Is anyone here s**t poor?

Originally Posted by Lel

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Yo Slim, tell me how to eat cheap in Seattle.

U-District food prices are jacked up and I don't want to spend my entire day busing around the city to try and find cheaper food.

Start cooking your own meals. Shop in the discount meats section of the grocery store. Pay attention to the price per pound on things like lunchmeat, cheese, and etc - and make sandwiches. Host a pot-luck or something where everyone brings something to eat to your place, and then have leftovers. Don't be afraid of coupons. Spaghetti is cheap.

Also, if you can find a decent Asian Grocery near the UD, they nearly always have better prices on stuff like fish, ramen, and etc. Not Uwajimaya. They are kinda pricey, but have good selection.

As far as eating out in the U-dist. New China Express on the Ave has decent "Americanized" Chinese food, but they are open late, and you can get their "lunch" prices all the time. You still get a huge plate of food for like $5. Pizza Ragazzi has what USED to be the cheapest delivery pizza on Campus. I don't know about now. Uh... taco trucks. I see one occasionally up that way. Use it. Dick's cheeseburgers are like $1.50 or something.

Originally Posted by FStyles

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Not that anyone will read this with any interest now on the 3rd/4th page, but my folks and I came here from China with not a penny over $200 and a dream. Neither were educated or spoke a lick of Engrish, I was 4, and we knew no one. (when i say $200, I mean it. No bank account, just had 10 $20's)

I won't ramble on with any sob stories, but we were pretty piss poor. No one to turn to back home and definately no one to help here. We were on legit visas but we never once took a penny from the gov't other than the free education and free meals provided to me.

They both worked their asses off and put themselves through college in their 40's. With lots of hard work and a substantial dose of good luck they eventually landed careers which turned into better opptys and so forth.

Fast forward 23 years and my folks are very well off now.... Actually very very well off now but they still "think" poor which drives me up a wall, especially when they come to our place and snoop around in my closet area. The conversations that get started about a particular piece of clothing is NOT fun.

anyway, American dream in its finest form (IMO) and accordingly, we love this country like only immigrants can.

Cool story, thanks for sharing.

Slim, your drive is inspiring.

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

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Start cooking your own meals. Shop in the discount meats section of the grocery store. Pay attention to the price per pound on things like lunchmeat, cheese, and etc - and make sandwiches. Host a pot-luck or something where everyone brings something to eat to your place, and then have leftovers. Don't be afraid of coupons. Spaghetti is cheap.

Also, if you can find a decent Asian Grocery near the UD, they nearly always have better prices on stuff like fish, ramen, and etc. Not Uwajimaya. They are kinda pricey, but have good selection.

As far as eating out in the U-dist. New China Express on the Ave has decent "Americanized" Chinese food, but they are open late, and you can get their "lunch" prices all the time. You still get a huge plate of food for like $5. Pizza Ragazzi has what USED to be the cheapest delivery pizza on Campus. I don't know about now. Uh... taco trucks. I see one occasionally up that way. Use it. Dick's cheeseburgers are like $1.50 or something.

Any specific places around the International District? I'm trying to do a lot of shopping away from the school because the prices are just a bit jacked and I know nothing about the ID other than Uwajimaya.

PS: +1 on New China Express. Lived off it for weeks, expensive but easily two meals it's just everything tastes the same so I got sick of it.

Originally Posted by Lel

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Any specific places around the International District? I'm trying to do a lot of shopping away from the school because the prices are just a bit jacked and I know nothing about the ID other than Uwajimaya.

PS: +1 on New China Express. Lived off it for weeks, expensive but easily two meals it's just everything tastes the same so I got sick of it.

I'll keep my eyes out for Asian markets around the UD. There's gotta be one around there. By the way, New China Express has what is probably the best Hot N Sour soup in Seattle. I'd suggest it whenever you go there. Included in the lunch deal.

I'm "fresh out of law school with out a job" poor. I thought if I passed the bar everything will be ok. Well, I did and it wasn't ok. There are no jobs like at all here in LA and I'm considering something non-lawyer related. It's been a year now...

Originally Posted by Astan

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I'm "fresh out of law school with out a job" poor. I thought if I passed the bar everything will be ok. Well, I did and it wasn't ok. There are no jobs like at all here in LA and I'm considering something non-lawyer related. It's been a year now...

Jesus. My new lady friend is taking the bar now (apparently it's course-based up here, who knew). I hope to God she doesn't fail.

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

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This is an interesting question. Yes and no. Within the next few months, I will have paid off everyone I owe any money to, and will be back to even. It's been about a 12 year climb out of this hole and it will be nice to finally be out of it.

But I'm still only going to be making around $25-27k a year for an indefinite and foreseeable future. It's kind of hard for me to get jobs still. I haven't had a raise at my current job in three years, and they told me I wasn't likely to get one this year either. Next year I might be able to have my criminal record sealed, which will make it easier to go look for other work - which is a problem I have been dealing with for nine years (at the moment) as well. After that, I might go back to school, and who knows - maybe I'll be able to find something decent.

Everything in my life takes a long time because ******** up pretty badly. I know it's my own damn fault, but it's too late to do anything about it now. Just gotta wait it out and keep plugging away.

Don't want to get into a pity contest. I'm right on the same boat. I'm currently rough $20k in debt, recently gone back to school full time to hope in increase my earning potential. Working as a Marketing Specialist full-time (that requires me to travel to 18+ domestic and international locations each year). -- Well I guess I get some of my meal and expenditure covered there.

Made a whole bunch of stupid decision in the past, only recently I've gotten back on track and decided to work my way out of this hole. =( I'm getting close to 30 and I'm freaking out. Good news is that my income have increase over 20% in the last two years and I'm looking to see another 10-15% increase this year. Want to work my way out of debt soon and get back on track.

Hang in there Slim, we can do this!!!

(We are in the same area too. Seattle LOL)

Originally Posted by hiisociety

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Don't want to get into a pity contest. I'm right on the same boat. I'm currently rough $20k in debt, recently gone back to school full time to hope in increase my earning potential. Working as a Marketing Specialist full-time (that requires me to travel to 18+ domestic and international locations each year). -- Well I guess I get some of my meal and expenditure covered there.

Made a whole bunch of stupid decision in the past, only recently I've gotten back on track and decided to work my way out of this hole. =( I'm getting close to 30 and I'm freaking out. Good news is that my income have increase over 20% in the last two years and I'm looking to see another 10-15% increase this year. Want to work my way out of debt soon and get back on track.

Hang in there Slim, we can do this!!!

(We are in the same area too. Seattle LOL)


I'm nearly clear of around $27k in credit card debt ($2k left to go) and $34.5k in Auto loans. ($1844 left) It's doable. Good luck.

Like America, I'm too big and white to be s**t poor [/sarcasm]

I plan to be **** poor next year. (ok maybe not **** poor, just a smaller savings account)

..

Originally Posted by Tokyo Slim

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I'm nearly clear of around $27k in credit card debt ($2k left to go) and $34.5k in Auto loans. ($1844 left) It's doable. Good luck.

[serious]Way to go Tokyo Slim. That's awesome!

When that debt is cleared, you're going to feel such a huge ease up.[/serious]


Maybe you can buy a Mac then.

Originally Posted by Astan

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I'm "fresh out of law school with out a job" poor. I thought if I passed the bar everything will be ok. Well, I did and it wasn't ok. There are no jobs like at all here in LA and I'm considering something non-lawyer related. It's been a year now...
Sorry to hear this. I had a driver to the airport who had passed the bar but couldn't find a job. He said it was the only job he could find. It's a tough market but I hope you find a job in law, soon.

Originally Posted by Astan

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I'm "fresh out of law school with out a job" poor. I thought if I passed the bar everything will be ok. Well, I did and it wasn't ok. There are no jobs like at all here in LA and I'm considering something non-lawyer related. It's been a year now...

A year, dude? You really need a plan B or anything at all. Unfortunately you're becoming less marketable with every month you're jobless. It sucks but it's true. What was your planned specialty and what did you want to do?

I feel that life is divided into the horrible and the miserable. That's the two categories. The horrible are like, I don't know, terminal cases, you know, and blind people, crippled. I don't know how they get through life. It's amazing to me. And the miserable is everyone else. So you should be thankful that you're miserable, because that's very lucky, to be miserable.

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This is what you guys make me think of. I thought my family was poor, but at least I get heating, food, a roof over my head, and can occasionally save up enough money for clothes.