What's brokest you've ever been?

lifesaver · #1 08-08-2001, 06:55 PM

I just got $$ today, but the last few weeks have been pretty desperate around my place.

As a noted commedian once said, "Damn, that kool-aid just kept gettin' lighter and lighter as the week went on. It was homeopathic up in here."

I have done medical research before, and last week was reduced to bumming 5's and 10's for gas. Many of my brothers sell plasma at $25 a pop, twice a week.

So what is the brokest you've ever been? Lived on Mac'n cheese for a week? Had to do laundry in the sink, because you had no quarters? Only had a dozen eggs to last a week? Come on, I know everyones got stories. Share them.

veruca76 · #2 08-08-2001, 07:32 PM

Digging through couch cushions to find change for a loaf of bread!

True story - I was a backpacker in Ireland with a job in a cafe and a little apartment with a bunch of other travellers. We were all so broke that we lived off grilled cheese sandwiches and what we could get at work. Somehow we always found money to drink Guinness though.... Funny how that works.

prospectiverushee · #3 08-08-2001, 08:10 PM

The brokest I have ever been(besides right now) would have to be the break between Fall 99 and Spring 00. I stayed at school because I was working in the bookstore at the time. I was in temp housing that didn't have a kitchen.(it use to be a guys athltic dorm and they ate in the cafteria that was in the dorm) I was off of work the week between Christmas and New Years. So for food(since I couldn't make ramens) I ate cheese sandwitches and drank Powerade. For money, I sold almost all my CD's

Kevlar281 · #4 08-08-2001, 08:58 PM

Last summer for me was dubbed “Cheap Bastard Summer” basically it consisted of me bumming money for any thing that would be considered a luxury and being as frugal as possible for basic necessitates. There is a Randall’s really close to my house that always has free samples, that basically was what I considered eating out. Another great one was homemade lemonade with “borrowed” sweet and low and lemon juice packets from Jack in the Box. My parents still help me out while im in school but during the summer time its either get a job or stretch a buck, last summer was probably one of the best, everyday was like an adventure but im sure I wouldn’t have felt that way if I didn’t have a choice in the matter.
/modify: silly typos

[This message has been edited by Kevlar281 (edited August 08, 2001).]

Lil_G · #5 08-08-2001, 09:30 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by lifesaver:

I have done medical research before, and last week was reduced to bumming 5's and 10's for gas. Many of my brothers sell plasma at $25 a pop, twice a week.

Plasma, eh? That's not bad...how many times a week can it be done before it's considered dangerous?
I'm not so much broke as i am in debt, which I try not to think about it. Rounding out the end of my second year I went a week on just bread, water and caffeine pills. The Caffeine to get me going, the bread to fight the gut rot, and the water to flush out the caffeine when i needed to crash.

It's fun reminiscing about college days below the poverty line because we know it's probably only short-term.

AlphaSigLana · #6 08-08-2001, 11:08 PM

I donated plasma, but i couldn't get $25 since my veins are too tiny- so they said. SO i got $10 and a black and blue arm. I sold my cd's and now all I own are 6 cds. I sold back books not just school ones, but ones from when I was younger. I made more money selling cds. I just feel like all the money i made this summer is gone- dr. bill, wrote a check for dues, dance class,cell phone, clothes(not even that many though- I still need more dress clothes) and i only went out once in ahwile, but I don't even have enough for rent!!!

Thrillhouse · #7 08-09-2001, 03:45 AM

I have had to sell cds before. However I bank almost everything so I won't have to work as hard during school. I guess the brokest I have ever been is when I had to work third shift just to get rent and food money. And this was during school

SSS1365 · #8 08-09-2001, 02:57 PM

Has anyone tried selling CDs on www.half.com ? You can usually get more than just $1-4 on there, depending on the CD's condition and if it's something that people would actually want. You can also sell other things like books... It's so much better than selling your books back to your campus bookstore. I sold a chem book on there for $63, when in my bookstore I wouldn't have gotten more than $20 for it. The website just takes a small commission out and gives you a shipping allowance too. The only drawback is, you only get your money twice a month. I've sold textbooks and CDs on there, and after being a member for only about a month, I've made more than $130 on there.

Hootie · #9 08-10-2001, 12:02 AM

I've thought about donating plasma, however I have this terrible thing about NEEDLES, so I don't think it'd work out.
I've also checked into selling my cd's but the only place it town that takes then pays a dollar to four dollars. I think I'll hold onto those cd's because I know there will be a light at the end of the tunnel someday.
Hootie

KillarneyRose · #10 08-10-2001, 12:41 AM

When I got my first job out of college, I had a $10.00 a week food budget. That's pretty darn broke!

I still retain a vivid memory of being alone in my office building's elevator with a woman who was munching on a candy bar and I was so hungry that it was all I could do not to pounce on her and rip the damn thing out of her hand!

------------------
@~Tracy~@

"...For it's just the flame of a sister's love, that makes the world go round."

GOOD LUCK TO ALL THE DZ COLLEGIANS DURING RUSH!!!

Hootie · #11 12-12-2001, 02:16 AM

I have no job and 1 paycheck left that I'm living off of until I move to Texas...I stole toilet paper from my parent's house! Urg, I hate being broke!

RedHotChiO · #12 12-12-2001, 02:26 AM

My brand new Gucci purse got stolen yesterday, so they ran up all of my credit cards and cleared out my checking account. I haven't even paid for my purse yet, so that would make me the brokest I have ever been

SigkapAlumWSU · #13 12-12-2001, 04:12 AM

I'me sure that I've been broker, but right now I have $5 in my dining accound (which will be one lunch and one dinner) and a Costco box of Ramen. So, water, Ramen.. yeah, that's it. and all the money I get goes of pay off the credit cards rather than feed me. I work, but I don't get paid till after finals, which is next week.. and somehow I'm gonna find enough money to get home (gas $$) otherwise I'm stuck outside, cause my dorm shuts down for break.. Being broke just sucks.. but we can say "When I was your age..." and it'll be true!

justamom · #14 12-12-2001, 07:42 AM

I am ashamed to say...I was so broke my friend and I turned to crime. Yes, we would go to Pizza Hut, order a Coke and take all their crackers. If we were REALLY in need, we took a role of toilet tissue from the dorms after we visited friends...
I feel better now.

RedHotChiO-I'm so sorry to hear that! I had a bike stolen and so have my children. They also had some other things "lifted", but nothing like your situation. How awful!

Beef · #15 12-12-2001, 11:06 AM

I dont think I have ever been broke enough to worry about not eating or paying rent. If I was, would just call the financial aid office and get another big fat loan!!

Im pretty good with my money. All my brothers thought I was a drug dealer cause I always had cash on me and never complained about not having money..