When I went away to university my parents and I had an fallout over my education decision and I was financially cut off from them so I had to provide for myself. I had some savings, a small scholarship, part time job and a 11 year old car. I lived in a small room (about 12’x14’) in a factory warehouse that used to be a night watchman’s office. My bathroom was a toilet and a wash basin down the hall next to the A/C closet. There were roaches that were big as my thumb and rats that would scare cats. Basically I had no money to live on after paying for classes, books and rent. I think I lived on $15 a week. That’s $15 per week for food, gas, clothes, entertainment, etc.
I learned you can make Hamburger Helper without hamburger or milk… just add more noodles and water. That nasty tasting chicken hotdogs that cost next to nothing is expensive when you only have some change in your pocket. I learned super markets would throw away expired bread after they closed. Did you know that if you eat Ramen three times a day you get the runs for days? You can get a lot of free toilet paper and soap at school when you go to the library at night and go visit the men’s room… right after the cleaning crew cleans and stock the bathroom. I purchased all my clothes including shoes, socks and underwear at Salvation Army store.
Worst thing I did was put on my best cloths and go to a wake at a home near my university because I knew they had food. It was very large gathering so I pretended like I belonged there and ate till I was full and then I left.
I think back now and laugh about it but at the time I was ashamed and desperate.
What kind of part time job only pays $15 per week?
When I went away to university my parents and I had an fallout over my education decision and I was financially cut off from them so I had to provide for myself. I had some savings, a small scholarship, part time job and a 11 year old car. I lived in a small room (about 12’x14’) in a factory warehouse that used to be a night watchman’s office. My bathroom was a toilet and a wash basin down the hall next to the A/C closet. There were roaches that were big as my thumb and rats that would scare cats. Basically I had no money to live on after paying for classes, books and rent. I think I lived on $15 a week. That’s $15 per week for food, gas, clothes, entertainment, etc.
I learned you can make Hamburger Helper without hamburger or milk… just add more noodles and water. That nasty tasting chicken hotdogs that cost next to nothing is expensive when you only have some change in your pocket. I learned super markets would throw away expired bread after they closed. Did you know that if you eat Ramen three times a day you get the runs for days? You can get a lot of free toilet paper and soap at school when you go to the library at night and go visit the men’s room… right after the cleaning crew cleans and stock the bathroom. I purchased all my clothes including shoes, socks and underwear at Salvation Army store.
Worst thing I did was put on my best cloths and go to a wake at a home near my university because I knew they had food. It was very large gathering so I pretended like I belonged there and ate till I was full and then I left.
I think back now and laugh about it but at the time I was ashamed and desperate.
What kind of part time job only pays $15 per week?
No, I was taking home about $90 per week from my part time job but some (most) of it was used to pay for classes, books, rent, etc. as I didn't have full scholarship so I only had about $15 per week to live on.
When I graduated 6 years later I didn't owe any money for my education... I didn't have any debt.
I have never been as bad off as when I was working my way through college. Working full time, 1st 2 years I ran a commercial lanscape crew, the last 2 years I worked as an apprentice mason. Start work when the sun came up, be home by 4:00 and then go to class at night. It was an experinece to say the least. It is amazing to me what you can get by with if forced to.
only 2 times in my life i have been that hungry. 1x Viet Nam and out with the ARVN calvary-learned to eat-gag-100 day old eggs and pogy fish.(salted pin fish that was all bones.) 2x right after my divorce and selling cars-Jimmy Carter era with interest rates at 22%. I swore never again and never have!!
Back in '79-80 I was a seaman apprentice on a Coast Guard cutter in Jacksonville Florida. My wife and son and I lived in a trailer with no a/c near the base. My pay was about $500 a month and most of the time I'd catch fish to feed my family from the pond next to the trailer. I'd feel so guilty about eating good on the ship when I had duty that I would save my meal and bring it home to my wife the next day... Glad those days are over. Not sure I'd want to do that over again.
