Post/Author/DateTime	Post
#1 Novacat Sep 01, 2011 21:17:55	So after paying rent for the month, I have $3.40 left over, which needs to last me for two weeks (my next payday). Anyone have any tips for how to live on an average of 24 cents a day?
#2 grehnhewe Sep 01, 2011 21:20:16	Ramen?
#3 WolfLordBran Sep 01, 2011 21:22:02	Find 14 friends/family members willing to feed you for that time? But in all seriousness, being stuck with only $3.40? That sucks epically.
#4 Ragnar_Lodbrok Sep 01, 2011 21:58:50	Eat what you can catch and stop by restauraunt dumpsters after they close. Or, more seriously, mooch off family and friends.
#5 EscherEnigma Sep 01, 2011 22:59:59	Pay day loan.
#6 bronski113 Sep 02, 2011 0:20:11	I third Ramen.  You could always try to bum niclkles and dimes off a large group of people.  I had a buddy who did this.  He realized that people are more willing to give up niclkles and dimes than quarters. I seriously just ask someone you know for $20 or $10 and then stock up on Ramen or any other cheap food you can buy a lot of.
#7 zombie_babies Sep 02, 2011 9:08:12	Yeah, look to friends and family.  I'd absolutely have to.  I need about $65 or so a week just for gas to get to work.  Damn, man.  Good luck.
#8 capitan_estaban Sep 02, 2011 9:17:58	How is your rent taking nearly half your pay? (-3.45$ less) Find cheaper living accomodations, or a better paying/another job.
#9 bone_naga Sep 02, 2011 9:28:49	Ramen is definitely a good way to go. I have often used it to stretch out a ridiculously thin budget. Also, churches or charity groups might have food that they will give out. The last church that I regularly attended kept a stock of various foods and would give it out to whoever was in need, even if they weren't part of the church or even believed in God at all. I do hope that you're already set on transportation, though, whether its a bus pass you already have or everything you need is within walking/biking distance. Payday loans might work, but if your budget is that strapped, it might do you more harm than good, unless this is a really unusual case and you plan to have significantly more money left over next payday.
#10 Cpt_Micha Sep 02, 2011 9:39:22	get 10 bucks from a friend and stock up on Ramen.
#11 Timmeh Sep 02, 2011 9:41:16	The last church that I regularly attended kept a stock of various foods and would give it out to whoever was in need, even if they weren't part of the church or even believed in God at all.
#12 pluisjen Sep 02, 2011 9:43:24	I'm not sure how or why you ended up in this situation but it's often a good idea to have a stash with some coin somewhere. Basically a place you never take money from unless you end up in a situation like this. I have a piggybank (from when I was born ^^) for that purpose and I basically fill it with pocket change and the occasional small bank note, but as long as you keep doing that and don't take anything from it except for emergencies, it'll usually contain 20$ or so; enough to get you through a hard week. Other then that; I'd say ask a friend is the way to go. Depending on how friendly they are they might not even care about getting the money back or just invite you over to eat at their place.
#13 zombie_babies Sep 02, 2011 9:49:44	Yeah, I'd stay away from the church thing cuz I believe they're really for people more needy than this.  It's why I'd try friends and family first - for a loan or a gift - and, if that failed, maybe go to a church.  If my rent was paid, it means I have a roof over my head.  That puts me way ahead of a lot of other folks and I'd rather see aid go to them.  But hey, if ya can't eat ya die and that makes you plenty needy.  Oh!  See if a neighbor (yours, a friend's, a family member's) needs some work done.  You know, painting, choppin' a tree down, yardwork - whatever.  Ya can usually earn a few bucks that way.  When this was a real concern for me, I was usually able to find someone willing to pay me $20 or $50 for some work.  I also had a pickup and people would throw me some cash to help them move stuff or pick things up.  But yeah, honest work is another way to get some quick cash - if it's available, of course.
#14 homicidal_squirrel Sep 02, 2011 10:54:03	Ask for money at an intersection. Take off one shoe and hide it so it seems like you are too poor to afford two shoes. Walk around with an exaggerated limp, or drag the foot that has a shoe. Dissabilities get sympathy from people in air conditioned cars. Get rid of your belt if you wear one. It shows that you are too poor to have your pants held up, and if they drop a bit, it makes your limp look that much worse. Don't comb your hair. In fact, don't do anything after you wake up. Just walk out the door like that. Get a large McDonalds or other fast food place cup. Put a few coins or pebbles in the cup and shake it around. People understand this to mean that you need money. Smile while you are shaking your cup, and make sure to make eye contact with people in cars. If they think you believe they didn't notice you, they will not give you money. Make sure they know you they saw you. Gult them into giving them money. I think it was the show manswers that had a piece on panhandling on street corners. Some guy said he could make between 75$ and 100-something per day.
#15 pluisjen Sep 02, 2011 11:59:30	I heard that too. As far as professions go, begging as a full time job will earn you a pretty decent salary. Better then what some minimum wage workers get.
#16 Mad_Jack Sep 02, 2011 15:15:40	Gult them into giving them money.    Yeah, you could gain even more sympathy by claiming you're a starving veteran of the Edition Wars...
#17 oxybe Sep 02, 2011 16:25:53	honestly when it comes to panhandling... make sure you look decent. seriously. if you look like a crazy hobo, most people will tend to walk away. if you actually look like someone's neighbour who's hit on hard times, they're more likely to give some spare change. just dress casual, have a cap/cup out and a sign that advertises "hitting hard times, could use spare cash".
#18 bone_naga Sep 02, 2011 18:51:49	Actually make a sign that reads "I've paid my rent. Now I can't eat".   That might get more attention than simply I need food, or I've run into finantial trouble. If I was driving down the road and saw that sign I'd give them the change from my ashtray. [I don't smoke, what else is that good for?] Yeah, that actually sounds like a good idea. It's something different from the norm that would catch my attention and makes you sound somewhat responsible, not someone that's just trying to feed a drug habit.
#19 homicidal_squirrel Sep 02, 2011 19:18:22	Around here I've seen a bunch of people who have signs that say their houses burnt down. There are also people with signs that say they lost their jobs and have two kids (usually about 10 years old). I saw a guy who looked like he was 60 with a sign and a picture of two kids.
#20 capitan_estaban Sep 02, 2011 20:17:42	You can always hold up a sign that says funeral, and has a picture of a child on it (babies work best). A plastic jar is the only other thing you need.
#21 homicidal_squirrel Sep 02, 2011 20:45:39	No, not in traffic. That would be best for house to house guilting. You have to dress as if you're in mourning. You can go house to house and explain you are collecting for the funeral of a child. It lets you corner the person who answers the door. You can take your time tellin them a very sad story. The best part, unlike a car where people can say they don't have cash, people in houses are less likely to stiff you. They can go into their house and find a few bucks, or at least a few coins. Also, you get to spend a little time inside an ir conditioned house if they invite you in. No one is going to invite you into their car.
#22 Novacat Sep 03, 2011 3:11:24	Find cheaper living accomodations, or a better paying/another job. No, really? See, here I was thinking that my **** job was just fine. Little did I realize that I can solve all my immediate problems by magically finding a better one.
#23 capitan_estaban Sep 03, 2011 15:08:29	Is it magical to find different housing? (that is why I listed both). You are living in too expensive of a place if it costs half what you make.
#24 ADHadh Sep 03, 2011 17:17:08	Is it magical to find different housing? (that is why I listed both). You are living in too expensive of a place if it costs half what you make. It may be; for instance, there's no way to find a cheap apartament in Warsaw, even pretty far from downtown.
#25 capitan_estaban Sep 03, 2011 22:51:29	It isn't as if you cannot budget your money and be unaware that your job doesn't pay enough to continue living where you are. Move.
#26 ADHadh Sep 04, 2011 3:57:05	It isn't as if you cannot budget your money and be unaware that your job doesn't pay enough to continue living where you are. Move. Moving costs too and you have to be able to get to your job; other jobs may pay even less or be taken already.
#27 capitan_estaban Sep 04, 2011 9:08:06	Not moving also costs money. But, maybe you are right. The best corse of action is to just do nothing, everything will just work itself out.
#28 bone_naga Sep 04, 2011 9:48:43	Not moving also costs money. But, maybe you are right. The best corse of action is to just do nothing, everything will just work itself out. Either way, none of your suggestions help him at the moment. And sometimes when you're living paycheck to paycheck you are normally fine and then some unexpected expense comes up and then you're screwed for that one month. He hasn't said if this is a recurring event. Besides, not only does moving cost money, but if he is locked into a lease, breaking the lease could cost him even more money. Or put him in a more dangerous, crime-ridden neighborhood. Or put him too far from work.
#29 capitan_estaban Sep 04, 2011 15:01:08	Was the question serious in the first place? Who asks DnD players for financial advice? I think the question isn't the one that should be asked. If this isn't a regular occurance, then most credit cards have a 21 day grace period. Any puchases you make can easily be paid next paycheck with zero interest. If this is a regular occurance, then "the rent is too damn high." either join the Alan Green renters party, or find somewhere cheaper to live. If you really need to know how to survive on 24 cents a day, ask someone in a third world country, they do it all the time. Internet access might be the first thing you cancel, your local library provides it for free.
#30 homicidal_squirrel Sep 04, 2011 15:26:24	What's up with all the odd sentence breaks?
#31 Robin_Hoodlum Sep 04, 2011 21:06:05	CE... Really? Take a break dude... it does wonders! Just get away for a while. You WILL feel better... I do...
#32 Idolis Sep 05, 2011 1:00:28	On topic: Yeah, asking a friend or family member for help sounds like a good idea. ZB's suggestion of doing an odd job for someone makes a whole lot of sense too.
#33 orc_tao Sep 05, 2011 11:59:35	Just a reminder that religion is not a permitted topic for discussion on the Wizards.com Community.
#34 EscherEnigma Sep 05, 2011 19:53:31	Yeesh, have you ever heard of not making assumptions? What we know: this is the first tiem NovaCat has asked for financial advice in the OTT. NovaCat made mention that having paid rent, not much was left. What is not known: if this is a recurring occasion. If any unusual bills were due recently (say, sudden unexpected medical costs, car accident, family member in even more need, ill-advised night of binge drinking and getting caught with tab) If the current home/job combination is, in normal situations, solvent. Now, given the answers to some of these unknowns, it might be entirely appropriate to say "get a (better) job, ya bum!" or "move somewhere else!" or "stop spending all your money on collectible ashtrays!" But without that knowledge, it's a bit premature to jump on his case, no?
#35 capitan_estaban Sep 05, 2011 22:13:21	Like I said, how can it be a serious question. If it isn't a regular occurance than it isn't necessary to live of 3.40 for two weeks ( that is what loans/ credit is for) if it is a regular occurance, it isn't the right question(any rent that takes half your pay is too much)'
#36 robotman5 Sep 06, 2011 0:08:24	yeah do what everyone has been saying ask a friend or your family for help!
#37 pluisjen Sep 06, 2011 0:59:58	I'm pretty sure that the question is serious because he's never run out of money before and wants to know how acceptable it is to ask people for money, or how wise it is to take out a loan for it. I don't think he really intended to live off the money, he's just asking what the best way to deal with his issue. And considering there's plenty of people here who've probably had the same issue when they were students or even after, it's not an unreasonable question.
#38 capitan_estaban Sep 06, 2011 9:02:40	Ok, agreed. The question isn't really about living off 3.40, but rather how to make enough to survive for the next two weeks. (the .24 dollars a day was just a joke)
#39 EscherEnigma Sep 06, 2011 14:06:02	Like I said, how can it be a serious question. If it isn't a regular occurance than it isn't necessary to live of 3.40 for two weeks ( that is what loans/ credit is for) ... there you go with your assumptions again.  Not everyone has a credit card and not everyone is comfortable with payday loans.  Hell, if Novacat is a young guy he might not know about things like payday loans.  And then again, maybe he just doesn't think those are good options, preferring to find a way to live off next-to-nothing for two weeks then rack up some more debt that he'll have to pay off (which, if his finances are really tight enough that a bad bill brought him so low, might be a problem as well). So again... have you tried not making assumptions?
#40 capitan_estaban Sep 06, 2011 19:38:08	Sounds like you are making more than enough assumtuons for te both of us, may not want to rack up debt, may have had a medical bill, may not know about, ...
#41 EscherEnigma Sep 06, 2011 19:50:58	... seriously? Here, I'll even link it for you: [Merriam-Webster]  Care to try that again?
#42 grehnhewe Sep 01, 2011 21:20:16	Ramen?
#43 WolfLordBran Sep 01, 2011 21:22:02	Find 14 friends/family members willing to feed you for that time? But in all seriousness, being stuck with only $3.40? That sucks epically.
#44 Ragnar_Lodbrok Sep 01, 2011 21:58:50	Eat what you can catch and stop by restauraunt dumpsters after they close. Or, more seriously, mooch off family and friends.
#45 EscherEnigma Sep 01, 2011 22:59:59	Pay day loan.
#46 bronski113 Sep 02, 2011 0:20:11	I third Ramen.  You could always try to bum niclkles and dimes off a large group of people.  I had a buddy who did this.  He realized that people are more willing to give up niclkles and dimes than quarters. I seriously just ask someone you know for $20 or $10 and then stock up on Ramen or any other cheap food you can buy a lot of.
#47 zombie_babies Sep 02, 2011 9:08:12	Yeah, look to friends and family.  I'd absolutely have to.  I need about $65 or so a week just for gas to get to work.  Damn, man.  Good luck.
#48 capitan_estaban Sep 02, 2011 9:17:58	How is your rent taking nearly half your pay? (-3.45$ less) Find cheaper living accomodations, or a better paying/another job.
#49 bone_naga Sep 02, 2011 9:28:49	Ramen is definitely a good way to go. I have often used it to stretch out a ridiculously thin budget. Also, churches or charity groups might have food that they will give out. The last church that I regularly attended kept a stock of various foods and would give it out to whoever was in need, even if they weren't part of the church or even believed in God at all. I do hope that you're already set on transportation, though, whether its a bus pass you already have or everything you need is within walking/biking distance. Payday loans might work, but if your budget is that strapped, it might do you more harm than good, unless this is a really unusual case and you plan to have significantly more money left over next payday.
#50 Cpt_Micha Sep 02, 2011 9:39:22	get 10 bucks from a friend and stock up on Ramen.
#51 Timmeh Sep 02, 2011 9:41:16	The last church that I regularly attended kept a stock of various foods and would give it out to whoever was in need, even if they weren't part of the church or even believed in God at all.
#52 pluisjen Sep 02, 2011 9:43:24	I'm not sure how or why you ended up in this situation but it's often a good idea to have a stash with some coin somewhere. Basically a place you never take money from unless you end up in a situation like this. I have a piggybank (from when I was born ^^) for that purpose and I basically fill it with pocket change and the occasional small bank note, but as long as you keep doing that and don't take anything from it except for emergencies, it'll usually contain 20$ or so; enough to get you through a hard week. Other then that; I'd say ask a friend is the way to go. Depending on how friendly they are they might not even care about getting the money back or just invite you over to eat at their place.
#53 zombie_babies Sep 02, 2011 9:49:44	Yeah, I'd stay away from the church thing cuz I believe they're really for people more needy than this.  It's why I'd try friends and family first - for a loan or a gift - and, if that failed, maybe go to a church.  If my rent was paid, it means I have a roof over my head.  That puts me way ahead of a lot of other folks and I'd rather see aid go to them.  But hey, if ya can't eat ya die and that makes you plenty needy.  Oh!  See if a neighbor (yours, a friend's, a family member's) needs some work done.  You know, painting, choppin' a tree down, yardwork - whatever.  Ya can usually earn a few bucks that way.  When this was a real concern for me, I was usually able to find someone willing to pay me $20 or $50 for some work.  I also had a pickup and people would throw me some cash to help them move stuff or pick things up.  But yeah, honest work is another way to get some quick cash - if it's available, of course.
#54 homicidal_squirrel Sep 02, 2011 10:54:03	Ask for money at an intersection. Take off one shoe and hide it so it seems like you are too poor to afford two shoes. Walk around with an exaggerated limp, or drag the foot that has a shoe. Dissabilities get sympathy from people in air conditioned cars. Get rid of your belt if you wear one. It shows that you are too poor to have your pants held up, and if they drop a bit, it makes your limp look that much worse. Don't comb your hair. In fact, don't do anything after you wake up. Just walk out the door like that. Get a large McDonalds or other fast food place cup. Put a few coins or pebbles in the cup and shake it around. People understand this to mean that you need money. Smile while you are shaking your cup, and make sure to make eye contact with people in cars. If they think you believe they didn't notice you, they will not give you money. Make sure they know you they saw you. Gult them into giving them money. I think it was the show manswers that had a piece on panhandling on street corners. Some guy said he could make between 75$ and 100-something per day.
#55 pluisjen Sep 02, 2011 11:59:30	I heard that too. As far as professions go, begging as a full time job will earn you a pretty decent salary. Better then what some minimum wage workers get.
#56 Mad_Jack Sep 02, 2011 15:15:40	Gult them into giving them money.    Yeah, you could gain even more sympathy by claiming you're a starving veteran of the Edition Wars...
#57 oxybe Sep 02, 2011 16:25:53	honestly when it comes to panhandling... make sure you look decent. seriously. if you look like a crazy hobo, most people will tend to walk away. if you actually look like someone's neighbour who's hit on hard times, they're more likely to give some spare change. just dress casual, have a cap/cup out and a sign that advertises "hitting hard times, could use spare cash".
#58 bone_naga Sep 02, 2011 18:51:49	Actually make a sign that reads "I've paid my rent. Now I can't eat".   That might get more attention than simply I need food, or I've run into finantial trouble. If I was driving down the road and saw that sign I'd give them the change from my ashtray. [I don't smoke, what else is that good for?] Yeah, that actually sounds like a good idea. It's something different from the norm that would catch my attention and makes you sound somewhat responsible, not someone that's just trying to feed a drug habit.
#59 homicidal_squirrel Sep 02, 2011 19:18:22	Around here I've seen a bunch of people who have signs that say their houses burnt down. There are also people with signs that say they lost their jobs and have two kids (usually about 10 years old). I saw a guy who looked like he was 60 with a sign and a picture of two kids.
#60 capitan_estaban Sep 02, 2011 20:17:42	You can always hold up a sign that says funeral, and has a picture of a child on it (babies work best). A plastic jar is the only other thing you need.
#61 homicidal_squirrel Sep 02, 2011 20:45:39	No, not in traffic. That would be best for house to house guilting. You have to dress as if you're in mourning. You can go house to house and explain you are collecting for the funeral of a child. It lets you corner the person who answers the door. You can take your time tellin them a very sad story. The best part, unlike a car where people can say they don't have cash, people in houses are less likely to stiff you. They can go into their house and find a few bucks, or at least a few coins. Also, you get to spend a little time inside an ir conditioned house if they invite you in. No one is going to invite you into their car.
#62 Novacat Sep 03, 2011 3:11:24	Find cheaper living accomodations, or a better paying/another job. No, really? See, here I was thinking that my **** job was just fine. Little did I realize that I can solve all my immediate problems by magically finding a better one.
#63 capitan_estaban Sep 03, 2011 15:08:29	Is it magical to find different housing? (that is why I listed both). You are living in too expensive of a place if it costs half what you make.
#64 ADHadh Sep 03, 2011 17:17:08	Is it magical to find different housing? (that is why I listed both). You are living in too expensive of a place if it costs half what you make. It may be; for instance, there's no way to find a cheap apartament in Warsaw, even pretty far from downtown.
#65 capitan_estaban Sep 03, 2011 22:51:29	It isn't as if you cannot budget your money and be unaware that your job doesn't pay enough to continue living where you are. Move.
#66 ADHadh Sep 04, 2011 3:57:05	It isn't as if you cannot budget your money and be unaware that your job doesn't pay enough to continue living where you are. Move. Moving costs too and you have to be able to get to your job; other jobs may pay even less or be taken already.
#67 capitan_estaban Sep 04, 2011 9:08:06	Not moving also costs money. But, maybe you are right. The best corse of action is to just do nothing, everything will just work itself out.
#68 bone_naga Sep 04, 2011 9:48:43	Not moving also costs money. But, maybe you are right. The best corse of action is to just do nothing, everything will just work itself out. Either way, none of your suggestions help him at the moment. And sometimes when you're living paycheck to paycheck you are normally fine and then some unexpected expense comes up and then you're screwed for that one month. He hasn't said if this is a recurring event. Besides, not only does moving cost money, but if he is locked into a lease, breaking the lease could cost him even more money. Or put him in a more dangerous, crime-ridden neighborhood. Or put him too far from work.
#69 capitan_estaban Sep 04, 2011 15:01:08	Was the question serious in the first place? Who asks DnD players for financial advice? I think the question isn't the one that should be asked. If this isn't a regular occurance, then most credit cards have a 21 day grace period. Any puchases you make can easily be paid next paycheck with zero interest. If this is a regular occurance, then "the rent is too damn high." either join the Alan Green renters party, or find somewhere cheaper to live. If you really need to know how to survive on 24 cents a day, ask someone in a third world country, they do it all the time. Internet access might be the first thing you cancel, your local library provides it for free.
#70 homicidal_squirrel Sep 04, 2011 15:26:24	What's up with all the odd sentence breaks?
#71 Robin_Hoodlum Sep 04, 2011 21:06:05	CE... Really? Take a break dude... it does wonders! Just get away for a while. You WILL feel better... I do...
#72 Idolis Sep 05, 2011 1:00:28	On topic: Yeah, asking a friend or family member for help sounds like a good idea. ZB's suggestion of doing an odd job for someone makes a whole lot of sense too.
#73 orc_tao Sep 05, 2011 11:59:35	Just a reminder that religion is not a permitted topic for discussion on the Wizards.com Community.
#74 EscherEnigma Sep 05, 2011 19:53:31	Yeesh, have you ever heard of not making assumptions? What we know: this is the first tiem NovaCat has asked for financial advice in the OTT. NovaCat made mention that having paid rent, not much was left. What is not known: if this is a recurring occasion. If any unusual bills were due recently (say, sudden unexpected medical costs, car accident, family member in even more need, ill-advised night of binge drinking and getting caught with tab) If the current home/job combination is, in normal situations, solvent. Now, given the answers to some of these unknowns, it might be entirely appropriate to say "get a (better) job, ya bum!" or "move somewhere else!" or "stop spending all your money on collectible ashtrays!" But without that knowledge, it's a bit premature to jump on his case, no?
#75 capitan_estaban Sep 05, 2011 22:13:21	Like I said, how can it be a serious question. If it isn't a regular occurance than it isn't necessary to live of 3.40 for two weeks ( that is what loans/ credit is for) if it is a regular occurance, it isn't the right question(any rent that takes half your pay is too much)'
#76 robotman5 Sep 06, 2011 0:08:24	yeah do what everyone has been saying ask a friend or your family for help!
#77 pluisjen Sep 06, 2011 0:59:58	I'm pretty sure that the question is serious because he's never run out of money before and wants to know how acceptable it is to ask people for money, or how wise it is to take out a loan for it. I don't think he really intended to live off the money, he's just asking what the best way to deal with his issue. And considering there's plenty of people here who've probably had the same issue when they were students or even after, it's not an unreasonable question.
#78 capitan_estaban Sep 06, 2011 9:02:40	Ok, agreed. The question isn't really about living off 3.40, but rather how to make enough to survive for the next two weeks. (the .24 dollars a day was just a joke)
#79 EscherEnigma Sep 06, 2011 14:06:02	Like I said, how can it be a serious question. If it isn't a regular occurance than it isn't necessary to live of 3.40 for two weeks ( that is what loans/ credit is for) ... there you go with your assumptions again.  Not everyone has a credit card and not everyone is comfortable with payday loans.  Hell, if Novacat is a young guy he might not know about things like payday loans.  And then again, maybe he just doesn't think those are good options, preferring to find a way to live off next-to-nothing for two weeks then rack up some more debt that he'll have to pay off (which, if his finances are really tight enough that a bad bill brought him so low, might be a problem as well). So again... have you tried not making assumptions?
#80 capitan_estaban Sep 06, 2011 19:38:08	Sounds like you are making more than enough assumtuons for te both of us, may not want to rack up debt, may have had a medical bill, may not know about, ...
#81 EscherEnigma Sep 06, 2011 19:50:58	... seriously? Here, I'll even link it for you: [Merriam-Webster]  Care to try that again?