Poverty in PBH

adrimm says on Jun 11, 2008, 18:35:

I really struggled as a student (8 mos living expenses tuition) on about 10K that i would make in the summertime. 5 years of that.. finished with some (not much) owing in loans.

Although I still have to live frugally these days it is mostly due to choices/tradeoffs I have made and circumstance (solo homeownership). I manage to do the things that matter most to me, like spend time with friends, spend time outside, shop from local businesses, and make the most of my vacaction time. So far I travel more and have more interesting trips than many people I know with higher incomes (they stick to Disneyland, Hawaii, Florida & Mexican resorts).

I am content for the most part, but know that if offered an extra 2/3 weeks of unpaid vacation time in exchange for a pay cut I would take it and somehow make it work.

On the upside, I know that even if I had more money, my trips would stay pretty similar - mostly budget/hostelly with splurges here and there.. time spent wandering foreign streets, soaking in the ambiance of elsewhere, picking up words & phrases of a local language, seeing historical sights.... time is usually the limiting factor. More money & time would simply mean more & longer trips, not fancier hotels or restaurants.

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gringoloid says on Jun 11, 2008, 18:37:

I had no income to speak of so I guess I win the prize. What did I win?

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 11, 2008, 18:40:

One month of free membership to PBH.

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gringoloid says on Jun 11, 2008, 18:50:

c'mon, that's no prize..............the OP runs some kind of outdoor adventures. I think I would like to win a trip down the Colorado River through the Grand Canyon. what do you say?

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 11, 2008, 19:02:

Along the line of the Catholic Church selling indulgences, I think Peter should sell (or offer as a prize) the right to insult someone on this site, or better yet, ban someone you don't like for a day or two. Think of the money he could make!

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gringoloid says on Jun 11, 2008, 19:09:

I'll go along with that...............and I'll pay triple Peters fee to kick some people off. I'll pay double to be able to insult people with no repercussions.

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mranderson says on Jun 11, 2008, 20:16:

I'm living month by month on a colombian salary and I don't have a nice cushy u.s. savings to fall back on. I can't even visit my family this year.

Anyone want to buy me a beer?

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BillBigD says on Jun 11, 2008, 20:25:

Gringo-Making money in the market is income. Just ask Uncle SAM. Did you see HK today? LOL

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Lisa Zee says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:11:

papiChulo, is that supposed to be funny? You should be flagged for that!

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:16:

You're right, Lisa.
I had to take that off; I 'm having breakfast.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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CatGirl says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:16:

Amiga ' I can only guess it is a bad word...can you give me an idea what it means?

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:20:

Oh, I was referring to PapoChulos disgusting comment that I deleted.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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Lisa Zee says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:29:

Thank you Desi. One thing is trying to be funny, but disgusting, gross and rude I can`t stand it.

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papiChulo says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:30:

soory folks... I'm really trying to be nice... :)

I'm not greedy I just want a lot.

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:35:

Yeah, Lisa, I'm pretty much like you in that sense. I'm a little delicate.
I'm one of the poor PBHers. That's why I have to moonlight working for Peter and read disgusting comments for breakfast.

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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Lisa Zee says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:35:

OK. Nice of you to apolagized, most of the times it turns into a war. Thank you.

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bufalo says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:41:

I'm moving BACK to NYC (economic crisis), past 30, 6 years of no real work experience, wife (can work but must improve English to get something good) and daughter to take care of, money almost tapped out, and probably some other things thrown in.

I'm broke now, imagine come six months... but must admit I'm having a good time. No cubicle life for me.

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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CatGirl says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:43:

jaja' Ok I understand better...the bad comment and all was completed deleted before I saw it ...jaja..sorry I thought the word ¨papichulo¨¨ was the bad word because I did not see him at all until he popped up to apologize. Ok no need to explain, I prefer not to know ;)

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

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papiChulo says on Jun 11, 2008, 21:54:

huh?... lol

I'm not greedy I just want a lot.

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Peter (Moderator) says on Jun 11, 2008, 22:18:

How about this: you can pay to have someone kicked off, but the person who is kicked off then can also pay the same amount and get back on, and have *you* kicked off.

Nah I don't like it actually :(

Poor but snappy

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Joel y Luza says on Jun 11, 2008, 22:25:

Peter, the person kicked off has to pay the going rate plus 10%. remember you need beer money just like the rest of us:).. Lets get some incentives in there!

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gringoloid says on Jun 12, 2008, 04:08:

Bill...............I reinvest everything, so all i had last year was the interest on my checking accounts.

I can't report my income as a gigolo.................

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webmanco says on Jun 12, 2008, 04:10:

The good thing is that you don´t always need to pay anyone to kick them out of PBH they kick themselves out. :-) Leaving a more "peacefull" PBH

...A yo, déjenme queto y no me jodan má! ...

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Desideria (Moderator) says on Jun 12, 2008, 04:18:

Troll scalps...hmmmm???can they be worth something?

"When shall we three meet again? In thunder, lightning, or in rain?"(First Witch in Macbeth)

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rocinante says on Jun 12, 2008, 06:15:

How much does it cost to kick myself off? Would I get a cut because man I am POOOOR.

Everyone thinks that they were poor when they were younger and that they struggled greatly. Because everyone is always comparing themselves to other people in their lives who had more than them - not less. This is basic human nature.

It's like asking someone how they are doing financially - it's not all that often you hear "Great! I have no problem with inflation, I don't need more vacations or a raise - everything is perfect"

"World economic indicators point to a democrat winning 2008. It will surely be Obama. Peso 1400 by November" Feb 5, 2008

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billyb says on Jun 12, 2008, 07:05:

It depends, does anybody here work for the IRS?

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CatGirl says on Jun 12, 2008, 10:13:

Well, I "owed" so I guess I am in the negative...aarrghh!

Love and Time: the only two things that cannot be bought, but only spent

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 12, 2008, 11:57:

With a strict interpretation of the original post, I might be the poorest since I haven't filed my 2007 tax returns yet. I'll get around to it before the deadline in October.

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jonas says on Jun 12, 2008, 12:09:

tax return? You guys actually file taxes??? I knew this was a mad house

Simon Presidente!

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Tinto (Moderator) says on Jun 12, 2008, 12:35:

Benefits of paying taxes:

1. You can legitimately complain about government

2. Depending on citizenship, it's a pre-requisite for importing that especial Colombiana/Colombiano you found in the Mail Order Spouse Catalog Volume 47, Issue 2, page 23

3. We all need at least a few essential services that only the government can provide

There may be more, but I can't think of any at the moment.

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lpdiver says on Jun 12, 2008, 13:55:

the diver files on more than one country....sigh

"cook some rice!"

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dwr says on Jun 12, 2008, 13:58:

You really should always file your tax returns. Takes 5 minutes if you are poor (make under 84,000 dollars a year), and believe me, will save you a huge headache down the road.

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Cerealkiller says on Jun 12, 2008, 14:02:

DWR, so everyone who makes less than 84k in the US is poor? I thought the threshold was around 17k. I don't know, my question might seem stupid but that is a decent salary in Britain and in purely nominal terms, people make a lot more money here than there.

Conservatives are not necessarily stupid, but most stupid people are conservatives -John Stuart Mill

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billyb says on Jun 12, 2008, 14:34:

I have a feeling DWR made $84,001 last year ;)

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huskie says on Jun 12, 2008, 15:44:

An income of 17,000USD is below poverty in the US. That is not even the minimum salary. (yearly income)
Cheers

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds-"

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aztec says on Jun 12, 2008, 15:49:

There are or have been people on this site who earn upwards of $500,000 to a million a year.

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Robert Jorge says on Jun 12, 2008, 16:14:

I agree with aztec. Except there are probably guys here who have, or do, make much more than a million a year.

BEWARE of gold diggers.

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Lisa Zee says on Jun 12, 2008, 16:58:

What???? yeah right, a million pesos maybe!

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aztec says on Jun 12, 2008, 17:20:

I am not joking! It is a fact. They are also careful where they "hang out". Actually I don't think they do the bars!

The one I know lives quietly with a "friend" when he is in Colombia.

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BillBigD says on Jun 12, 2008, 18:19:

gringoloid- No capital gains?

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dwmte7 says on Jun 12, 2008, 19:20:

when i first went to colombia, i had money...plenty of it. lived like a king, squandered money and played as much as i wanted. well things changed. lost our business in bev. hills to the rodney king riots as well as other reversals. now, it's soc. sec. and that's it.

of course it's relative, but i've been rich and i've been poor and believe me, rich is better. first class is way better than cattle class, si o no?

dwmte

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Mr. Hollywood says on Jun 12, 2008, 20:28:

Chriscan, you don't say whether you lived on $10,000 in the USA or in Colombia. In the US that would be tough. In Colombia, you'd be well ahead of most of the population. I could live alright on $10,000 per year in Colombia if I had to.

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adrimm says on Jun 12, 2008, 21:05:

M Hollywood is right.. but I get the sense that it could be 4-6 months of work & super-frugal living at home (Canada), then 6-8 months of travel in a budget-friendly place, which is supplemented by money earned while on the road.

$900 a month: $300-$500 spent sharing a basement suite or something, leaving $600-$400 for groceries & other expenses. Better if you can eat where you work and can use affordable transportation.

I regret not having spent a year or so doing what I have just described above between high school & university.. it would have been awesome I could have lived at home and not spent much at all, then gone on the most massive trip.. Instead I worked & saved for school.

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LilaM says on Jun 12, 2008, 21:12:

Huskie said "An income of 17,000USD is below poverty in the US. That is not even the minimum salary. (yearly income)"

OMG now I'm very close to be poor!!!! jajajaj better start to work a little bit more do make a big Gap between my salary and that level......

As Pambelé said once... Is better to be rich, than be poor, mmmmm wise guy.

"You may be disappointed if you fail, but you are doomed if you don´t try" B. Sills

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bufalo says on Jun 12, 2008, 22:19:

If 84K is poverty, I have no view of me ever getting out, hell, 17K might be pushing it for me now...

"If you don't like it - lump it, take it down the road and dump it." - Archie Bunker played by Carroll O'Connor

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Lisa Zee says on Jun 12, 2008, 22:47:

"Es mejor ser rico y aliviado, que pobre y enfermo" Conocen ese dicho? LOL

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billyb says on Jun 12, 2008, 23:02:

Si, mi mama lo invento ;)

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huskie says on Jun 13, 2008, 04:20:

I agree Lisa Zee, money does not buy health!!
Cheers

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds-"

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morphus says on Jun 13, 2008, 04:30:

Oh yeah, John D. Rockefeller lived 97 years and was the richest man in history.

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morphus says on Jun 13, 2008, 04:31:

That was before antibiotics were invented too :)

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huskie says on Jun 13, 2008, 04:33:

Good pic of Rockefeller
Cheers

"Great spirits have always encountered violent opposition from mediocre minds-"

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morphus says on Jun 13, 2008, 04:37:

Back in the 90s I lived in a housing project in the Bronx for 2 years and saved up 50K.

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adrimm says on Jun 13, 2008, 06:10:

That's awesome Morph.. dare we ask what it funded later - trips to Colombia I hope!

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lpdiver says on Jun 13, 2008, 09:25:

bufalo...84K is not a reference to poverty. It is the amount you can earn outside the country and not have to pay taxes on. (Rules apply) It is a good idea to file even if you will not owe anything.

t

"cook some rice!"

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