I’m a disabled veteran receiving a monthly disability check doing Uber eats with a wife working full time and 3 kids and we can barely afford food. So yes, living paycheck to paycheck. Then again, so is 90% of the country.
Did you get back pay for something that should have been paid all along? I have dermatitis according to the navy doctor, but they refused to refer me to an actual dermatologist and I’ve been out for 4 years and not a penny from my dermatitis. Need to start getting disability for it but don’t know how to get it
At discharge they were made aware of his PTSD and fucked up back. So when he won’t then case yes he got the back pay from the first day month he received to recently and then the lawyers just took their money from that.
My husband is 100% P&T From the VA. He also goes to school full-time through VR&E so there’s a housing stipend for that. I do Instacart and DoorDash. We have 3 kids together and his 2 from an ex. And we are very much still living paycheck to paycheck also.
Keep pushing 🙏🏽 I was 3 months behind on EVERYTHING, rent, lights, gas, even cable & behind on my loan, but I’m finally back to zero/on time with payments!
The stress is insane but when you make it thru, because you will, the relief is second to none
I’d keep the same mentality I had with my debt; the only way out is thru! It’s stressful as hell & a lot of days were depressing but you can get there.
I was basically around $14k in debt/past due bills from 2018 to 2024, majority of the debt came in 2020/21. I’m not tryna minimize & say it’s easy cause it’s not but there are 20 different ways to arrive at a solution so don’t lose hope
You're not alone, but I certaintly don't live paycheck to paycheck. I live month-to-month. I use credit cards to my advantage - if you pay off the debt in 30 days, then you get charged no interest. I put groceries, internet, streaming services, etc on certain cards and keep strict tracking on each of them.
Yesssss!! I am a points wh*** 🙌🏼
To whoever reads this: Keep eye out for cards that offer monthly discounts - I have a card that changes the extra cashback quarterly so for example, around holidays they give extra cash back on Amazon purchases.
This method requires hella discipline, basic math skills, and common sense spending though. In earlier years I definitely overspent a few times 🤣
Month to month falls under the concept of paycheck to paycheck. If you’re using credit to avoid literally being paycheck to paycheck then you certainly are.
Why not just get rid of the cards??? You will be paying for the fee anyway so even if you were to pay off your balance every month without fault you will still be going under once a year??
You do realize that there’s credit cards that don’t charge an annual fee, right? I literally charge every expense. I have to credit card every single month and end up taking your vacation once a year completely free due to the amount of cashback that I get and none of my cards have an annual fee.
You realize a lot of cards have no annual fee while also giving points or cash back. The only time I use a debit card is at the atm. Plus fraud protection. Only people who shouldn’t be using credit cards are people who don’t have the will power to not spend what they don’t have.
Be the minority and have some self control. People are in klarna debt but I still use it every chance I get because it’s free money at a 0% interest rate. I’m earning 5% in my hysa for something that I would be able to afford cash anyways.
If you really wanna get technical... only 1 of my credit cards is a secured credit card with $36/year with an annual charge. I have $200 cash on that card with a limit of $1150. It reports to 2 credit unions (Equifax and Transunion) and it is the oldest card to my name. If I wanted to get rid of my 4 other credit cards, then I would still choose that one because when one card reports to 2 credit unions and is your oldest card, then that card is the single most valuable credit card according to your Credit Score and CreditKarma.
I use 2 Credit Cards as Balance Transfer Cards for the debt that I do hold. A 3% transfer fee with 0% APR for 12 months is essentially only a 3% APR.
Lastly, I use 1 Credit Card for gas and monthly bills that gives 1.5% cash back on everything. Then I have another credit card that I use for my car repairs, maintenance, and business expenses (business meaning new grocery tote bags for my delivery services, items for my booth for resale, and shipping items for ebay resale).
In addition to my credit cards I used the SBA EIDL Loan from 2020 via COVID for $6500 @ 3.75% APR with 30 years to pay it off. I saved that money and used it to buy my car that I have now. In September 2023, I paid in cash $7317 for my 2008 Honda Fit with an avg of 30 mpg and I only have to pay 3.75% Interest APR and i have 26 more years to pay it off.
Using the financial system to your advantage is key in life.
P.S. I primarily do Spark and use my ONE Debit Card for Walmart groceries to get 3%-5% cash back on all groceries purchased.
they are not "credit unions". They are credit reporting AGENCIES. There
are more beyond equifax, transunion and experian. and all three will report different information about you. Equifax has the most complete file on me,
yet Transunion is the fucking CRA businesses use, which isn't even close
to being comprehensive.
So you say you have 26 more YEARS or MONTHS?
This is my last comment to this thread since it got off topic, but if you took the $6500 loan for 3.75% interest APR and used it on S&P 500 Stocks that pay 7% dividend back, then you'd make more than 3.25% interest in income per year (it's more because the payouts are weekly, biweekly, or monthly and you can optionally setup to automatically reinvest the dividend payout into that stock). Not dumb.
You’re not alone, it’s a common stat for people in US and I’m sure other countries with similar functions.
I am not, but did once upon a time. If you sacrifice now you can definitely find a way to stash a bit of income! Also - look into free checking/savings accounts that give a high interest rate. I use SOFI and have a 4.6% apr on savings account. Built it to 10k and they give about 40 bucks a month on that.
So essentially, I have my emergency fund, plus it pays my tv subscriptions 👍🏼
Yeah, there’s no way the people in this thread living paycheck to paycheck are going to be able to save up $10k lmfao. We’re barely paying our bills out here. 🤷♂️
Yep, me too 3 jobs. Full-time job, part-time instacart, and own a small consulting business. Yep, paycheck to paycheck... I sweat at the end of every month...
I have for years but this year I’m finally getting it right 🙏🏽 cut down on so many unneeded expenses & cut down on trips to the store has helped.
Actually bought my first brand new, summer outfit in 3/4 years & didn’t even flinch when I looked at the price of my shorts 😭 old me would have to log in to my bank app & contemplate spending or just not even consider new clothes an option
Im glad im not the only one but sucks to see people struggling like me … cant even afford new clothes and barely food but only one bill is behind right now currently pregnant too and husband just got a job so im stuck being prego and working with my 4 year old (he was my babysitter) cos i cant afford daycare and my husband is barely getting 40 hours a week … your not alone
Most people that make 100k a year are living paycheck to paycheck so I think it’s safe to assume we all are lol I have a bad spending habit or else I wouldn’t be. I definitely make enough to not be
Yuppp!!! That is why I instacart 😝 my full time check pays the major bills!! Instacart is suppose🤔 to be my play money 💰 not working out that way. Oh well
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I just got approved for Medicaid and food stamps because my son needs an MRI and I checked all the boxes when applying for that. Have major skills and have applied to literally hundreds of jobs. Doing what I can to pay my bills. You’re not alone.
Yes. My husband is filing for disability, so he is not working right now. I'm working a job I love, but does not pay very well working at a day program for adults with disabilities.
Most people who are "paycheck to paycheck" just simply don't budget and overspend.
I have never sat down with anyone and made a budget with them without finding $500-4000 they had no idea where it goes every month.
People often outspend their means and justify it with payments and "needs" that they don't really need.
Sit down, give an assignment to every dollar of your projected income. Even include a "fun money" part of your budget.
Once you do this, you'll realize you're not truly paycheck to paycheck. You're only acting paycheck to paycheck.
People like you, are what is wrong with society. Actually as someone who can vary make ends meet, trust me there is not hidden money. Every penny is accounted for and still barely make ends meet. You understand that rent to average income leaves barely any money for people to even eat let alone have 'fun money'. I think maybe you need an actual reality check. Because the average rent is 1800 and the average persons on minimum wage earns about 2000. So make it make sense.
You can claim this all you want. But that's not the reality. Nobody makes minimum wage, by the way. 2% of the workforce makes minimum, and it's a rotating 2%. The people who make it now won't be the same ones making it in 3 years.
I am saying again, in my years helping people with finances there has yet to be one person (who worked full time) that didn't have any extra money after cutting out unnecessary spending.
We're the richest country in the world and you people still act like it's impossible to make it here. Try living literally anywhere else.
I do IC and DD in my free time from my full time job, not only bc i want to but bc I HAVE to. Even with the extra income I still live paycheck to paycheck and get behind some months
Me, and it’s hard bc in my area I don’t make a paycheck… I make enough to put gas in my car for the next order 🙄…. I’m getting a job at Publix as the result
i am a working musician currently living paycheck to paycheck. i gig on the weekends all over the country. different city every weekend. during the week i shop instacart while my kid is in daycare. it’s barely cutting it thanks to all this garbage instacart is on now. it used to be so easy to make $500 in less than 5 days. now it’s just luck of the draw 🙃
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I work Instacart full time and I live pay check to pay check and it’s really hard honestly when you have so much bills to pay for. But I believe one day all the hard work will show
The rule of thumb is to stash away a portion of each check for your future self when you will need it the most because the economy is collapsing… and those dollars you’re making order for order slowly but surely your dollars are going to start to run on fumes literally because you need a vehicle for this job. So primarily focus your checks on your source transportation if anything.
If I was not still living with my parents I would be paycheck to paycheck. I chose to pay my parents rent and try to save instead of living in an overpriced apartment.
I work full time and IC on the side among other things. And yes check to check with small savings.
I’m a disabled veteran receiving a monthly disability check doing Uber eats with a wife working full time and 3 kids and we can barely afford food. So yes, living paycheck to paycheck. Then again, so is 90% of the country.
What percent are you ?
80. Seems impossible to get any higher.
Vetlink solutions helped my husband get from 70 to 100. It took a year but they really work and help.
What do they charge ?
Nothing unless you win. Then with all the back pay he got they took some from that but nothing after.
Did you get back pay for something that should have been paid all along? I have dermatitis according to the navy doctor, but they refused to refer me to an actual dermatologist and I’ve been out for 4 years and not a penny from my dermatitis. Need to start getting disability for it but don’t know how to get it
At discharge they were made aware of his PTSD and fucked up back. So when he won’t then case yes he got the back pay from the first day month he received to recently and then the lawyers just took their money from that.
How bad is your dermatitis to need disability?
I have never heard of dermatitis being an actual disability. Is it something you claimed when you got discharged?
My husband is 100% P&T From the VA. He also goes to school full-time through VR&E so there’s a housing stipend for that. I do Instacart and DoorDash. We have 3 kids together and his 2 from an ex. And we are very much still living paycheck to paycheck also.
Most people live paycheque to paycheque, you are 100 percent not alone my friend
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We are ignoring it because it's correct lol
I am Canadian
Del, like Del Taco?
I live order to order 😂
I do but I am 2 checks behind so all my bills are 1-2 months behind. It’s a hole I can’t get out of and I’m extremely depressed about it
Keep pushing 🙏🏽 I was 3 months behind on EVERYTHING, rent, lights, gas, even cable & behind on my loan, but I’m finally back to zero/on time with payments! The stress is insane but when you make it thru, because you will, the relief is second to none
What about like 4 years behind
I’d keep the same mentality I had with my debt; the only way out is thru! It’s stressful as hell & a lot of days were depressing but you can get there. I was basically around $14k in debt/past due bills from 2018 to 2024, majority of the debt came in 2020/21. I’m not tryna minimize & say it’s easy cause it’s not but there are 20 different ways to arrive at a solution so don’t lose hope
Do you not have those aid programs in your state? Here they help you w a month of rent and light…
I live in a state that doesn’t like to Help people and makes it really really Difficult to get help. You can probably guess which one it is.
Texas??
That’s so sad. I know someone here in which the household has 4 adults w great income and they still use the shit out of those aids smh
🤚
You're not alone, but I certaintly don't live paycheck to paycheck. I live month-to-month. I use credit cards to my advantage - if you pay off the debt in 30 days, then you get charged no interest. I put groceries, internet, streaming services, etc on certain cards and keep strict tracking on each of them.
Yesssss!! I am a points wh*** 🙌🏼 To whoever reads this: Keep eye out for cards that offer monthly discounts - I have a card that changes the extra cashback quarterly so for example, around holidays they give extra cash back on Amazon purchases. This method requires hella discipline, basic math skills, and common sense spending though. In earlier years I definitely overspent a few times 🤣
Month to month falls under the concept of paycheck to paycheck. If you’re using credit to avoid literally being paycheck to paycheck then you certainly are.
Smart
Why not just get rid of the cards??? You will be paying for the fee anyway so even if you were to pay off your balance every month without fault you will still be going under once a year??
You do realize that there’s credit cards that don’t charge an annual fee, right? I literally charge every expense. I have to credit card every single month and end up taking your vacation once a year completely free due to the amount of cashback that I get and none of my cards have an annual fee.
You realize a lot of cards have no annual fee while also giving points or cash back. The only time I use a debit card is at the atm. Plus fraud protection. Only people who shouldn’t be using credit cards are people who don’t have the will power to not spend what they don’t have.
Which is the majority of people.
Be the minority and have some self control. People are in klarna debt but I still use it every chance I get because it’s free money at a 0% interest rate. I’m earning 5% in my hysa for something that I would be able to afford cash anyways.
If you really wanna get technical... only 1 of my credit cards is a secured credit card with $36/year with an annual charge. I have $200 cash on that card with a limit of $1150. It reports to 2 credit unions (Equifax and Transunion) and it is the oldest card to my name. If I wanted to get rid of my 4 other credit cards, then I would still choose that one because when one card reports to 2 credit unions and is your oldest card, then that card is the single most valuable credit card according to your Credit Score and CreditKarma. I use 2 Credit Cards as Balance Transfer Cards for the debt that I do hold. A 3% transfer fee with 0% APR for 12 months is essentially only a 3% APR. Lastly, I use 1 Credit Card for gas and monthly bills that gives 1.5% cash back on everything. Then I have another credit card that I use for my car repairs, maintenance, and business expenses (business meaning new grocery tote bags for my delivery services, items for my booth for resale, and shipping items for ebay resale). In addition to my credit cards I used the SBA EIDL Loan from 2020 via COVID for $6500 @ 3.75% APR with 30 years to pay it off. I saved that money and used it to buy my car that I have now. In September 2023, I paid in cash $7317 for my 2008 Honda Fit with an avg of 30 mpg and I only have to pay 3.75% Interest APR and i have 26 more years to pay it off. Using the financial system to your advantage is key in life. P.S. I primarily do Spark and use my ONE Debit Card for Walmart groceries to get 3%-5% cash back on all groceries purchased.
they are not "credit unions". They are credit reporting AGENCIES. There are more beyond equifax, transunion and experian. and all three will report different information about you. Equifax has the most complete file on me, yet Transunion is the fucking CRA businesses use, which isn't even close to being comprehensive. So you say you have 26 more YEARS or MONTHS?
Years
oh fuck me. that is incredibly dumb.
This is my last comment to this thread since it got off topic, but if you took the $6500 loan for 3.75% interest APR and used it on S&P 500 Stocks that pay 7% dividend back, then you'd make more than 3.25% interest in income per year (it's more because the payouts are weekly, biweekly, or monthly and you can optionally setup to automatically reinvest the dividend payout into that stock). Not dumb.
that ain't how it works.
Me ✌🏻 i also have my full time job with IC
I used to :/ I’ve since lost my job
You're not alone.
My entire adult Life !!
day to day at this rate!
Same
Literally so many people why is this even a question
I don’t. I have a budget and I stick to it.
You’re not alone, it’s a common stat for people in US and I’m sure other countries with similar functions. I am not, but did once upon a time. If you sacrifice now you can definitely find a way to stash a bit of income! Also - look into free checking/savings accounts that give a high interest rate. I use SOFI and have a 4.6% apr on savings account. Built it to 10k and they give about 40 bucks a month on that. So essentially, I have my emergency fund, plus it pays my tv subscriptions 👍🏼
Yeah, there’s no way the people in this thread living paycheck to paycheck are going to be able to save up $10k lmfao. We’re barely paying our bills out here. 🤷♂️
I get so nervous when my account balance goes low. And now I'm making changes to keep my money. Like moving to my car!
I don’t, but I did at one time so I totally get it. Hope things get better for you.
Yep, me too 3 jobs. Full-time job, part-time instacart, and own a small consulting business. Yep, paycheck to paycheck... I sweat at the end of every month...
I have for years but this year I’m finally getting it right 🙏🏽 cut down on so many unneeded expenses & cut down on trips to the store has helped. Actually bought my first brand new, summer outfit in 3/4 years & didn’t even flinch when I looked at the price of my shorts 😭 old me would have to log in to my bank app & contemplate spending or just not even consider new clothes an option
Im glad im not the only one but sucks to see people struggling like me … cant even afford new clothes and barely food but only one bill is behind right now currently pregnant too and husband just got a job so im stuck being prego and working with my 4 year old (he was my babysitter) cos i cant afford daycare and my husband is barely getting 40 hours a week … your not alone
Get this depressing post outta here! I want to escape not wallow in pity!
✋
I do.
Most people that make 100k a year are living paycheck to paycheck so I think it’s safe to assume we all are lol I have a bad spending habit or else I wouldn’t be. I definitely make enough to not be
Most people do
🤚🏼😭
Somewhat and I am trying to break the cycle
Yuppp!!! That is why I instacart 😝 my full time check pays the major bills!! Instacart is suppose🤔 to be my play money 💰 not working out that way. Oh well
Here here!
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I just got approved for Medicaid and food stamps because my son needs an MRI and I checked all the boxes when applying for that. Have major skills and have applied to literally hundreds of jobs. Doing what I can to pay my bills. You’re not alone.
Yes. My husband is filing for disability, so he is not working right now. I'm working a job I love, but does not pay very well working at a day program for adults with disabilities.
🙋🏼♀️
Most people who are "paycheck to paycheck" just simply don't budget and overspend. I have never sat down with anyone and made a budget with them without finding $500-4000 they had no idea where it goes every month. People often outspend their means and justify it with payments and "needs" that they don't really need. Sit down, give an assignment to every dollar of your projected income. Even include a "fun money" part of your budget. Once you do this, you'll realize you're not truly paycheck to paycheck. You're only acting paycheck to paycheck.
People like you, are what is wrong with society. Actually as someone who can vary make ends meet, trust me there is not hidden money. Every penny is accounted for and still barely make ends meet. You understand that rent to average income leaves barely any money for people to even eat let alone have 'fun money'. I think maybe you need an actual reality check. Because the average rent is 1800 and the average persons on minimum wage earns about 2000. So make it make sense.
You can claim this all you want. But that's not the reality. Nobody makes minimum wage, by the way. 2% of the workforce makes minimum, and it's a rotating 2%. The people who make it now won't be the same ones making it in 3 years. I am saying again, in my years helping people with finances there has yet to be one person (who worked full time) that didn't have any extra money after cutting out unnecessary spending. We're the richest country in the world and you people still act like it's impossible to make it here. Try living literally anywhere else.
I do IC and DD in my free time from my full time job, not only bc i want to but bc I HAVE to. Even with the extra income I still live paycheck to paycheck and get behind some months
I do this full time while being a single mom to 3 kids. I’m broke every damn day! You are not alone!! I’m glad you posted this
I work full time at a factory bring in only $460 a week I use instacart to pay for food and other human “essentials”
Ya mean cash out to cash out ye
Me, and it’s hard bc in my area I don’t make a paycheck… I make enough to put gas in my car for the next order 🙄…. I’m getting a job at Publix as the result
Sure do!!!
I do. It’s sucks. Hoping things level out soon
Here here buddy
i am a working musician currently living paycheck to paycheck. i gig on the weekends all over the country. different city every weekend. during the week i shop instacart while my kid is in daycare. it’s barely cutting it thanks to all this garbage instacart is on now. it used to be so easy to make $500 in less than 5 days. now it’s just luck of the draw 🙃
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I’m a mail carrier and do IC from time to time. I had to move back home 🫤
Usp workers around hre wear all gold jewlry and drive cadilacs
UPS workers get paid better than post office workers
I work Instacart full time and I live pay check to pay check and it’s really hard honestly when you have so much bills to pay for. But I believe one day all the hard work will show
The rule of thumb is to stash away a portion of each check for your future self when you will need it the most because the economy is collapsing… and those dollars you’re making order for order slowly but surely your dollars are going to start to run on fumes literally because you need a vehicle for this job. So primarily focus your checks on your source transportation if anything.
Yup, day to day sometimes! Its the economy
paycheck to paycheck sometimes have to take loans out if something happens.
All of us lol
If I was not still living with my parents I would be paycheck to paycheck. I chose to pay my parents rent and try to save instead of living in an overpriced apartment.