Update: A very generous gift has more than solved the problem. A huge thank you to my benefactor, who I’ll leave anonymous. Yay, Beehaw!
I get twice-monthly stipends from my mom for basic survival since losing my job covering federal grants for green-energy projects in January. As I have zero housing costs on account of living in a van with solar, she’s able to help make everything predictable be survivable.
The issue that arises is most months include a fun curveball that essentially forces me into bologna sandwiches. Nothing wrong with that unless you care about nutrition.
This month, my van insurance renewed, and Progressive does this thing where you get charged for two months to start and then your last month is free. August was a relief for this reason. Then there was the haircut that ran $30 more than I expected by trying to support a local business instead of Supercuts. (Seriously, I’m now fine that the chain charges $20 instead of $50.)
My 5G gateway died at the start of the week, so my choices were replacing it by mail, meaning several days offline while desperately trying to find work, or going to a local store.
The solution seemed obvious, until you consider I’m usually blocked in during the day by others parallel parked for their shifts.
Some $40 in Lyfts ensue, which I have to arrange from a nearby business because my Wi-Fi is down, and my phone as a hotspot is a very temporary solution (5GB of data per month) that I chewed through without doing any streaming, as every single web page simply has to have a photo – often irrelevant – that takes an order of magnitude more data than the text I’m there to read.
And paying Mint Mobile for more data is a spendy proposition, but I had no choice after returning to the van and finding the new gateway isn’t working either, even though it was at the store. I eventually figured out that there was a nonobvious wiring problem from the fuse panel and got it working with a new connection, having already blown $30 on a pair of USB outlets.
But the point is I’ve now got a third of a jar of peanut butter and a single can of tuna, and I don’t get another infusion from my mom (who’s on fixed income) until Oct. 1.
So I’m asking for some help here to limp through the end of the month. Any amount helps … I know how to eat frugally, though a real meal is amazing every now and so often, as I have no heat source for cooking.
I have both CashApp (preferred) and Venmo. I’d rather not share those for the entire internet to see, but if you can help out with any amount, I’d greatly appreciate a DM so I can provide either handle.
Beeple have come to my rescue in the past, and I deeply appreciate it. I’d very much like to not have to keep asking strangers to support me, but that’s the option I have left, given that the job market is totally fucked and I can’t physically work a shift of any length that’s almost all standing on account of a couple of back surgeries.
Bumping
Consider posting in hexbear’s mutual aid community as well
Sadly, we’re not federated with them, so that’s not a one-click option. I’ve submitted an application, but having my first post be asking for assistance isn’t a great look. Still, I appreciate the heads up, and we’ll see how things play out.
Man I forgot I am not on my hexbear account. My bad lol. If you make an ml account and post there I could vouch for you if you @ me
While appreciated, it’s been rendered moot by a very generous Beehaw user. I’m good for now. Like “good” in terms of “where am I going to go for dinner tonight?”
Congrats friend ❤️ stay comfy
The supreme irony of feeling like I can afford to go out to dinner is there’s a tavern a short walk away I’d never considered that has half-pound burgers for $3.99 and also fried cheese tortellini (6) for the same price. I’m definitely getting both for $8.
That should be about four meals. I can’t do better from the store without going all the way to bologna sandwiches (and my mayo’s gone clear), so I hope it’s good!
Can confirm: $3.99 burger could easily sell for $15. Fried tortellini for about $12. So when they claim on their website that they want to be a nice spot where people can afford the food, I’ll actually buy that.
Total bill: $17 plus tip for a microbrew pint and two entrees. I think I’m going to be going there a lot. It’s like “buy a burger, get a free beer.” Didn’t hurt that everyone was chill, staff and customers. I was sitting next to a group where a dude came in and joined them, and he was kinda just awkwardly standing there. The seat on the other side was vacant, so I was like “Sir, would you like me to move down a chair so you’re not standing?” His response: “I’d never ask that of someone, but yeah, that would be great.”
I’ve been having a string of real human interactions with strangers of late.
