Ask a poor person

[onlinebiker]

What's the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

Is that a European or African swallow?

[BrokenQuill92]

I think BQ is Ethiopian poor! She is also starving to death... How much weight you lost now luv?

85lbs

---

There's poor and there's poor.

Here in Oz a person is considered poor if the can't afford a car, mobile phone or a flat TV.

I've been that poor. That was in 1966, working in another state , so fully self supporting. Was having too much fun to be aware I was poor. Did a lot of walking and hitch hiking because I didn't have bus fare

I've seen absolute poverty, in Malaysia and the Philippines. People still starve to death.

What kid of poor are You ?

I’m edge of homelessness poor. I’m not allowed to work or I’ll lose my healthcare. And I’m often too sick to work anyway

---

If you're poor how can you get on the internet? o.o

Ebt has a program that lets you have internet for 10$ a month.

---

I hope you're able to get your basic necessities, met, BQ. How bad off are you financially? I remember we used to have a homeless guy posting here from a library compter on the regular, hope it's not THAT bad.

The poorest I've been was as a teenager when my step-dad was sharecropping. Seven of us in a 30' trailer, using an outhouse, and it was months before we had electricity. Bear in mind I'm 60 so that wasn't so unusual in the 1970s. I've managed to climb to lower middle class, have all the necessities but can't afford all the repairs my home needs.

I’m on social security. I live on less than 9,000 a year. 800$ a month. I live in subsidized building. And no I don’t get basic needs met unless my family or boyfriend helps so unfortunately I’m heavily reliant on them. Which is fair absolutely no one.

---

Can I borrow $10,000?

Sure I have the monopoly game right here

[vulcanlogician]

What's the airspeed velocity of an unladen swallow?

Is that a European or African swallow?

Well, African swallows are non-migratory.

[BrokenQuill92]

Is that a European or African swallow?

Well, African swallows are non-migratory.

What on earth are people gabbling about

[vulcanlogician]

[Mister Agenda]

Pensions have pretty much gone away. I have one accumulating plus a 401K, but I'm grandfathered in, all people starting at my company get these days is a 401K. I'm planning on retireing in the summer of 2024 but I wouldn't be able to without that pension.

[BrokenQuill92]

Pensions have pretty much gone away. I have one accumulating plus a 401K, but I'm grandfathered in, all people starting at my company get these days is a 401K. I'm planning on retireing in the summer of 2024 but I wouldn't be able to without that pension.

Yeah Millennials and Z-ers are fucked

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Pensions have pretty much gone away. I have one accumulating plus a 401K, but I'm grandfathered in, all people starting at my company get these days is a 401K. I'm planning on retireing in the summer of 2024 but I wouldn't be able to without that pension.

 Jaysus, I'm so glad I'm not old, in poor health and living in America.

I contributed 10% of my salary for the last ten years of my Civil service employment. That meant I was able to 'take a package' of voluntary redundancy at age 51. This consisted of 48 week's salary plus long service leave entitlements of about 3 months.  Plus superannuation. I converted 50% of the super to a fully indexed, mostly tax free pension. 50% rolled over as a lump sum into investments I could not access until age 55.. 

At 65 I became eligible for a part age pension. That comes with a range of concessions, which includes medicines, and  most services including electricity, water etc, land tax, dog registration. Australia has universal health care. I have private health insurance. That means I don't have to go on a long waiting list for non life threatening treatment such as say a knee replacement or having cataracts repaired.

As I become more frail I will qualify for another level of concessions. Safety equipment, help with housework and gardening, even shopping. Our government tries to keep elderly people in their own homes as long as possible; it's cheaper. All aged care facilities receive a federal payment for each bed.

Today I'm 74 and have been living alone for many years. My house and car are  freehold and  do not use credit. I no longer drink or smoke. I have never gambled nor gone out with dancing girls.

So, I have everything I need and most things I want. I call my lifestyle minimalist and frugal but comfortable. My sis calls it spartan.

[Fireball]

Nothing wrong with "Spartan". I lived in a garage that was converted into an apartment before I got married. Didn't even have a TV. Had all I wanted at the time, going to uni and working. Then I met my wife. We have so much crap now that it is ridiculous.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Nothing wrong with "Spartan". I lived in a garage that was converted into an apartment before I got married. Didn't even have a TV. Had all I wanted at the time, going to uni and working. Then I met my wife. We have so much crap now that it is ridiculous.

 Being honest, I recently noticed that my house is becoming less Spartan and more hoarder. Manage to throw out clothes I haven't worn for two years ,occasionally.  Not my tie collection. Some of them belonged to my dad in the 1930's. My favourite is the really wide one with an oil painting of a parrot on it. 

 Today I only wear a tie at funerals and it's usually one which came with a shirt.