Last week my school cut my meal plan because someone in admissions fucked up my housing preferences. They're not gonna renew it until it gets worked out. So I can't eat at school. And I don't have any money in my bank account because I had to spend several hundred bucks on repair work for my car a couple weeks back. So every day, I've been scrounging for loose change under my car seats and bed and even stealing the odd nickle and dime from my friends' rooms. And every day I've been taking that loose change to the McDonalds down the block and getting one thing off the dollar menu. If it worked for Morgan Spurlock I suppose it'll work for me. Besides that, I've been bumming packs of ramen noodles and easy mac off people. But burgers that taste like cardboard and skimpy packets of chinese noodles will only carry me so far. Half the time my stomach is making sounds like a polar bear dying because there's nothing inside, and the other half I'm on the shitter due to the intense gastrointestinal stress caused by non-stop McDonalds.

So this is what Hell is like...

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Destroying my reputation one post at a time.

Ever hear of dumpster diving? Look behind grocery stores, convenient stores or fast food places. You can get post-dated cheese, over-ripe fruit, wilted vegis...

Been there, done that.

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"Jelly-belly gigglin, dancin and a-wigglin, honey that's the way I am!" Janice the Muppet

I'm gonna echo bunner here but it has to be done:

Flate, man, you didn't have to spend several hundred bucks on your car. Even Stateside, it's possible to have an OK life without a fully functioning auto.

Also, a dollar at Maccy D's to feed yourself? For a dollar I could buy enough veg to keep me in soup for a week.

I was homeless for a while. There's one or two other SC users who were too. I feel for you man, the education board should not be screwing you around.

But you're at college - they surely have hardship funds set up for this sort of thing if you need it. Talk to them. Don't do what I did and take the self-sufficient, toilet sleeping, chip stealing option. At least you have a roof - I didn't.

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Please replace the handset, and try again.

so im assuming you are going to colege or something.
dont you have family?

ive never been like that....well ive been down to eating my room mates food, but thats my own fault for spending my money on booze and smokes and not food.
and i will never be homeless.

I don't think that they can completely cut off your meal plan, seeing as that's how you survive. Talk to someone in charge of housing, explain the situation, and just ask if you have any meal plan options available to you at this time.

As much as it sucks... maybe you should also look into getting a job on campus. Or near campus. just in case something like this happens again.

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Okay, Lindsay, are you forgetting that I was a professional twice over - an analyst and a therapist. The world's first analrapist.

do some odd jobs...cut some lawns or something haha
could pull some weeds for some old lady and get paid $10/$12 an hour and get paid that day.

Stealing your friends' change is low. Maybe the reason why no one loaned you a few bucks until this is straightened out is because you're the type of person who steals from them.

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I am a delicate fucking flower. https://beacons.ai/jesskent

Get a job.

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Batman created by Bob Kane

Okay, first to the positive responses:

Yeah, I'm not sure I'm at that point yet, but I'll probably be there before too long. Thanksgiving break is in three days, so I'm hoping I can work things out then.

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Flate, man, you didn't have to spend several hundred bucks on your car. Even Stateside, it's possible to have an OK life without a fully functioning auto.

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Batman created by Bob Kane

i dont remember when ive ever taken a bill from someone.
maybe when i was younger living with my mom...but i was like 14.

Ok... No dough, no family, nothing on the horizon.

I can name that tune in one note.

Look at your assets:

1): You have a good running car. That's something you can sell if you have to and take buses and trains and shit until you're back on your feet with a viable income. Not the best idea, but you can't eat a car and you can't do laundry in it.

2): You're at a universtiy that probably doesn't want to have a news story about how it disenfranchises it's economically disadvantaged students to the point where they're not even allowed to eat and then expects them to pull grades. Use that.

3): You have a roof. Very handy cause it's fucking November. Use that to shower, shave and generally get presentable, every day and then set aside ~n amount of time to look for a job. Any job will do, but Day Labour hire halls for temps can be found in any city and most of them pay you that day. The money is shit, but 40 or 50 bucks at the end of an otherwise wasted day beats the shit out of 0.00.

4): I believe that your friends don't mind you nicking the odd .50¢ or 1.00 in change from them, but this isn't a game plan. Stay focused on your life and step back and look at how fucked up it is and how fucked up it isn't. Take that information to people who can help. DO NOT fail to take all this shit to the admissions and housing people and say "So.. what? I go hungry for a typo? How about I dump this shit into the maw of the media who just can't wait for some new dirty laundry to drag out in public?" It might seem embarrasing, but YOU'RE the victim, here. Not the bad guy. Remeber: Money is a thing that people use. Idt's not the important thing, people are.

5): Call your family, anyhoo. Tell them what happened in a very non-dramatic manner and just tell them that you're looking for advice. They might help you, they might not, but they'll have the information.

6): Spend what little you have on stuff that's NOT from McDonalds. Is there a nuke or a fridge in your room? Your friends have one? Can you store food, bread, lunchmeat, etc..? Is it cold enough in the car to keep food fresh? Is the tap water drinkable? Water with meals is good for you and cheaper than a 99¢ Coke. Stretch evey penny, for now.

7): If you have an address, I can probably shoot you a fifty, or something, to help tide you over. Don't worry about paying it back. I've been where you've been and then some and spent a lot of time wishing that somebody would help me. I can spare it, atm.. don't worry. And don't drive around going nowhere. Petrol is off the fucking hook, atm and that 5 gallons of gas can feed you for a few days.

Lemme know how this goes.

- the old bunny guy

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I wanted my half in the middle and I wound up on the edge.

A bit better than spank's advice: Actually go into the grocery store and partake of the free samples. You can take as many as you like...they're FREE! If someone is doling out the samples, then get as many as possible.

If you're of legal drinking age, find a bar/pub with free happy hour appetizers. You can scrounge up enough to buy a beer/pint and eat the eats. Or, walk in and grandly proclaim, "Who wants to buy me a beer? I just lost my virginity/bagged my first bird/buggered my first bloke/broke my cherry! (you get the idea)." <-- Line used depends on bar visited! :D Someone just might buy you that drink.

If you have access to university audio/video equipment, then check out a largish camera or video recorder that looks like a camera a television station would use. Next, recruit two friends/roommates. Have one of them film you and the other person running around as if you're in The Amazing Race. Tell people that you have no food or money (the truth), that you're in a race (rat race or human race -- still true), and ask them if they could "help" you out. Don't ask for money, just say help. You'll get money, possibly food, or a flat "No." Don't push it. For good measure, use a university computer (I assume you have access) to make up (and print about 50 copies of) a legal-looking waiver document. It can say something about the party agreeing to allow the use of their likeness on television. Have two options at the bottom of the page so they can check and sign Yes or No. Have the cameraman give the people the sheet after they've been "filmed." Say your thanks, ask for directions to somewhere else, and beat feet.

Finally, two words -- male prostitution.

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Chicken Feather Bed Bugs Bunny Hop Sing Out Side Street Walker Texas Ranger Cookie Dough Boy Wonder Years

Thanks, bunner. That's really good of you, and I'm sorry if I've ever been a dick to you in the past. I wouldn't feel right taking you up on that offer, but thanks anyway. I'll try and apply some of that advice. Hopefully this is a situation that can be rectified by next week while I'm off on break.

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Destroying my reputation one post at a time.

Lots of people like to act like a dick on the internet. It's old news and frankly it's more boring than anything else. I don't recall you sitting around being rude to me.. who knows? Or cares? Don't worry about it. This is real life. Quite a different tin of bicuits, you know? Should it all get a bit too tight, PM me.

No worries.

- The bunny.

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I wanted my half in the middle and I wound up on the edge.

In cities I'm sure (spent three years in one of those hell holes myself), but not if you live an hour from school or work, getting rides from friends is very sporadic because they can't seem to wake up before 2pm, and no one will carpool because they can afford to live in the same town as work/school.

Ahem...

Flate, when I was in university apartments and didn't qualify for a meal plan (because I was in university apartments...however that works) I was also so poor I raided my state quarter collection. But I learned some valuable food lessons.

Granted inflation has most likely caused price increases and food here is pretty cheap, but this is what I did:

Bag of peas or other frozen vegetable: 99 cents
Bag of rice: 50 cents to $1.50 depending on size
Chicken/Vegetable bullion at the dollar store: $1
Bag of boneless, skinless chicken breasts at WalMart: $7
Loaf of bread: $1

Enough food for two weeks (cutting chicken in half): priceless.

Once I found an extra 75 cents and got myself a can of soda and an orange to go with my toast and rice. It was a feast.

Then I realized how pathetic I looked and asked my mother for a loan.

Oh yeah, I had a job. The minimum wage I earned went to tuition and housing. Cause at the time, I wasn't a resident and didn't get financial aid thanks to the admission office sitting on their ass and letting the deadline for my finaid app slide.

Hope things get better. If nothing else, a pound of flour and water fermented for a few days in the fridge makes bread.

And there's always a market for gigolos.

Annnnd I just broke up with my girlfriend five minutes ago over instant message. This week is just getting better and better.

But I digress...

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Bag of peas or other frozen vegetable: 99 cents
Bag of rice: 50 cents to $1.50 depending on size
Chicken/Vegetable bullion at the dollar store: $1
Bag of boneless, skinless chicken breasts at WalMart: $7
Loaf of bread: $1

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Holy m0ocow.. You're having a great fucking week, aint ya?

There's a lot of things that can drag you to the floor... Not having money is probably the worst, bacause it takes away options that you might have to deal with the other things becauase you're too busy trying to eat and live indoors with some dignity.

IF you broke up because you were complaining to her, you might have just dumped too much stuff on her at once, and maybe you can talk to her and apologise. Then again, if she's doing OK and she's your sweet baboo, maybe she can funnel a couple of clams to you, too.

I don't know because I'm standing in different shoes. I can only ask, guess and try and help - with whatever limited avenues to do so - I have.

Keep in touch. The offer's still good but I think you have some stuff to fix that money ain't gonna make happen, too.

I have no idea how to get with that, but I can poke some groceries in you, if you think it'll help.

:-/

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I wanted my half in the middle and I wound up on the edge.

Tip: stop by the local laundromat, if they've got a couch/chair there for people to sit on, there's a FORTUNE under the cushions. Believe me.

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Any Journalist worth his salt would lap up that story in an second, it screams human interest, little guy versus the system, personally Id go back to the college and explain your situation, and tell them if they arent willing to sort this out now, then Im sure Mr Bloggs down at the Daily Blah will be more than happy to enlighten his readers with this issue. Demand to speak to the dude in charge of the food system, but be polite. Explain to them that they're not leaving you with many options, He wont want his feathers ruffled over a typo, cos no-one wants to look bad in the media especially when theyve got to go back to their wives and friends all asking them "why they didnt feed that poor kid", and the buck 'litterally' in this case would stop with him/her.

Oh and dont eat at mcdonalds. Ever.

Disregard that last post.

Also, a loaf of bread and a jar of peanut butter or a package of baloney will make a world of difference when you're hungry.

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Legend, oh legend, the third wheel legend...always in the way.

quote:

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And now to some random cunt who decides to judge my moral character over stripcreator:

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IF you broke up because you were complaining to her, you might have just dumped too much stuff on her at once, and maybe you can talk to her and apologise. Then again, if she's doing OK and she's your sweet baboo, maybe she can funnel a couple of clams to you, too.

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I'm bookmarking this thread just in case I ever need it. There's some good ideas here.

Flate, I'm sorry to hear about your plight. If you need some cash, let me know.

LadyJ, what would you do if you were in Flate's shoes? Seriously. It's easy to sit back at throw stones when you're not in his position. Honor goes out the window when you're starving. Personally, I think nicking a nickel here and a dime there ain't that big of a deal, and I believe he wouldn't sit there grabbing wads of cash from friends.

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Think classy, you'll be classy.