Thank you r/povertyfinance

[donholo]

Just wanted to say a huge thank you to the community here. Due to a series of bad luck my husband and I were facing the start of 2023 with an income of $12,000 a year and depleted savings. The advice I received here was able to help get us through and then out of dire poverty and I can’t thank you enough.

Here is everything we did from advice we received from poverty finance.

Cut costs:

1. We were lucky enough to be able to move in with relatives. We had to contribute to bills but it saved us rent. It was awful for our mental health but we had no other option.
2. We cancelled every subscription service. If we couldn’t watch it for free we didn’t. Shoutout to peacock, Spotify with ads and other free services.
3. We cut out drinking alcohol for the most part and cooked every meal at home. There are lots of great subreddits with healthy cheap and easy menu plans. Every penny at the grocery was planned, couponed and budgeted for.

Make money:

1. We signed up to donate plasma- we were able to get $240 a week. Do I think it’s shit, yes. Did it mean we could afford groceries, yes.
2. We had some luck with paid surveys- user interviews and L&E research worked best for us.
3. We were able to do some substitute teaching.
   
4. I signed up via sittercity to babysit. My area pays roughly $20 an hour and I could bring an extra $100 a week easily.
5. I sold clothes via poshmark. I was able to make $1500 last year.

*this took our combined income up to just over $30,000 a year.

• we intentionally decided against Uber because we live in a city where you have to drive and we couldn’t afford wear and tear on our car.
  

Get out of poverty:

1. I set up a savings account with Marcus. It had one of the best savings rates I’d seen at the time. Any spare dollar I had I would try and transfer it over- as none of my bills etc withdraw from it the money felt “safe”.
2. The job hunt was brutal. Maybe controversial but I signed up with Pathrise - I don’t think it’s a perfect service but they gave me a lot of help, structure, access to counseling and a job. The advice I received - I then used to help my husband leverage himself into a different job. The repayment fees are steep but I sincerely don’t think we would have gotten out without them as an organisation.

Edit: definitely not sponsored by pathrise (lol I wish). If anyone is interested I can talk pro/ cons -it’s definitely not perfect.

 

[obong]

@donholo Great job! Tried the living with family thing but it was a strain on our marriage. Need to check out the poshmark thing. Also what survey site do you use. If allowed.

 

[donholo]

@obong Totally understand the strain on marriage. These were the best for meL & E and user interviews.

 

[obong]

@donholo Cool thanks

 

[teaandsconesareawesome]

@theway4life I like prolific. I do it on my days off. Covers bus fares for work commutes.

 

[owl89]

@theway4life Prolific is great and I’m stashing it away for tuition money!

 

[hageeministries]

@donholo Do you have a referral code?

 

[donholo]

@hageeministries Thanks for asking! My referral code for user interviews