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The feeling of being broke!!

24

Comments

  • #32
    OU812
    Registered Users Posts: 6,034 ✭✭✭OU812


    Slick666 wrote: »
    I am getting rent. So Im getting around €475 a week on PUP.

    Hold up.... You've an income of €475 a week & you're broke?

    Problem isn't the money buddy, the problem is you.

    That's €25k a year (almost), minimum wake is around €21k a year. You've a full fridge and a subsidised roof over your head.

    Time to quit whining & start figuring out what you're spending your money on.


  • #33
    padd b1975
    Registered Users Posts: 10,696 ✭✭✭✭padd b1975


    cgcsb wrote: »
    It is terrible I remember having one of those 'graduate jobs' that was far from home so had to rent and had to run a car (costs most of your income at that age with the insurance bills). There were days I was actually quite hungry going to work in my suit and tie, never again. I was boosting things like toilet roll and milk out of the office. Winter time meant going cold quite a bit, I took to charging a large car battery in work under my desk and using that to power a little fan heater at night, it was desperate. Eventually got a proper job closer to home and moved back with parents for a while. Was so nice to be reliably warm and fed.
    Briefcase in one hand, car battery in the other.

    Classy.


  • #34
    Motivator
    Registered Users Posts: 2,739 ✭✭✭Motivator


    I graduated from college in the middle of the last recession and I couldn’t even get a job stacking shelves anywhere. I lived at home so I was well looked after in terms of food and if I needed a dig out for diesel or whatever I got it when I needed it. Actually looking back my parents were exceptionally good to me, as they always have been. I struggled badly mentally around that time. I felt like an absolute failure because I had a girlfriend that was a year older, in a good steady job and she was very good and understanding about the whole situation too but it was an awful time.

    We would be watching friends go on holidays or buying cars, houses etc and I couldn’t do any of that. Even going for a meal was stressful because I’d spend an entire week’s dole money on a Saturday night going for a meal or a few drinks. I eventually got a job but it was just to have some money in my pocket which was great. I will honestly never forget the first wage going into my account. It was an absolutely glorious feeling. Thankfully I’ve never been in that position again and since I got that first job I’ve always been employed.

    I would be quite a proud person and I tried to always make sure that nobody knew I was in the situation I was in. But, I wasn’t really broke. I had the luxury of my parents there to help me out if I really needed it. I couldn’t bare to think of how I’d cope now that I’m the age I am. Anyone who’s in that position now my heart goes out to them, especially if it’s a long term issue.


  • #35
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 13,795 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    I used to be broke for about a week a month, but not as bad these days. Problem with me is, I can't save. If I have spare money, I spend it. It would sicken my shyte to die and leave money behind! These days, I'm usually only broke for a day or two before pay day. Oh I long for the days of weekly wages again... This monthly craic is horrible.

    I had a house, and that was when I was the brokest. I found myself struggling for a week or two before payday, and like others lived on rice and sauce, or at the worst times Koka noodles for every meal. It was getting me down so much, that in the end I decided that me being happy is far more valuable than paying back a loan. So I let the odd payment get missed, this turned into more payments missed, which evolved into not paying my mortgage a few times. That is a cause of some of my negative equity since I sold. I have the credit union on my back because I'm no longer paying the €145 a week I "agreed" to. Well, tough titties lads, ye shouldn't have given me half of what ye did, so ye can wait now for the repayments!

    Even over the last year, I should have thousands saved. But I increased my cannabis intake instead (and, imo, better for it). Thanks to Covid, I no longer see myself going on holidays to far away places, if I can drive I will. But I was never a holiday person anyway, most people's ideas of holidays are not what I want, so I don't bother. So I don't really need money, as such, just that when something unexpected happens I'm usually left scrounging for money, selling stuff I no longer need, etc. I will never be able to get a loan again, as I'd imagine they've invented a new colour for how bad my credit score is, red just isn't strong enough anymore.

    It's annoying at times, especially when there's something I would like to buy, but you get used to it. I'd prefer to have no savings and enjoy life, than save with the intention of enjoying life at some stage, but who knows if I'll get there!


  • #36
    Gekko
    Registered Users Posts: 1,189 ✭✭✭Gekko


    I was broke a few years after university

    Couldn’t get a job and ran up student debts, mental health was suffering. It was really grim, and I probably hit rock bottom at one point

    Moved home after the parents took pity on me. but then eventually got the debt paid off, did some sales work, started freelancing, volunteered for a year, and then eventually got regular freelance work that also opened up travel opportunities


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  • #37
    Strumms
    Registered Users Posts: 24,753 ✭✭✭✭Strumms


    On a blow out holiday in my early 20’s....

    I’d a day and a half left 140 euros left... I had to budget for 4 meals, a taxi costing 30-35 euros to the airport and.... pints ��


  • #38
    chrissb8
    Registered Users Posts: 1,166 ✭✭✭chrissb8


    Broke right now tbh. Absolutely hate it. Did a postgrad course in order to change careers and was back at home living off my parents at the age of 30. Was over the pandemic so wasn't all that much I got for a lend, thankfully on the dole now after finishing the course and looking for work currently.

    When I get a job I will be saving as if I've never saved before(because I haven't, I'm awful at it). Have to be thankful though all I had to worry about was a loss of a bit of pride and adult freedoms. Others living in a perpetual state of counting pennies, trying their best will have it much worse.


  • #39
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,069 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    Slick666 wrote: »
    I am getting rent. So Im getting around €475 a week on PUP.

    but that's more than some people get in full time employment ffs! and you claim your skint :rolleyes: c'mon now

    (did you have a sheltered upbringing? i.e. spoilt)


  • #40
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    How this country has changed... imagine people from the 1930s-50s reading this pampered, whiny sh1te... Still it does show that poverty/brokeness is indeed relative.


  • #41
    igCorcaigh
    Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 11,042 Mod ✭✭✭✭igCorcaigh


    It's bearable in the short term, but over time, it becomes a miserable existence.

    It's the sheer boredom of it. Can't go meet friends, don't want to feel like a bum. Can't buy nice food, sometimes living on porridge. Can't buy clothes. Worry about rent and bills. Poor housing situation.

    It's awful for mental health.


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  • #42
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 3,801 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    MeepMeep2021 wrote: »
    How this country has changed... imagine people from the 1930s-50s reading this pampered, whiny sh1te... Still it does show that poverty/brokeness is indeed relative.

    People are broke or they aren’t.


  • #43
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,207 ✭✭✭✭fits


    igCorcaigh wrote: »

    It's awful for mental health.

    This. Being short of money is extremely stressful. Went through it for an extended period of time and never wish to again. Always have an emergency fund now and save a bit every month no matter what. I’ve just agreed a car loan and reading this thread wondering if it’s a mistake. I’m very debt averse after those tough years.


  • #44
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 1,263 ✭✭✭[Deleted User]


    fvp4 wrote: »
    People are broke or they aren’t.


    Broke for how long? Are there gov supports available? What is the voerall economy like? How does Irish brokeness compare to, say Mexican brokeness or African brokeness? A bit of perspective required.

    I may feel more sympathetic and less like one of the 3 Yorkshire men after a coffee. :p:D


  • #45
    Lillyfae
    Registered Users Posts: 1,800 ✭✭✭Lillyfae


    It's been a while but the stress of my last "broke" period has had an effect on me such that I never want to go there again. I have currently got the equivalent of 2 years gross salary in my account, plus with doing nothing over the last year and a half I've also hit the target cost of replacing the car about 2 years ahead of schedule.

    I'm very lucky that my income hasn't been affected by Covid, but I do think that I'm well able to cut my cloth. Even if I was on a social welfare payment I'm positive 5-10% would be put away for an even rainier day, because I've always been careful with money.


  • #46
    ratracer
    Registered Users Posts: 3,184 ✭✭✭ratracer


    fryup wrote: »
    but that's more than some people get in full time employment ffs! and you claim your skint :rolleyes: c'mon now

    (did you have a sheltered upbringing? i.e. spoilt)

    From the outset, the OP sounds like they watched the boxset of Schitts Creek over the weekend waiting for the ‘magic money’ to appear in the bank account!


  • #47
    Easten
    Registered Users Posts: 849 ✭✭✭Easten


    It's a real downer alright. I could get over being broke myself but if you have a family that depends on you then it's so much worse. I guess many people have gone through it at some stage, there are a few tells to let you know that you are broke and poor, but basically when you go to pay for some shopping, put in your debit card and hope that the card doesn't get refused.
    It's an awful feeling, I hated it, but you eventually get to the stage that the card refusal doesn't embarrass you anymore no matter who sees it.
    I think this can be a turning point for many, myself I went from someone who loved to indulge to finding it very hard to spend now.


  • #48
    apache
    Registered Users Posts: 2,348 ✭✭✭apache


    I used to always live pay cheque to pay cheque and it was soul destroying but now I have a bit of savings. Nice feeling.


  • #49
    fryup
    Registered Users Posts: 18,069 ✭✭✭✭fryup


    The Cool wrote: »
    And some people in employment get 1,000ish, 350 is a crap amount in comparison...

    1k per week? ya those in top end jobs....you're average job out there wouldn't pay anything near that

    anyway compared to what other countries are a paying out for pandemic payment €350 is very generous


  • #50
    PhilOssophy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭PhilOssophy


    Motivator wrote: »
    I graduated from college in the middle of the last recession and I couldn’t even get a job stacking shelves anywhere. I lived at home so I was well looked after in terms of food and if I needed a dig out for diesel or whatever I got it when I needed it. Actually looking back my parents were exceptionally good to me, as they always have been. I struggled badly mentally around that time. I felt like an absolute failure because I had a girlfriend that was a year older, in a good steady job and she was very good and understanding about the whole situation too but it was an awful time.

    We would be watching friends go on holidays or buying cars, houses etc and I couldn’t do any of that. Even going for a meal was stressful because I’d spend an entire week’s dole money on a Saturday night going for a meal or a few drinks. I eventually got a job but it was just to have some money in my pocket which was great. I will honestly never forget the first wage going into my account. It was an absolutely glorious feeling. Thankfully I’ve never been in that position again and since I got that first job I’ve always been employed.

    I would be quite a proud person and I tried to always make sure that nobody knew I was in the situation I was in. But, I wasn’t really broke. I had the luxury of my parents there to help me out if I really needed it. I couldn’t bare to think of how I’d cope now that I’m the age I am. Anyone who’s in that position now my heart goes out to them, especially if it’s a long term issue.

    That is the kind of thing that makes you. In every workplace, in my experience, the best people are the people who have done the hard yards, worked a crap job, and appreciate what they have.
    fits wrote: »
    This. Being short of money is extremely stressful. Went through it for an extended period of time and never wish to again. Always have an emergency fund now and save a bit every month no matter what. I’ve just agreed a car loan and reading this thread wondering if it’s a mistake. I’m very debt averse after those tough years.

    I would never ever borrow to buy a car, I'd rather drive around in an 85 Fiat Ritmo than be at the behest of a bank or credit union for a car. If I had to borrow, it would be to afford the bargain basement car and there would need to be no alternative. I'd really resent paying hundreds every month to anybody for a car.


  • #51
    Easten
    Registered Users Posts: 849 ✭✭✭Easten


    PhilOssophy wrote: »


    I would never ever borrow to buy a car, I'd rather drive around in an 85 Fiat Ritmo than be at the behest of a bank or credit union for a car. If I had to borrow, it would be to afford the bargain basement car and there would need to be no alternative. I'd really resent paying hundreds every month to anybody for a car.
    Me neither, I know people who have the "old" car as part of some kind of act to say they are poor but the 2 foreign holidays and weekend away says different!!
    I drive the most affordable car, this is not always the oldest, but probably the ugliest and most undesirable.
    A new car makes sense when second hand car prices are too high and you are dependent on a car for work for the next 10+ years, or you are doing very high miles.


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  • #52
    fits
    Registered Users Posts: 13,207 ✭✭✭✭fits


    Easten wrote: »
    Me neither, I know people who have the "old" car as part of some kind of act to say they are poor but the 2 foreign holidays and weekend away says different!!
    I drive the most affordable car, this is not always the oldest, but probably the ugliest and most undesirable.
    A new car makes sense when second hand car prices are too high and you are dependent on a car for work for the next 10+ years, or you are doing very high miles.

    I’ll be doing high mileage and I’ve a bad back. Did my sums and buying an electric car at 0% finance added up to be at least same cost of ownership over three years as a 4 year old diesel. Needed to change the 15 year old car anyway.


  • #53
    Feisar
    Registered Users Posts: 6,596 ✭✭✭Feisar


    Strumms wrote: »
    On a blow out holiday in my early 20’s....

    I’d a day and a half left 140 euros left... I had to budget for 4 meals, a taxi costing 30-35 euros to the airport and.... pints ��

    So liquid meals then?

    First they came for the socialists...



  • #54
    [Deleted User]
    Posts: 17,381 ✭[Deleted User]


    Easten wrote: »
    Me neither, I know people who have the "old" car as part of some kind of act to say they are poor but the 2 foreign holidays and weekend away says different!!

    Why would people be acting poor? They're simply spending money where they think is best. They can afford those things because they've sacrificed elsewhere.


  • #55
    Easten
    Registered Users Posts: 849 ✭✭✭Easten


    Ads by Google wrote: »
    Why would people be acting poor? They're simply spending money where they think is best. They can afford those things because they've sacrificed elsewhere.

    No that's not what I mean, it's the ones with the poor mouth all the time even though they are just after getting a 5k bonus and on 80k a year.


  • #56
    Flinty997
    Registered Users Posts: 11,401 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997


    Easten wrote: »
    Me neither, I know people who have the "old" car as part of some kind of act to say they are poor but the 2 foreign holidays and weekend away says different!!
    I drive the most affordable car, this is not always the oldest, but probably the ugliest and most undesirable.
    A new car makes sense when second hand car prices are too high and you are dependent on a car for work for the next 10+ years, or you are doing very high miles.

    Some people have different priorities. I know one family who spent very little on the house, or cars. But took about 5 holidays a year, skiing, adventure stuff etc. I guess the idea was live was about experiences not owning stuff. If someone prefers owning stuff thats also a personal choice. Both are equally valid.


  • #57
    PhilOssophy
    Registered Users Posts: 2,114 ✭✭✭PhilOssophy


    fits wrote: »
    I’ll be doing high mileage and I’ve a bad back. Did my sums and buying an electric car at 0% finance added up to be at least same cost of ownership over three years as a 4 year old diesel. Needed to change the 15 year old car anyway.

    Once it makes financial and medical sense, that is a totally different scenario.


  • #58
    Flinty997
    Registered Users Posts: 11,401 ✭✭✭✭Flinty997


    Easten wrote: »
    No that's not what I mean, it's the ones with the poor mouth all the time even though they are just after getting a 5k bonus and on 80k a year.

    The reason some people even millionaires live month to month. Because they do not know how to manage money. Like every thing else in life not everyone is naturally good with money. Even in they make a lot of it.


  • #59
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 13,795 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    PhilOssophy wrote: »
    I would never ever borrow to buy a car, I'd rather drive around in an 85 Fiat Ritmo than be at the behest of a bank or credit union for a car.

    Problem with that here in Ireland is the insurance companies pricing you out of owning older cars because they become crazy expensive to insure the older they get, until they're classic at which stage your mileage is limited due to classic status.

    I've found over the last 10 years, that once your car is hitting about 15 years old, insurance goes up. I had to get rid of an excellent 2000 S40 because the insurance, if I could get a quote, was over double what I would be paying in a younger car. There's a middle ground between brand new and 15ish years old that is the sweet spot, but it's forever moving.


  • #60
    Geuze
    Registered Users Posts: 13,031 ✭✭✭✭Geuze


    fryup wrote: »
    1k per week? ya those in top end jobs....you're average job out there wouldn't pay anything near that


    Mean annual earnings are 49k.

    https://www.cso.ie/en/releasesandpublications/er/elca/earningsandlabourcostsannualdata2019/


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  • #61
    Potential-Monke
    Registered Users Posts: 13,795 ✭✭✭✭Potential-Monke


    I don't like averages, because the people earning far much more than the regular Joe conflate them. I'd rather see how many people are on each.

    The mean has one main disadvantage: it is particularly susceptible to the influence of outliers. These are values that are unusual compared to the rest of the data set by being especially small or large in numerical value. For example, consider the wages of staff at a factory below:


    Staff 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
    Salary 15k 18k 16k 14k 15k 15k 12k 17k 90k 95k

    The mean salary for these ten staff is $30.7k. However, inspecting the raw data suggests that this mean value might not be the best way to accurately reflect the typical salary of a worker, as most workers have salaries in the $12k to 18k range. The mean is being skewed by the two large salaries. Therefore, in this situation, we would like to have a better measure of central tendency. As we will find out later, taking the median would be a better measure of central tendency in this situation.

    "According to the CSO, in terms of income, the median of annual earnings in 2018 was €36,095. The public sector had total median annual earnings of €47,116 while the private sector median was €31,684. This data includes both full-time and part-time workers (the Taoiseach’s claim related to full-time workers only)." Link


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