How does this happen, do these people all own their own house? Like if I was struggling it’s the house that is going to be a problem, food is a rounding error compared to food costs. Especially if money is tight.
Mortgage £1100/month, enough food to survive for the week… £5? Not sure. Currently pay £10-15 each but eating pretty well. So £20-40 a month food most likely.
I have a feeling you don’t track your food expenses well if you think that little can feed a person, let alone a household, without a lot of charitable support or food from friends and family.
Yeah, I obviously eat nicer stuff than that because I don’t need to cut down to the bare minimum and can have nice things but if I had to I know bare minimum survival food is going to have to cost less than I spend now.
Also rice and beans can be a pretty good meal. Of course seasoning does add a little to the cost but soy sauce isn’t expensive. Depends how absolute minimum you are looking for a bare minimum survival cost. But I think if I was at that point I would probably look at catching a few crabs from the harbour to add to the dish.
Something tells me people don’t stand in line like this unless they’re desperate for help. I don’t want to accuse, but your post is victim blaming level. Glad for you that you don’t understand what it’s like to be this close or past the point of being able to eat every day.
Yeah I am sure they are, but financially how does it work? How can you be unable to afford food and yet able to afford somewhere to live? Are they all homeless, which if so USA wtf your homeless problem is WAY bigger than I could have ever imagined.
So NPR went to a heavy Trump voting area food bank while snap was not being paid out to see how hungry Trump supporters were feeling.
They got this one lady saying it was good, SNAP was bad because people should be able to feed themselves. Seemingly realizing that was a pretty weird thing to say while getting food from a food bank. She said “I can feed myself, but just here in case that have some food I would like for free”.
So at least she claims she wasn’t desperate for help, just taking some free food. Almost certainly BS, but we are dealing with a crowd that thinks taking food meant for the hungry when you didn’t need it is less shameful than actually needing food…
I’ve come to believe that an individual like that just isn’t really a person. They’re a human being, but not really a person. I still can’t put my finger on it but to me it’s like they’re incapable of understanding that everything exists independent of them or that they, deep down, can only view reality as though they are the only ones who are sentient, or something like that. It feels like it’s something a bit different than them just having narcissistic traits.
Nah, they have been taught their whole lives that if you are in need, you are just lazy, everyone is fundamentally capable of taking care of themselves and there’s zero excuse for not being able to just do it yourself. Based on her voice, I’d say at least in her late 60s, that’s a long time to hold a world view.
So in all circumstances, they must show their own strength by asserting/repeating that world view. Even as they themselves should have learned better, either they are in denial about their status and needs or they feel a deep shame and see such a ludicrous stance as somehow saving face.
It’s sadly quite consistent with being a human person.
First: They might have a mortgage. They might be struggling to pay the mortgage. Mortgage gets paid first. They might have made the calculation that they had to pay the mortgage and rely on charity to avoid starving.
Second: They might have a mortgage that is already in default. They could be approaching foreclosure. Struggling perhaps more than you imagine.
Third. They might rent. They might be facing eviction. They might be barely surviving.
Fourth: They might already be homeless. Lucky I guess. They don’t have to worry about a mortgage or rent anymore.
Those are just the thoughts I could come up with right now.
Also, this is America. A medical emergency can leave you with nothing.
That is what food costs at Aldi? Also to clarify, that £20-40 was my approximate guess of what survival food shopping would likely cost based off my normal food shopping of £20-30 for 2 each week, or £10-15 each. But we also buy stuff that could be easily cut back if we had to.
So a cheap week for us is £10 each and that still includes stuff you could cut out. Clearly it could cost less than £40 a month then if we were cutting back. The main thing that varies our cost is we eat quite a bit of cheese, that usually contributes to the more expensive weeks.
How does this happen, do these people all own their own house? Like if I was struggling it’s the house that is going to be a problem, food is a rounding error compared to food costs. Especially if money is tight.
Mortgage £1100/month, enough food to survive for the week… £5? Not sure. Currently pay £10-15 each but eating pretty well. So £20-40 a month food most likely.
I have a feeling you don’t track your food expenses well if you think that little can feed a person, let alone a household, without a lot of charitable support or food from friends and family.
The most literal definition of “survive”, bulk rice and dried beans.
Yeah, I obviously eat nicer stuff than that because I don’t need to cut down to the bare minimum and can have nice things but if I had to I know bare minimum survival food is going to have to cost less than I spend now.
Also rice and beans can be a pretty good meal. Of course seasoning does add a little to the cost but soy sauce isn’t expensive. Depends how absolute minimum you are looking for a bare minimum survival cost. But I think if I was at that point I would probably look at catching a few crabs from the harbour to add to the dish.
Something tells me people don’t stand in line like this unless they’re desperate for help. I don’t want to accuse, but your post is victim blaming level. Glad for you that you don’t understand what it’s like to be this close or past the point of being able to eat every day.
Yeah I am sure they are, but financially how does it work? How can you be unable to afford food and yet able to afford somewhere to live? Are they all homeless, which if so USA wtf your homeless problem is WAY bigger than I could have ever imagined.
How does it work financially? It doesn’t. Rejoice that you can’t imagine it.
I’ve been extremely poor a bunch of times in my life with less than a tenner left for weeks, but never starving. Luck and community saved me.
I have eaten salvaged out-of-date food from supermarket waste bins a looottt of times but even that’s difficult/prosecuted nowadays.
Behold, USA, the richest country on Earth!
So NPR went to a heavy Trump voting area food bank while snap was not being paid out to see how hungry Trump supporters were feeling.
They got this one lady saying it was good, SNAP was bad because people should be able to feed themselves. Seemingly realizing that was a pretty weird thing to say while getting food from a food bank. She said “I can feed myself, but just here in case that have some food I would like for free”.
So at least she claims she wasn’t desperate for help, just taking some free food. Almost certainly BS, but we are dealing with a crowd that thinks taking food meant for the hungry when you didn’t need it is less shameful than actually needing food…
I’ve come to believe that an individual like that just isn’t really a person. They’re a human being, but not really a person. I still can’t put my finger on it but to me it’s like they’re incapable of understanding that everything exists independent of them or that they, deep down, can only view reality as though they are the only ones who are sentient, or something like that. It feels like it’s something a bit different than them just having narcissistic traits.
Nah, they have been taught their whole lives that if you are in need, you are just lazy, everyone is fundamentally capable of taking care of themselves and there’s zero excuse for not being able to just do it yourself. Based on her voice, I’d say at least in her late 60s, that’s a long time to hold a world view.
So in all circumstances, they must show their own strength by asserting/repeating that world view. Even as they themselves should have learned better, either they are in denial about their status and needs or they feel a deep shame and see such a ludicrous stance as somehow saving face.
It’s sadly quite consistent with being a human person.
I misplaced my shocked face, where is it?
Hundred percent. I’ll take holes in my shoes and staying warm by layering clothes on top of my blankets again over going hungry again.
First: They might have a mortgage. They might be struggling to pay the mortgage. Mortgage gets paid first. They might have made the calculation that they had to pay the mortgage and rely on charity to avoid starving.
Second: They might have a mortgage that is already in default. They could be approaching foreclosure. Struggling perhaps more than you imagine.
Third. They might rent. They might be facing eviction. They might be barely surviving.
Fourth: They might already be homeless. Lucky I guess. They don’t have to worry about a mortgage or rent anymore.
Those are just the thoughts I could come up with right now.
Also, this is America. A medical emergency can leave you with nothing.
They may also be living with family, who in turn might be struggling.
What used to be a weekly £40 shop for the household is now £100.
How on earth are you only paying £20-£40 a month for food?! My weekly shop costs more than £20, and I live alone…
That is what food costs at Aldi? Also to clarify, that £20-40 was my approximate guess of what survival food shopping would likely cost based off my normal food shopping of £20-30 for 2 each week, or £10-15 each. But we also buy stuff that could be easily cut back if we had to.
So a cheap week for us is £10 each and that still includes stuff you could cut out. Clearly it could cost less than £40 a month then if we were cutting back. The main thing that varies our cost is we eat quite a bit of cheese, that usually contributes to the more expensive weeks.
If it’s a family home, very likely.