Can You Beat Homelessness?

[Madeline]

Play the game of Spent to find out.

SPENT

I ran out of cash on Day 23.

 

[JBeukema]

I and other I've known did so in real life...

 

[Midnight Marauder]

I did. In real life. Twice.

 

[JBeukema]

They have rent starting at 50% more than I pay now

And I live a block from work

 

[Madeline]

I've been close....did my fair share of couch surfing, but I have never really been homeless. Of course, when I was young, we still had a GI Bill, etc.

Makes one helluva difference.

 

[Leweman]

Yeah the game isnt very realistic, interesting though.

 

[Leweman]

theres still a GI Bill

 

[Madeline]

They have rent starting at 50% more than I pay now

And I live a block from work

The prices are in line for Cleveland, JB...and the utility bills are far, far, far too low.

How'd you do?

 

[JBeukema]

I call shenanigans on just about everything about this link

I have a kid and a car and I pay no less than 600/month in rent and there's no library and I can't work with my own child on herhomework...?

The people who made this were a bunch of college yuppies who've never really worked or been in the real world, weren't they?

I can buy beer but not rice and beans?

 

[Madeline]

theres still a GI Bill

Yes, but it is a pale imitation of what it once was, Leweman. It paid my expenses and sent me a check for living expenses every month I was in college full-time, and would have done until I was 26, if I had stayed in. That benefit educated many people, soldiers and their children, and lifted many families out of poverty.

Now?

Quite different.

 

[JBeukema]

They have rent starting at 50% more than I pay now

And I live a block from work

The prices are in line for Cleveland, JB...and the utility bills are far, far, far too low.

How'd you do?

In the real world? I do okay, though more money would always be nice.

Also, in the real world, I buy rice and beans- staples not available in your little game.

And I use a bicycle to get to work, which isn't an option in your game. And I study at the library- and could do so with my child if applicable. Also not an option in this little 'game'. It's clear what the agenda is and I have a problem with it. Getting off the streets is hard, but this unrealistic 'game' doesn't highlight the real reasons it can be difficult for many to get and stay off the streets.

 

[JBeukema]

Also, since when do you buy toast? I always buy bread and toast it myself

 

[JBeukema]

I get 100 bucks on payday? And I don't sell plasma or anything?

 

[Madeline]

Also, since when do you buy toast? I always buy bread and toast it myself

You enjoy playing the devil's advocate, JB. I got it -- you cannot be made homeless, not in the US, not now.

You are invincible.

Must be that "white advantage", eh?

 

[JBeukema]

Play the game of Spent to find out.

SPENT

I ran out of cash on Day 23.

End of the month, I have 365 bucks left

I did better in your idiotic game than I do in real life

 

[westwall]

Play the game of Spent to find out.

SPENT

I ran out of cash on Day 23.

No, you can't. But as an aside when i was going to college i worked a graveyard shift at a convenience store. There were lots of homeless people that I befriended and learned quite a bit from. These were the perrenial homeless, they had no desire to have "homes" in the normal sense. One of them, who's name escapes me after all these years, found 13,000 dollars in the street one day and turned it over to the police. After 90 days thy gave him the cash and he cleaned himself up and got a job and a place to live. He would stop in every couple of days on his way to work etc.

Then he didn't come in for a few weeks. Finally he stopped in and I found out that he had reverted back to homelessness. We talked for a long time and i found out that he was an engineer with a family but he couldn't take the stress of normal life so hit the streets. He was rational, didn't have bi-polar or any other personality disorder, he just couldn't handle the hustle and bustle of modern life so dropped out of society.

Most I interacted with were that way. Nowadays of course we are dealing with many families that are homeless and they are the ones we need to direct the aid to, they actually want to have a home, but the others, leave them alone, it's how they want it.

One other thing, many of them were very accomplished beggars and would pull in around 1000 a month (back then!, I was making 600 before taxes) so I assume the same holds true today.

 

[JBeukema]

Also, since when do you buy toast? I always buy bread and toast it myself

You enjoy playing the devil's advocate, JB. I got it -- you cannot be made homeless, not in the US, not now.

You are invincible.

Must be that "white advantage", eh?

Did you not read my first reply, you idiot?

I've been on the streets in three states so I think I know more about the matter than you do

 

[JBeukema]

Must be that "white advantage", eh?

Actually, being an English speaking White man is a bit of a hindrance here

 

[hortysir]

I was homeless for almost 2 years.
And, TBH, looking back it was sort of better than this grind we call life now....

A helluva lot less responsibility than owning a house, car, etc......

Any money I earned was used for food and, occasionally a cheap motel....

 

[Missourian]

What a bunch of crap.

Day 1, someone breaks your window

Day 2, plumbing leak

Day 3, you back into a car in the parking lot

Day 4, your mom dies

Day 5, an asteroid destroys your car

Day 6, ninjas attack your apartment building...and you can't get to work.

Day 7, you pass go and collect $200 ... unfortunately you landed on "GO TO JAIL"


Good Grief, they should have at least tried to keep it realistic.

Yes, 4-6 are hyperbole, but that was how the game felt.

1-3 really happened by day 7, plus the credit card companies, a wedding, and a college course.