How Do All of These People Get By Without Working?

Beats me, when I was young few of my friends worked and seem to party all the time while I had rent, car payments and food to buy. It used to piss me off, but few of them made it out of the 80s, so I'm good

Most people do some kind of work, but lots cobble together different things and hang on.

Trust me, you life is way better OP

Low rent and bills.

It you have to give people a break. Right now, CoViD is ripping through my community. I currently know 3 people who have CoViD and dozens who were exposed as a result of this.

Medium to smaller businesses, heck, even larger ones, close up shop as soon as someone tests poz for the Rona. They won’t even let those exposed come back to work unless they have two to three negative tests in a row.

I cannot wait until we actually do reach herd immunity, because right now? Things are still pretty dicey and haven’t stabilized as much as the media wants us to believe they have.

Lots of people, even in blue states, are NOT vaxxed.

Create from that what you will.

It’s a problem here in Canada as well. There are signs everywhere for minimum wage jobs like fast food restaurants.

People tested poz in my workplace this week. I have to get another test before being allowed back to work. And it has to be administered by a physician or a PA.

If it’s negative, great, if not, I have to self quarantine until I test negative.

This really had taken a HUGE toll on employees AND employers.

People want to pretend this is over.

It’s not over, unfortunately.

Trustafarians, entitled or those happy to just live hand to mouth. Then there's the Only Fans brigade.

Gub'mint cheese

[quote}I’m busting my ass everyday, and these lazy oafs are out here dumb and happy,

You would hate them more, wouldn't you, OP, if it turned out that not all of them were dumb?

All I know is that hating others because they have more, or are happier with less, or don't define their lives by work, or seem happy, or enjoyed an advantage that you didn't...stewing over these things will never raise your station or your happiness in life.

If you're content that you are doing things the way that's right for you, that's a measure of achievement that many will never have. Start with what you reasonably want for yourself and other people, try to be happy for them, it makes you happier with yourself.

OP they do work.

They suck dick!

I've been on both sides of that fence, OP.

When I was in my 20s, I had mountains of student loan debt which I was avoiding, working part time temping, living hand to mouth, which opened up a lot of time for creative pursuits, wandering aimlessly, smoking weed with friends, and working only when I had to. It was a pretty Zen way of being, and I miss it. BUT, I don't miss the overall feeling of doom that I also had - I knew I wasn't gonna avoid the loans forever, and I knew that getting older would create more $$ needs, and I was never able to eat out or travel anywhere.

Now I'm in my 50s, and all that has reversed. Haven't had debt of any sort for about 15 years now, have savings, 401k, own a house, travel a couple times a year, and have peace of mind about my future. BUT, I certainly do miss the Zen way of being, and the creativity I experienced back then. Every now and then, I'll get a spark of that coming back to me, and it's bittersweet.

You just can't have it both ways.

R10, those who are born into massive wealth can and DO have it both ways.

Nothing wrong with this, as I’m just pointing out distinction for us all.

Fair enough, R11.

Living off everyone elses hard work , like in tax dollars.

[quote]Living off everyone elses hard work , like in tax dollars.

How is that? You think these croc wearing vapers and YouTube watchers are getting rich off your taxes? Do their children benefit from your taxes without any additional from their parents? Do you think they receive grants for vaping? Do you think they dine in fine restaurants on welfare payments (available only to certain families with children)? Do you really think they are placing a heavy burden on road infrastructure that comes from your pocket? No, you're just pissed off that all your work amounts to not much and someone else has decided he can go straight to the not much --and even much less-- part and skip the drudgery of working 50 hours a week with two weeks of vacation time you're afraid to use. Maybe it's your problem and discontentment that should be your focus, not exaggerating in your mind what some guy squeaking by in life is lifting out of your pocket.

I live off of my modest trust fund. Hee hee don’t hate. Ok?

Some people just do have a truly modest trust fund. I had a co-worker whose grandfather set up small trust funds (I'm guessing for all of his grandchildren). My co-worker got something like $400 per month, which seemed like a LOT at that time. (It's still a good amount.) Anyway, it wasn't enough to live on, obviously, but she did have a better apartment than the rest of us, due to the trust fund.

OP being a member of PWP does not appeal too many

^to many

OP, many coddled cunts 40 and under are a product of Mommy and Daddy syndrome. Their parents permanently take care of them for the rest of their lives aka trust fund cunts. The other are "loans" from the parents retirement funds which turns into "gifts" because the lazy ass kids never pay them back. Plus, many move back in with Mommy and Daddy.

OP, I just left a job 2 weeks ago. I hated the job, had a bad commute, and people in the office kept coming down with COVID-19 on a regular basis. I will work again but probably not before September or so. I am living on savings. These are unprecedented times.

Most of us don’t have the luxury of just walking away from jobs we dislike.

Most people back in the day couldn't walk away from a job because "I hate it!" We all hated our jobs but we did what needed to be done.

I truly feel like most people live off of their trust fund like me.

Yes, true, R21 and R22. I couldn’t have walked away from a job I hated 20 years ago. My wages have increased over the years and I’ve tried to save for “just in case.” By the way, I am in my 50’s, and I’ve had jobs since I was 12.

R1 "but few of them made it out of the 80s, so I'm good"

I love when we tell ourselves false things to make us feel better - great strategy!

Mummy.

R24 "By the way, I am in my 50’s, and I’ve had jobs since I was 12"

fascinating

I am grateful to millennials and Gen Z for shaking up the working world and making it ok to leave a job you hate after 6 months or ask for flexibility. Thanks, whippersnappers!

I do nothing all day but check in on the DataLounge, ride my bike, go swimming, walk the levee or Audubon Park, eat out, visit or chat with friends, take a midday nap, watch Jeopardy and Wheel of Fortune, watch a good movie, the evening News, an occasional sexual romp, just enjoying my summer in New Orleans. I'm much too busy to work for someone else, it would cut into all my relaxing leisure time. :-)

R29, you are my idol.

R29 Where in N.O. are you? My mother owns a little apartment in marigny?, and I'm trying to decide if I sell it or just move there.

R29 never bothered to tell us what he does for money.

Even before the pandemic there seemed to be a lot of people not working aside from housewives and trust fund kids.

R32 Perhaps he is an elder whore. He sounds like he is in good shape from all of that outdoor activity.

R29 isn’t it too hot in the summer in New Orleans to work anyway?

You gots to sell yo ass!

OP do you live in a state where weed is legal?

R36 You've tried to be clever, with your mocking speech, but it just failed.

^ Whereas your judgmental scolding is just...well, you know why you're all alone, don't you?

R25? I suppose you never heard of a little disease called AIDS, which was deadly back in the day.

A lot of my friends never made it out of the 80s either.

Crack a book sometime, will ya?

I think some people are still living off their Biden bux (enhanced unemployment, stimmy checks, child tax credits etc. etc.) Hundreds of $ a month handed out like candy, plus rent and mortgage moratoriums so no rent or mortgage payments for months and months either. I have some deadbeats across the street from me that are the embodiments of this, just hanging on and on, no jobs, nothing.

@r25, "I love when we tell ourselves false things to make us feel better - great strategy!"

I love when assholes with no life experience try and second guess the lives of others and fail miserably. Now, go see if mommy has your SpagettiOs ready

@r40, r25, wins the little bitch of the day award

too many people sucking off the government teat

get a job you CUNTS

Rich parents.

SSDI, occasional off the books free lance work and perhaps a cash windfall from a deceased relative’s estate.

The horrid self esteem in this thread is a sad indication of the current state of affairs here. I genuinely hope things improve.

They have jobs, but they’re in the tech industry. So they write some code (or whatever) for a couple hours then go for a run, shop, hit the beach, meet friends for lunch—then go back home to code some more. Then they take a nap or put together their bookcase, or wait for the fridge to be delivered-take a meeting via cell phone then call it a day and go to happy hour. All while bringing in at least 150k and not using vacation/sick leave to do these things.

That’s who you see.

Be careful #20, I did that once and spent a year unemployed until I found a part-time job. Then I declared bankruptcy.

There are still people who think herd immunity is possible? How?

Someone, somewhere is insufficiently a wage slave. They must at all coats be brought to heel and made to generate surplus value for the top 1%. I must direct all my ire at these repackaged Reagan welfare queens for the 2020s and not at those who actually hold wealth and power in American society. This scapegoating will, against all logic and evidence, improve my relative socioeconomic position.

r15 and those that live off of trust funds, what do you do all day?

If you find that you can be supported by somebody, go for it. We've only got one life so live it.

^ Until they get tired of your old ass and dump you for a newer model

When I was in college in the 1990s, I moved into my first place at 18 and immediately decided I was going to do my shopping in the early afternoon on a weekday when my classes were done but everyone else was still at work and kids were still in school. Boy, was I surprised to see the store just as crowded as if it was Saturday afternoon. It wasn't a fluke, either, grocery stores and Walmarts and everything were always crowded throughout the day. Later when I graduated and went to work in the same town, I discovered that many jobs let people take off 1-2 hours for lunch at any point between 10am and 3pm, and people went shopping, did their errands, etc. I'd had no idea.

From what I can tell from the few people I keep in touch with, all that changed in the 2008 recession. Every place downsized and employees were expected to work more and didn't get time off so easily. I think the people we see out and about during the work day nowadays are people who work from home or don't have to work.

And I'd bet a lot of those who don't have to work now WILL have to in a few years, when their money runs out.

[quote] those that live off of trust funds, what do you do all day?

It’s not hard to kill a day, especially if you’re a shiftless stoner.

[post redacted because linking to dailymail.co.uk clearly indicates that the poster is either a troll or an idiot (probably both, honestly.) Our advice is that you just ignore this poster but whatever you do, don't click on any link to this putrid rag.]

I have a friend who hasn't worked in 15 years. He is the busiest person I know. He is managing all kinds of tasks regarding his house, possessions, home renovations, organizing files, obsessing on computer things, and doing a DJ gig here and there. His life is paid for by his husband who works 60 hours a week, and relies solely upon the stay at home to manage absolutely everything other than $. It actually works for them, so I'm not one to judge.

He is almost never able to sit down and relax. Whenever I visit, when I'm done with my paid work - he's not ready to do what we planned, there is a delay, he has to square away this one thing first before we grab dinner together, etc., oh and now he needs to shower again because he got too sweaty doing the errands (yes he's diagnosed OCD). It is seemingly endless.

There is a downside to having endless free time, I think. You fill up the day with vague obligations that ultimately have no true deadline or overall purpose to better your bank account, and it's exhausting because any 'free time' you have is categorized the same way as all the other time you have, so there is no boundary set between your obligation life and your leisure life.

I can only really do things the way I'm used to. I commit to the 40 hours a week, and I cut off ties to work entirely - making every personal minute count to do things I want to do for myself and my loved ones. I end up feeling a great sense of accomplishment in work and personal matters. But as I mentioned in the case of my friend, I spend some of that personal time waiting for my unemployed friend to stop being busy...

^ Wow, such a complicated life you have with your friend. I need to make a drink after reading that

R59, he helped me care for my mother while she was dying, fought off bullies for me when I was growing up, and introduced me to my husband. He's a good egg and I won't ever let him go. But I know I have to carve out a lot of time to wait. That's what games on my phone are for. :-) I just wish he'd get medicated for the OCD.

OP, I'm with you on this subject. They're everywhere and they have cars, they shop, and go to bars and restaurants. Idk how they do it.

Yeah it’s not like we’re talking about homeless people here, R61. These motherfuckers are out here living better than many folks who actually work. That’s what pisses me off.

OP, not everyone one this planet is a Worker Bee. I am and I'm happy that way. And grateful that I am. The non-Worker Bees, they have cosmically found an alternate way for the universe to support them. I flirted with that idea in my early twenties after a handful of very revealing acid trips, but it wasn't for me.

I know a guy who is on welfare indoctrinated into the welfare system who tells me from time to time that he's gonna get a full time job. Has he ever had one? No. I think he's a bit delusional there. People don't change overnight after a l44 years of living a certain way. And why should he? He collects welfare, ebt cards, and his roommate pays all the rent.

Don't be too envious of them, OP. I had a great time in my twenties, so many new experiences, the kind that slow down as one gets older. But I was also neurotic, unsure about the rest of my life, VERY fixated on what other people thought of me (aka self conscious), the worst. I don't know how old you are, but you really do become wiser as you gradually slip into eldergayhood.

Why the fuck does this bother anyone? Do you also begrudge people who have better houses than you do? Better vacations? Who age better? Who look better? Who have bigger dicks? Whiter teeth? A fuller head of hair? Whose clothes always seem to fit them just that little bit better? Who always seem at ease with themselves? Who are smarter? Better read? Better traveled? Who know more interesting people? Who know how to tell a good story? Who look confident getting out of a shit car? Who look good getting out of a luxury car? Who inherited money? Who always have great dogs and cats? Whose grass seems to grow greener?

What's the point in trying to set yourself up as some noble everyman who works for a living and works too many hours for too little money and can't retire early or go anywhere or do anything because he has to do what's expected and he fucking hates it when others are not driven by the same insecurities and same desire to be smug and chant his MAGA mantras?

Suit yourself, but I don't see the point in beating yourself up with jealousy over nothing.

I don't know about them, but I was awarded the first MacArthur Genius Grant for cunting.

Onlyfans

Never wealthy, I lived the life when younger till I started to be concerned about supporting my self in old age . . Graduated college took tons of awesome classes in whatever i was interested in.with some serviceable debt at 26. I spent ten glorious years fucking off all winter. At 36 I could see this wan't going to last forever. I had to buckle and put in the hours in the grind. Using my college degree and bilingual skills I'm a manager in a tech manufacturing shop now. In the day I worked as a river wilderness guide for 9 years, 5 months a year. I lived in river camp ate the Tripp food and my slept out each night. I got unemployment for redundancy in the winter probably 6 months a year. No one cold live in the USA on unemployment even then. I went to Mexico and lived on the beach and rented a little cottage for 200 bucks month. I bought weed form the local town dealer who also owned a tire shop. Surfed and took language lessons. Language school in Mexico was the best dam dating service you could ever hope for. It was a glorious life and I wouldn't change a thing if I could. I don't think it could be done today the cost of living has just become so much more compared to low wage workers pay scale now. So to answer your question. I would say you're living in a time when you have to be pretty lucky with trust fund or some leg up to get by the way we could in the past just by working a little and having a good plan for lifestyle existence. It just isn't going to work today. Nowadays those who get by without working may be getting crazy money or a trust fund but their gonna have to buckle at some point and work or pay the price when old.

Let me tell you how they do it - a credit card from their parents. I would know. I didn’t have any job until my late 20s. I’m doing fine now in my early 40s without any parental income. I was such an entitled brat in my 20s and I would slap myself if I could go back in time.

Many men are doing anything they can to get by - operating in the gray economy - if it means not having to work with women and deal with aaaaaall the bullshit that goes with it.

[quote]All I know is that hating others because they have more, or are happier with less, or don't define their lives by work, or seem happy, or enjoyed an advantage that you didn't...stewing over these things will never raise your station or your happiness in life.

"Happier with less" - do you realize many people who work hard have to be happier with less? And don't define their lives by work? Most people have to work hard just to survive. Rents, mortgages, food, all the essentials aren't cheap. I haven't gone away on vacation for twelve years.

I don't hate others, I simple wonder how they don't have to work. I'm not sure it's been answered, other than "trust funds". Surely most people in the US don't have trust funds.

*simply

I'm not envious of people who don't work, I love the feeling of independence and self-sufficiency work brings . I just wish I made more money doing it 🙄

R70, it's been answered over and over again.

Trust fund is only one answer. Many others have pointed out parents credit cards, living meagerly, avoiding debt and paying for it later...

Why get worked-up over people "not working"? Just pay attention to your own situation. Some people are living on credit cards, some people really do have trust funds.

I'm not lecturing you, OP, b/c I play this comparison game, myself, and drive myself into depression. It's not worth it.

R73 Trust fund is only one answer. Many others have pointed out parents credit cards, living meagerly, avoiding debt and paying for it later...

How can "living meagerly" be a reasonable answer? You can't live meagerly today in the US unless you live on the streets. Rent is a significant expense. You can't wear your clothes until they're rags. You have to buy food and you need to go to a dentist sometimes. The money has to come from somewhere. No one can reasonbly live without working unless they have another source of income.

R75, ever hear of roommates?

Some of my young hippie friends live seven and eight to an apartment and they each have a basic part time gig.

There are a lot of people with a lot of hustles.

As stated above, some if these folks just hang in groups, never eat or, never travel and live by their wits. It can be done, but your standards have to remain very low to be so free...

They are coders, or graphic designers, or day traders, or app creators, or a whole bunch of other possibilities. Not everyone is cut out for the traditional ways of making a living or cares about having a lot of material possessions.

R79 and all will be up the creek if we really wobble over into recession.

As will plenty of traditional career people, R80.

Oh, I watch other things... but youtube is the most accessible because there's numerous ways to get around restrictions and it's plugged into nearly everything.

I used to work in a highly specialized research field for the VA, held onto the delusion a bit too long, I could still do it if I got into nursing.. which I mostly chose so I could do as a day gig and still have workable schedule for hobbies and side gigs. Viably, I could work a couple hours one day a week and make enough to live on. I can work from home and sometimes I do but most of those gigs just want me for prescription shopping.

Side Gigs - I'm a whore; I do farming (seeds, education & crafts), landscaping (cleaning up and reselling other people's wood), clothing (resell, tailoring, mendering, crafting, print on demand, etc), I have a few "hunting" cabins (also ties into craft sales, beauty & bath products) and other "work" of that kind of nature.

So, I have concentrated periods of acitvities but overall... a lot of free of time and responsibilities that keep me near home.

go onto esty and look up wood slices or say, fabric twine. I have an associate all she does is make fabric twine.. it doesn't pay the rent but it does well enough to keep her head afloat in addition to a formal job and social security. .. and it's something she can do anywhere, virtually anytime... just a mindless, repetitive task to keep her hands busy.

[quote]ever hear of roommates? Some of my young hippie friends live seven and eight to an apartment and they each have a basic part time gig.

Yes I've heard of roommates. Have you ever heard that doing a part time gig is working? The thread title says "without working".

[quote]it doesn't pay the rent but it does well enough to keep her head afloat in addition to a formal job and social security

She has a formal job, therefore she's working.

But the OP is declaring that these people he doesn't even know are walking around without any job at all. Many times you're just seeing people appear lazy between jobs but you don't know their story.

r74 incidentally, living on a credit card can be a smart move... especially if you have a business. Albeit, it can be a mess for your records and yes, you're more or less just moving money around... you have to watch out for interest and transaction fees but in many ways, it's like investing in currency. Save you get a few more perks with different companies offerings... that can build up into more substantial savings. The main "trick" is you actually have the money on hand and not actually living on credit.

This is also how the better social influencers live as well... it's a simple way upgrade for travel, shopping at certain shops, dining out, etc.

r84 she works part time as a receptionist at a community center and at minimum wage... which some might sum up as being a paid volunteer. We would otherwise consider her a pensioner rather than part of the "workforce" - a common scenario for many that fall at or below the poverty line while living in one of the U.S.'s most expensive cities. Now as far mentioning her craftwork which is largely her gathering up discarded clothing or buying in bulk from garage sales, where I currently live it might actually be enough for her to have a small home - though the utilities is more expensive and there's greater food tax, and frankly in general, just a greater food cost, which runs expenses up quite high. But for her line of products, she averages about $350 a month in sales. I assume the bulk of social security goes to her housing and the job to living expenses, medical and pets, so, that's 350 extra of pocket change a month. . which may mean nothing to you but is a life preserver for her.

^ the same goes to most side hustles. . .

like people that frequently scream that we should have open borders because there's work nobody wants to do... there's many people doing that work. Some of it as frivolous as creating and selling fabric twine.

The reason I brought it up as an example is because it's nothing work. There's no real skill or craft to it. It's something you can do practically *anywhere* even while working... and she does. She was cashier at a liquor store for a while, a receptionist now.. neither has a bevy of "customers" constantly needing her help, so it's easy for her to do this while working p/t - she does it on the bus, she does it at home, practically all the time, everywhere.

But it's not the kind of thing people notice or even grasp what she's doing. . . fidgeting with some fabric.

little scraps that earn her $350 a month.

for others, it could be more. . . others, it could be less. It's a competitive market but yet it's still an usual enough niche that she can sell below the cost of "craft stores" but much higher than her competitors and still turn an adequate profit.

The majority of people are defeatists. . . self defeating and towards others especially if they're too lazy to do it themselves. Which is great because it's business for the rest of us.

I've always preferred storms to sunny weather but it didn't really start paying off until I realized how many people would pay me to clear branches and debris from their yard they viewed as "trash" -- I have people with a wide range, many expensive varieties, paying me to clear their wood.. that I turn around and sell for more than I was paid to remove it. That just requires equipment but it still doesn't require skills or that much time and it's a renewable business because the same people, even knowing what I do, will call me again and again anad again... because they don't want to deal with the inconvenience of it all. At best, they would just burn it.

It's not everyday work. Yes, I have a regular job too, I just work an unconvential schedule and really, the job was more for me than for employment. If I was that money hungry and no other responsibilities, I'd be half across the country where my earning potential is closer to half a mil.

I just want to dance.

r88 have you considered becoming a street performer?

Though I'd still recommend you think about how to build a business around your niche, if not yourself then with other street workers, especially those that provide food and beverages.. that cross promotion shit does wonders especially when you need them to stick around to drop a few bucks in your hat.

I just wanna fucking dance.

[QUOTE] Why the fuck does this bother anyone? Do you also begrudge people who have better houses than you do?

No.

[QUOTE]Better vacations?

No.

[QUOTE]Who age better?

No.

[QUOTE]Who look better?

No.

[QUOTE]Whiter teeth?

No.

[QUOTE]A fuller head of hair?

No.

[QUOTE]Whose clothes always seem to fit them just that little bit better?

No.

[QUOTE] Who always seem at ease with themselves?

No.

[QUOTE]Who are smarter?

No.

[QUOTE]Better read?

No.

[QUOTE]Better traveled?

No.

[QUOTE]Who know more interesting people?

No.

[QUOTE]Who know how to tell a good story?

No.

[QUOTE]Who look confident getting out of a shit car?

No.

[QUOTE]Who look good getting out of a luxury car?

No.

[QUOTE]Who inherited money?

No.

[QUOTE]Who always have great dogs and cats?

No.

[QUOTE]Whose grass seems to grow greener?

No.

[QUOTE] Who have bigger dicks?

YES, those motherless fucks! I hate it when another guy has a bigger dick than me. Makes me want to kill him.

Makes me want to suck him.

r91 self defeatist attitude.

besides, sweetie, you know most of them are bottoms.

or claim to be vers but are just bigger pricks than their junk and go on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on, and on... as if they actually have anything important to say than to make you feel like shit about your crummy life...

but hey, you are proving an important service by being bitter, if not for you, who would the fraus have to relate to?

I work 2nd shift weekdays, so when I go to the grocery and run errands, I'm surprised at the number of people out shopping, standing in line at the post office, playing the slot machines at the casino, etc.

I feel Archie Bunker-ish: "Any of yuse people got a job?".

If a person cares about others and wants a substance to be legalized federally, then be industrious and get a job and don’t play into the hands of the stereotype

OP, are they on your lawn?

People deal drugs, they are online cash masters through findom.

I work nights, so if you see me out in public during a weekday, enjoying my free time while everyone else is working, it's not because I don't have a full-time job.

That said, the vast majority of people today who don't have real jobs but who seem to live well are being supported by indulgent parents, a spouse or lover, or drug dealing. of course, they all say they're social media stars.

It seems to make many here feel better to blame trust funds abd drug dealing, but there's also simple inheritance.

[quote]Baby boomers are thriving on an 'unprecedented' $9-trillion inheritance

[quote]Inheritances are part of a dynamic that's widening the wealth gap between generations

[quote]The rich aren’t just getting richer. They’re getting older. And, fortunately for their children, they’re set to leave plenty of money in the bank.

[quote]About US$36 trillion will flow from one generation to another over the next 30 years, according to a report Tuesday from wealth manager United Income. The pace of bequests has already started surging. Americans inherited US$427 billion in 2016, the most recent data available, up 119 per cent from 1989 even after adjusting for inflation.

I am jealous of a former coworker, he went on disability and retired at 54. Turns out he has autism, didn't find out until he was 54 and his parents who are now deceased never knew. I still think it's weird he can get paid for that.

Getting disability for autism? Wtf?

r101 that's what he says. He doesn't have any real physical ailments and he got approved the first go round so I don't know what else he is getting it for, he claims autism.

I'm one of those boomers without an inheritance.

I wish I could win a lottery and remain anonymous so nobody knows I won.

UE ran out a year ago.

[quote] I wish I could win a lottery and remain anonymous so nobody knows I won.

There are a few states whose laws allow lottery winners to remain anonymous. I'm conveniently situated near the line of one such state so the rare occasions I buy a lottery ticket I purchase it there instead of my home state.

Not that the winnings have required anonymity.

There are too many on disability that don’t really deserve it. Absolute bullshit.

Well at least you don't have to complain about people on welfare any more. God forbid we give needy people the basics to survive.

[quote] Biden bux (enhanced unemployment, stimmy checks, child tax credits etc. etc.)

Except for perhaps the child credits (I don't actually remember), these things started under Trump.

R58 trust funds

A LOT of people are cobbling together various types of gig work.

I just want to live elegantly with minimal effort on my part. No one seems to do that anymore.

[quote]I wish I could win a lottery and remain anonymous so nobody knows I won.

Or hope that you win a large enough prize to buy a backbone.

r113 if you win a huge amount of money then you try putting your name and personal information out there. Good luck with that and see how brave you are.

I think 'trust fund baby' is a term that shouldn't be taken so literally. If mommy and daddy are paying your credit card bills on the regular, you're a trust fund baby. You may be envious from the outsider's perspective, but the TF Babies in their twenties by and large have the maturity level of a fifteen year old when mommy and daddy enable them like that. And why the enabling? Probably because of the guilt the parents feel because they were only half there for the kids because they worked so damn much.

Harry Chapin's Cats in the Cradle is all about this.

[QUOTE] if you win a huge amount of money then you try putting your name and personal information out there. Good luck with that and see how brave you are.

It won’t matter cause my personal information would soon be outdated after I bought my beachfront mansion in La Jolla and changed my name to Julian Graham.

r115 I see that with my brother's daughter who is 28. She acts more like a teen. My brother and sister in law have successful careers and make good money but they were gone a lot. They always bought her so much stuff and gave her whatever she wanted to make up for not giving her their time. Now she is living back at home and they are supporting her because she has a part time job.

Yes, there are way too many people on disability assistance. A female friend of mine went on disability due to fibromyalgia. She was too exhausted to work yet she had energy to go to concerts, wine tastings, and travel with her boyfriend. At one point she was paranoid that investigators were parked outside her home to see how often she left her place.

Disability barely covers rent in most places.

My coworker who retired at 55 when he went on disability also got a SNAP card (food stamps) and Medicaid (free insurance) so that helps too.

R119, true, but sometimes people have alternative sources of income: inheritance, divorce settlements, stock dividends, or they worked high-paying jobs and either saved or invested well.

R120, A man I know left his job after years of being a C-level executive because he was tired of working. He was still too young for Medicare so he applied for Medicaid (and received it.) This is a guy who owned a home and at least two investment properties.

I know a guy who's been living off welfare for years and dodging taxes for years and he's a billionaire

[QUOTE] My coworker who retired at 55 when he went on disability also got a SNAP card (food stamps) and Medicaid (free insurance) so that helps too.

Medicaid sucks. It barely counts as healthcare. I’d rather keep working for my excellent health plan provided by my job.

R118 Fine people you hang out with.

[quote]Well at least you don't have to complain about people on welfare any more. God forbid we give needy people the basics to survive.

These people aren't needy. They're grifters. We're talking people who think because they have a pimple they can pretend like they have social anxiety disorder and get a free ride. You should have to exhaust 100% of your savings before you're allowed to be on disability and it should be thoroughly reviewed and regulated.

Like your 6 minth prescription review, r126?

R126 How's your clerk, Bob Cratchit, doing?

Americas biggest welfare recipients are oil companies who receive billions in tax credits for doing all the stuff it takes to get oil and gas to market. The whole nation is an inequality engine.

R126's programming is working well, blame the most vulnerable in society for the evils created by the 1%

[quote]I know a guy who's been living off welfare for years and dodging taxes for years and he's a billionaire

No, you don't.

Not if you mean food/nutrition assistance, housing assistance, temporary assistance to needy families, and earned income tax credits -- the stuff of Ronald Reagan's ẅelfare queens.' That kind of welfare, I'm sorry to say that I don't believe you.

I don't believe your guy is a remotely a billionaire, or that 'he's been living off welfare' -- unless by welfare you mean corporate welfare, in which case, small surprise but a very different sort of thing. I come from a long line of people who went out of their way not to part with money, but grifting for some Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program food stamps or a Medicaid disability scam is not remotely worth the bother, and anyone who preferred 'to live off' that income than their billion/s would be a supreme fool.

[quote]If you were given a billion dollars and told that you could spend it at a rate of $1,000 a day, it would take you about 2,740 years before you ran out of money. That equates to $5,000 a day for more than 500 years or $100,000 every single day for 25 years.

[quote]...if you were given a billion dollars and told to spend it in one year, you would have to spend a minimum of $2,739,726 a day to reach zero by the end of the year.

R131 Hold my beer…I am not the person with the billionaire friend, but I can assure you there are middle to upper middle class people who are so cheap and grifting they will apply for SNAP benefits, etc., if they can get away with it. With some people, stinginess is a compulsion.

You must also know Reagan's Welfare Queen.

When the government gives huge money to the military industrial complex, a lot of that also goes to people/places it shouldn't. Maybe some government assistance does, too, but cherry picking examples of people abusing the system doesn't change the fact that a society needs a safety net (and for the most part, ours in inadequate, considering we're the richest nation on earth and give billions in tax breaks to the wealthy and corporations).

There's a lot of strategizing on FIRE (financial independence, retire early) boards about maximizing eligibility for government handouts. Many participants are high-earners who intend to retire at or before middle-age with big fat investment portfolios and spend the next 50 to 60 years of their lives on government-subsidized health insurance (which would frequently cover their spouses and any eligible kids). I wouldn't be too upset if rules were changed to disallow that.

I know someone who is in “chronic back pain”, collects disability AND works under the table cleaning homes. So not only does this person leech off the taxpayer but also pays no income tax. There are lots of these individuals. This person is WHITE before you come at me for being racist. Another person I’ve only met once is on disability for depression. I have major depressive disorder too yet I manage to work full time with the help of medical professionals. Again, a WHITE person. I’ve yet to meet a black “welfare queen”.

I worked my ass off for 40 years dreaming of the day when I could lie back in a hammock by the sea, drinking Pina Coladas until I threw up and vape weed until I was unconscious.

Now, I have retirement where I could do all those things, but alcohol puts me to sleep and weed makes me feel like I have the flu. All I want to do, now, is to be left alone with no human problems, remembering the good old days and wishing for a good bowel movement.

[italic] [bold] THAT [/bold] is what really happens in retirement. [/italic]

eat some fig newtons.

^^^ I have tried that, but it only makes me fart.

Metamucil and a cigarette.

The small town where I grew up had a ton of residents on welfare in the 70s - 90s. Including most of my dad's relatives. The Section 8 landlords kept their properties immaculate, and with food stamps, child support, ADC, etc. my relatives lived virtually middle class lives.

Later when there were welfare crackdowns and their kids moved out, they just got on physical disability and/or faked mental disability- and the gravy train kept rolling.

so, you grew up in a trailer park.

R131, it was a poorly executed bit of sarcasm because billionaires are the biggest grifters in society. I punch upwards, not downwards.

I’m in my 40s and live off of my trust fund. Six digits a year. No need to work.

^^^ Lazy bitch.

Jealous, R144?

All this misdirected anger. People who don't need to grind are living the dream. We should aspire to be more like them, not tear them down.

How much principal does it take to generate $100k in interest/dividends per annum?

R145 Yeah, lazy people who do nothing - how I aspire to be like them! They elevate the human race.

It doesn't take much income just to get by, especially if you have low health and housing costs. Food, utilities, transport and bit bit of fun money for a single adult would be covered by 10hrs per week work as a substitute teacher, for example.

But it takes a lot of effort to get ahead. You need to get an education, buy a home, maybe start a business and save towards retirement and you better hope you don't have any health issues, a lazy partner or a disabled child.

I get the feeling a lot of folks unconsciously do the math in their 20's and realise they won't "get ahead" so they might as well just enjoy getting by.

R147 so you've been fooled into thinking your job gives your life meaning? Sad.

[quote]Medicaid sucks. It barely counts as healthcare. I’d rather keep working for my excellent health plan provided by my job.

Pride goeth before poor health.

Forget about early retirement unless you want to replace that excellent health plan provided by your employer with an extortionately priced private plan. Or, problem solved, just keep on good terms with your employer and work until you drop dead. That should warm the hearts and bring a round of huzzahs from the Work Ethic Über Alles bunch here, and cast a dark shadow over lazy gits everywhere!

R99, exactly. There’s too much emphasis on “trust funds” when in fact many of these seemingly idle people are living on a simple inheritance. Grandma died and left them her house – no mortgage – and $500,000 in investments. They do some gig work or the like to supplement the investment income - how would you know they're working unless you know them personally? - live in Grandma’s house (or sell it to increase their investments), and get by living pretty idly compared to most of us.

Don't underestimate the amount of inherited assets in America today. There’s a lot of non-liquid money floating around mostly because of the huge inflation in house prices but also because of the switch from defined-benefit pensions that die with the pensioner to 401K plans that can be passed on to one’s heirs as a cash inheritance.

R58, ask a retired person how busy they are. They'll tell you ... busy, busy, busy! Monday is laundry day. Tuesday is library day. Wednesday is supermarket day. Thursday is lunch with the other retirees day. Friday is movie day (pre-COVID) or more supermarket shopping day. The weekend is for ‘relaxing’ – i.e. watching TV, keeping up with your true-crime obsession, puttering in the garden or around the apartment. Monday … time to start again. Every day is Datalounge Day, of course, along with the many, many other online pursuits to be found. Reddit alone could occupy every waking hour if you let it. (Gaming is mostly for kids, but I’m sure there are a few retirees out there who are also gaming all day, every day.)

I’m retiring soon and can’t wait.

[quote]It doesn't take much income just to get by, especially if you have low health and housing costs. Food, utilities, transport and bit bit of fun money for a single adult would be covered by 10hrs per week work as a substitute teacher, for example.

???

What’s your question R153

Living in rural California I constantly see forlorn people wondering the hot streets of these poverty stricken tourist towns. I dislike cities where i was raised. I moved to the country as soon as i could. I own and run a small manufacturing shop for tech industry jobs. I have been in need of a competent worker or two for 10 years now. Ones that can be trained in the basic but specific tasks in a couple of hours. The conditions are good Inside the shop. Climate control is needed in our summers, crank it up, listen to music, serf the net a little as long as it doesn't get out of control. I pay my employees twice the going rate for the area to start and will willingly give raise and bonuses. Yet it is almost impossible to get anyone who will show up on time or at all sometimes and pay attention to what one must in order to do the tasks. I'm not looking for Newton or Einstein here Just somebody that can efficiently and carefully do tasks that are a few steps long. processes like putting stuff in a box and putting a label in the right place on the box. I have tried and tried to find somebody that will do these things that I can count on. I have done great personally and been willing to share in the bounty. I have paid off my house and got some retirement cash saved. The last few years I work all the time until i just run out of energy and just do everything myself. I gave up looking for people a couple of years ago now I have decided to throw in the towel. I'm in my early fifties and i'm selling the business selling the house and moving to a cheaper country to base my life from. I'm going to learn another language and get a sailboat. I don't even give a shit if a workers smokes a joint but I can't find anybody that will even quit smoking pot or drinking long enough to even learn to do the tasks. China is gonna win the manufacturing war and I say good for them.

R133 Chill. No one is is saying there shouldn’t be a safety net. I don’t believe I’ve seen that in anyone’s response. This is not a thread for arguments, OP asked how people are able to not work and DL’ers are relating anecdotes about people they know who are able to get by with not working. And yes, many people with passive income streams game the system.

I stopped working three years ago (pre Covid). My mortgage is paid off so I just pay maintenance on my apt. I don’t need clothes. I eat simple meals. I hate traveling. If I need extra money I freelance. If I work 10 days a month I can cover all of my expenses. I also found out last year that I qualify for Medicaid after paying $600 month for health insurance. I’m approaching retirement age so I should be ok until then. Oh, and my credit cards all have zero balance. It’s worth not having a lot of money just to have freedom.

R157 sounds like the reason I made this thread.

I love when Judge Judy asks these litigants "How do you support yourself ?"

Once she gets into the details, we find out they're collecting from every government assistance program available. Every one. That's how they can afford their "vee-hickles" and their cell phones. Then they say they are a rapper, or do hairdressing, breed and sell pit bulls, and get paid under the table when they're out on total disability.

She then rolls her eyes and tells viewers "This is a great country we live in."