I have a friend who is currently living in a northern suburb of Brisbane. The people she lives with are moving to Melbourne this week or next. She can't afford her share of the rent as it is. A friend of hers has found a place and they are going to move in together, but problem is, she can't afford to move.
A few months ago her mother passed away and she has never had anything to do with her father.
She is waiting for her brother's dad to do his part of the paperwork so she can get the money her mother left her, in order to move. He apparently can't be bothered.
She has to borrow money from her co-workers to get to work because after paying rent and buying the bare minimum of groceries (ie noodles) she doesn't have enough money left to get to work each day. Her work won't give her more hours because they don't want to employ another full time person.
She could be looking for another job but she hasn't got access to the internet thanks to an ex-flatmate.
So she's freaking out that she's gonna end up homeless.
Oh and she was going out with this guy but he's going through a lot of problems right now too, so they decided not to see each other any more.
The worst part is she won't let any one help her. I dunno how many times I've said, "Come to my house, use my computer, apply for some jobs, and I'll make you sweet foods" and she just snaps at me that it costs her even more to get to work from my house. So I say I'll give her money to get to work and she just grumbles at me.
I keep telling her she's not going to end up homeless, that she has plenty of friends and family who would take her in, but she says she doesn't want to be a burden on anyone. She's in a desperate situation, she's heartbroken and she lost her mother for christs sake and she won't let any one help her or even comfort her. I don't know what else to do other than offer what she keeps turning down.
Anyway. A lot of people don't realise how many people are actually living below the poverty line in developed countries. I find that incredibly sad.
