What to do when there is absolutely no income flowing in?

I'm just curious if there are any DUers out there who have seen their income completely disappear. I have a feeling that's a scenario that at least some of us are currently facing, and many more of us aren't very far from at all. I'm really curious to see how people get by with absolutely no income whatsoever.

Such as growing one's own food, living collectively with others, etc.

buy beans and rice if you have any $ at all.

Been there done that repeatedly. If hard times make you stronger I should be Hercules, instead of a sick, broke and broken down.
for some reason preview keeps posting?

We lost our jobs in 2002, we were without regular work for over a year as our savings were running out and most of our savings had already gone with our business and absconding biz partner and accountant.

We had some long conversations , what can we do? What can we do in the future to try to not land here again?
We started by tightening up on expenses and ditching some altogether, we have been constantly replacing lights, and appliances as we have to we replace with efficient ones..Talking long term planning here.
We bought an abandoned modular house on 9 acres, the previous owners walked away after divorce then renting it to some folks who kind of trashed it.
We have 2 veggie gardens and are trying to get a small orchard going.
We want to get the car paid out soonest to invest in more upgrades..needs roof insulation,plumbing, electrical upgrade, so we are going green with all we do so that eventually we will be off grid and grow most of our food.
We also plan to be near fossil fuel independent or as close as possible, without going broke..which we are too close to now.

Our energy investments have cut 2/3 off the power bill, costing so far about 3700$ spread out over 3 yrs, saves us 2500 in power bills alone. Heating fuel is down by 2/3 and we use solar gain to heat in day time by opening those heavy curtain liners to let the sun in and close them when the sun is gone.

We plan to be so close to independent that the vagaries of the market won't be so hard on us, since we will be both dependent on SS, since our retirement was wiped out back in 2002 and we are so close now that there is not anything left for savings. If we get our solar power and solar water heating equipment finished that is even less power we have to buy. I would rather have a loan to buy solar panels than pay for coal fired power which is 80% of our power here i think..been awhile since I checked.

For what it's worth.

We know how fast that it can happen.
I mainly want to get it out there so others should not have to go through what I have.

I used to be a pretty nice guy, now I hate repukes with a purple passion, every time I see mcturtle or boner I want to throw rocks at the tv screen after a life time of getting f'd over by the right I just don't have any more patience for them.
The righttards just don't f'ing get that we NEED a social safety net(or is ok if only registered rightards get govt help but not anyone else).
The idiots talk about crime, then screw over us little folks when you get fed up or desperate...you may end up committing crime to feed your family and yourself. I guess they would be happier if you just offed your family and yourself because after all we are nothing.
Its ok to do people out of their retirements like this about cutting SS payments..I barely make it on mine as is.

I have seen so many lose out on retirement that there was a promise of when the company is eaten up, you are downsized and the ceo of the devouring company raids the pension plan or just steals it for his own Golden Parachute.
I have worked for too many Repukes, I have seen how they see us, as chattel and not deserving to be fed so they do everything they can to make it so.
but its ok for them to receive govt funds or not pay taxes and have heard the way they talk about us lesser humans.

I m so sick of them I can't even put into words.
I don't think much more of the dems in charge now either.

Just maybe more aware than before. I think you have these things figured out pretty well.

Good on you and family. You are showing the way as Republiconomic Shock & Awe take the SYSTEM down, down, down...

There's a whole new way of being...

My brother who thinks the economy is going to collapse is constantly telling me we should buy a farm. He is half joking. That would make more sense than buying gold which may do well but if the economy collapses you can't eat it.

Looks like you are ahead of the curve.

People like you and your family are an inspiration to me, because you DIDN'T GIVE UP.

:hug: :pals:

no money?

I would think if you have no money, you can either survive via charity, illegal trade, or finding a way to get into a civilized country that doesn't let its poor perish.

or other containers.............

There are a myriad of websites that show you how this is accomplished.

Also, the Frugal forum at this site has lots of ideas about shortcuts and ways to save money and where to find things for free.

There is lots of public land that isn't watched all that closely. It doesn't take much to put a few jersulam artichokes into a secluded patch of a state park and let it thrive for years. Or quietly start tending a garden in the backyard of a foreclosed piece of land.

I was in a local nature preserve a few years ago with a ziploc bag and a paintbrush. One of the rangers stopped to ask what I was doing. They had a stand of pawpaw trees; I wanted the pollen from that to pollinate my own tree at home. It's not a tree that bees like so a lot of people do hand pollination of them. I was explaining this to the ranger and instead of kicking me out or letting me alone, he took me down to an area where nobody goes in the park and showed me where there was another stand of them. He said if I wanted I could pollinate those ones while I was there and come back in the fall with a backpack and harvest the fruit.

Most places I've lived, I've been able to forage a fair amount of food. In Germany it was berries and hazelnuts in the woods. In Washington it was berries again, and various things from the ocean. I didn't have a fishing pole, but I found some abandoned hooks and tangled fishing wire stuck on the pier. I untangled the abandoned line, tied a few pieces together, tied them to the hook, and was able to get fish to eat every night just by holding the fishing line with my bare hands. I didn't own a grill but I could usually find people on the beach who were grilling and when they'd leave, they'd still have hot coals and I could cook the fish on that. In California I upgraded to a fishing pole. I still didn't have a house, but I had a coleman camp stove and everything was cooked on that, in my one pan - a 50 cent "ez foil" pan from the grocery store that I just reused over and over. I had to wash it by rinsing it in the ocean, I didn't have running water, but I figured next time I cooked in it it would be sterilized. I lived on a crappy boat I bought for 3 thousand dollars. It was a lot up front but then I had no rent and no utilities. No car, no car insurance, no gas expenses. It was like camping, but longer term. I've also known some great people who were I suppose technically homeless, but lived at relief shelters volunteering for others. They got a free tent to sleep in where police wouldn't harass them, free meals, they did volunteer work, and they were also able to do part time work on their own in town.


In Ann Arbor I knew where there was a cherry tree I could raid on university property. Nobody else in our culture seems to do that anymore, if you can find a treasure like that you can normally take ownership of its crop. And I spent 10 bucks there for a 10x10 plot in a community garden.

Now I am doing better, I have a job and it seems fairly secure at least for now. But if I were doing that now I'd be checking the free section of craigslist a few times a day. If you need to replace a broken appliance, CL normally will have something that is used but functional for free if you can afford to have patience. I finally got rid of things this week from combining two households years ago - we had extras we didn't need. So local folks got a free blender, free hand mixer, free coffee pot, some clothes, and other things from me this week. When I have too much produce in my garden and can't keep up with picking or processing it I put that up free on CL as well. In return I've taken my fair share of free stuff as well - like all the cedar to build my raised beds. That was all free from someone's fence that was damaged in a storm, it was going to cost him 300 dollars to have someone haul it away for him so it saved both him and us a lot of money. I've even seen people offering hair cuts for free on CL.


And as always in response to posts like the OP, I'll add - use 211 (like 911 but for social needs, rather than police or EMS). If you have the service in your area that will take you to a united way volunteer who has a list of all the resources in your area, like free/low cost clinics, food banks, etc. They can direct you to what you need without you having to pull your hair out reinventing the wheel doing all that research yourself. Sorry to anyone who is tired of hearing me plug them, I just get the sense that not too many people are even aware that exists.

Thanks.
:hi:

Also,

Nice to see you bring up the little known fact that many homeless volunteer.

earning money through prostitution. For some people its a short term or long term answer.

there are growing all around. I see people collecting cans and bottles around here, some also collect cardboard. It depends on what your resources are. If you have the possibility of living collectively, that's better than going it alone. We usually have more than we realize.

She's suffered the loss of her unemployment benefits, and her child turned 21 last year, so no more support from her ex for her daughter, either. She's down to the last of her savings, some 401K money that is still left.

We were at her mother's, her father just died last month, and she may end up moving in with Mom. She's 56 now, and has a long way to go before she can start Social Security at 62. She might have some equity in her house, her daughter is probably moving out with her fiance to Florida, where he has family, and things are cheaper. If she does have equity, she might stretch things out a few more years, but she's got to get back to work soon to keep from absolute total collapse.

her unemployment benefits have ended, Her child support has ended and she only has some of her 401K left. And she may have some equity left most of us could be so lucky. Well Its time she wakes up and smells the fucking coffee. Welcome to the real world look for work like the rest of us do. Cry me a fucking river.

has some options such as food stamps, etc.

I was qualified for 8$ a month and I am well below poverty level.

the food shelves are probably more reliable.

So how in the hell does someone below poverty level not qualify for the max allowed for food stamps? Goddammit, that's why I pay taxes. So people that make less than me can have food in their bellies and a roof above their heads. Obviously my tax dollars aren't going where I want them to.

I have no qualms about paying taxes to help out those that need help. (And I'm not even remotely rich by ANY stretch of the imagination. No, I'm in the paycheck-to-paycheck group.) But I do have a HUGE problem when my tax dollars are funneled to the rich so the Wall Street guys can get their huge bonuses while people that make less than I do struggle and go hungry. That's just wrong on so many levels.

$8 a month in food stamps.:wtf:

OK, what's good for the goose is good for the gander. I think it's time we demand that our Congress people live on minumum wage and subsist on $8 a month for food stamps. Let's see how they like it. Their housing in DC will be provided free of charge. Of course, it will be dorm-style but hey, austerity measures and all. During their time in Congress, they will not be allowed ANY outside financial support. The full cost of any lobbyist functions they chose to attend will be deducted from their wages. Oh, and that cushy pension plan they have? Gone. Health care? Same thing. Throw 'em into the pool. If they want to "represent" us, they truly need to be one of us. Live like we do and then tell us how great we have it.

This assumes no help is coming from the government, which sadly, is probably the assumption you have to go on.

during hard times - they are abandoned as sometimes their "friends" are afraid of being hit up for something.

Others might not have any family left, especially as they grow older.

That said, this is exactly the reason for the need of Social Security and other such programs.

Nobody loves you when you're down and out .. John Lennon

:kick:

We had that happen.

We have several family members who always *reminded* us of birthdays, anniversaries, etc., and called if they needed things when we were flush. But the minute we needed help -- suddenly they were not available, and were *skint*. Of course, the news that they had booked a cruise *after* we had called and asked for help really was a stunning revelation.

If that is the only time you hear from someone, to hell with them!

And even Ann Landers agrees with this advice. I still have that newspaper clipping btw. :P Take that you selfish leaches!

:dem:

If you spend too much
time holding on to the one who treats you like an option, you'll miss
your chance to find the one who treats you like a priority!


yes, giving, giving, and when the tables turn - nothing - therefore I have a new saying

Look for things you can steal.

but I don't know how.

And selling stolen stuff is illegal, as is buying it.

Stealing is also illegal. People don't loose their morals just because they need money.

But stealing is defined generally by those who have control of things to steal.

We are a capitalistic society and as such have a strong sense of property ownership. "Everything" is owned by someone or something, even if it is the government. But there have been societies in which such things were not so. Many native american societies worked that way, everything belong to everyone. There was ownership of small personal items such as clothing or the like, but most everything was community property. You couldn't "steal" something because no one owned it. That caused serious conflicts between the europeans and the native americans. They had almost no concept of ownership.

We have developed a society in which you have come to the conclusion that it is immoral to "steal" food, water, shelter, clothing, etc. I understand why, but do understand there are social structures that would not be able to understand such a concept. These are seen as fundamental features of the planet and as such all people seen to have "rights" to them in some social structures. Even in the US, mostly during the western expansion, "water rights" were well understood. Everyone had a right to access to a well or other water source and no one could try to control it just because the owned the land on which the well sat, or the spring that generated the river. There are other areas that also tend to be recognized in our "ownership society" as been "common" to us all and therefor "unstealable". Air (not necessarily clean) isn't particularly "ownable". Most states have various forms of "aid and assistance" laws that require one to give aid when necessary. Lakes and rivers are often seen as "common" property that cannot be owned. Strangely, in a case in Miami involving a homeless person, the "right" to pee was recongnized (some guy was pissing outside a locked public restroom).

We have evolved our society to a point where we have defined it immoral to obtain food, water, shelter, and clothing for oneself under certain circumstances. If you ever really get to a point where it is difficult to obtain those things, for whatever reason, you may begin to understand that a change in your view of morality will occur. You may begin to see these things from a more "communal" point of view.

and end up in jail.

I've heard of people deliberately committing minor crimes to go to jail for these things.

Stealing can be hazardous to ones health.

They now take the first twenty five people to show up on Mon, Wed and Friday, that's it.. Apparently people can't afford to buy the plasma products like they used to so their demand is way off.

I got there at 7:30 (after an hour and a half in traffic) the last time I went and I was #24 but my blood pressure was too high (can't afford meds) so I couldn't donate anyway.

Now I don't have the money to make the trip again and my BP is probably too high anyway.

I'll remain in the womb of academia for the duration of this economic clusterfuck.

At least when it's all over, I'll have my second bachelors, and hopefully a masters degree to show for it. I'll also have a mountain of debt...

Go for the Federal loans, like Stafford loans - the interest rates are much lower than the commercial loans.

I'm also shooting for a fellowship or assistantship when I get to grad school - that way, I'd get tuition paid for, a small stipend which is good enough for sharing a house with fellow students or renting a small apartment, and I'll be able to keep bills paid that way. All I'd have to do is help teach some classes, grade papers, help with research, that sort of thing.

If I was single, I think I'd do as you are--keep going to school. You can qualify
for Pell Grants, get jobs on campus and live cheaply and with a roommate.

I have a husband and two kids--and sometimes it is very stressful. When you've
got a mortgage--and you contemplate what you would do if things got rough--it's
very upsetting.

We aren't immune. No one is. I think everyone is afraid. Job security is a luxury of decades past.

Enjoy your time in academia and I hope you weather this academic storm well.

I was an independent contractor, so no unemployment. I live thank gawd, in a mostly paid for old family home, grow veggies and cannabis, and do what I can to get by. I literally have nothing left worth selling, no car and I haven't cut my hair in two years. Today, I'll eat maybe once.

I live in a town that has 17% unemployment and the jobs just are not coming. I've tried a couple of bushiness ventures that have left me exhausted and even more broke. No money to move to a better place, gave up on the resume thing about 6 months ago, so a lot of folks here, including me, are kind of just waiting to die.

It's funny, for my father it was his childhood that was tough, the depression, but he was able to support a family, all be it very modestly, work the same job for 38 years and have a vacation every single year. It seems for many in my generation it may be different, a decent childhood with food and fun, and a hard, hard life for our "golden years."

I'm 50, my teeth are falling out, and there is no help coming.

And I am not alone.

(As a note, I mentioned that I grow cannabis, if anyone here thinks this is a road to riches, you better start off being rich.)

One good symbol for that is the teeth. I had not imagined that they would start to crack and break from all the fillings and that no crowns would be afforded to repair them or that a chip on the front tooth would never get some veneer. Oh, who wants to consider that?

But that is only a snippet of the new life many of us lead. One learns to deal with it, but it is nothing like the life that those still in the corporate-monoculture simulation know. Death, (due to the limited potential for survival in this setup) is a comforting idea. It does end, as do all things.

However, though I don't wish the results of collapse on anyone, it is easy to imagine handing out numbers and saying, "Next!" Many will be joining us.

It's a vicious never ending cycle that I honestly thought I'd never find myself in.

Americans used to be known for their good teeth. That is becoming a thing of the past for the "middle" class. You have to be wealthy to afford things like crowns and implants, or even simple fillings in some cases.

:shrug:

The help just isn't out there for older single people without dependent children.

If I'm mistaken and someone can point me in the right direction, that's great and even though I've never asked for anything, I will take it.

We do have a charity dentist here that will take all of your teeth out for you, but to replace them with dentures, you are on your own. I do believe I might be able to get a job if I was able to get my teeth fixed, but I can't put the money together for dentures.

I grew up in a country that taught me poor people were lazy. I was brought up to work for a living, but once you get behind the 8 ball in the good ol' US of A, you stay there.

The dental school, connected to a very, very rich privet university in my town, offers a 10% discount.

The staff is there to learn instead and teachers are teaching instead of worrying about the bottom line.

good luck!

people without dependent children. I've looked into it too. I also have broken teeth and cavities and can't do anything about it. What you're saying is absolutely true; once you fall too far behind there's no crawling back. :-(

It absolutely boggles my mind how dentistry came to be considered a completely separate field from the rest of the human body, with its own rules, insurance, etc. Even with the so-called "health reform", there's still no mention of dental care. I guess some people just think of teeth as a cosmetic function?

and I work as an illustrator or animator (when I can find work). Why are both eyes and teeth not considered part of ones "health"? Is hearing more necessary than vision or eating? Who decides these things?

in So Cal is your age also, and in the same situation. 50, no kids was an independent contractor (roofer) and basically unemployed. he's been doing "extra" work (extra, like in movies, teevee) for extra money. he looks like an ordinary joe, that's what they want. lives in orange county, with a roommate of course, but he's making it. around here in sacramento, the employment is very high like stockton. many of the homeless panhandle and redeem cans for money. anyway, just wanted to add my two cents on "things to do" when you've got no or limited income.

Go to a busy corner in the raggediest dirtiest clothes you own, look pathetic and put your cup or hat out for people to throw money into. Back when I was a kid, I remember disabled people selling pencils for a donation. I know it's humiliating but how else do penniless people survive when a heartless bureaucracy has turned their back on them?

we have too many indigent homeless already. You won't make a killing begging here that's for sure.

market it locally, using Craigs list. Start a free blog to advertise, too, on blogger.com.

I did this to start a web content writing service, and within three months, I was earning enough money to keep our heads above water. Now, it's doing even better. I got my first contracts within the first two weeks.

But, it can be any kind of marketable skill, from laying floors to painting houses, etc. There's lots of competition out there, but it's one strategy you can use, and it can lead to a pretty good little business in time.

If you're skilled, honest, hard-working, and do as you say you will, you'll get recommendations from your customers and there will be more work. Basic entrepreneurship.

Also, if you can get access to the Internet and you're able to write, do programming, or do other on-line tasks, you could sign up at sites where you get paid to do this on a freelance basis.

I think there's a site called LeapForce for getting paid to do on-line jobs. And there are several writing and programming sites. There used to be one called RentaCoder but I think it changed or went out of business? Maybe some others with knowledge of these sites can chime in here.

http://www.ic.org/

it's a great idea for many people. unfortunately, i crave my privacy, so it wouldn't work for me.

If that time comes, its not like I'm planning to use them myself...

give you to extract them. Then, it speeds up menopause. Do you really want that?

The Home Energy Diet (book) -----

http://www.amazon.com/Home-Energy-Diet-Energy-Smart-ebook/dp/B0027P9DV8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&m=AG56TWVU5XWC2&s=digital-text&qid=1279479127&sr=8-2


The Money Diet: Step-by-step Guide to Saving Money (book) -----

http://www.amazon.com/Money-Diet-Step-step-Saving/dp/0091894840/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1279479127&sr=8-1


Stevia --- an herb 300 times sweeter than sugar, as a sugar substitute ----

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stevia

(Not sure where to get it, but 1 teaspoon of extract is like 300 teaspoons of sugar. )



You can make a very cheap meal with eggs for protein and carrots for a vegetable or salad. Mixing a little whole milk with skim milk and some water plus a pinch of sugar done in the right proportions tastes nearly like whole milk at a fraction of the cost.


The body can't break down its own fat stores for energy without linolenic (with TWO "N"s) acid, an unsaturated fatty acid that is essential and acts as an emulsifier in the body. Linolenic acid is found in soybean lecithin, available in granules in jars at health food stores. One teaspoon of lecithin granules (preferably mixed with milk to help you get it down, or mix with water) greatly reduces hunger and makes it possible to skip a meal.

is great, unfortunately, not cheap.

Your local labor board or board of health should be able to provide you with lists of organizations that are trying to help out people in need. Those lists are extremely useful. The foodbank information is the first thing to check into. Many have different schedules and/or requirements - so call and find out what they are, and note their time/day requirements so that you have that in an easily accessible area.

Call about welfare/medicaid and what is required to get on the lists. Pull together all the information they need beforehand, so that you can make the application process go smoothly. Also call United Way, to see where they think you should start. They helped us out of a couple of really bad moments - they have resources that aren't normally above the radar.

Call your church, if you attend one. If not, call the church you would attend (depending on your religion) and see what is available through them. They may have the same lists as in the previous posts, but they may also have other resources the others don't.

But do get your ducks in a row to apply for state aid. That should be the main one to go for. Food stamps, etc., can help a lot at times like these.

And if you go to foodbanks, etc., talk to others. Many times those of us who were in a bad way shared resource information. Networking helped us a lot.

Good luck!

http://www.leapforceathome.com/qrp/public/jobs

And if you do a search, there are a lot of other sites out there for writing, programming, and other on-line work.

I didn't have a place of my own so I was lucky to have a friend with a guest room who put up with me for 5 months. Fortunately I had save what credit I had for emergencies. I used that to make my car payments, car insurance and cell phone bill. I did some consulting work on the side and made a little (very little) money, that enabled me to make monthly payments to credit cards that I lived on.

It was very hard. The hardest part is to keep going, keep pushing yourself. Something will break eventually. That's what I kept telling myself and, eventually, something did. I got a decent job, got a place and slowly chipped away it furnishing it, got some dental help I needed very badly and just getting back on my feet. Managed to do all that and pay off the aforementioned credit cards in just over a year.

Julie

what is that?

at the age of 33. It IS sad but she does make a lot of money doing it.

i had to look at that twice, should have realized what it was the first time!

I read this thread and I want to choke them. Or, at least, tie John Boehner to a chair and force him to read this thread.

My best wishes to all of you. I lost my job, but so far the freelancing is keeping my head above water -- emphasis on "so far" because it wouldn't take long for me to be in your situation.

but haven't seen his posts for quite awhile.

can't hold on much longer. Must find some work soon!

I recently noticed a small sign on a home in my small town that was advertising that they would sell your stuff on e-bay for you. I thought it was a good idea for people who are not very computer literate to sell thier extra stuff and everybody makes a little money.

This country is truly pathetic. The richest country in the world and we have stories here about people fishing for their meals, dumpster diving, people losing their unemployment with no social net to fall on, $10/month food stamps.

When will enough be enough? Will a revolution ever begin? The ruling class don't give a toss about people like you and me. There will never be any change until we make change.

The best I am hoping for now is that the system simply implodes. Yes, it will cause a world of hurt, but the system is broke.

The big question is what the system will trnasition into?

Just check it. Every 5 minutes. And be willing to do absolutely anything from cutting grass to painting houses to moving boxes to passing out flyers. But learn to spot the scum who will stiff you.

IF you have any credit left, as in credit cards or lines of credit, run them up then, if necessary, bankrupt on the fuckers. The system has gamed us for years. If possible, we should be savvy enough to game them for a while.

I mean I wouldn't do it casually but if your income is completely cut off the means of survival are more important than credit rating.

You need to do it smart though. Take small cash advance keep that money to make the minimum payment each month thus they don't cut credit line due to nonpayment. Keep making minimum payment until the card is maxed and they won't extend the limit.

My dad declared bankruptcy a few years back and he said that he was pissed he didnt just go out and max out his credit cards and buy a bunch of shit, because regardless your debt is gonna go back to zero.

free medical care, all the things you need to live.

I have a son who is living on almost nothing and I DO NOT KNOW how he's doing it.

There was a time a thread like this would have been considered flame-bait.

A few short years ago, Hugabear, you would have been piled on for "doom and gloom" posting because "things are not gonna get that bad." Wish those flamers had been correct...

As to the great question
asked by the OP, these are things I've done during times of zero/no income:

Freelanced (writing and office work), sold garden produce at a local small farmer's market (if you can find these nearby, you can also take craft items & flowers to sell,) did odd jobs for friends, sold scrap metal around my place (old car and truck and appliances) which can also be a source of money - recycling cans, glass, metal, etc., sold artwork, lived off my hens' eggs and garden veggies and rice and beans, got help at a local food pantry, bartered odd jobs for tools, food, car repair, house sat, sold stuff at roadside flea-market I didn't need...

Some people in these hills: hunt ginseng, cohosh, etc. to sell, also a mountain dude told me the creek behind my place used to be where they went to collect seedlings for the arbor day foundation. They got paid so much per seedling and made enough to live on all year. There are also berries to sell as well as plants people dig up and sell to nurseries. Many people grow christmas trees, pumpkins and other nursery stock - anything and everything - and they take mowing or haying or other side jobs if they have tractors or skill at these endeavors.

Just a few ideas off the top of my head...

also try flea markets, farmers markets, art/craft fairs.

Find something you can sell or make or grow that you can make money at. It may take a bit of trial and error and some searching around to figure out what works for you, but it is very possible to make a living or at the least, some extra money this way.

Ebay gets a bad rap these days but it often just takes a $1 purchase of something vintage/used to score big time on ebay.

Those with no income spend little time on the internet.

fortunate to have parents that are financially able to assist me. I live in a house they own. They pay my COBRA premium of $464/month and also help with other medical expenses like prescription medications. My weekly unemployment covers utilities, car payment and food. I am not sure what I will do when unemployment runs out....which could be this week! Probably get rid of my car and move in with my parents. It is just me and my dog so they have the room. I just hate the idea of living with my parents at age 46 but if I have to, then I have to.

In the meantime I just started my own business... going to offer my skills as a virtual assistant. My parents have paid for my start up costs... website, business cards, etc. I got the idea of doing this from a friend in another state. He needed some help with spreadsheets and I designed a database for him. He paid me $35 an hour and suggested I market my skills to others so I am giving it a go.

the will and the drive to adapt to the situation. Think about what you have to offer and NEVER give up. Change your idea of what you WANT to do for a living and start something new.
There are many things you can do to make a living don't get caught up in doing whats not working. You have a computer the world is at your finger tips.

I supplement by scouring the curbsides for sellable scrapmetal on garbage pickup eve. Sometimes I even find goodies that I can use ... the other day found two long fluorescent bulbs that fit exactly in my kitchen light fixture, and miracle of miracles, they both worked. (I'd initially picked them up because they were being thrown away in a metal hood, and I wanted the metal.) You'd think I'd won the lottery, I was so thrilled.

just sympathy and astonishment for what our country has become --

right before our eyes. I've been looking at the advice offered to you

because this could be happening to any of us -- sooner or later.

And wonder when we are going to move to stop it.

:crazy: