Mostly, you have summed up my points as I wanted to say them. I am poor, I will not deny it. My mom is laid-off and has been since December 2008, My dad has notbeen able to find a job in his field of profession in the St.Louis area anymore. I am 16 as some of you know, and I am searching desperately to find a job, I cant anymore! I have applied at all fast food chains within 5 miles of my house, nothing! I have appied at car dealerships, forklift operating jobs, auto repair shops! Everywhere, I can think of! All turned up nothing! I have a laptop that cost $500, I share it with the entire family. I am using my polite neighbors wireless internet, He knows our situation. I have one 27" T.V., no cable. I have no games, game systems, or anything to that effect! I live in the worst part of Granite City, I have had 2 bikes stolen and several attempted break-ins. I have, in another thread, told you about my forms of self defense so, I have safety covered! I have had to work, Hard for what I have. I have had to push myself carrying 200 5 gallon buckets full of dirt, sand, concrete, clay you name it! I hated it, but it managed to get me money, a whopping $30. I have spent that money on stuff for my B.O.B. that would suffice to help us out if we become homeless. Our house is about to go into forclosure and we can do nothing! We have no money to do anything, I absolutely hate being poor, but believe me Everyone, being poor can also be the best thing that happens to you! I have a friend who is Middle-class, He doesnt pay the insurance on his H3, He didnt even pay for his H3, his parents did! He has never paid for a gallon of gas, His parents always have. He has been raised around money, when that money disappears, he is... well nothing but F'ed! His parents dont have a trust fund set up or even a will, they want there "hard earned" money now! I do, but I dont want to see him hit that bump in life that separates a fool and his money, In this case his parents. He doesnt work, never applied to work and he's 18! He thinks that minimum wage is over $17 an hour because his mom and dad make more than that! He is in for a hard road called "Life"!