Anonymous wrote:It means there are no savings and every paycheck goes toward immediate living expenses. If a paycheck doesn't come, then the rent/mortgage doesn't get paid and the groceries run out.

almost this. I would say having only $1K left at the end of the month after all bills are paid.

It means buying gas a gallon at a time. With pennies, dimes and nickels. I also pick up the free tampons everywhere I see them. There is NO charge card for emergency spending, like the blowout I had today, and the spare tire is also busted. It means not going to work because you have no means to get there. I didn't grow up this way. My family had money, so I can assure you that most people have no idea what the struggle is really like. You can't even imagine how many hours in the day it takes to scrape up enough change to buy a gallon of gas....

For me, it means being stressed out at 1:30 in the morning trying to figure out which bills will get paid before the next paycheck at the end of the month. It means every paycheck is basically spent before you get it. No retirement contributions. No savings. No 529. No new furniture. No new clothes except underwear. Only putting a couple gallons in the tank at a time. It sucks.

It was kind of an adventure when I was in my 20s. It went away in my 20s and 30s but medical expenses and job losses have us back on the rocks. At least I know how to get by like this. Grateful that we have a roof (for now) and the kids don't go hungry. So many families have it much tougher.

When your paycheck(s) go to bills, food, gas and there is nothing left until the next paycheck. Then it's rinse and repeat.

There is no savings, no bumper in the checkbook, no emergency stash. Being flat broke days after getting paid. Praying nothing big happens unexpectedly.

Millions live this way every single day. No one admits it but it's a fact. It's not really living, it's hell.

It's the reason I help my sister out. It's the reason we should all help family when we can.

7-11 coffee vs Starbucks Frappucinno Venti

When I was living paycheck to paycheck I was eating one and a half meals a day so my daughter had food to eat. I took tampons home from a temp job when they were for free in the bathroom. I had to tell DD's teacher that DD would not be turning in the poster she was required to turn in because I couldn't afford to buy one, but DD would write out everything that would go on one.

At the end of the month, my friend has ZERO dollars for a few days until her DH gets paid on the 1st. They have every single penny accounted for

Multiple threads about this topic:

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/512779.page (Nov 2015)

http://www.dcurbanmom.com/jforum/posts/list/488603.page (July 2015)

On DCUM it means having to use your credit card to buy the newest model of Apple Watch.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It means there are no savings and every paycheck goes toward immediate living expenses. If a paycheck doesn't come, then the rent/mortgage doesn't get paid and the groceries run out.

+1

This. This is what paycheck to paycheck means in real life. It also means that if the fridge breaks or the car, you don't know what you're going to do and you may have to put it on credit card and pay 20% interest on it.

Of course this is DCUM, so stay tuned for folks chiming in to say they are SO paycheck to paycheck bc they ONLY put 15k/yr into a 401k instead of 18k or don't fully fund a 529 or can only afford public school for their kids instead of private.

I think it includes having no savings and no available credit. Potentially using payday loans, robbing Peter to pay Paul, or sending out checks a day or two before your check comes in. Not having enough money before payday for gas, Metro, lunch, etc. I used to work at a place that gave Metro checks for a benefit, and people would stand outside of Metro Center and sell them for cash.

+1 to PPs. Earlier today, I was thinking about how an unexpected $150 bill are up what was supposed to pay my cell phone bill and groceries for two weeks. Was feeling gratitude for no longer living paycheck to paycheck.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It means there are no savings and every paycheck goes toward immediate living expenses. If a paycheck doesn't come, then the rent/mortgage doesn't get paid and the groceries run out.

+1

This. This is what paycheck to paycheck means in real life. It also means that if the fridge breaks or the car, you don't know what you're going to do and you may have to put it on credit card and pay 20% interest on it.

Of course this is DCUM, so stay tuned for folks chiming in to say they are SO paycheck to paycheck bc they ONLY put 15k/yr into a 401k instead of 18k or don't fully fund a 529 or can only afford public school for their kids instead of private.

Anonymous wrote:It means there are no savings and every paycheck goes toward immediate living expenses. If a paycheck doesn't come, then the rent/mortgage doesn't get paid and the groceries run out.

+1

It means there are no savings and every paycheck goes toward immediate living expenses. If a paycheck doesn't come, then the rent/mortgage doesn't get paid and the groceries run out.

Im just curious. I think there's a misunderstanding of what it means especially for those who have never struggled financially.