The worst/naughtiest thing you've done to survive whilst at rock bottom

binnie

Can I just say, that I have never borrowed or stole a FULL loo roll, just pieces.
So if I don't use any when I'm in the public toilets, then I can take a few pieces home for when I need them for the more urgent wipes if you know what I mean.....
I've never taken any from employers, but if I did do and only took a few pieces, I wouldn't class it as stealing.
I often worked those "Extra 10 mins" for employers and never got paid, so whats a bit of loo roll to them??

InDeepDebt

Googlewhacker wrote: »

I do understand under these circumstances why people steal from the employers but I am waiting for someone to post saying they replaced all the toilet rolls they stole....

Sometimes, the way my employer treats me, I feel like replacing the toilet paper...




...with the same paper that I borrowed! :shocked:

Jim

(actually, I've never "borrowed" toilet roll from work - yet)

John_Pierpoint

wouldbeqaulitymoneysaver wrote: »

:beer::beer::money:to everyone on this thread.
It is such a nice thread.
I don't think I have been such a deviant in my life. I have been brought up very strait-laced BUT should push come to shove then there are plenty of good ideas here for my more naughty-but-got-to-survive self.
It is also heartbreaking to see the incredible depths of poverty expressed here and the seemingly absolute need to hoard supplies against a rainy day; something I do. I cannot and will not live in an hand to mouth style and despite being on benefits try to live best life possible on a low fixed and despised!!!! income!!!!!
*wordless*
Needs Must/Must Needs. Once again*wordless* Love and best wishes to all and the stories of peoples kindnesses are again outstanding.
More please!
NB Will this thread be deleted? If I be honest this thread looks historical in MSE terms. There is such a lovely store of threads on MSE.
????:A:A:A:T:T:beer::beer:

As long as people keep using it by posting entries, it will get "bumped" up the list and stay current.

determined_new_ms

aw more stories & more tears in my eyes! Actually I rememeber something I feel ashamed of in those dark times. I used to shop in Nettos (still would but it closed down last year but now for frugaity rather than necessity) and I would walk there a 3 1/2mile trip each way. I managed to do a week's shopping for the 3 of us for just over £20. Well one week I had had my purse stolen by someone I *thought* was a "friend" so only had my child benefit to get through the week. So off I toddled to Nettos & did really well and managed to get enough food to make 7 meals, lunches & breakfast for for little ones. Well as I was going round I had to make the decsion to either get a taxi or use the £5 to get an extra couple of days food. Needless to say the food won so I walked back armed with 5 bags of food - it was really heavy & I felt very sorry for myself. About 1/2 way home a homeless person asked me if I had any spare change. Sadly it was too much for me & I lost it and shouted at him if it looked like I had any spare change & didn't he think I would have got a taxi if I did rather than struggle for miles with bags too heavy for me to carry? I walked on in tears.

Shameful behaviour...

natters_2

Back when the government were handing out free cheese & butter - I used to use the milk tokens to get milk, then send my hubby up to the local farmers field to steal some caulis - we used to have cauliflower cheese every day!

dib-dab

Wow some of these posts have brought tears to my eyes and I just have to say that I am so so ashamed of myself as have seen people going through bins before and all I have thought is 'urgh how disgusting' when really I should have been running to the nearest shop and buying them some food.

I have been in a huge amount of debt but have never (thank goodness) been in such a poor situation as I always used my credit cards when I had no money before pay day - hence me ending up in such massive debt. Not sure how I would have managed without them though. So I can't even begin to imagine what many of you have been through. Especially those of you who have had to resort to such things to feed your children - there is no need to feel ashamed, you deserve nothing but respect for doing what you had to do and I am sure that your children will be proud of you when they are older and know what you survived.

So I just felt that I had to reply to this thread to apologise to all of the people who I may have seen taking food from bins, picking up cigarette ends, wearing clothes or shoes with holes in - I apologise that I may have thought bad of you, I am seriously ashamed and humbled, you are better people than I am and you have made me so grateful for what I have.

Googlewhacker

dib-dab wrote: »

Wow some of these posts have brought tears to my eyes and I just have to say that I am so so ashamed of myself as have seen people going through bins before and all I have thought is 'urgh how disgusting' when really I should have been running to the nearest shop and buying them some food.

I have been in a huge amount of debt but have never (thank goodness) been in such a poor situation as I always used my credit cards when I had no money before pay day - hence me ending up in such massive debt. Not sure how I would have managed without them though. So I can't even begin to imagine what many of you have been through. Especially those of you who have had to resort to such things to feed your children - there is no need to feel ashamed, you deserve nothing but respect for doing what you had to do and I am sure that your children will be proud of you when they are older and know what you survived.

So I just felt that I had to reply to this thread to apologise to all of the people who I may have seen taking food from bins, picking up cigarette ends, wearing clothes or shoes with holes in - I apologise that I may have thought bad of you, I am seriously ashamed and humbled, you are better people than I am and you have made me so grateful for what I have.

You are presuming that all people that do this are in trouble, when in fact they are people that do this just because they can.

bazranz

I don't post very often, as you can tell, but this thread has really moved me.

When we had our first daughter, money was really tight. The only work I could get was as a commission only sales rep, and I wasn't much good at that. Consequently we were always struggling.

One of the worst things I did was at Asda. My DW and I were seeing what we could buy on special offer, when I saw a £5 on the floor. I quickly put my foot over it, then picked it up.

We were able to get some great bargains, and knew we would all be able to eat for a few days. However, while we were at the checkout, there was an old man at the front of the queue looking for the money he had lost. He eventually paid for his shopping, but that made me feel no better.

The more exciting things when we were hard up, was buying canned goods very cheap because the label had come off. What looked like stewed steak could just as easily have been dog food.

For those who are criticising, try walking a mile in one of these posters shoes, you may find you are not a big enough person to fill them.

TwelveStopsThenHome

Too true bazranz

Another one that came to me was about six years ago, my ex was awaiting some money to come through to his account on the Monday. The weekend we lived off porridge, instant mash, and a few biscuits. He had the smart idea of mixing porridge with instant mash! My it was horrible to eat! I tried putting a bit of ketchup we had on it, thankfully it made it a *bit* better. Luckily I re-call finding a chicken that had been frozen for about three months. I quickly defrosted it, then he decided to cook, then boil the chicken where we ate that with some of the instant mash. The electric meter was on low, so I was scraping £1 or £2 out of loose change in 1p, 5p etc and trying to top it up that way. We switched off the hot water heater, went as far as switching the TV off when not in use, even reading/chatting by candelight! Come the Monday morning, I was happy and we went on a mini spending spree!

Another occasion was a few days before pay day in March 2009 (where I got some back-pay due to a wages !!!!-up), I went into the town centre by scraping together the fees for a train ticket there and back and went round the markets just buying the odd bit here and there, taking advantage of the reduced to clear in supermarkets and offers. I think for £6 I picked up a fair bit, to make sure I had enough food to last me until the Friday.

John_Pierpoint

Googlewhacker wrote: »

You are presuming that all people that do this are in trouble, when in fact they are people that do this just because they can.

Food skip divers call themselves "Freegans" - probably save the supermarket a few quid in land fill charges.