Definitions of "I'm broke"

Blue_Elephant

To me "I'm broke" means having less than £200 in the bank (including my savings), although I am in debt and paying it off and therefore I'm in the red £200 or not!! . This is Emergency Funds "just in case". But then I'd eat every spare lentil in the cupboard before touching it and certainly wouldn't be off buying shoes/meals out and I'd never ask friends for money!!!

Saying that all my friends know my definition of broke, and giggle at me because it's different from theirs! It's just my way of making sure I never get into more debt.

RobertoMoir

tanith wrote: »

I know someone who is always hinting that he's down to his last ha'penny and will have to work forever but has a luxury apartment abroad and eats out all the time , its just peoples perception of 'broke' is different , mine is as yours when I could'nt afford to drive the car or buy a dencent meal..

Well that someone could very well not have much actual spending money in their pocket to spend on unanticipated things, and call that 'broke', precisely because they prefer to eat out and have the apartment. It's a choice they make, I guess but yeah, it's a little galling to hear people like that talk about "broke" when you've seen, let along experienced, what real poverty is like.

x_Kaz_x

I have been broke many times, where I haven't had enough money coming in to cover my basic bills, but for the past 12 months or so we've had enough money to cover everything and the last 4 months we've been able to put quite a bit in savings each month.

Now, on the 15th of the month (when I get paid) I put any money that isn't budgeted for the month straight in my cash ISA and into pots to cover annual bills like road tax and MOTs . So when I say I can't do/buy something because I am broke, it doesn't really mean that I don't have any money, but that its not in the month's budget (or disposable money).

I say it for psychological reasons too, if I say "I'm broke" then I don't spend money on things that aren't necessary, that way I don't waste money on stuff like an overpriced soda from the vending machine at work.

mmmsnow

My permanently broke friend pays a monthly gym fee of £60, £15 a month for unlimited trips to the cinema and £30 each month for one of her (many) hobbies. She has the top Lovefilm package and one of the most expensive broadband, phone and Sky packages. When, one day, I said that if she was having problems then maybe she should look at these outgoings, I was icily told that these were all necessities and, just because she was poor, it didn't mean she shouldn't "have a life". She's £10k in debt and counting.

I used to try and help but I've become sick of her constant moaning about her finances (usually while clutching a Starbuck's coffee and a bag of new clothes).

I believe "broke" is having less than £50 in the bank and it being half-way through the month. This is the point when I eschew all non-essential activities, purchases and try to get the OH to do otherwise (with varying degrees of success). If I have to use a CC for any essential food purchases, then I'm "seriously broke".

jakes-mum

I am at this very moment in my terms 'broke'. We have just enough money to pay the rest of the bills this month. There is no money for any more fuel for the car or for any more food in the cupboards. I DO have £300 sat in an ISA which is our 'omg the car has just died we need to get it to a garage' money as im disabled so being without a car would leave me completely housebound. I also have £350 sat in a savings account from ebay sales which is for paying toward one of the credt cards currently on 0% so I dont see that as my money to spend as I wish, its money that has to be paid back for things we have had before (already spent money if you see what I mean).

Not sure if thats anyone elses view of broke, but thats my version

Anouchka

I fell for this one years ago when I lived in a flat share. My definition of broke was that I had no money left. My flat mate also used to say she was broke. It took me quite a while to cotton on to the fact that far from being "broke" as I understood it, my flat mate had merely spent as much as she wished to that month. Worse still, whilst pleading poverty she was more than happy to be subsidised by the rest of our pals, many who earned considerably less then she did. This came to light when she let slip that she had managed to stash away a healthy sum which she planned to use to go buy a flat in the future. Lesson learned .....

clarab_3

My definition of 'broke' is when theres more month left than money.

I pay all my bills and get a travelcard on payday, so getting to work and eating are not a problem, but for life's expectations of me (a coffee with friends, a drink after work...) there is nothing to spare.

I'm possibly too proud a person, but I wont go to something if I cant afford to pay my way. Its my own fault - its me that ran up the debt and its me thats losing out I guess.

arbroath_lass

Broke to me means I have no spare money to do whatever your suggesting. So my car could be full of diesel and my cupboards bulging but I still don't have spare cash. Spare cash is simply money not allocated to anything between now and next payday so I COULD be broke as I have allocated money to an expensive night out later in the month. That said I'd be more likely to say to a friend, "I can't. I'm skint because I have x this month." Rather than just, "I'm skint".

tallyhoh

I was broke several years ago when I had one slice of bread & an egg (the egg turned out to be bad), 2p in my purse. I walked to & from work & found a £1 coin, it paid for some potatoes.
A relative of mine was broke & loaned £500 (not repaid) & came home with hair extensions & complained she couldnt repay me as she needed a social life.

rictus123

Well broke to me really is not a penny for anything - fuel, milk the lot. I acted "broke" the whole of August. Didnt spend a penny that wasnt a direct debit or budgeted for....was really easy actually and showed me i dont need to spend all i had been. So iv drasticlly cut down my outgoings...with £14,300 of debt right now im aiming to clear it all by end of this year! Go me eh!!