Just venting here. I make a decent wage. Over the past few months, this is no longer enough to cover my expenses. I live very simply. I cannot ‘cut back’ on anything. I think I’m going to have to get a 2nd job.

And I’m one of the luckier ones! I am worried we are headed towards another great depression.

  • DankZedong
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    1 year ago

    In my opinion this is a generally dumb idea but it’s worth a shot: have you looked around for another, better paying job? Keep in mind I know nothing about your education or career right now, but switching jobs can easily add an extra 3-400 dollars to your salary. It is a pretty good time to look around.

    Otherwise keep ahead of things. I guide people in debt and a big thing that goes wrong is that they get overwhelmed by expenses and payments and just put their head in the sand and stop looking at it. But it’s important to keep track of bills, expenses etc. and get payment plans if needed. Or call the company you owe money to figure things out.

    This is not necessarily going to improve your situation but it’s some important advice I like to give people, and it can help to keep things manageable. Stay strong comrade, I hope things get better soon.

    • @i_must_destroy@lemmygrad.mlOP
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      81 year ago

      I think I am due for a promotion. I will see. I work from home now and honestly like my job, but I may have to look for something new.

      I had planned to be basically debt free in like 2 years, but that’s not a possibility now.

  • @whoami@lemmygrad.ml
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    81 year ago

    it’s hard but then there’s the reality of it. I don’t know what type of work you do but there must be some type of second job you can do 2-3 times a week that covers the cost of the loans.

    Meanwhile, double check that you can’t cut back certain expenses. Do you pay rent, live with roommates?

    • @i_must_destroy@lemmygrad.mlOP
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      81 year ago

      Thankfully I have a mortgage. We got a house about 10 years ago before the prices skyrocketed.

      I cancelled some of the subscription services I had and am looking to sell some things I no longer use. Other than groceries and household products, I really don’t buy much anymore.

      I got in a bad place with debt when I was younger and ivd been trying to claw my way out ever since.

      The biggest issue for me other than debt are medical bills. My insurance denies everything and I’ve been stuck with several thousand dollars of bills over the last couple years.

        • @i_must_destroy@lemmygrad.mlOP
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          61 year ago

          Thank you. I hope so, too. My big issue is my debt. I do take some solace in the fact that many (maybe most) people are struggling with this now. Even my co-workers are mentioning how expensive everything has gotten. There’s got to be a breaking point.

      • KiG V2
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        21 year ago

        I know this extreme, but have you ever considered just NOT paying your debt? My partner essentially got away with this, just ignored the eventual debt collectors and they either gave up, compromised for a smaller amount or slapped it on her credit, which made it dogshit for a long time but, I mean, hey, only matters if you need good credit.

        Kind of a more zany route but it works for some people. Just something to consider, if possible in your situation.

        • @i_must_destroy@lemmygrad.mlOP
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          11 year ago

          Well I did that with my medical bills and then the debt collectors sued me. I set up an installment plan after that. Businesses are allowed to be as ruthless as possible here in the USA.

        • DankZedong
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          11 year ago

          This does work actually but I don’t advise it to anyone. There are people that get away with just not paying, I see it often at my work. But then there are also people that don’t get away with it and have now accumulated even more debt. So tricky situation.

    • @i_must_destroy@lemmygrad.mlOP
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      101 year ago

      I live in the USA. In January, I’ll likely have to start paying $300 a month for my student loans. I cannot afford that, and I know most people in my situation can’t either.

      • @ComradeSalad@lemmygrad.ml
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        151 year ago

        Everything is just getting worse, far beyond the personal control of anyone. In my personal experience my utilities company just spit in my face by writing on my bill that I used 65% less electricity in the past month compared to my average from before. Which is only due to me living in the dark like a caveman with no heating, no hot water, minimal lights, minimal electronics, no oven, and so on. Which didn’t matter at all in the end as they wrote that they have increased their rates by nearly 40% this month. On top of already increasing their rates by 20-50 percent every month without stop for the past 6 months.

        I am now paying over double for energy compared to when I was living “lavishly” with amenities like hot water.

        People are going to die in increasing numbers in the next coming months. Starvation, hypothermia, malnutrition, pneumonia, even more unaffordable healthcare… all for what?

        • @i_must_destroy@lemmygrad.mlOP
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          61 year ago

          Companies have been given a green light to extract as much profit as possible, even moreso than they have since the implementation of neoliberalism.

          I am wondering if the ruling class are expecting some MAJOR crises in the immediate future. They are acting like it.

          • @redtea@lemmygrad.ml
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            61 year ago

            This is what I’ve been thinking.

            Especially with energy prices. I know these companies have monopolies on energy. It’s not like most people can wander down to the nearest forest to collect firewood. But even so, these prices are unsustainable and it’s hard to see long term economic planning in these pricing decisions. It’s as if they’re trying to cram the next twenty years’ worth of profit into two-to-five financial years.

            Maybe they are pessimistic about something the rest of us should be celebrating… maybe they really do see the massive reduction of fossil fuel use coming round the corner.

            I’m not overly hopeful that we’ll reach 2030 or even 2050 net zero goals, but maybe these energy companies are fearful that we might.

            They do say (not energy companies, granted) that everything is contradiction. Maybe they’re right.

    • @frippa
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      101 year ago

      Shoplifting is a victimless crime 😎

      • KiG V2
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        51 year ago

        It’s crazy how many people wrinkle their nose when I tell them I do…and generally distrust me. Like you know, “honor among thieves” or whatever, I never have and never would steal from an individual (save a real confirmed piece of shit rich person maybe), hell I don’t even steal from non-corporations.

    • @i_must_destroy@lemmygrad.mlOP
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      61 year ago

      Leave an unmarked bag full of cash in my mailbox and tell me what you need.

      On a serious note, I have started buying Powerball tickets sometimes 🤷‍♂️

    • KiG V2
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      1 year ago

      Yes, I’ve been currently planning a [REDACTED] at a [large corporate] [REDACTED] [REDACTED] and it feels good to have a serious contingency if my financial shit goes deep south. Plus it was fun to plan. It would be insane to actually pull off, but people have definitely done it before.

      Other than that, I definitely shoplift about $2k a year from Walmart et. al. It’s more stressful than fun these days, but it always feels good to pull off a juicy one. KNOCK ON WOOD.

      I would totally sell drugs if I had any social circle 😅

  • @lxvi@lemmygrad.ml
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    71 year ago

    Think about a halfway house. They’re open to people who need a hand. You don’t have to be a drug addict to join. You might even make a few friends.

    I lost my place a couple years ago and moved into one for a few months. It isn’t that bad if you’re down and out. Nothing of mine was stolen and I generally got along with everyone there. Most of the people there were down and out people suffering from strong feeling of alienation.

    The more thuggish ones just wanted their space respected and where happy to respect yours in return.

    It might be a solution to your economic woes while putting you into proximity with the lower rungs of the proletariat.

    • @i_must_destroy@lemmygrad.mlOP
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      81 year ago

      Thankfully I’m not in that bad of a spot (for now).

      I have volunteered at some halfway houses in my city though. I’ve actually been meaning to do so again. I enjoyed those opportunities to serve my community much more than other bs volunteering I’ve been a part of.

  • KiG V2
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    51 year ago

    Yes, I relate. Definitely considering sizing down for the 3rd year in a row 😅 I hate moving but the high fucks in the ivory towers keep raising our rent. I cut back eating out and have been working another ~10+ hours a week, luckily I think these small changes will be enough to get through the slow winter and these damn holidays (can we please cancel Xmas one year nationwide fr)