Okay now...this is sooooo getting out of hand. Times are hard and we all know that. Homeless situations are at an all time high. Utility disconnects are at an all time high. Groceries and living expenses are getting to an unreachable expectation.

I make minimal wages. Not the minimum, but it seems to me if I cannot make it with my 7.00 an hour income; what are the ones that make minimum wage doing???

I do not have to drive very far to work (too far to try and walk every day) but I bring home about 170 to 204 dollars a week. It is now taking me 60 to 80 dollars a week to just get there. People.....that leaves me almost nothing to pay my bills with!

How do we as people get by these days? I am at my wits end here. When we have to work and pay almost half of what we make to just get there, where does it end?

Kat

I know sweetie, I spend $100 a week on gas!!!

Wow

Indentured service to the global corporations.

Yep, I feel ya. The economy is up a creek and there isn't much we can do about it.

At this rate I will never get ahead.

We need to pay congress minimum wage.

Thinking about finding a dying oil tycoon. Anna Nicole did one thing right.

Do what you can to minimize those monthly expenses. Instead of using credit or your credit card save your money til you have enough to buy what you want. Try biking to work. ???

Yup, I agree that too many are getting waay too much money for the jobs that they do.

It feels to me that some, well, many are paid outrageous wages. The car industry, the oil industry, Drs, Politicians,so on and so on. My youngest son makes a great wage. But, does his wage make mine stay down? We all want our kids to do well. I mean that is why I made them think there was no option, but to go to college.

I am having to sell my gas saving car to just pay this months bills. I can't afford to buy the tires to be able to drive it instead of this gas hog pickup. This truck belongs to my sister. I so want to give it back to her. I can't afford to drive it anymore. But, what can I do? Nothing, suck it up and lose my ass.

Kat

Not all of us have credit cards and we make so little money
we can not even live off of it. Some of us are in no shape
physically to even bike or walk. The ones lowest on the ladder
are being taken out first. It will make its way up to all the
others steps if we let it!

(((Kat))) I sooooooo hear you!!!

Hi darlin. I do not have credit cards. I can't afford too. If you do the math, the low side of my gas problem is 60 dollars? From the low side of 170? That leaves me 110.00 a week to live on.

Kat

I know its tough for most of us to make ends meet, but I thank God for what I do have, as I know MANY people who have much less and as long as I have food to eat and a roof over my head, I am blessed!!!

ok, im thinking the struggle we are having is directly related to power. A few years ago there was a congressman (for the life of me i can't remember his name) who came out and said that congress as a whole, republicans and democrats, are trying their best to get rid of the middle class. If you think about it it makes sense. The middle class doesn't make enough money to have the power the upper class has, but they are usually educated, and are most importantly not dependent on the government for money, or programs that help with them financially. Ever wonder why it's so hard to get off welfare when you are on it? For every dollar per week you make they take 2 away. No chance in getting on your feet. Just a constant struggle. Also, we have had technology that makes gas obsolete for decades. Things that are much more efficient. Only problem is the technology keeps "disappearing" after someone from some place like MIT invents it. This is another kicker... Notice how the only source of alternative fuel the government took seriously is ethanol. There is a certain percentage that is required (by law) to be put in your vehicles gasoline. Funny thing about ethanol is that it makes the cost of food production rise drastically. Then you have almost every politician fighting to expand the government and come up with programs to "help" people that are struggling in the current times, increasing dependency yet again. The problem here ladies and gentlemen is that people like to vote themselves money. They want the government to step in and help them out. This is what washington is currently playing into right now. When they control the population they can control where your money goes. Also they can gaurentee themselves a position in power this way. I think it was Jessie Ventura who questioned the sense behind states collecting taxes from you, then sending it all to D.C. where they have to get approval to get funding for state projects. We need to do away with IRS and government departments such as this that control things. More power to the states will make it harder for corruption to triumpth.

I am blessed to even have a job. I know. But the sad reality is that utilities and house payments, not to mention groceries are almost unreachable. Have had one foreclosure paper sent, borrowed the money to catch up and, then the water gets cut off! Get it paid, just to have to pay 20 more dollars to get it back on. I mean, heck, if we can't keep up with the bills, 20 more dollars is even harder to get.

I can't even imagine how people with less wages and higher rent or house payments make it. And with kids! OMG!

Kat

I am even about to have some things turned off so I don't have them hanging over my head. The only entertainment I have is this net. The tv is one. But it is a package deal. Sooo much cheaper that way.

I guess it is what it is. Groceries, entertainment.....groceries...entertainment? Groceries. My cell phone is how my job finds me anywhere to call me in. If it wasn't for that, that would be gone yesterday.

We get no food stamps, or help from anyone else. I have been there. Almost impossible to get away from it.
Kat

Kat I know your pain. I am slowing clawing my way out of a hole. I make 9.50 now & I can survive on that but it isn't easy. At 7.00 an hour I was renting a room in a trailer, spending most of my money keeping an old car running just so I could get to work. Luckily my roommate was great, & we helped each other through those bad days & I have my own trailer now.

I didn't have running water at first, then when I got water the hot water heater died, I got that fixed & the pipes froze, I didn't have hot running water for 7 months, but I managed. I resorted to melting snow to bathe in once. I have come a long way in a few years, but I know I could be right back in that hole in a few short weeks.

The most frustrating thing is that there are people who refuse to believe that the working poor exist. Some are convinced that if you are not "making it" it must be your own fault due to alcoholism, drug use, or laziness. They tend to be the types who look down on "trailer trash". Well I am PROUD of my trailer in this trailer park, I worked hard & sacrificed for it & it's MINE.

I hope you find a way to keep your car, Kat.

I lived in a trailer for a few years. It was nice. I paid it off. But.....thing was; the lot rental became as high as buying an older home. Which is what we did. What with the water and sewage and normal utilities it was rediculous to stay.

Glad you are still hanging in there. It is so hard these days.

I have also seen that working class poor is almost not talked about. If you are not on government assisstance or begging, then there is no excuse. Not what I think...but it looks that way. I work my butt off. Deeper and deeper it gets.

Kat