For around six months, my first laptop was dying on me. She was blue screening at the slightest jostle and the fan had stopped working. I would put her on top of a deep freezer because the lid was super cold and it worked as a makeshift cooler, but I couldn't do anything about her blue screening. Her charger was broken too and I had used gorilla glue to make it work.

That old laptop was my first love. That old piece of trash still has more value to me than 90% of my family.

Stole food from the kitchen I worked at. I would make extra sandwiches for the grab-and-go case and take them with me. I literally couldn't afford food.

Gave someone a present in a little bag, then when no one was looking I stole back the bag because I didn’t want to buy another

Slept on a park bench out near my work for three nights cause I didn't have the gas to get home and didn't have money for gas.

Not as extreme as your stories, but I stayed up till 4am on a school night bc I heard that a game I wanted could be downloaded for free online w/o being illegal, but it required such a backwards method and it took forever to download

Shoplifting food from the supermarket so we could eat. I got quite good at it and knew all the blindspots. Got caught stealing alcohol that I was pressured into stealing and got given a fine.

Mom gave me $80 to treat myself to anything I want, but I spent it all on cheap food that lasted me 3 months

Broke in a van and slept in it for a few nights

Was homeless for about a month - I gave myself sponge baths in the restrooms at university and ate what I could pick out of the bins behind restaurants/shops. Most nights I had water and gum for supper.

I had a phase when I would go to sleep instead of eating when I got hungry

Was homeless for about 6 months. Would go to AA meetings for free coffee and snacks, no dress code, and since I smoked back then, all the leftover cigarette butts I could hope for. Pretty gross, but the best thing I ever did. Been sober over 10 years now.

Wow some of you have been through some tough stuff. Hope things have gotten better for you all since then.

I meant they all have internet now so it definitely has gotten better (y'all strong for getting over the broke phase)
And I low-key feel bad (I don't) cause I have never been idk in actual difficulty in my entire life

Doing much better now :) there's been a lot of different kinds of difficulties along the way but I hope now that my husband has had his transplant things will get better from here on.

Stole pizza slices from a class party across the hall from mine so I would have food for a day or two of classes. Yes I stuffed them in my pocket.

Having sleep for dinner