This life is crushing me to death...

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gwalchmei

Well-Known Member
#1
Got laid off in February. Can't seem to find work.
Had three households dependent on me. Now, I don't know what to do for them. It isn't fair - I sacrificed so much for these people, now they abandon me just when I needed them most!!!
All I ever did was give everything I had to take care of the ones I love!!!
When I was still living in my old apartment complex, my car died (back in 2009). I was extremely busy with working two jobs, so I bought a new car and just let the old one sit there in the parking lot (dealership wouldn't let me trade it in, as the car was not working). Finally, the owners of the apartment complex, in their infinite desire to strain out a gnat while swallowing a camel, sent the complex's "courtesy officer" around to find ways of ticketing vehicles and otherwise drumming up new fees. Since I didn't renew the tag on the old car (it was, after all, dead), he slapped a ticket and a tow notice on it. I had to get rid of the car.
Finally sold it to someone (more or less gave it away) for $145 (scrap value).
However, the state of Alabama has been dragging its feet on getting me a replacement title so that I can give it to the new owner. As in, dragging its feet for the better part of two months.
The guy I gave the car to has threatened to sue. He has gotten a ticket, and I'm afraid of getting slapped with more fines. I have no income - unemployment barely keeps my son and I in our new place.
This isn't the only issue I have been having to deal with. There are the "revenue generation efforts" of alot of "moneyed interests" that seem to be constantly eyeballing what little I have left. It just seems like this massive vise is squeezing in on me. The one common theme is their greed. Groceries alone for my teenage son and I cost $100.
When will enough be enough? Isn't it bad enough that I had to mortgage my soul to a company who ended up abandoning me? Or risking alienating my loved ones (and the resulting circuitous hoops and various rabbits I had to pull out of my a$$ w.r.t. my job to prevent that from happening)?
These rich fools who we have been suckered into making our new "gods" strain to swallow a gnat and squeeze out a camel...
Are they just going to keep going until they kill me? Or will actually cause me to do it to myself; these bloody men who use others as their proxies so their hands will not appear "dirty"?
 

peacelovingguy

Well-Known Member
#4
I hear you on the groceries. You know the big supermarkets are robbing us when you can go to a small greengrocer who has certain items marked up as less than your big stores.

Maybe you can save $20 - $30 if you shop around. The best way to save is buy bulk. I mean if you buy things like rice, pasta and other dried foods - you can buy in bulk which saves a small fortune.

If you live in a good area for wild game - or even wild fruits and whatever - its worth researching or even better talking to locals who maybe make their own jam or perhaps have game recipes. Mushrooms grow wild - but it never occurs to most people to identify the local edible ones. Or make your own mushroom farm and sell them! Not the magic ones mind!

Also, if you live in the right area - using firewood might be acceptable. Collecting rainwater (if you have a water meter) is easy to do. Make your own compost also - which is easy really.

On other useful thing is a credit union. These allow people to save small amounts and to take out loans at a decent interest 2% or 3%.

If you have a garden - its easy to save a couple of hundred dollars on food - more if you keep it up and get better at growing stuff. Some things are easy as hell to grow.

As for your car - it is similar in the UK - it can take a few months to go through the system when you get it re-registered. Make sure you get some proof of sending the official papers or proof that they are in the system.

A mate of mine got his car clamped by the landowners. In the UK I expect people to get clamped soon if we stand around for too long somewhere!

As for the rich and powerful, they can screw us for a profit but they have been prevented from establishing their banks in many nations. I tell my relatives to not join the armed forces as they will be fighting for the rich.

You might like the Alex Jones radio show - its on the internet also. He does speak of issues you seem knowledgeable on. There are many alternatives to the mass media which are worth reading or watching. It feels good to know that others see through the fraud perpetuated by the mass media. We're living in an illusion of sorts created by bits of paper with various numbers and artwork.

As for making some money - maybe you can trade skills - do some odd jobs by printing up a few cards to hand out. Advert in the local store or something.

Bear in mind, your son needs something which money cannot buy. A father who cares is all that child needs - and you sound like you qualify there. As for caring for others who do not reciprocate that care - best not to dwell on this as we don't want to do see our good deeds end up turning into a bitterness for having cared in the first place. Be careful of that - it just makes you feel down and is pointless.

That said, once bitten twice shy - which means when you get back on your feet a little bit - and these people hold out their hand and cry the blues - you got yourself and your son to think of first and foremost.

Some people see no value in life beyond their own. People who rule us are arrogant in their assumptions and sometimes you wonder if they do torment us with the price rises that every poor person feels. Utilities, food, petrol or gas. I guess people can only take so much - I guess we ought to take a little more if we have to and take comfort in the knowledge that powerful men and woman cannot take that power with them when they die.

It might not be much use whilst they live also.

Good luck and hope others can add tips for prudent savings.
 

Terry

Antiquities Friend
Staff Alumni
#5
Soooo identify with your post and I'm in the UK!
Seems the world is going to hell in a hand basket and swallowing up the little people as it goes.
Every time I think I'm getting a handle on it along comes some new crap to land in my lap!

know you are not alone in this struggle :hug:
 

gwalchmei

Well-Known Member
#6
Thanks, guys...
It's good to know there are people out there who still care!!!
I used to tell myself, when I was a kid, that the pain wouldn't last forever...
I find myself re-evaluating that assertion these days...
But I know one day soon I will be going to a place where I'll never hurt again. And if I have to stay around in this life long enough to make sure my kids are OK, it's worth the pain!!!
 

doityourself

Well-Known Member
#7
You sound like a great mom, keep up the good fight.

I to understand and can add in a few helpful savings,

Try and take your lunch to work- lunch out is so expensive these days. Cook meals at night so you can have left overs for lunch next day.

Stay away from snack machines. I bring my own caffiene to work, saves me (I drink 2 a day) $1.50/day. I can buy a case(mountain dew) for $6 and at 2 a day it will last for 2 weeks.

Buy generics(I never use to do this, but now It saves me around $20 a grocery trip)-Walmart is the best grocery shopping for me, (Im in US) even though I absolutely hate walking in there, they save me the most, Ive also started buying generics and believe it or not it saves alot. Find out when your local stores are having the dollar sales, and try and stock up on things used most.

Find out what days your town plays with gas prices, for me its Thursdays-always goes up on thursdays so I try and fill my tank on Tuesdays-and it last alot longer if you fill your tank all the way up than putting in $10 here and there.

Call you phone, light, water companies and find out if there is any new plans that you can change to to save money, tell them your having a hard time.

Credit card companies to, maybe they can lower your interest rates, even my a point it saves a couple dollars here and there.

This week, write down everything you spend, even if its a 50 cent piece of candy, find out where your extras are at, then try and cut back.

I agree that this world is sucking us dry, living paycheck to paycheck is so hard, worrying about how we are going to pay for needed things, and trying to give our sons the best we can.

And just know that your son will look back at all your hard work and love and respect you for it.
 
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