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Good Morning! So a friend of mine from Texas posted this this morning and since it's along the same lines as my latest theme, I decided to share it.
Something to think about....
What if you were a single parent with a child . You work full time for $14.00 hr. You bring home roughly $800 .00 per paycheck (bi-weekly).
Your bills:
$1, 000 . 00 / rent
$150 .00 / electrical
$250 .00 / car payment
$150 .00 / car insurance
So let’s do the math :
You bring home about
$1,600 .00 a month & your bills average about $1,550.00 (give or take).
You’re making it, but barely.
This doesn't even include groceries, internet, cable, cell phone, etc .
(nor does it include child tax credit, or child support)
Now, it’s a really cold December and you get a power bill for $600 .00
How do you pay that?
To put it simply , you don’t.
Because you can’t.
So your power gets shut off.
But you know what your lease says?
It says you get evicted if your utilities are terminated.
So now you’re in court crying to a judge who doesn’t care, & you have 10 days to get out.
Well you’re in luck, because you found somewhere with 3 days to spare & it’s only $650.00 a month!
But to get in, you must pass a background & credit check. Which you can’t because you just got evicted.
You’ve never been a criminal, but even if you could pass it, you’re looking at $1300 to move in, after paying the deposit & first month’s rent.
Time’s up ....
Landlord shows up at 7am with the police & changed your locks.
So, now you’re living in your car with your 7 year old son & everything you need to get by.
You tried to get a storage unit, but you don’t have a billing address so they won’t rent one to you. So you could only take what would fit in your backseat.
You pay to shower at local truck stops & eat whatever can be cooked in a gas station microwave.Someone sees you & your son living like this & calls C.P.S; guess what happens next ? ? ?
They remove your child from your care.
As if this isn’t devastating enough, you lose your job too. (Because “an employee losing their child reflects poorly on this company .”)
So now, you apply for an apartment with the region where the waiting list is 3-7 years.
Then you go into Wal-Mart to put in an application.
When you get back to your car you see that your back window has been smashed & someone helped themselves to your belongings. Remember that it is December & really cold. Now you have damage to your only shelter.
You call your car insurance, who says your deductible is $1,000.00
~ AND ~ they’re going to increase your monthly rate since you’re now
“ high risk .”
You call the homeless shelter as a last resort & all their beds are full.
I’ll stop here .....
Because I think you get the point .
The people we work with everyday are these people .
WE ARE THESE PEOPLE .
We are all so close to homelessness & don’t even realize it .
All it takes is :
* one unexpected bill📃~
* one fender bender🚙💥🚗~
* one lay-off 📊~
* one house fire 🏠🔥 , etc.
Instead of talking trash about people who are poor , homeless , or need assistance , why don’t you try being grateful that you’re not in their shoes ...... YET !
This is about staying humble & being kind .
BE THANKFUL FOR WHAT YOU HAVE ❤ (copied)
We Are All Struggling In Different Ways.. 😭😩
Diet Calendar Entries for 02 December 2023:
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1327 kcal
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Fat: 68.89g | Prot: 102.35g | Carb: 79.28g.
Breakfast: PB2 Foods PB2 Pure, Badia Chia Seeds, Nutricost Grass-Fed Whey Protein Concentrate Unflavored, Hershey's Special Dark Cocoa Powder, Bob's Red Mill Flax Seed, Silk Pure Almond Milk - Unsweetened Original, Land O'Lakes Heavy Whipping Cream, Coffee. Lunch: Chicken of the Sea Sardines in Water. Dinner: Hormel Original Pepperoni Slices, Kirkland Signature Supreme Cauliflower Crust Pizza. Snacks/Other: Water. more...
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2667 kcal
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Activities & Exercise:
Standing - 1 minute, Resting - 15 hours and 59 minutes, Sleeping - 8 hours. more...
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1 to 20 of 26
 Comments
Thank you for posting this.
02 Dec 23 by member: Agnes Z
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Oh wow!!! this definitely touches my heart, people that have never been there can't relate, people should always have compassion because you never know when it will hit your door step. I have a lot to be thankful for.
02 Dec 23 by member: buenitabishop
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This is real and raw. I have to keep this. Very powerful. And very empathetic. ❤️🙏🏻
02 Dec 23 by member: wifey9707
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This is true for people. I love this post because a shift in perspective that includes, compassion and understanding, similar to what you have brought just now with this post, will literally change the world. It is a ratio. A ratio comprised of more people who ask questions than judge. Believing (unconsciously or consciously) that some people are inferior or superior is so deeply engrained that it is hard to notice unless you pay attention to yourself. Your thoughts will almost always tell you what you think is 'right,' but your underlying emotions will often help you to see your inner truth. Judgement is a way of life that is ready to go. I love this post.
02 Dec 23 by member: unity1234
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This is a very sad reality. I was a single parent 22-27 years ago, for the first 5 years of my first child's life. It was rough enough then, I can only imagine now. I somehow managed to save $1000 (maybe it was child tax credit) and purchased my first mobile home when my 1st some was still in diapers. It was just a shell, really, no toilet or sinks, holes in the floor, etc. I fixed it up along & along until it was completely remodeled. I haven't paid rent since, only lot rent until we bought our piece of land. Every year at tax time, I invested in a better home or a better car by selling what I had & adding to it. Most of my cars came from the auction. You can buy a car there & come out ALOT cheaper, even if you have to have a major repair before getting it on the road. Best of all, you don't have to have collision insurance. I have had 1 car with a car payment in my entire life. I learned from my childhood & teenage years of what being hungry & homeless was, and found ways to avoid it after my child was born. My childhood & teenage years were a dumpster fire, but I am SO thankful for it! It made me the person/parent I am.
02 Dec 23 by member: ZenusWarriorPrincess
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ZenusWarriorPrincess, you are who we need more of. Thank you
02 Dec 23 by member: unity1234
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02 Dec 23 by member: StormsGirl
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Our perceived 'liabilities' are one perspective shift away from becoming our greatest super power.
02 Dec 23 by member: unity1234
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What a story Zenus. You beat the odds. That’s amazing!!
02 Dec 23 by member: wifey9707
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Very real....may we all be someone's unexpected blessing to turn the tide.
02 Dec 23 by member: Daughter of the_King
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Thanks, Unity & wifey. It's not that I don't have empathy, I do, & LOTS of it! I always give when I can, and help in any way I can. It's just that I feel extra empathy for people in bad situations with no survival skills. For example: We had snow (in the south) years ago. The power went out for days & many people lost everything in the fridge/freezer. Many of them couldn't afford more groceries, and ended up having to go to food banks. Many of us used well water as well. No power, no water. On the other hand, we dug a hole and cleaned the trash can with melted snow & cleaners, put the trash can in the hole, place a trash bag inside, put all of our perishables inside, and placed a lid on top. We melted snow for drinking & heated it for bathing water. Also, everytime that Ive HAD to pay someone for repairs, I've watch them everytime & that was the first & last time I've ever had to pay for that particular repair. Then, YouTube came along, making it even better...lol. Many of the "1st time for paying for repairs" have been avoided. That's why I am thankful for EVERYTHING I went through, it made me a survivor.
02 Dec 23 by member: ZenusWarriorPrincess
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A very realistic point of view that's happening daily where all of us live. Thank you for posting and reminding us to be grateful and help others whenever we can.
02 Dec 23 by member: Laurie62707
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Take a deep breath!!! Jesus!! It does make you greatful for everything that you have . Yes Zenus survival skills are good😁🙂👱♀️🐈⬛
02 Dec 23 by member: Maine coon
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Good post, Be kind to people 🙂👱♀️🐈⬛
02 Dec 23 by member: Maine coon
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Thank you for sharing and i thank
The Lord for giving me a heart that cares about others and prays that they will have better circumstances. 🙏🏽
02 Dec 23 by member: Alindsey83t
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03 Dec 23 by member: PoodleParent
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Zen, our childhoods were fairly similar, we were never homeless, but we were very poor and we did repairs and things ourselves on our home, vehicles and appliances. We never had "New" furniture, we had stuff our families and friends wanted to toss out back then Daddy was a plumbers apprentice and he worked part time at the Port of Houston unloading ships. This meant he drove into Houston every day before daylight (about 40 miles) and got home between 9 and 10 pm. We had a house payment of about 130.00 bucks a month, light bill, propane bill. We didn't have a washer or dryer till I was about 14. I had to go to the "washateria" we called it back then. When Daddy was not at work, he was fixing his truck, or our well or working in the garden. We always helped...fetched tools, water, what ever two elementary school kids could do. And we watched and learned. I too love you tube because you can find a video to fix almost anything there. We had times of feast and of famine. I have always called it the school of hard knocks and get er done. That necessary frugalness I grew up in is one of the reasons I have issues paying the high prices we have now for shoes, clothes and communication devices. Here in Georgia, with the job I have planting me so close to other peoples business, I'm usually on the ground floor of witnessessing folks entering into financial dire straits. Most won't accept money gifts, but I can provide advice. Georgia Power is great and they are very willing to work with folks who have a power bill larger than they can afford. If you communicate with them and make good on the repayment terms, they will take a 600.00 light bill and stretch it out over 6 months, provided you keep your newer bills current and keep in contact about your ability to pay the past due. Many people won't even call them and allow the bill to reach the shut off point. Power companies need you using power, they really don't want to turn it off, same goes for gas companies. Georgia power will also give you the names and phone numbers of community and church programs that are willing to help those in need. It's easy to get lost in a crowd in the big cities though, there are so many in need and it's so easy to become needy without even trying. I'm grateful that my home and property is paid for and I have the means to keep the lights on and food on the table. I'm grateful I am in a position to help others with cash if they would take it, or with advice and empathy when they won't. I'm grateful for all of you and your love and support. My theme is gratitude for this Holiday Season. It's going to be a hard one for most people this year. I can see furrowed brows, bad tempers and a slight push towards hopelessness in quite a few of my customers. They want to be able to give their families everything they want for Christmas...and can't, no overtime at the plant this year and sometimes not even a full weeks work. So even at work, I'm talking and pointing out all the things to be grateful for. Focusing on what we have with gratitude takes away the feeling of lack for all the things we don't have.
03 Dec 23 by member: debrafrederick
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@Deb Sounds like you had a very loving, tight-knit family. That's something else to be VERY thankful for! I will save you from all of the gruesome details of my childhood & just say it was REALLY bad from the time I can remember when I was about 3 or 4 years old. Both of my parents were alcoholics. When I was 12, my grandmother died & things got even worse. At 14, I was literally homeless. I did live mostly from here to there, sometimes with people I didn't even know. None of that was a good time either. Lots of sick people out there. I digress... I actually think that's where my food addiction stems from. Once I started working most of my money went into food, especially eat out food...lol.
03 Dec 23 by member: ZenusWarriorPrincess
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I was working & completely on my own at 17, and tried my best to never look back.
03 Dec 23 by member: ZenusWarriorPrincess
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It was close and tight knit when we were small, our teenage years were a nightmare, Dad took to drinking, Mom took to screaming at him and me and my little brother got no sleep from age 14 to 18, Mom would wake us up in the middle of the night and throw us in the car to drive around to bars hunting for him, then she would find him and a parking lot tussel always ensued, then we would get home and the screaming would re-commence. I used to lay in bed and cry and pray for them to get a divorce, Mom worked then and as the oldest child it became my job to cook, clean and do the laundry. Mom worked from 4pm to midnight, when she would get home she would yank me out of bed and beat my tail for some thing or other that I failed to do to her satisfaction. Daddy was a drunk and she was a co-dependent and her unhappiness was taken out on me, not my little brother, just me. She expected more from me. That's why I said yes to the first guy who asked me to marry him...just to get out of the house, got married on my third day of senior high, lost my scholarship to Texas A&M because my GPA fell, did manage to graduate but discovered I had traded one abusive relationship for another even worse one. I tried living on my own, but a situation came up similar to the one I posted about. I had an apartment, was working full time. Minimum wage then was 4.10 an hour. I had a two year old daughter I had a sitter for her. She got chicken pox from another child the sitter kept. She was sick for two weeks, I got fired from my job because I could find no sitter for her while she was sick. I got evicted because I could not pay my rent and when I went to apply for welfare, the case worker told me that I could go sell myself on the streets for rent money and food....and I was too dumb to report her. So we moved back in with Mom and Dad, nothing had changed there either. I eventually got back on my feet, then I got married again and things have been chugging on and every new day is better than the last. You mentioned that everything you lived through made you who you are today and that is exactly right, I would change nothing in my past it brought me to my present and I am happy. You can't ask for much more than that.
04 Dec 23 by member: debrafrederick
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