Have you ever been dead broke? (1 Viewer)

Did you ever
a. open your fridge just to see the white interior and nothing else?
b. own a purse with not more than 20 cent in it at the same time?
c. realize that there is nobody who could help you in this situation?

Perhaps some people would consider this condition as the end of their life.
I think for Hank this would just have been a warm up training :)

I've been in this situation several times. I woke up in the (late) morning (sometimes with a slight hangover) and realized that there is really nothing left. If you drink like a man you will usually have enough empties to get some food ;)
I sold some cd's or e.g. my record player to get some money. Didn't Hank sell his typewriter several times to get a bottle?
I think, it's more stylish to starve & struggle as a poet than to starve as a nobody :)
 
Yes. I got ripped off when I had a trade certificate, that is pretty common.
The cockroach tricked me by offering a bigger job for a month and I was happy because I could work many hours and let a few closer people take part in that.
In the end, we worked our asses off and didn't get paid. A couple of thousand Euros minus for everybody. Empty fridges, unpaid rents, bills for electricity etc. and a majestic wrath.

I tracked down this very special "businessman" who thought he was smarter than the rest and in a mafia-like showdown organized our money and charged interest for the trouble he put me in.

The details of the whole story are the worst stuff I have experienced concerning money (my money, cockroach!!!)... ah shit I'll eliminate the memories and press the reset button on the tip of my nose.
 
Bukowski reached a point in his life where he did everything to avoid going back to being broke. But he did draw off of those difficult experiences and times of little or nothing.
 
Not yet, no. But every time I pay rent now, I end up with about $20 until the next paycheck. I always hope nothing major happens for that 4-7 day period.
 
I concur star. It seems everyday, I'm closer to being dead broke. Or at least it seems I always find myself in the negative between paychecks. thank the heavens for that line of credit attached to my checking account.
 
^ Ditto. One finds very interesting and amusing things to do when they're poor. For instance, I've never had more fun people watching in my life than the times like this when I was dirt broke... I enjoy having to walk almost everywhere, especially in this nice weather we're finally having up here in NY (officially a heat wave today :D), especially down to these little dives and stuff where you get to know people. Small town living makes good on close friendships.
 
they turned off my phone & cell phone tonight. but they are obviously gracious enough not to turn off the internet. thanks. i stay calm like he would do.

p.s.: i still have my prepaid sim card for incoming calls :)
 
Ouch! I know that. Just take care it's not a downward spiral. Keep the roof over your head. 3 months of being homeless made me never lose a flat again.
 
Falling asleep on a hospital bench after being up all night with my Gram made me never want to be homeless. I have to say though, my actions haven't really tried to save me from that fate. My heart goes out to you, PT.
 
Nothing wrong with living under the stars. Nothing wrong with living from mason jar to mason jar. No reason to worry about the way you'll die.

I was born into a poor family and for the last 32 years have made it by paycheck 2 paycheck thru either my dad when i was young, or through the dead end whore i call a job.

dead broke? Nah. Just broke. But always have a case of spirit in the fridge to manipulate me into thinking that all this nothing is worth the action of sucking in this polluted air we breath.

Cheers.
 
Omgz you're just like Bukowski!!!!!1111

And,

newguy said:
Nothing wrong with living under the stars. Nothing wrong with living from mason jar to mason jar. No reason to worry about the way you'll die.

Uh, yeah. There is. Have you ever been in such a situation?
 
Omgz you're just like Bukowski!!!!!1111
And,
Uh, yeah. There is. Have you ever been in such a situation?
How am i new? because i don't post a thousand times a day?

Maybe my beliefs aren't the same as you, Lolita.

And who said i was like Bukowski. Get a grip.

I mean, what is the common ground here? We're all fans of Bukowski.
Sorry if i drink and find that to be my salvation.

But you have more posts then me, so Lolita, I apologize for sharing ... i know "new" people aren't really welcomed here.

And to answer your question: No, i don't worry about how I'll die. I know how it'll end.
 
"New" as in I didn't see your name before today. That's a little new to me. And I have issues with excepting change because of a misspent childhood. It doesn't bother me that our beliefs differ from one another. It bothers me that they are said out of what seems to be such ignorance of the situation. And drinking doesn't bother me, I'm a recovering alcoholic, I love alcohol. (Somehow those two sentences don't go together...don't tell my counselor). I said, in sarcasm, you were like Bukowski. This isn't high school, don't try so hard. But you've got some sort of balls, so that's good.
 
i was hardly trying. infact, i wasn't trying at all. and you came after me for that. because you thought i was trying.

i was just participating. thinking this was a forum of free thought.

perhaps i'm the one in the wrong.
 
Thank you, Lolita. Three months may not be a long time, but they stretched into a small eternity for me personally. On the other hand, I learned to take nothing for granted and give everyday things the value they deserve, most of all the feeling of being at home and not in the middle of nowhere.
 
Ouch! I know that. Just take care it's not a downward spiral. Keep the roof over your head. 3 months of being homeless made me never lose a flat again.

This year I wasn't able to find a new apartment fast enough and had to spend two weeks in a hotel, which cost me my last money. They had a beer vending machine in the hall. You had to drink other stuff before, if you wanted to use it, because they only sold the crappy warsteiner beer. There was also a very small balcony, where I could place some bottles of beer to keep them cool. I arrived there with two suitcases. One contained my old PC, the other one the TFT-Display.
At first I stood in another hotel for one night, but there were some craftsman who really made a fuss from 7 a.m. on. I talked to the hotel manager, an old fat women with a very low voice.
I asked for a price cut, because it was to loud. She denied it in a very decisive way, which made me a bit angry. I told this bordello queen that I would take a look at the catering trade law and then come back to her with my request. This made her nervous. "Look, I want no trouble.", she said but still refused a price cut. She told me how expensive it would be to renovate the hotel rooms. So I left the 'Three Crowns' and went over to the 'Royal'. I paid for breakfast but never took it. Breakfast time was always nearly over, when I woke up.
Recently I canceled the rent contract for this flat. Six weeks time left to find a new apartment. My neighbour here is a small drug dealer, which means noise and crowds of people day and night.

hotel.jpg
 
Thank you, Lolita. Three months may not be a long time, but they stretched into a small eternity for me personally. On the other hand, I learned to take nothing for granted and give everyday things the value they deserve, most of all the feeling of being at home and not in the middle of nowhere.

You're very welcome, Post. (Do you have a name or should I just keep calling you PT? Haha ;))
 
I've sunk to pretty low levels of poverty before. Your original post: for sure. I like to think that Bukowski was a hustler. And I was a hustler too. When things were that bad, I just did whatever I needed to do. The luxury of heavy drinking and drugs were just above that level (temporary roof/some money for food). Street day was not a drinking day, it was probably a horse racing day for him. For me it was ... well, I won't get into that. But you do what you need to. Sleeping outside is no fun.
 
Recently I canceled the rent contract for this flat. Six weeks time left to find a new apartment. My neighbour here is a small drug dealer, which means noise and crowds of people day and night.
Hope you'll quickly found what you're looking for !

Post Toxic, by homeless, do you mean sleeping outside or staying in hotels/squats/friends' homes ?
 
Post Toxic took too many narcotics and has passed away.

No, I didn't stay at hotels. How should I've afforded paying a hotel room?
By dead broke I mean dead broke.
Before, I had checked out an old church with a smashed window when I knew the unavoidable end was coming. For some reason, cash registers were stored in there and I slept under the long assembly belts. The window was barricaded officially one day, so I had to look for another place.

That place was everywhere outside most of the time, sleeping at friends' homes was maddening.
 
And no help from family ? Or maybe they didn't know you were dead broke.

Gosh ! Some here have gone/are going through really trying times ! You dudes must be so tough and resourceful after having experienced/experiencing all that !

A few years ago, I often planned to spend the whole night outside to worry my parents after we had arguments. I never did it because I was a faggot. Now, I just realize how silly I was to think to such a thing.
 
I believe I've said enough on the topic... won't be more digging in the past.
The time is now.

and I want a jaunt in green with a big picnic basket
 
yes, I have been flat broke, with a baby.
I pushed a Safeway basket with my baby and delivered unwanted advertisement papers for a few weeks to make a few dollars so I coud buy a few onions , carrots and a handful of beans. You do what you have to do.
 
well shit i don't know why i just read through this entire post being i'm about to be there (again) any day now and i hate thinking about the struggle! I've got too much pride to stay at my aunt's and I've worn my welcome out at friend's places a while ago (and yes it is maddening! especially when they lock you out in the pouring rain). My next option once I get the boot from the parents house (again) is the homeless shelter and then some sort of Military job. The homeless shelter is murder, they'll practically kill you for a dollar there. There's always the option of Friend's Hospital if you tell them you're about to commit suicide but then that's where the pride comes back into play again. it's getting cold and I refuse to spend another night in a flea infested abandoned car...
 

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