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I'm not the OP but I have a somewhat similar mindset. My advice isn't just "save up", it's the following. Look for a better paying job and scrape together ever

I'm not the OP but I have a somewhat similar mindset. My advice isn't just "save up", it's the following. Look for a better paying job and scrape together every dime you can until then. Don't indulge in the burger or chips, spend that on making a massive pot of cheap hearty soup, stew, or gumbo that'll last you through the week. Bunker down and take free indulgences. (a free game or movie from a maybe less than official source on the internet if you have to) And when I say look for another job, I know that sounds like horrible advice but it is valid. Look for the physically demanding job with long hours. Mine was in a mushroom packaging plant. It was hard work for 60+ hours a week and most people gave up in less than 2 weeks but it was good consistent money. Places like that exist all around. On paper they look like low income with poor work conditions but overtime is extremely helpful when you work 60+ hours a week. Life is not by any means pleasant when you are poor but if you are as frugal as possible and know where to look you can almost always find a job that will leave you not always worrying about being able to pay the bills. Then you can start saving.

EliRivers 8y ago
This advice doesn't work for those who need childcare for those 60+ hours a week, those who simply don't have access to facilities to cook cheap gumbo (cheapest places don't have cooking facilities), those who cannot store gumbo for a week (fridges aren't free), those who don't happen to live within walking distance of such a job, and so on. There is a wealth of ways that healthy people with nothing but free time (to both work 60+ hours, AND to find that work; how did you pay for yourself while you were finding that work? Can everyone else use that same source of funding?) and access to basic facilities can help themselves. But once people fall so far that your advice is no longer applicable, and they find themselves living somewhere like the US, they're fucked permanently. A permanent underclass.
rue 8y ago
Could you, for a minute, consider that maybe your advice actually doesn’t apply or help? I know it’s a staggering thought, but give it a go.

EliRivers 8y ago

This advice doesn't work for those who need childcare for those 60+ hours a week, those who simply don't have access to facilities to cook cheap gumbo (cheapest places don't have cooking facilities), those who cannot store gumbo for a week (fridges aren't free), those who don't happen to live within walking distance of such a job, and so on. There is a wealth of ways that healthy people with nothing but free time (to both work 60+ hours, AND to find that work; how did you pay for yourself while you were finding that work? Can everyone else use that same source of funding?) and access to basic facilities can help themselves. But once people fall so far that your advice is no longer applicable, and they find themselves living somewhere like the US, they're fucked permanently. A permanent underclass.

rue 8y ago

Could you, for a minute, consider that maybe your advice actually doesn’t apply or help? I know it’s a staggering thought, but give it a go.