The Most Broke You've Ever Been...

I'm close to that now. I have to remove 1/4 of my rent from my checking account immediately when my paycheck clears so I can make rent every month. It ain't purty.
fortunately, things will get better for me eventually. I hope they get better for you.
Truly, nothing will help you better than to sit down and create a budget. I use Microsoft Money and it's a godsend.

I feel your pain. I was the most broke way back in '87, when I left NYC and moved to L.A.

I was working two jobs: waiting tables at Paulsson's Supper Club on the weekends (where Forbidden Broadway was playing), and doing office temp jobs during the week, when there wasn't anything out there to audition for.

I actually thought I was doing fine. I had two thousand bucks in the bank as an emergency backup, and I was able to make ends meet from month to month. Then, my roommate got into an international tour of "Ain't Misbehavin'" making very nice money. He assured me he would cover his part of the rent, not wanting to find another roomie for me (us) while he was away. That was fine with me, as long as he paid it. I could live by myself, right? Hey, sounded great! Except that he DIDN'T cover the rent. I got no check for the first six weeks. He told me he was wiring it from Australia, but then didn't. I covered the full rent for the first month... and then the second month. I finally called him collect and asked him what the f*ck was going on? Three days later I got a check. I had about 9 dollars in the bank, at that point.

And his check bounced and froze my account on a Friday. I had NO money in my pocket. I couldn't even take out the 9 dollars I had, since my checking account was frozen. It was the worst feeling! I was sick to my stomach, and not just from hunger. I called my dad and started to bawl on the phone. He immediately wired me about two or three hundred dollars to tie me over... but I knew that wasn't going to solve the problem. I couldn't afford to live in NY in that apartment all by myself. I was flat broke, working two jobs, and I was in New York City in 1987, which was New York at its WORST.

I ended up throwing what little I owned into a few boxes and suitcases, and I moved to L.A. My mom was living out here at the time. I started over. I got an agent after only being out here for three days. I got back on my feet, slowly but surely.

I'm doing quite well right now, truth be told.

*knocks wood*

Life is strange, and very tough at times. But you have options. Doors close, and others open for you. Be strong, keep your head, and do what you have to do to survive and move forward in the direction you want to go.

Hang in there, kiddo.

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best, very good advice!

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When I first moved to LA, we were so broke it was pitiful. We spent about a year barely scraping by. I remember living off of ramen noodles, hot dogs, and PBJ sandwiches. That was the cheapest way to eat. I also took advantage of free food whenever I could get it. No matter what it was. One night, I had a performance on the other side of town, and we had to scrape change together to get enough gas in the car for me to get to the show. I barely made it there on fumes, and had to bum a couple of bucks off of a cast mate to have anough gas to get home. Had to pay rent late a couple of times too. It was stressful, but I always tried to remind myself that it would all work out okay, and it did. It usually does. We are much more comfortable now than we ever have been. We have a reasonable savings, and no longer live striclty paycheck to paycheck. It just took some time. Just hold on, and try to keep your head up.

Updated On: 2/14/06 at 06:21 PM

When I overdrew my bank account over the summer. At a Panda Express. *That* was embarassing...

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The most broke I've ever been was probably this past November, though right now I'm not exactly rolling in the dough.

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The lowest I've been at was $8 in my account at the beginning of the month, with a mini-trip to Seattle and bills to pay in the near future. There's a correlation between the amount of time I spend on here and the amount of money I have in my bank account.

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When i worked in Ann Arbor I lost my job my visa NO poss of working legally would not have made the rent if I hadn't been part of a group that won a Hadassah lottery. My share was 800 & got me another month til i could arrange to move back to Toronto.

@ tips I learned When U do have some $, Buy the largest no name peanut butter and cheeze wiz u can & stick em in the back of the fridge. Buy day old palin white bread and freeze, If u have extra $ buy the large sacks of rice(like 6 bucks for 10 kilos)But store it airtight or u will get bugs/ mice and ther go the savings. Nutitionally this stuff is mostly stodge but it fills u up until u can really eat again
I think also some colleges have food banks oncampus for this sorta thing, check what is avail- food taste's better than pride!