Reply #238: Being broke (Bernard Madoff stole our money) means relying on HEEP [View All]

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In_The_Wind

(1000+ posts)

Tue Mar-31-09 07:48 AM
Response to Original message

238. Being broke (Bernard Madoff stole our money) means relying on HEEP

to stay warm. Going to a federally funded Extra Helpings food bank to stretch my food dollars. Cutting back on medications that have improved the quality of my life. Selling the car that uses the most gas and cost the highest insurance premium. Hoping that our mortgage forbearance will not run out before we can turn our finances around.

Oh ~ leave a message if you want to talk to me, I'm not answering the phone until the bill collectors stop calling every 15 minutes

starting at 8 AM every blessed morning. They don't wake me since I've been up since 3:00 worrying about where we'll go if we lose the house. :scared:

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Being Broke	WilliamPitt	Mar-25-09 04:56 PM	#0
And being broke is being invisible on M$Greedia	malaise	Mar-25-09 05:01 PM	#1
Wow. This brought tears to my eyes, and I can't quite figure out why.	AzDar	Mar-25-09 05:06 PM	#2
Coinstar charge 7-8% don't they? I only use the one at my Credit Union where	SharonAnn	Mar-25-09 05:12 PM	#4
8.9 cents on the dollar	WilliamPitt	Mar-25-09 05:12 PM	#7
Jaysis!	Warpy	Mar-25-09 05:16 PM	#10
See post 34	mitchum	Mar-25-09 05:54 PM	#36
it's not that bad when you use it for pennies/nickels	Blue_Tires	Mar-26-09 08:35 AM	#144
I've been there	oldtime dfl_er	Mar-26-09 10:46 AM	#165
The head...you has hit the nail upon it.	badgerpup	Mar-26-09 12:59 PM	#187
Deleted message	Name removed	Mar-26-09 08:48 PM	#218
Being Broke is not using coinstar because of the 9% charged.	uppityperson	Mar-25-09 05:40 PM	#26
see post 34	mitchum	Mar-25-09 05:55 PM	#38
I'm not broke - and I still roll my own.	Ms. Toad	Mar-25-09 06:38 PM	#55
me too	Historic NY	Mar-25-09 11:25 PM	#110
I am with you--that percentage is usurious.	MADem	Mar-26-09 02:11 AM	#128
I'm not really interested in getting a bunch more shows	Ms. Toad	Mar-26-09 08:14 AM	#140
Have you gotten a digital box (or a digital TV) and antennae?	MADem	Mar-27-09 05:00 AM	#220
...Sigh...	Ms. Toad	Mar-27-09 08:05 PM	#228
You need to call the stations you're getting now--really.	MADem	Mar-27-09 11:57 PM	#229
Already have.	Ms. Toad	Mar-28-09 09:43 AM	#234
Yep. I'm there now. nt	Lorien	Mar-26-09 12:18 AM	#118
I don't consider	SheilaT	Mar-26-09 10:21 AM	#160
Hey everybody,	shimmergal	Mar-26-09 06:26 PM	#216
Tolerable?	The Stranger	Mar-26-09 11:35 AM	#170
Call that the supermarket poor tax on food. The payday loan places charge 390% APR	leveymg	Mar-26-09 01:39 PM	#193
it's tough when it seems no one will take rolled coin anymore. but i think	ejpoeta	Mar-25-09 06:09 PM	#46
The bank will take it	Warpy	Mar-26-09 12:23 PM	#180
My bank doesn't charge me anthing for "roll my own." Took in $500.00	KoKo	Mar-25-09 07:54 PM	#75
WaMu charged me for accepting wrapped coin rolls	ellisD	Mar-28-09 06:44 AM	#231
Some coinstars are "free"	Statistical	Mar-25-09 08:02 PM	#77
Same here. The credit union one is free.	knitter4democracy	Mar-26-09 10:26 AM	#161
Use it at the supermarket	DirtyJersey	Mar-26-09 11:23 AM	#168
Goosebumps...	greblc	Mar-25-09 05:09 PM	#3
A couple years, we're all going to find out	DemReadingDU	Mar-25-09 05:12 PM	#5
Back to the top you go. n/t	WeDidIt	Mar-25-09 05:12 PM	#6
dear Will Pitt	grasswire	Mar-25-09 05:13 PM	#8
For the sake of full disclosure...	WilliamPitt	Mar-25-09 05:17 PM	#12
hell, I was about to send you a can of chef boyardee	grasswire	Mar-25-09 05:19 PM	#15
Saved me from a mugging once	WilliamPitt	Mar-25-09 05:22 PM	#18
I know	grasswire	Mar-25-09 06:10 PM	#48
Thanks for the thought	WilliamPitt	Mar-25-09 06:10 PM	#49
Being broke also means	Warpy	Mar-25-09 05:14 PM	#9
A friend who read an early draft of this	WilliamPitt	Mar-25-09 05:21 PM	#17
the French know how to do it	Schema Thing	Mar-25-09 09:47 PM	#91
Hi Will, great writing, as usual.	juajen	Mar-25-09 10:06 PM	#94
Thank you for that comment.	dixiegrrrrl	Mar-26-09 11:31 AM	#169
The screwed over public should be LIVID not ashamed	Carni	Mar-26-09 12:44 PM	#184
True--banks tend not to be interested in services for people without accounts	eridani	Mar-26-09 02:22 PM	#197
I kept a $10 savings account	Warpy	Mar-27-09 09:52 AM	#223
Mostly not. They ding you with service charges until the account gets closed n/t	eridani	Mar-27-09 03:01 PM	#226
When I'm "down and out"	PatSeg	Mar-26-09 04:05 PM	#202
I actually DO cut my own hair nowadays ...	LSparkle	Mar-25-09 05:32 PM	#23
My God, I really AM NOT alone ... the thing about getting mail in the dark	LSparkle	Mar-25-09 05:36 PM	#25
That's why I wrote it	Warpy	Mar-25-09 11:14 PM	#108
No, but we'll pee test you when you try to get help anyway.	TygrBright	Mar-26-09 09:41 AM	#157
No adequate words....	OneGrassRoot	Mar-25-09 11:46 PM	#113
Very familiar and everyone I know is	Autumn	Mar-25-09 05:16 PM	#11
" Only 911 calls can be made from this phone "	C......N......C	Mar-25-09 05:17 PM	#13
Yep. We are not alone. n/t	mountainvue	Mar-25-09 09:07 PM	#85
Wow	Spacemom	Mar-25-09 05:18 PM	#14
You may not be the only one experiencing it BUT	Coyote_Bandit	Mar-25-09 05:19 PM	#16
I really do not understand this.	C......N......C	Mar-25-09 05:26 PM	#19
Really?	WilliamPitt	Mar-25-09 05:46 PM	#29
Being broke can also reveal some amazing things about people and yourself.	Rashel	Mar-26-09 12:39 AM	#121
Millions of people can experience the very same thing	Coyote_Bandit	Mar-25-09 06:01 PM	#41
Lucky you then.	SammyWinstonJack	Mar-25-09 06:01 PM	#42
Why does everybody jump to judgmental so fast? I misread it to mean	C......N......C	Mar-25-09 07:56 PM	#76
I disagree.	chrisa	Mar-25-09 06:39 PM	#56
Ummmm......	Coyote_Bandit	Mar-25-09 08:13 PM	#78
Thanks for the clarification, I thought you were demeaning the poor. That	C......N......C	Mar-25-09 08:16 PM	#79
:-)	Coyote_Bandit	Mar-25-09 09:52 PM	#93
Sorry, I meant to insert my post here....	OneGrassRoot	Mar-25-09 11:48 PM	#114
I take no pleasure	Coyote_Bandit	Mar-26-09 12:19 AM	#119
True words indeed, Coyote. Gratitude becomes a big part of life...	OneGrassRoot	Mar-26-09 06:23 AM	#138
kr	Norrin Radd	Mar-25-09 05:26 PM	#20
Almost made me cry ... So much of it is familiar to me ...	LSparkle	Mar-25-09 05:28 PM	#21
We still sit at the dining table (the kitchen is 8 x 8 --no table) and wrap the coins.	mnhtnbb	Mar-25-09 05:31 PM	#22
OMG... a walk back in time... rolling coins.	Liberal_in_LA	Mar-25-09 06:36 PM	#52
Wow.	truebrit71	Mar-25-09 05:36 PM	#24
All that loose change	Zoonart	Mar-25-09 05:40 PM	#27
Welcome to DU	WilliamPitt	Mar-25-09 06:06 PM	#44
Love hanging out laundry	xxqqqzme	Mar-26-09 06:00 PM	#215
thank you	dembotoz	Mar-25-09 05:45 PM	#28
I am witnessing family members go under.	Lars39	Mar-25-09 05:47 PM	#30
Excellent. And also true. K&R n/t	TBF	Mar-25-09 05:49 PM	#31
"Poverty	H2O Man	Mar-25-09 05:50 PM	#32
Hey! I've used coinstar before. Do you have to be broke to use it? Good way to get rid of	Liberal_in_LA	Mar-25-09 05:52 PM	#33
I prefer to roll my own change and save the 9% fee.	MercutioATC	Mar-25-09 06:30 PM	#50
I use mine in the self-checkout machine	Lilith Velkor	Mar-25-09 08:41 PM	#81
I take it you're not doing the weekly shopping for a family of four?	MercutioATC	Mar-25-09 10:34 PM	#98
I don't accumulate it in huge jars like a lot of folks do	Lilith Velkor	Mar-25-09 10:52 PM	#104
I'm guilty of that.	MercutioATC	Mar-25-09 10:57 PM	#106
Not exactly wasteful but	peace frog	Mar-26-09 05:56 AM	#137
Coinstar charges a ton. Chase doesn't charge and doesn't require rolled coins.	grace0418	Mar-26-09 11:38 AM	#171
Coinstar is one of the major lobbyists preventing the US Mint from ditching...	mitchum	Mar-25-09 05:52 PM	#34
interesting tidbit of information. DU is like that sometimes.	KittyWampus	Mar-25-09 06:55 PM	#60
I found that out in, I think, an issue of The Smithsonian a few months ago...	mitchum	Mar-25-09 07:01 PM	#62
I disagree - we should not only keep the penny...	derby378	Mar-26-09 12:29 PM	#181
I've found a number of occasions when I've been grateful for those pennies...	GoddessOfGuinness	Mar-26-09 03:22 PM	#199
And then it will cost even MORE to manufacture...	mitchum	Mar-26-09 04:16 PM	#203
We have adults back in charge on Capitol Hill - they can do something about this	derby378	Mar-27-09 09:27 AM	#222
That may be so, but	shimmergal	Mar-26-09 06:40 PM	#217
Yep.	redqueen	Mar-25-09 05:52 PM	#35
Add 'being in a wheelchair' & you've written my biography	Philosoraptor	Mar-25-09 05:55 PM	#37
They key is knowing HOW to be poor.	Speck Tater	Mar-25-09 05:57 PM	#39
It IS 'freedom' in the truest sense of the word. I agree.	Fire1	Mar-25-09 06:58 PM	#61
i think you've got something there	barbtries	Mar-25-09 07:48 PM	#71
That's kind of where we are at . . .	DollyM	Mar-25-09 09:15 PM	#86
excellent post and article	tabbycat31	Mar-25-09 05:57 PM	#40
I refuse to pay 8-10% to Coinstar.	Duer 157099	Mar-25-09 06:04 PM	#43
me too...used to be the bank would sort your money,I remember the cool machine.	BlancheSplanchnik	Mar-25-09 10:28 PM	#96
Chase still does. At least in Chicago. I've gone to two different branches to do	grace0418	Mar-26-09 11:39 AM	#172
Oh thanks for that info	BlancheSplanchnik	Mar-27-09 10:00 AM	#224
I look at Coinstar's 10% cut as a extravagance	Patiod	Mar-26-09 08:58 AM	#149
This reminds me of the essay written by John Scalzi after Katrina	Fireweed247	Mar-25-09 06:09 PM	#45
that was .... very insightful	BelgianMadCow	Mar-25-09 10:44 PM	#102
I was going to post that as well	PVnRT	Mar-26-09 08:25 AM	#142
Being broke	peacefreak	Mar-25-09 06:09 PM	#47
this is my friend's story	marions ghost	Mar-26-09 01:18 PM	#188
Being broke leads to one thing...	Horse with no Name	Mar-25-09 06:35 PM	#51
Great Piece	pmorlan1	Mar-25-09 06:37 PM	#53
A plastic 96 Fluid Ounce Welch's Grape Juice bottle holds about $400 in assorted silver	NNN0LHI	Mar-25-09 06:38 PM	#54
k&r	closeupready	Mar-25-09 06:40 PM	#57
Great post and so true. I might add, being poor is: Being alone	yy4me	Mar-25-09 06:46 PM	#58
I am so sorry for your losses, yy4me. Aging is something none of us can	mnhtnbb	Mar-25-09 07:20 PM	#66
I am sorry.	GoCubsGo	Mar-27-09 09:00 AM	#221
good work	Two Americas	Mar-25-09 06:52 PM	#59
My son in law's grandmother is 86	Fumesucker	Mar-25-09 07:02 PM	#63
Just about every time I try to use Coinstar, these days,	Brucie Kibbutz	Mar-25-09 07:02 PM	#64
Being Broke Also Means	pmorlan1	Mar-25-09 07:13 PM	#65
I've been rolling my own for about a week	TheKentuckian	Mar-25-09 09:44 PM	#90
Rolling Your Own	pmorlan1	Mar-25-09 09:51 PM	#92
I RYO myself. Do you know that big Fed taxes will start on RYO tobacco on April 1st this year?	smalll	Mar-25-09 11:09 PM	#107
..learning how do it without folding the toilet paper.	stlsaxman	Mar-26-09 05:49 AM	#136
I understand	Warpy	Mar-26-09 01:47 PM	#195
Have you read Ruby Payne?	proud2BlibKansan	Mar-25-09 07:22 PM	#67
It's worse if you're a teenager or a child.	Jkid	Mar-25-09 07:24 PM	#68
And if the child has ADHD, how to pay for meds?	Wednesdays	Mar-25-09 11:32 PM	#111
But Chuck Todd wonders if we're sacrificing enough!	bluethruandthru	Mar-25-09 07:29 PM	#69
I just used one last week.	Justpat	Mar-25-09 07:35 PM	#70
Honesty like this cuts me to the bone	FirstLight	Mar-25-09 07:51 PM	#72
Being broke (or poor)	madamesilverspurs	Mar-25-09 07:52 PM	#73
years ago I had to apply for food stamps	NEOhiodemocrat	Mar-26-09 09:08 AM	#151
You nailed it.	Gemini Cat	Mar-26-09 02:07 PM	#196
I had a hellish relationship with my parents, the last ten years of their lives.	Manifestor_of_Light	Mar-25-09 07:54 PM	#74
Thank you for this post.	Q3JR4	Mar-25-09 08:21 PM	#80
Thank you William Pitt you covered it all.	mackerel	Mar-25-09 08:53 PM	#82
Yup.	madamesilverspurs	Mar-25-09 10:46 PM	#103
selling plasma for grocery money	Brucie Kibbutz	Mar-26-09 12:02 AM	#116
Excellent piece of writing ...	NanceGreggs	Mar-25-09 08:56 PM	#83
Great post	Luciferous	Mar-25-09 09:04 PM	#84
Being broke does leave you feeling broken down and beaten.	Lone_Star_Dem	Mar-25-09 09:17 PM	#87
Ah Will, still the master at keeping it real. nt just applause	Tigress DEM	Mar-25-09 09:18 PM	#88
Electricity shutoff two days ago	Urban Prairie	Mar-25-09 09:37 PM	#89
Do you have the ability to buy/borrow a small generator?	MercutioATC	Mar-25-09 10:37 PM	#99
Actually it isn't too cold here, in the 50s during the day now	Urban Prairie	Mar-25-09 11:32 PM	#112
These stories need to be told	upi402	Mar-26-09 01:18 AM	#126
Loved that Obama referred to "Reagan's Homeless" last night in his speech . . .!!!	defendandprotect	Mar-25-09 10:17 PM	#95
Ever thought about running for office?	Brucie Kibbutz	Mar-26-09 12:14 AM	#117
Yes --	defendandprotect	Mar-26-09 12:34 AM	#120
thanks for the info	Brucie Kibbutz	Mar-26-09 01:04 AM	#125
Excellent PS. nt	raccoon	Mar-26-09 08:55 AM	#148
Actually, Welfare Rights Organizations used to exist	dixiegrrrrl	Mar-26-09 12:41 PM	#183
Obama should be careful about that	nichomachus	Mar-26-09 08:49 AM	#146
President Obama mentioned Reagan and homelessness?	Catherine Vincent	Mar-26-09 05:35 PM	#213
lump in my throat...	BlancheSplanchnik	Mar-25-09 10:33 PM	#97
TD Bank is open 7 days a week and they	Lucky Luciano	Mar-25-09 10:39 PM	#100
My mom was born in 1928	libodem	Mar-25-09 10:43 PM	#101
I had to sell all my albums (the old 12" LP records) and heirlooms once	Rosa Luxemburg	Mar-25-09 10:57 PM	#105
Its not bad ideas to blame...it's the ones that KNEW	winyanstaz	Mar-25-09 11:22 PM	#109
did you notice	nvme	Mar-25-09 11:49 PM	#115
I've been in the habit of saving spare change since the '80s.	pacalo	Mar-26-09 12:50 AM	#122
Being Broke Means ...can't make the car payment	Oldtimeralso	Mar-26-09 12:53 AM	#123
It also means your teeth hurt... nt	Bonobo	Mar-26-09 12:56 AM	#124
Being broke is	Withywindle	Mar-26-09 02:04 AM	#127
Thanks for the reminder. not.	mb7588a	Mar-26-09 02:30 AM	#129
becoming broke = becoming invisible	leftofthedial	Mar-26-09 02:53 AM	#130
Another one into the upper deck, Mr. Pitt.	BobTheSubgenius	Mar-26-09 03:43 AM	#131
Thank you, Will	SeattleGirl	Mar-26-09 04:05 AM	#132
Insightful. n/t	Laelth	Mar-26-09 01:22 PM	#190
Been broke, broke again...	griz2008	Mar-26-09 04:57 AM	#133
No offense, but	Amelie	Mar-26-09 05:21 AM	#134
So tell us Amelie.	fasttense	Mar-26-09 07:59 AM	#139
Thank god, I don't know directly	Amelie	Mar-26-09 09:27 AM	#154
Being poor is having someone pass judgement on you	dixiegrrrrl	Mar-26-09 12:49 PM	#186
Gotta love it.	WilliamPitt	Mar-26-09 01:31 PM	#192
Pockets stopped jinglin?	Amelie	Mar-26-09 05:14 PM	#211
Reminds me of an obscure old movie from the '60's	PatSeg	Mar-26-09 04:51 PM	#208
Four Yorkshiremen	Amelie	Mar-26-09 05:07 PM	#
That's hysterical!	PatSeg	Mar-26-09 05:23 PM	#212
Oh good grief	Amelie	Mar-26-09 05:03 PM	#209
As someone who has never been poor,	Ms. Toad	Mar-26-09 08:18 AM	#141
Being broke is discovering	FloridaJudy	Mar-26-09 05:31 AM	#135
My Grandmother who lived during the Great Depression...	bethdoc	Mar-26-09 08:33 AM	#143
That's how my grandma got her kids through, too.	susanna	Mar-26-09 11:45 AM	#173
The teenager keeps cleaning out the home bank account....	LeftHander	Mar-26-09 08:40 AM	#145
The eighties were like this for me	iwillalwayswonderwhy	Mar-26-09 08:52 AM	#147
Outstanding	TomClash	Mar-26-09 09:07 AM	#150
I used to be broke	shagsak	Mar-26-09 09:21 AM	#152
My new bank offers a coin counter with no service charge	DS1	Mar-26-09 09:27 AM	#153
My bank gives away high quality different flavored coffees and hot chocolate now	NNN0LHI	Mar-26-09 09:36 AM	#156
Yes	DS1	Mar-26-09 09:52 AM	#158
Being broke means never using coin star	mdmc	Mar-26-09 09:33 AM	#155
LOL- I have been going back and forth about using Coinstar...(I have a checking account	shesaidshesaid	Mar-26-09 12:09 PM	#178
I remember what it was like to be broke in the 70s	pipi_k	Mar-26-09 10:15 AM	#159
Good piece, Will. Our salvation has been learning how to barter.	Liberty Belle	Mar-26-09 10:31 AM	#162
Yes it's time to get creative	marions ghost	Mar-26-09 01:47 PM	#194
Being broke means giving your 2 young sons to your employed ex-husband	dixiegrrrrl	Mar-26-09 10:37 AM	#163
Well done, Will. n/t	Cetacea	Mar-26-09 10:37 AM	#164
When my husband and I were younger and newly married, we went	TwilightGardener	Mar-26-09 11:02 AM	#166
Thank you for this Will	Time for change	Mar-26-09 11:14 AM	#167
Thank you	RoseMead	Mar-26-09 11:47 AM	#174
Excellent post, Will. Thanks so much for sharing it. n/t	susanna	Mar-26-09 11:48 AM	#175
Coinstar Rocks.	sarcasmo	Mar-26-09 12:07 PM	#176
coinstar is a ripoff	iamthebandfanman	Mar-26-09 12:07 PM	#177
See post 34	mitchum	Mar-26-09 04:18 PM	#204
Being broke quickly breaks the spirit..........	Klukie	Mar-26-09 12:21 PM	#179
I am right in line with you - Had to go to coin machine 3 times now in 6 mos. & filed bankruptcy.	1776Forever	Mar-26-09 12:32 PM	#182
I used to know people who threw away change.	bikebloke	Mar-26-09 12:47 PM	#185
You should forward this to Chuck "Santelli" Todd.	Robeson	Mar-26-09 01:19 PM	#189
Being broke is being afraid to pass a little gas	Ticonderoga	Mar-26-09 01:23 PM	#191
Damn good article, Will	LiberalEsto	Mar-26-09 02:49 PM	#198
My sister is doing some work	marions ghost	Mar-26-09 03:23 PM	#200
These days, when I find a paycheck in the mail	GoddessOfGuinness	Mar-26-09 03:32 PM	#201
thought about you last week. I was in Connecticut at the shore	Laura PourMeADrink	Mar-26-09 04:22 PM	#205
Thanks for the essay... we are not alone	handmade34	Mar-26-09 04:35 PM	#206
What you can do to soften the blow. . . .	missingthebigdog	Mar-26-09 04:35 PM	#207
It can also lead to contempt for others...	Phentex	Mar-26-09 05:07 PM	#210
i always take my change to the bank, and i've never had to put it in sleeves, either...	dysfunctional press	Mar-26-09 05:48 PM	#214
So, in reality	Ticonderoga	Mar-27-09 11:00 AM	#225
if someone lost their job, why would they no longer have a bank account...?	dysfunctional press	Mar-27-09 05:00 PM	#227
Being broke also reminds you that your general election vote....	Aviation Pro	Mar-27-09 02:28 AM	#219
" Being broke means knowing where all the gas stations are..."	Ellipsis	Mar-28-09 02:30 AM	#230
uh . . . coinstar machines are in the FRONT of the store	datasuspect	Mar-28-09 07:07 AM	#232
Burning eyes here. Beautifully written Will.	lamp_shade	Mar-28-09 07:49 AM	#233
Being Broke	lgartzma	Mar-29-09 02:04 AM	#235
Depression	bonnieS	Mar-29-09 12:40 PM	#237
I've been poor. You know what sticks with me?	yewberry	Mar-29-09 02:37 AM	#236
Being broke (Bernard Madoff stole our money) means relying on HEEP	In_The_Wind	Mar-31-09 07:48 AM	#238

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