# How do poor people afford everything? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 14, 2012, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018 "2012-11-14T19:50:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 19\ **Page:** 12
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/221 "2012-11-15T22:11:48Z")
I participate because the jokes that come out of this are _hilarious._ ---
**Author:** ![CEOofPolar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@CEOofPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CEOofPolar)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/222 "2012-11-15T23:28:46Z")
buying a house is a great investment. ---
**Author:** ![kiz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/7feea3/32.png) [@kiz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiz)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/223 "2012-11-15T23:42:21Z")
> [@CEOofPolar](#): > > buying a house is a great investment. It can be a great investment **IF** you can afford it. Home ownership was the Great American Dream for decades. Thanks to the real estate bubble and the subprime mortgage mess, it’s no longer the case. ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [November 15, 2012, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/224 "2012-11-15T23:59:15Z")
> [@CEOofPolar](#): > > buying a house is a great investment. Not really. I’m the opposite of poor, but I just lost about $20k on a house I owned for two years. In that same amount of time, I made that on the stock market for about the same investment. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 12:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/225 "2012-11-16T00:06:35Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > You know I’m starting to wonder how you got to be CEO. Affirmative Action? > [@Broomstick](#): > > \ > > Anyhow - I’m not sure whether to take the OP seriously or not. Does he really believe the BS he’s spouting, or is he toying with the stupid people on the internet? I’m leaning towards the latter. I don’t associate with kids much, but this is a special kind of naive we’re seeing here. ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/226 "2012-11-16T00:14:56Z")
Maybe we could start toying with him? Turn about is fair play, after all. ---
**Author:** ![kushiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bbce88/32.png) [@kushiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kushiel)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 1:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/227 "2012-11-16T01:56:48Z")
Is it against the rules to call troll? ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 1:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/228 "2012-11-16T01:59:54Z")
Well, if you are poor you better use a troll free number. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 2:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/229 "2012-11-16T02:01:12Z")
> [@kushiel](#): > > Is it against the rules to call troll? Not trying to junior mod, but here in IMHO it is. There is no such restriction in the Pit, though. ---
**Author:** ![Ambivalid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a5b964/32.png) [@Ambivalid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ambivalid)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/230 "2012-11-16T02:17:54Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > I participate because the jokes that come out of this are _hilarious._ They really are, aren’t they? ---
**Author:** ![Waxwinged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@Waxwinged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waxwinged)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 2:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/231 "2012-11-16T02:40:50Z")
Would a multi-paragraph description by the OP regarding his world-view be too much to ask for? ---
**Author:** ![Broomstick](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/broomstick/32/246_2.png) [@Broomstick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Broomstick)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/232 "2012-11-16T03:01:09Z")
Hope about something equal to that in length, but containing multiple sentences? ---
**Author:** ![The\_Dord](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3be4f8/32.png) [@The\_Dord](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Dord)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/233 "2012-11-16T03:30:27Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Not trying to junior mod, but here in IMHO it is. There is no such restriction in the Pit, though. Maybe Marley can move the thread there? OP is not being very honest. ---
**Author:** ![ThisSpaceForRent](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thisspaceforrent/32/345_2.png) [@ThisSpaceForRent](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThisSpaceForRent)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 3:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/234 "2012-11-16T03:39:58Z")
> [@CEOofPolar](#): > > idk get a college degree? and pay it back later? … My Golly…you are either really dense or maybe the “T” word?:dubious: ---
**Author:** ![rhubarbarin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/eb9ed0/32.png) [@rhubarbarin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rhubarbarin)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 4:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/235 "2012-11-16T04:11:46Z")
To chime in as another po’: I don’t have a mortgage and I seek out low rent. I don’t watch tv. My phone is basic although I have unlimited texting; my bill is about $50 a month. My internet is shared and costs me $5/month. I don’t have a car; live in a large city, ride my bike, take public trans if needed. My heat and A/C are electric, usually my share of the electric bill comes to under $50 monthly. I don’t go out much, buy much, and I avoid eating anything but my own cooking like the plague. Eating out is SO expensive. I cut my own hair and do my own nails. Things have been tight living the past few years on under $17,000 yearly, so I just gave up full time hours and health insurance at my old job to take a new job which will bring me increased income. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 6:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/236 "2012-11-16T18:09:23Z")
The OP has been banned, so this thread is finally over. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/237 "2012-11-16T19:08:37Z")
Awww…the moderators never let us play with any of the new folk…🙂 ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/238 "2012-11-16T19:30:31Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The OP has been banned, so this thread is finally over. Not quite over except to say, thank you, \*\*Marley. \*\* 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [November 16, 2012, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018/239 "2012-11-16T19:31:39Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Not quite over except to say, thank you, \*\*Marley. \*\* 🙂 You’re welcome, and the weekend can’t get here soon enough. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-poor-people-afford-everything/641018.md?page=11)