This perfectly sums up my experience in the UK too. I work as a Customer Service Advisor for a Finance company and the number of times it's "I can't afford to make any payments due to financial hardship" then they send their monthly expenses, and "alcohol/cigarettes/emergency money/social activities" are listed on there at several hundred pounds a month. Holidays/Vacations are also frequently cited as reasons to miss payments.

If you can't afford your bills, you cut back on it. The problem is people make really poor choices and want everything instantly and the idea that you wait until you can afford something or you go without is just an alien concept to a lot of people now.

Mind yourself that in brazil the minimum wage is US$ 300,00 and recently a public statement from the governement put that anyone that earn more than US$ 700,00 per head on a household is "rich"... some dependent people in this thread would be asking for the plethoras of social assists the government give...

Never heard of a car being a necessity (and here gas costs up to US$ 1,20 per liter... the cheapest new car is US$ 10.000,00 and insurance is around US$ 50,00 on this kind of car and health is around the same)... he is delusional of what is beying poor... Apparently people here think that not living on the downton area (here a small appartment 43m² could cost you around US$ 300.000,00 for buying or US$ 500,00+ on rent), so what poor do? They live farther from the center or in slums... It amazes me that he think that poor rent US$ 1.000,00 housing... now I can disregard his comments about consoles with much more easy (even more when he thinks a 500,00 console is cheap, affordable and no problem being 100,00 more than the competitor... but complain about food being expensive)... and cable now is essential necessity?

You want us to believe that you have a healthy diet at less than $6 a day? And that you pay less than $70 a week on rent, without either sharing accommodation or having access to a deal that most don't (like, say, renting off your parents at a vastly reduced rate, just as an example)?

I live near a college with 3 other people. There are actually tons of places for this price. Has nothing to do with parents providinf cheap rent...has to do with housing not being that expensive if you make a few sacrifices. Also, it is entirely possible to eat healthy for $6 a day. Cereal for breakfast, fruit for lunch, and so.e kind of meal with veggies and chicken or hamburger can easily be achieevd for that price.

I can't comment on the rent side. But healthy eating for $6  is completely possible (living costs in the US are lower than the UK, and £12 (under $20) per week is enough to have a healthy diet on. Even the higher end "doubled" price for people without the equipment and knowledge still keeps it under $160 per month.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-22065978

One of my favorite dishes is actually a fried rice with eggs broccoli florets a little soy sauce some onions and some peas if I I have them. Costs about a dollar to make and is a gigantic bowl.

Wow, where do you live? You think rich in US means getting more than $750?

Workers have to live in metropolitan(not downtown) areas to commute to work on time. US is not Brazil that has probably better public infrastructures.

Here, the cities are not made for poor people to live. Poor strugle way more than in your country.

Neighbors, won't lend you some sugar if you need help. You won't have money even for arroz com feijao.

Car is not a luxury in US, it is a necessity, a primary one.

All for $6? You must be trolling u in here.

I live in Brazil as you saw.. and our public structure is a joke people live in satelite cities to work in São Paulo (most expend 4 to 5h a day in traffic just to get to work). And I never said people in US are rich with more than 750, I said OUR GOVERNMENT evaluate that in Brazil a earning of more than that is for rich.

You clearly don't have the slightest idea of Brazil even nowing "rice and beans" in portuguese or are just ignoring everything to think you are really poor because you make less than US$ 1.000,00 month, perhaps you should quit gaming and internet and dedicate to work and eating.

You got me. Im just trolling, I actually starve myself on my budget, am unable to donate plasma due to lack of protein, and am just an unhealthy eater. Not sure what your problem is, if you have never shopped for deals or what, but it astounds me somebody is telling me what I do isnt possible. A little tip btw (that would even save me money)...consider getting beef from a farmer if you live in the country...will cost about 2.50 or 3.00 per pound processed and has much less fat.