I was laid off of my job (the company folded) and have been struggling. I’ve been unemployed for 2 months (and that’s after 2 months of no pay since I worked on commission and no one buys what we were selling during the holidays).

So I had 4 months of zero income.

I did some side hustle online gig work for a month, but the tasks ran dry. I applied for EBT, and they only give me $291 a month. That honestly has been a godsend, as I’m really good at budgeting and cooking.

I was able to get electricity assistance.

So the system is helpful, but it’s still not enough.

My landlord is one of my best friends, and I’m sick of telling him I haven’t got the money for rent. He’s a wealthy guy, so it doesn’t affect him much, but this is the first time in my life that I’ve had to ask people for help. I was usually the one helping others. I used to peruse this subreddit and give out random donations a few times a month.

But my god.

I got a job that’s about 10 miles from my house last week.

I was using my work vehicle to get around, but when I was laid off, of course the car was taken too.

I was able to make my interviews and orientation, but I had to walk to a bus stop 3 miles away to get to those appointments. The buses don’t run in the evening, so I walked 10 miles one of the nights (roughly a four hour walk). My brother was nice enough to order an Uber for me once too

So I start on Monday on the floor of the store. Problem is I have $0.64 in my bank account, and my knees and hips are shot from walking so much on the asphalt. I have spent all day today laying on my bed because I can hardly stand, much less walk.

For me, like $600 would change my life. I’d be able to get a decent electric scooter/bike, and getting to work would be a breeze. I could cut my commute from 2 hours (the bus route) to around 25 minutes. My knees would have time to heal, and I would be much more efficient at work.

Being poor in the suburbs sucks, man. My parents live 700 miles away, and all my friends live in different cities than me. And the transit system is hot garbage here lol

What seemingly insignificant amount of money would change YOUR life?