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What is the most drastic thing you have done. . .

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drastic thing
6K views 31 replies 29 participants last post by  stinkbug 
#1 ·
due to lack of money?
 
#4 ·
When my oldest as a baby (he's now almost 28) we had no money, no diapers (he was a preemie). . . so I used my dish towels as diapers and a bread wrapper as plastic pants. Was VERY thankful when someone threw me a shower and I got real cloth diapers and plastic pants.

More recently - we've eaten road kill. . . as long as I know it's fresh (either hit my be or witnessed by me). . . if it's too bruised for human consumption, I make it into dog food.
 
#6 ·
Everyone has their own definition of extreme - I'm just curious what is the most extreme or drastic measures you've had to take, because of money (or lack of money). . . . it might be something like not eating out as much, cutting out date night movies, etc.
 
#7 ·
I have put the girls on a shopping allowance. They have handled it well I must say. They had got into a habit of buying things just because they were on sale, and then thinking they had saved money. I explained that when you buy a $300 purse that was $600, you really didn't save money if you didn't need it in the first place. They both make good money, and it is their money, but they were getting out of control.
So now that they have seen how much money they have saved since the allowance was instituted, they agree with my thinking.
 
#8 ·
Worked two jobs,lived off beans and cornbread and what we could harvest,bought everything used or second hand,did without air, used only wood heat, had only one car and a beat up motorcycle. Times were hard, it was awful, but it beat dependance on welfare.Looking back on those days I realize that the years of struggle made us stronger and more independant.I can do anything I set my mind to.
 
#9 ·
curb shopped

took certain meds every other day and begged samples

went to garage sales for walkers,crutches,soccer balls,hand weights and did DH's therapy at home for awhile because our physical therapy plan was an epic FAIL

Switched back and forth where I got presc. to get the $30. free groc.(2005) and lived mostly off that.

Drove a car w/ a whole in the floor,drove a car w/ no defroster and kept a window scraper for INSIDE.

dumpster dove for coupons
 
#10 ·
Wearing hat, coat, gloves inside the house during the winter while snoodling with ramen noodle cup dinners. Skipping or delaying medical/dental care (something I regret). Straight to work, straight home, no luxuries or extras, every penny budgeting to keep a roof over our heads and basic food on the table. We had some lean years.
 
#13 ·
Didn't have a washing machine when my oldest was a newborn. I breastfed him and no money for the laundry mat so I washed his clothes in the bathtub several times a week..I can't tell you how many times they poop in a day from breastmilk compared to feeding them formula.
 
#16 ·
I don't have any stories personally but my neighbors told me they went a while eating dandelion greens. Man had seasonal work and was between jobs.. They did feed their kids regular food but the parents ate the greens that they gathered.

And no this was not during the depression, but in the 1960's.
 
#17 ·
compared to others, I don't think I've had to do anything "drastic".

for me, it was sitting in the dark during the winter the year I first got divorced. I wanted to get my utilities down to bare bones so I used candles, unplugged everything, and spent alot of time in the dark.
 
#18 ·
When I was growing up we were terribly poor. Once we had a winter without propane for cooking or hot water. Water was heated over the fireplace for bathing and all cooking was done on a single hot plate burner. Another time there wasn't enough money for TP so we used pages from the phone book. There were several times that food came from non-traditional sources - such as an abandoned apple orchard or sandwiches that firefighters (fighting a local wildfire) could not use and were donated to the poor.

When my first child was born I made a promise to myself that my children would always have enough. I am grateful that I have been able to keep that promise.
 
#19 ·
My dh worked construction at one time in the 80's, we went from job to job all over the country, went where the jobs were. Had no money, lived in cheap motels, cooked with a crock pot and electric skillet, washed dishes and clothes in the bath tub, a cooler was our fridge, we did this for about 2 years with 2 small kids very hard. Taught me a lot of great lessons, like home is where your family lives and how to make creative meals.
 
#21 ·
I've eaten out of garbage dumpsters, slept in the park and took a bath in the lake so I could go to work the next morning.

Backwoodsgirl
 
#23 ·
I'm feeling pretty lucky reading all of this, but I guess for me it was eating up strange odds and ends, juggling bills, putting of doctor visits, borrowing money to pay the mortgage, telling our kids no to things they were used to being able to do. None of this is anything compared to some of what has been posted. WE are so fortunate to have a very good safety net. Although I HATE using it.
 
#24 ·
As an adult I've not done without and my kids have no idea what it is like to do without. We are so very blessed. Growing up my clothes come from a junk store for 15 cents an item. At night in the winter I slept in sweats and long sleeves under ton's of cover with socks on because we had wood heat that was in the back of the house and it was cold in the front part. There would be ice on the windows. I never new we were poor while I was growing up. I believe it made me the person I am today. I try not to waste money. We give to help anyone in need if we have it. Reading some of the stories on here brought tears to my eyes. TC
 
#25 ·
As a kid I many times had to use old magazines for toilet paper in the outhouse. Often had to wear rolled up rags because we didn't have the money for pads.

The hardest thing as an adult though was having to water down my babies milk to make it last the week until my husband got paid.
 
#26 ·
during the divorce 4 years ago gave myself iron and B-12 anemia because couldn't afford meat. i was eating recipes from H-Houswife site, which made me sick and malnourished.

rags and towels for menstrual use. washrags for TP.

AC on 80 with ceiling fans. turned off all lights and used candles. unplugged everything.

my one luxury during that bad year was my water bill is essentially the same year round, so i took a lot of garden tub baths.

in the 80s spent a few days in my car on my college campus when i was between living situations. but not truly homeless. got real good at WIC cheese and potatoes.
 
#28 ·
I used to eat a whole box of M&C in college, I would work til 9PM after going to classes and I would be so hungry when I got home!!

Ate a lot of ramen noodles too - this was before they got popular and I went to Chinatown to buy them by the case.
 
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