way back when there was no long distance calls trunk Calls were there but it had a long queue and too costly. I lost my wallet while traveling to far distant destination and was left with nothing to eat. I had to catch another train but had no money to buy a ticket. I sat on the platform for two hours thinking a way out and finally sold my wristwatch and managed to come back home. That was almost 4 decades back, I was going to join my training program in a city 2500km away .

@Rosekitty I am glad you could help your daughter. Sorry things are tough for you at the moment but this too shall pass.

I have been so poor that I had to go through the sofa cushions to scrape up enough money to buy gas to get to work until payday.

I keep eggs and noodles for a rescue when times that the budget will run away...