Reasons To Be Happy About Being Poor
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It Can't Be All Bad...
You might be frustrated with this economy and you might be steadily heading towards the poverty level, but hey, there has to be a bright side somewhere to all of this, right? Really, there has to be some good points to being so poor. Instead of focusing on all the bad things like not being able to pay your mortgage, being trapped at a dead end job or having no job at all, feeling like there is no hope, blah, blah, blah... let's take a moment to think about the reasons to be happy about being poor. Surely there must be some. So let's explore that topic!
No One Wants to Rob You
I sat in on a self defense crime prevention class last week and I learned that a predator is likely to look for victims with expensive items like a Rolex watch or a Coach purse. The good thing about not having much money is you won't own any of those items.
When you are walking down the street with your $10 Walmart watch, your $4 clearance purse, and your Payless shoes, everyone knows you've got no money in your purse. They will keep on walking to the next person. Hooray for being less likely to become a victim!
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You Can Write a Song About It
Now that you are too broke to go out and spend any money, surely you will be sitting at home more. While you are sitting around wondering why the cable got turned off, don't feel down about it. Write a song about it!
Some of the best country music songs and rap songs are about being poor. So don't feel too sad about your situation. Write a song about being broke and all the terrible things that go along with it. You might just find yourself sitting on top of a hit single. The next time America's Got Talent rolls into town, go audition. If you are unemployed or underemployed, chances are, you will have the free time to camp out early in the morning so you will be the first person on the list.
Clipping Coupons Can Be An Adventure
Who wants to go out when you can have fun in your own home? Sure, it used to be a blast to go clubbing, or bowling, or even out to dinner. But that is all in the past now. The real fun is clipping coupons. You can get a subscription for your local paper and get coupons on the weekend. Of course, you want to wait until the local paper offers you a great deal, but since newpaper publishing companies are going bankrupt now, they are usually willing to offer you a sweet deal. Make sure to cash in on their misfortune!
While clipping the coupons, remember that you are in good company. Clipping coupons and saving money is in style right now. There are even television shows about it. Never has it been so easy to be so cool.
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You Never Really Liked Cleaning a Big Home Anyway
Who wants to clean a big house or a nice condo? Having a home with plenty of rooms only means more work. So why be sad when you have to move into a studio apartment or your parents' basement? Less space means less cleaning, and who wouldn't want that?
While you are downsizing, make sure to sell some furniture on Craigslist. Now you will be saving time and energy by not cleaning as much, and making money by selling your furniture.
Lose Some Weight
One of the best ways to lose weight is to eat less. Of course, when you can't afford food, this makes the whole process easier. Sure, you'd like to order a pizza or have a meal at Applebee's, but instead, it is bologna sandwiches for you all week. I know bologna (a.k.a. mystery meat) might not be good for you, but hey, it is cheap! Furthermore, if you can only afford bologna sandwiches for lunch and dinner, you are not going to gain any weight. You will start losing those pounds in no time!
Get Some Exercise
Since you can no longer afford gas, or possibly a car at all, and public transportation is too expensive, you are going to have to walk everywhere. Once again, this can be all part of your weight loss plan. Now you are getting more exercise and burning off more pounds. Wow, this is getting better and better.
While you are at it, you might get caught in the rain, but hey, plenty of country songs are about the rain, too. Never forget your potential music career during all of this.
But Seriously...
I know many of us have fallen on hard times, but constantly looking at the bad side of it is not doing us any good. I hope if you are reading this you are not too terribly broke and I hope you had a laugh. Now is a time to appreciate some of the things we do have. Maybe you don't have money, but you've got people that love you or some sort of job that helps pay the bills or a place to live. We need to remember the small things in life.
Just keep in mind, if you are reading this, at least you've got access to the internet!
And hey, if you do audition for America's Got Talent, let me know. I will vote for you.
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I am glad you enjoyed my hub. I was wondering if it was in poor taste to joke about being poor, so I am relieved it lifted your poor person mood. :-)
Thanks for reading and thanks for the comment!
You're welcome! And nah, I don't think it's ever in bad taste to joke about anything...Take the homeless for example, what a bunch of freeloaders, standing around with their 'signs' all day...
But seriously, I did enjoy the Hub, it gets very addicting on here I'm pretty much brand new still, joined about 3 days ago and I can't seem to stop reading Hubs. I have to tear myself away to make myself participate in the 3D world lol. But so far so good I've really enjoyed it a lot and I've definitely loved all your hubs I have read so far. Great stuff!
Thank you so much for reading my hubs. Also, welcome to Hubpages. It can be very addictive at first. Honestly, it might still be addictive. I am on here pretty much everyday. Thanks for the comments!
Awesome hub, Jeannie! Thanks for giving us a dose of your healthy optimism - I don't know anyone who couldn't use more of that!
LOL This was an awesome read! It cheered me up. Thank you.
this is right on the button! it's funny , witty, has a great style, and best of all these are great tips to keep yourself happy now that you are not depressed over being broke. Thank you jeannieinabottle for giving a smile to an ol broke joe...
Thank you all for your comments! I am not always the most optimistic person in the world, but I was trying to cheer myself up with some benefits to being poor. It is tough sometimes, but I am glad I could spread some cheer to others!
Hi Jeannie, A great read, great tips and a great laugh!
Voting up!
Thanks for the comment and the vote up. I am glad you enjoyed it!
Hi Jeannie - this is the hub I wanted to write ... but you have written it far better than I could have. I have voted it Up, funny and useful because it manages to be all of those things ... as well as very true.
Bless your positivity ... maybe we'll all be much happier having less of everything?
Thanks for this. I'm sick of feeling sorry for myself. Dwelling on all the bad points each day makes you feel depressed. There is nothing in the world without laughter. There's lots of us in the same boat too! Voted up.
Thank you both for your comments and votes!
Angie, I am sure your hub would have been great, too. I think you should still write it. I would be curious to read your angle on it. Thanks for reading!
Peanutritious, I am glad you liked the hub. I thought people could really relate to it. Eventually I believe the economy will be better. Sometimes I still get frustrated since patience is not my thing, but I may as well try to laugh through it.
Very funny. And also very true. Way to find the bright side!
Thank you for reading and for the comment. I am glad you liked it.
Thank you for helping me see the silver lining to my stormy cloud of financial woe. Your positivity is contagious ;)
Jeannie--no wonder you're a perfect 100!!! Congrats. I had thought I was already following you; I sure am now! This hub was so funny! And it could be useful, too! I voted you up and all the way across. Great hub!
LOL Jeannie, I used to leave my piece of crap car unlocked because I figured nobody would want to rob it. I don't have the car anymore, but nobody ever messed with it. On the other hand, my boyfriend, who has a nice new car with an alarm system, constantly has people peeking in (we watch from our window lol). The other day, somebody tried to steal his license plate stickers lol. That's the good thing about having expired temp tags for a month. LOL
TattooKitty - I am glad this hub helped brighten your day. Times are tough, but I need to have a sense of humor about it.
Victoria Lynn - Thanks for following me. I am surprised to have the 100 score. I am glad you enjoyed the hub and thanks for the votes.
Sunnyglitter - I also no longer have a car. It just makes sense since gas and insurance is so expensive. It is true that no one really wants to steal a not so great car. It must be funny to see people eyeing your boyfriend's car from a distance.
Thanks to everyone for the comments!
hahaha! this is so funny. but seriously, when i decided to resign from my work, all of the things in your list above, i have thought and did them. yes, it can't be that bad. there were opportunities i saw which i previously ignored.
Thanks for the compliment! Yes, it is true. There are aspects to being broke I never considered until recently. I guess walking around with expensive clothes or jewelry can make a person a target. I also never have to worry about anyone stealing my car since I can't afford one.
I was racing to finish this before they shut off my electricity...rich bastards...your self defense ideas are priceless and so true. I am putting my Coach (whatever that is) purse on craigslist with my couch. Now...writing a song...what rhymes with eviction and deadbeat...? I couldn't afford to vote up...so I am sending you some coupons...
Glad you were able to post this before the electricity was shut off. If you've never seen a Coach bag, consider yourself lucky! They costs hundreds of dollars and are not cute at all! Hmmm... how about friction for eviction and parakeet for deadbeat? Not exact rhymes, but still entertaining. Sorry you couldn't afford the vote ups. I could use the coupons more anyway. Thanks!
Just exactly what I needed to read during another lonely lunch hour! Given my current circumstances, which you know, this hub is just the laugh I needed :-) Too funny. Though I disagree about the Coach bags, they are my favorite and there are tons of cute ones! Lol. I have made the joke about losing weight because of being poor all the time, always gets good laughs. Voted up!
I guess we can agree to disagree on the Coach bags. I do like some Coach shoes I've seen at Macy's though. I am glad I could bring you a laugh. I just ate lunch by myself at the mall. We are being discouraged to talk to each other too much at work since it seems as if our clique is "negative." So much for bonding with co-workers, huh? Thanks for the comment!
I really enjoyed reading this. I think this is the correct way to look on life. Even when you are down on your money you can still find good things to be happy about.
I am glad you enjoyed the hub. Thank you for reading and thanks for the comment!
I really got a good laugh out of this. It's kind of ironic since I am a music student with a lot of extra time on my hands. When you're down, it always helps to look at the small things in life and really the most important things in life.
I am glad you enjoyed this. Yes, sometimes I have to look at the positive side of things or I will go crazy. Thank you for reading and for the comment!
So true and SO awesome! You're right--you've gotta stay on the positive side of things in EVERY situation. Thanks for this hub--made me smile! Voted up, awesome, and funny! :)
This is hilarious! Fantastic post! I know what you are talking about. Being a student, I am not exactly the richest person in the world. When all materialism is lost, laughter is left.
I am glad you both enjoyed the hub. I know what you mean. You just have to look at the bright side sometimes. With this economy, humor is all many of us have left. Thanks for the comments!
You made me smile! It's all in how you spin things! Good job! Voted up and funny!
Thank you so much for reading and for the vote up! I am glad this hub could make you smile. We all need a little cheer sometimes.
This was hilarious! And so right! I like how you look on the bright side :)
I am glad you liked it. I've been trying to work on staying positive lately about things I cannot change and work to change what is within my ability to change. Thanks for reading and for the comment!
I really enjoyed your Hub! You took a subject that currently brings people down and lifted their spirits! I only have one question... how do you make coupon clipping fun? Ha ha! I'd love to be a fly on the wall seeing someone having fun doing that!
I am glad you enjoyed my hub. Honestly, coupon clipping can be fun when you find a great coupon. My favorite coupons are the 75 cent coupons because anything under $1 gets doubled at the grocery stores I go to. So when I can save $1.50, you would think I just won the lottery or something. I guess I'm a dork.
Thats one thing they can't take from us - our sense of humor. Loved your hub and your positive outlook. Despite our hardships, we have to continue living so might as well make it bearable with laughs.
Yes, it is important to keep a sense of humor in this economy. Sometimes it is the only thing I think I have left. Thanks for reading and thanks for the comment.
I saw this hub on my News Feed on Facebook! This is so funny! Voted up!
I am living on $544 per month. I live in a large RV. I have no car and I live in the country. I am so happy I could spit. All those things you said I have applied to my life. You can let the hard times ruin your life, or you can be grateful for what you do have and use what you have wisely. We need to laugh. I don't have children at home anymore so it's probably easier for me. I haven't owned a home for 11 years. I never lock my door when I go out cuz there's nothing to steal but hand me down junk. Thanks for a good uplifting and humorous hub.
Thanks, Cheerfulnuts! I am glad you liked it and I happy to see you dropped by.
lambservant - Thanks for the comment! I am glad you enjoyed the hub. Sometimes I have to laugh to keep going. I know it doesn't have to always be this way. Everything in life is temporary and eventually everyone will be back on their feet.
Nice lighthearted spin on an unfortunate situation. I always used to say, what would I do if I was so wealthy I had really no problems in life? Would things be boring?
Thanks for the comment. Wouldn't it be nice to find out how boring life could be though being rich? Hehe. I actually think have too much money causes problems, too. Maybe that is another good thing about not having enough money.
This is funny -- when I lost my job in 2009 and wondered if I'd make it between finding a new one - I prepared for the worst - painting the house, changing cabinet hardware [watched too much HGTV - that's a no-no when you're out of work], cleaned out my "junk" room and got rid of anything I didn't use for 3 years or more, etc. I did manage to sell the house at a $35K loss, find a new job (that required me to relocate) and actually buy a BIGGER house (lots of leg work looking at homes [I bought a construction foreclosure [brand new house in a "well to-do" neighborhood), etc.) -- and I still don't miss my "junk." It's a b--ch, but this country WILL make it through (a little tattered, torn, and wiser). Loved the HUB - hated the bologna - but I ate it too! :)
I am glad you are back on your feet again. I also think this country will come back, just maybe not stronger than before. Thanks so much for posting this comment and I am happy you liked it.
Sounds like just what I need to hear at the moment!
I am glad you liked it. Thanks for dropping by!
I especially like the idea of looking too poor to rob and, even though I'm a multi-millionaire, I intend to put this into practice :-D
Hehehe... I am glad you liked it. Thanks for dropping by!
P.S - I'm not REALLY a multi-millionaire (in case you hadn't guessed ;) )
I figured it was a joke, but did not want to make any assumptions. :-)
Aww this is cool, I would say that its best to be happy no matter where we find ourselves in life, because things could always be worse, so we should count our blessings.
This is true. It could always be worse. At least I have Hubpages! Thanks for reading and thanks for the comment!
The best part about being poor is having freedom. I work where ever I want and my goal is to be trained and learn new skill sets. They say it looks bad on your resume but it really has not effected me. The same claim they make about having a credit score. I have never owned a credit card and never had a problem getting what I need because I owe no one. I constantly find jobs and work or I go to school. My life has very little stress but it always has dead lines. I do not need money only the things I need to live and tools to achieve what I am doing. It is not about how much money you have, but how you spend it.
I never thought about it that way before, but there is a certain freedom in being poor. I suppose a lot of materialistic things can hold a person back. Thanks for the comment!
I just lived for seventeen months on the road (hitchhiking, couchsurfing, volunteering ...), almost without money (about 2$ a day). Every day I expected the unexpected, every day was a new experience, it was the best time of my life. To learn more, you can read some of my hubs.
That does sound like fun! Thanks for reading and thanks for the comment!
There are many benefits to being broke. I have to agree with the ones you posted here. There is nothing like a little laughter to brighten the day. Thanks!
Yes, sometimes I have to remind myself about those benefits. :-) I am glad you had a laugh and this could brighten your day. Thanks for dropping by!
This made me LAUGH OUT LOUD several times! I really liked this! :)
Thank you! I am happy you got a good laugh from it. I think I really needed something to cheer me up that day. Thanks for sharing this hub!
Way to look on the bright side! I enjoy your humor.
Thank you! Why not be happy about being poor rather than sad?
This hub made me laugh out loud! Being fresh out of college, jobless, and about to get married can sometimes but horrifying, but more often it's just hysterical. Thanks for helping me see the bright side! :) Voted up
I am glad you got a good laugh out of the hub. I am here to help. :-) It can't be all bad being poor. Sometimes it is an adventure. Thanks for reading and thanks for the vote up!
I love this! Sharing to Facebook =D
Thanks so much, Shaina!
I always said that someone shouldn't be ashamed if they are called poor...you have made some valid points. I'll be sure and share this so others know also:)
I loved this hub! As they sang on Monty Python, 'Always Look On The Bright Side of Life', you gave some amusing examples of life offering you opportunities to do something 'on the cheap' or free (I already wear a cheap watch, cheap clothes and I own a Kipling handbag so I shouldn't get mugged anyway). I laughed all the way through this, very funny.
Sunshine625 - Thanks, Linda! I am not ashamed to admit I am broke. The reason I don't have a lot of spending cash is because I pay my bills on time, work an honest job, and have my own apartment. I am proud that I've earned my way to everything I have and done it with at least a little dignity. ;-) So I am not ashamed to be "poor" according to a lot of people's standards. Thanks so much for reading and sharing!
Jools99 - I am glad you enjoyed it. Sometimes I have to stick to the bright side of things. I feel better knowing no one will want to steal my $4 clearance purse from Claire's or my $10 Walmart watch. If they do choose to steal it, at least I can afford to replace it. :-) Thanks for reading!
Oh my goodness. I am wiping tears from my cheeks! This is hilarious. I have to say, though, that you are right on the... money!?! ;)
Awesome hub, ma'am! Voted up, funny, & awesome!
(& I really like the message of the hub, too!!!)
Thanks so much! Sometimes I have to look at the bright side of things while clipping my coupons. Hehe. Thanks for the votes, too!
LOL This is great! No one ever wants to rob me, and I can lose weight, enjoy the joys of couponing, and start writing songs about being poor.
There are definitely positive aspects to being poor, aren't there? Hehehe. Glad you liked it!
Hi Jeannie. I did like it. In fact, I wanted to let you know that this hub made my favorites list this week. (March 4). Congratulations!
This is great! You can be creative and do not need a ton of money to have fun. I think I should be safe against robbers, I don't wear a watch and rarely carry a purse. Phew :)
Thank you so much! I am honored to make this week's list, Millionaire Tips.
Dawn, yes, it sounds like you are pretty safe. Being creative can be way more fun than having lots of money anyway. Who needs it? ;-)
Great Hub, which I came to via Millionaire Tips' favourites. I loved your top photo, and was impressed that there is no fluff on your hair grips. You must have lovely clean pockets. "Write a Song About It" made me laugh. Laughing is better than crying about it! I'm sure you've cheered many financially challenged people up.
Keri Summers - That is true - there was no fluff in the hair grip. Hehehe. I think I did have the pull some hair off though before taking the photo. I am happy I could make you laugh. It is always better to laugh than cry. Thanks for the comment!
Wow, now I come to think of it I am truly blessed. I am deleriously happy to be poor. Downsizing is the way to go. Those fancy caravans are easier to run than a silly bricks and mortar house. Voted up and useful.
I am glad you enjoyed it. There is a positive side to everything in life, I guess. Of course, if someone offered me a million dollars right now I sure wouldn't turn it down! Thanks for the votes!
JeniferRW Level 4 Commenter 7 months ago
I love this Hub! SO Funny and I really enjoyed reading this, you write 'funny' very VERY well. This is great and really lifted My poor person mood. Bravo! ;)