Ask Lemmy

Where?

If there's government assistance where you are, and you qualify, get on it. If you don't qualify yet, you might later. At least look into it.

Where I am, there are benefits that can reduce overall spending that don't give the receiver the money outright. For example, I can get free eye care and dental (within reason) and I'm granted a significant discount on my local authority bill (which I'm pretty sure exists everywhere under various names.)

That said, such help might not exist where you are or you might not qualify, and for the money they do give directly, it's not really much to live on.

There may be similar help available for rent, or you can get any mortgage or car loan shifted to interest-only payments (that's where you only pay enough to keep the interest from increasing the amount you owe) assuming you expect to get back on your feet again later.

For other advice that might help: Take a look at what you spend every week on groceries, snacks and so on. See what you can do to get that down to a third or a quarter of your non-broke regular spend. Cook less unless that makes food unsafe where you are. Snack less altogether.

Downgrade your Internet and mobile plans to the bare minimum.

Speaking of which: Minimise. If you have some funds now, think about the best way you can use those to sell off things you have that you don't need. If you can turn a profit, do it.

Honestly, I can’t give too much advice but a few things might be very smart:

Buy coupons/gift cards of services beforehand that you’d continue to use in “poverty” and are critical. If you can, reduce fix costs, cancel Netflix and phone contract, use a prepaid SIM. Use cash back systems, some debit cards offer that. For backups rely on free cloud services. No subscriptions that you don’t need. Check prices of everything you’d consider to buy and max out free trial services. You can pay rent upfront for 3 months. There are food sharing apps. I think especially in the US you have lots of coupons that you can use in stores and there are apps to find these. Stay with Amazon prime if you order at least 3 items per months, Amazon can be pretty cheap and reliable. If you can, organize a good water source. Buy pain killers, emergency kit and have stuff ready in case you cannot see a doctor or afford one. If you wear glasses and are short-sighted, buy a few pairs of 1-month contact lenses (if they’re good quality and you treat them correctly you can wear them longer although not recommended), new glasses can be pricey. For job interviews, have clothes ready that you only use for that (don’t use your good perfume if you have one, keep for interviews). If you don’t go out often and you don’t expect visitors, don’t shower too often (saves you money). Get an electrical hair trimmer. If you’re good with repairing stuff (electronics), get some soldering stuff and a cheap all-in-one box of electronic parts. Sometimes if you register a new account you get free stuff, might be worth checking. Give your Uber account some balance in case of emergency. Sell stuff that you really don’t need anymore and use that cash to prepare. If you run Honeygain 24/7 on your computer, after 1.5 months you can cash out and order one or two meals for 20$. If you smoke, roll your own cigarettes or start vaping (the ones you can refill, they’re taxed lower).

Oh yeah, and if you can, find a partner. Sometimes intimacy can get some dopamine back.

Learn how to forage, shoplift, and garden. If you gotta survive, you gotta survive.

Coats in the summer are suspicious, but a loose button up and good posture gives you enough space at the small of your back to five-finger a brick of cheese or a pack of tortillas. Never steal from the same store twice in one month, they can and will catch onto you. Keep an eye on the customer service desk at 2pm and 6pm, that's when the plainclothes security guy will either go home or clock in. Learn his face and route, and avoid him.

Most people neglect their fruit trees, but some might be willing to trade things like mowing their lawn for a bag of apples. You can also offer to do things like run errands for disabled neighbors or split groceries. Get on good terms with the people who live next door. Invite each other to dinner.

Goosefoot is more nutritious and tastier than dandelion, and it grows on barren neglected lots that are highly unlikely to be sprayed for pesticides. Dandelion tastes nasty once the leaves get longer than your pinky, and even then, it's an acquired taste. Goosefoot tastes and cooks just like spinach.