People Trapped in Poverty's Cycle
Individuals experiencing poverty face a pervasive sense of hopelessness and isolation. The financial strain extends beyond mere lack of resources, deeply impacting self-esteem, social connections, and overall mental wellbeing, creating a cycle difficult to escape. Many feel trapped and fear repeating the patterns of previous generations.
SOURCES (60)
“Then we've narrowed the disagreement to almost nothing. Your revised position is that poverty delayed your progress, outside support could have accelerated it, and your own sustained effort was necessary to escape. I agree. That is exactly agency operating under unequal constraints. But your original…”
“I think part of it is envy, and I can admit that. I don't have the money or freedom to travel whenever I want because i hold a very weak passport, or buy whatever I like... But part of it is also that our values are really different. She'll send me videos or songs of celebrities I personally don't support, or gets really excited over buying cute little things, and alot of merch, while I'm usually thinking about very different things. Neither of us is necessarily wrong, but it'”
“I am struggling with guilt of leaving my baby in daycare when I go back to work when school starts up. She will be 4 months by then. There's no way we could live off of one income, so this is the only option. We don't have family close to us to rely on to help. I will say I am extremely lucky to have my maternity leave backed up to summer break. I had an extra 2 months of caring for her and seeing her grow and develop. Now I have to leave her in 2 weeks and I'm not handling it well.”
“This is going to sound harsh, but I grew up poor and taking a break before college was never on the table for me. Growing up early sucks and leaves scars. You had dreams and expectations based on thinking your family had money, money that was never there. You will survive this. Some people even thrive in it. If you can, find those people and learn from them. First and most importantly, as others have mentioned, you are not responsible for them. Their financial situation and lies is details of th”
“This is a discombobulated mess of my brain right now. Sorry for Turing your brain to mush if you actually read it. Some days it just sucks to be me. I hate the fact that I’m mid 40s, and not even have a single blip on the radar for any sort of romantic interest in my life. I’ve had some really bad relationships. One I stayed in too long because I guess I was desperate and was not aware I was being used by not only her, but her entire family. I have a host of medical issues and currently in disab”
“We say no, but actions in my life speak otherwise. I've worn a retail uniform taking the trash out with people assuming the worst and feeling sorry for me. They'd treat me similarly to how you'd treat a kid learning how to walk for the first time (I'm 38). That's best case scenario. Worst case, they assume you're an idiot or just got out of prison and will either talk over everything you say, or they hold their loved ones tighter feeling scared that I might do something c”
“i do not want life. i do not have any material needs. i don't want money i don't want new clothes i don't want anything. id take death over life any second. it's the only thing i look forward to. it's my only goal. death does not scare me. life does. nothing is scarier than uncertainty. and when life is already an ass to you, you don't want to take any chances. i can not stop thinking about death. it's the only thing i want over everything else. but life is getting in”
“This is the first month talking to ppl yes. I used to isolate myself like, a lot”
“Absolutely 100% YES. I can relate to a lot of your post. I also did reasonably well in years gone by, now I am not well off at all, I literally scrape by, can't afford to eat out, or even get a coffee out very often at all, I always make sure I take a flask and a packed lunch I made myself, but I don't give a shit about money beyond having enough to keep the wolves from the door.”
“Hi, I'm Ren, and i'm from North Africa. I have been interested in entrepreneurship and financial independence for the past 2 years. I don't have any funding, and i can't work an onsite corporate job to save money because, unfortunately, the salaries in our country are extremely, extremely low. i'm talking about a senior engineer making a max of $12K/yr in the most extreme environments, such as the desert, and everything, from cars to houses, is so extremely overpriced that to”
“I’ve been making $200 a day in Chicago since February and I am just baffled by the complainers. But I also come from rough beginnings and have mental health issues which make life unpredictable. I am high functioning and pleasant to the public, I just can’t predict when I need to pause. I just can’t drive a forklift or truck anymore in a 9-5 format. When I do 13 hrs straight for DD, it barely bothers me. A standard 9-5 blue collar job reporting to a narcissist compromises my health within a year”
“It could be someone that came from poverty and worked 2 jobs just to pay off their college classes and they still managed to finish at a young age It could be someone that got pregnant at 16 but they didn’t let being a parent stop them from pursuing their letters at 22 The 40 year old could also be a trust fund baby that was being threatened to get cut off unless they got a certification in something The context literally doesn’t matter”
“I relate to you so much. I’m sorry for the pain you are in. I understand the stagnation. It almost feels like we are paralysed. Just try to do one good thing for yourself every day. Not to lose weight, not to earn love from others. Just to be kind to yourself. It could be as simple as drinking 2 litres a day or going for a 15 min walk everyday. I just started going for walks. I haven’t changed anything else in my life, because it feels overwhelming. But doing one thing is better than doing nothi”
Except most people aren’t paying those median rents by themselves.
“I really do want to learn new skills. I just feel like I'm stuck in a mental rut”
“I am 22 years old, living in Ethiopia, and I feel like I'm stuck. I work full-time at a travel agency, and my annual salary is about $622 USD. Most days are already long, but over the last two days I worked from 8:00 AM until 12:00 AM, and then the next day from 9:00 AM until 1:00 AM. That's around 16 hours each day. Last night was the breaking point for me. By the time I finished work, there were no buses left, so I had to walk home through dark roads in the middle of the night. I was e”
“Just like you accept all the other shitty things that make your life miserable”
“I'm 27 and I've only ever worked 2.8 years, I've been unemployed for almost 2 years. I also can't drive, never have. I have mental health issues and energy issues, I'm also transgender. My mental health conditions are as listed ADHD, autism, generalized anxiety disorder, clinical depression. I couldn't handle the trades as I'm weak and have energy issues plus I'm sensitive. (My brother works in the trades) I'm also a shut in/agoraphobic. I can't do fast fo”
“I just let a chance with an apartment slip through. I couldn't afford the security deposit. One thing I learned about being homeless is people don't really care. There's barely any wiggle room to get good footing in anywhere. I still do daily jobs when I can. But it's not helping much. And everywhere you go for assistance, they just put you on never ending wait lists, while you suffer, or it's too late. They just took my car and impounded it earlier because my battery complet”
“I feel you, brother. And it’s a normal problem for people who successfully accumulate all their lives: how do you turn it off? Read Morgan Housel, The Art of Spending Money. While you’re likely never going to become relaxed about spending, you may learn a better framework about spending that will make it feel less threatening.”
“Sorry man, would you have preferred another tired "It's impossible to escape poverty, the system is rigged!" post? People can and do make it out every day.”
“The hardest is getting a first experience. That’s probably why . If they know someone who knows someone who gets them in , then the little network tends to pick up the slack afterwards . Even in my job , when positions open they always ask who knows someone available and that’s how hiring happens today . Jobs are rarely published online , or worse they’re published to have an illusion of fairness but they already have the position filled . Ask your parents or your brother to put in a word for yo”
“A big part of it was looking at what my mom did and doing the opposite. No cigs, no alcohol, no weed, no gambling. Actually saved my money to cover emergencies. Instead of going to college out of high school, I got certified to be a Pharmacy Tech which paid decent at that age. Then I went to college after being more financially and professionally stable. I work as an application developer for local government making 90k, which is a solid salary where I live.”
Thats wassup, how did you get out the hole and what are you doing now,
“I am autistic, as in like having meltdowns when I'm overstimulated and being absolutely awful at small talk. I've accepted I will never have a corporate job. No corporation will ever hire me, even if I'm qualified. Every time I go to a meetup group I know I stick out like a sore thumb because I'm such a freak. I wish I could be one of the Golden Children so bad but I never will be. submitted by /u/madbarpar [link] [comments]”
“A lot of us feel the way we do because we didn't have kids due to not being able to afford it, so stories like these where she also couldn't afford it but kept having more is very upsetting. Whats truly helpful is having as many mouths as you can responsibly feed, clothe and care for for 18 years. And planning for that.”
“😂 ya you would think people would be more understanding of her situation. It's not like it's that uncommon. I found myself in situations pretty similar myself.”
“I will start by saying I acknowledge I chose this path, and that I’m extremely privilege to be in a PhD program. HOWEVER…but I've been feeling so dejected and lost lately. So this is a lite rant. I'm a Black American woman in my mid-30s, in my fifth year of a PhD in an ecology. I grew up with a single parent in a very low-income household, and lately I can't shake the feeling that I've failed my family. I feel too smart to be this broke. One of the hardest things I've learned”
“Its my birthday I turn 20 and I haven't eaten in 3 days why is life so fucking frustrating I can barely stand up anymore I have 9% body fat and weight 98 pounds I have the hunger shakes so all I can do is lay here and wait for the sleepiness to take over so I can atleast not be hungry and conscious submitted by /u/TheJFKexperience63 [link] [comments]”
“we see money as vitamin M, it solves all your money-problems. Although money problems are not ALL the problems in life, deficiency of it does make things difficult. At the same time, not let money elude our minds and serving (helping) people is the perfect balance! :))”
“My life is basically nothing. There's only so much I can take. And I envy people that had good relationships with their parents and could live with them after high school. All I saw was homelessness. No college, or break after being bullied pretty much all throughout high school. Lost my car earlier this year. I should've given up when that happened instead of putting myself through months of torture. I'm about to give up my dog. Took me a while to make this decision. But I can't”
“The secret is either they're in debt or they have generational wealth. No one can afford the amount of leisure they do, unless they have wealth and don't need to worry about saving. I'd be more careful of keeping up even with your "normal friends". I've had to normalize saying "nah I'm broke I can't go out to eat. Wanna go for a walk instead?" Even occasional coffees will add up. Also women tend to socialize in more consumption-oriented activities (cof”
“TLDR: in-laws said hurtful remarks after I’ve tried to do everything right in life to end up nowhere near goals but at least outta poverty and BIL/SIL did the fuck-around option and are living the high life First off I don’t know where to put this as my spouse has frustrations as well and I don’t want to pile mine on top of it more than I already have. I escaped poverty about 10 or so years ago depending on how you look at it, but idk who else will get it outside this sub. For background: came f”
“Basically what the question states. If you’re currently poor and almost broke, what are you changing to fix that? I’ll start I suppose. I was a homeless meth and heroin addict. I got sent to the mental hospital which made me sober a week. I got out and stayed sober. Showered in gyms and rode a bike to find a job. Once I did, I continued that schedule while working full time. Then I got a room to rent and into college and did both full time. Eventually, I had enough money to buy a IT certificatio”
“Some of mine are available as brand-name drugs only, and they are very expensive. I have to take them to function. I expect to be poor in the not-to-distant future. submitted by /u/berrysauce [link] [comments]”
“Hi everyone, I really need some guidance because I feel stuck and don't know what to do next in life. I recently graduated and moved to a new city, but I don't feel like I belong here. I've been stuck in the same loop for years, and the idea of working a typical corporate job for 8–10 hours a day feels very difficult for me to accept. It's not that I don't want to work—I do. But I struggle with the thought of spending most of my life doing work that doesn't make me happy”
“I don't have food too. Or a home. Or family. Or friends. Or even a wallet. Or a bank account. I don't know what to do anymore. I can't apply for jobs, and even if I could I wasn't going to be hearing back from any halfway decent entry level jobs. I had to abandon my student loans also. I'm tired. I've been passively reading through a few posts in this subreddit today. Despite being a poverty subreddit you all don't really care to give advice to people in poverty. It&#”
“Im defeated and im not sure how to change my outlook on life. I was tricked by society into going to college and getting a useless degree. I was so tunnel visioned on my original plans of going to grad school that i didnt think hard enough if my career would actually be a good fit for me, my advisors in school also failed me. Im 19k in debt stuck in a minimum wage job that a high schooler could do. If it was not for my family id be homeless and likely dead since there are zero resources for home”
“I commented honestly. I’m a six figure millennial but a low six figure and that depends on what I’m doing for work and where. I’m pay check to paycheck from my current situation. I’m poverty because of my situation and I’m trying to unlearn bad money habits”
“My poverty looks different to others poverty. I make six figures or close to it sometimes. But I’m head of household. Paying high rent, have 2 kids, and 3 adult dependents. Technically 5. And 2 other kids who are not mine who depend on me to pay for housing. I’m also BAD with money. I make it and spend it and I’m trying to unlearn these habits and be better. I also have my own debt. 20k in CC debt, student loans, car loan plus bills. So even with my current income which changes, I’m paycheck to”
“No point taking on more problems if one is not financial stable because the chaotic cycle will continue. For someone like I am learning from the sins of people of yesteryear in my family on both sides.”
“I get it. It feels like such a contradictory thing to have children and not being able to afford it. However I will say that when you have children you kind of just step it up. It doesn’t become about you anymore. At least for me my earnings and motivation got much stronger when I had children.”
“Life as an adult is just working, working, and working some more. In the meantime, it costs $2,500/month just to rent a room in someone's house an hour and a half away from the beach, groceries are a fortune, and gas is $6/gallon. Don't forget that you also have to be putting in an hour a day at the gym as well, and meet your daily caloric and protein goals just so that you're attractive enough to (maybe) go on a date one day. And for fucking what? What is even the point of all this”
“Life as an adult is just working, working, and working some more. In the meantime, it costs $2,500/month just to rent a room in someone's house an hour and a half away from the beach, groceries are a fortune, and gas is $6/gallon. Don't forget that you also have to be putting in an hour a day at the gym as well, and meet your daily caloric and protein goals just so that you're attractive enough to (maybe) go on a date one day. And for fucking what? What is even the point of all this”
“yea in highschool 2010s, lots of places broke labor laws for minors and people didn't care because you had 14 or 15 year olds that were fending for themselves otherwise they've starve because their parents were trash or underemployed.”
“I have anxiety enough as it is, but finances add onto it ten fold. So much to pay for, yet not enough income. I know I’m not alone here. Waking up in the middle of the night worried about next month’s rent, watching savings be depleted. I need to fix quite a few things on my car, my dogs need better veterinary care, I myself have health concerns I can’t afford. Stressing about these things 24/7 is causing weight loss, hair loss, fatigue, depression, irritability. I have a job, and I’m so thankfu”
“I feel you man. I relate to you. I majored in psychology out of all majors, because it interested me. How much student loans do you have, if any? If you don't have much debt, or none, maybe you can go back to school again? I've been contemplating that myself. Military also doesn't seem bad to enroll as an officer, well, before Trump took over. I'd say you have options.”
“I have been in NY (Westchester/Rockland area) for about 10 yrs now. At my recent job I am a GM and make like $27 an hr which is not a lot but a lot of people make less in this part of the state. I was renting half of a townhouse with a friend until last year March (my part was $1325+utilities). The lease ended and I moved to my aunt’s house (she is not the best person unfortunately, but I am grateful to be able to stay with her because I couldn’t work for like 3 months due to medical reasons). N”
“I get it, I can’t help but feel I’m falling behind every time I put off my future, stuff like applying to more jobs, and seeing my brother already having a fantastic job and wife. Sometimes it’s important to remember that you are only human and that success isn’t really the most important thing in life. It’s fine to take things slow, not all of us can be the best, that’s just not how it works. Turn your gaze inward more, and try to focus on personal goals and improvements, rather than comparing”
“I know your experience is hard I truly do, do your best to get the help you need and the life you truly deserve, with peace and love”
“My brother, I’m 32, my life was in shambles, I was fired every year for 5 years straight. My bank account was constantly at 0 but I kept going. I started a new job 1 year ago, I found my niche and in that year I have completely switched my life around. Health, my relationship, work it’s all changed because I refused to let the despair take me. I just got promoted for the first time in the 2020s My salary has tripled, I’m doing what I love and I’m healthier and happier than I have ever been. I ke”
“Yeah, the secondaries are piling and I’m genuinely so stuck. 😭 submitted by /u/FearlessAnt4487 [link] [comments]”
“Do you know a lot of generationally poor people? I do. I came from it. You are not going to believe this, but we too have a lot of drug abusers and alcoholics. They can't really afford to do nothing but they mostly go to jail and bounce from one low paying job to another. Every class of society has drug abusers and alcoholics. Money is not the issue.”
“A good friend of mine is 28. Lives in a rented 1/4 renovated 3/4 falling apart run down trailer. Hes been clawing his way to a better life, but things take time. To make matters worse, he was injured from work and promptly left go 8 months ago after the injury happened again 2 weeks after his return from the first. He was deemed unfit for the work and has since been out of full time employment and has been unable to find full time employment since. To make matters worse, he just had his car take”
“28 years old. Bad credit, work as a janitor making 24 an hour(not a lot of money I live in one of most expensive areas in the U.S). Low self esteem and struggling with depression. I’m finishing my college degree in the fall of this year but hey I choose the wrong major according to society which is computer engineering. I’ve applied to internships and I’ve only gotten 3 interviews in which to make it to the final round and not got chosen. My parents are drug addicts and once my grandparents died”