How Far Would You Go To Feed Your Family?

[ray23]

I was watching CNN this morning. the U.S. was expecting job growth of 139K. it got 39K. They also said Spain is not extending the unemployment payments for those who have ran the cycle.

It brings up an interesting thought in my sick mind. How far would you go to make sure your family had food?

You know I won't even venture a guess as to me. You know in my career as a cop I saw more then I care to think about, that had just fallen through the cracks.

I remember I had to do an eviction on Christmas Eve, now that's a lot of fun. But, keep in mind that the eviction process in California, is at least three months. So it's not like they don't have time prepare. Anyway there was an 80 year old man senile left in the house by the Daughter and Son in law. So I began trying to find somewhere I could take him rather then just leave him there. There was no place, had he been a juvenile there would have not a problem, easy to handle. So here sits this old man not a jerk who had participated in building our Country paid his dues and there was no place for him.

I got off shift at 1700 I sit there with that old man trying to find answers in my unit with the heater on till 2000, when his daughter finally came to get him. Feeling kind of guilty I would suppose. It's not always druggies and drunks who fall through the cracks.

This is very tough world we live in even in the States.

Things like that make me realize just how lucky I am. Why I'm investing for my wife. instead of doing all the things I would like to do in my retirement.

Funny the things that really stick in your mind over the years.

[flying]

Well I do know where 42 million who could not feed their families went....Food Stamps

As you said UE is very high at over 15 million now unemployed & that is just those they counted.

One thing nice about Thailand's country folks.....They all farm/grow food

[ray23]

Well I do know where 42 million who could not feed their families went....Food Stamps

As you said UE is very high at over 15 million now unemployed & that is just those they counted.

One thing nice about Thailand's country folks.....They all farm/grow food

If that were the case I would much rather be here. But, the truth is going to hard to qualify for a visa in that situation.

I don't know do they have food stamps in Spain, For California there were a lot whose profession was being on Welfare. But if it's not in place then what?

I know we sometimes think about the money we are not getting as much of these days. But there are those that have no income these days. Many things are helpful here, you got no food go to the Wat. You will get food and if need be you can sleep there.

Would you do that?

[torasap]

Under the "right" circumstances, there would be no limits for how far I would go.

[GuestHouse]

Things like that make me realize just how lucky I am. Why I'm investing for my wife. instead of doing all the things I would like to do in my retirement.

Just make sure that while providing for your wife, you are not putting your own future financial security at risk.

-------

Remember, what you are prepared to do for your family in desperate times is a two way street.

If "Lung" has to do tough duty to keep the family then he has a right to expect everyone else to do their bit.

It all goes back to my point about dependancy.

[sarahsbloke]

This really doesn't seem to be a problem in Thailand.

Despite poverty, nobody seems to go hungry, rice is cheap and plentiful.

Worst comes to the worst, you can always go and live on the family farm ... although you are often expected to work.

The western world, having a colder climate, it seems much harder to keep warm and fed.

Families seem much more uncaring and less likely to feed and house relatives who have fallen on hard times.

(Despite the western welfare systems)

[Samuian]

Nobody will ever be able to escape fate, how hard ever one tries to "provide" for retirement in old age.....!

"Farming" can be a bit diffcult if someone lives in an Apartmentblock in the middle of a city...and "growing food" to provide for the family is a no, no in winter and on arid land, or in times of draught!

I think that many, many people who have grown up in western societies seem to have absolutlety no clue how lucky they already are just because of their birthplace!

[ray23]

Under the "right" circumstances, there would be no limits for how far I would go.

I think that say's it all.

At 63 my future is now and I do pretty much whatever I want do. So the money that goes into investing might be one good road trip a month, I can tolerate that. If that changes then the investing stops.

You got deal with the hand your dealt.

[PhilHarries]

I think that many, many people who have grown up in western societies seem to have absolutlety no clue how lucky they already are just because of their birthplace!

Ain't that just the truth. Too many westerners are too keen to slag off their home country without pausing to give thanks to what their country gave them.

The OP's question is impossible to answer unless we, westerners, transport ourselves back home and even then there's no complete answer. Should we ever fall on real hard times then there is no way we can stay legally in our current selected homes. So assuming we remain legal then we have to go back and claim what social security we may be entitled to and try and start over. Of course starting over becomes exponentially more difficult as we get older and what happens to our families assuming they stay in their home country is a question best left unasked. The alternative is to take your family with you, assuming you can get a visa, but would you really want to uproot them all to live in a foreign land on state benefits?

All any of us can do is to invest sufficient for the future of our families whilst retaining enough to keep ourselves going and pray to whatever God you believe in.

[IanForbes]

This thread reminds me of the old story about the ant and the grasshopper. There SHOULDN'T be any poverty in North America... but there is. In the real world the strong survive and the weak die. In North America there ARE agencies that provide temporary relief. There are opportunities for all to succeed. If the weak don't take advantage of the opportunities given them then they fall through the cracks. In Asia it's a different story and when born into poverty there really isn't any outlet to get ahead... other than family help.

[slapout]

What extreme would you go to if you were hungry? If you have 3 dependents who look to you to provide for their physical needs and you assume that role, there may not be a single answer. I am not sure I would worry about social acceptance of my actions if my family were hungry. Knock on wood, I have yet to reach that predicament.

[onnut]

Go and get a job. There is always work around. May not pay much but at least it buys a little food and heat.

[ray23]

You guys are right there is no right or wrong answer.

It is humbling to understand just how lucky most of us are, based on where we are born.

Truth is I don't think any of us will know that answer till we face it, which I truly hope we don't.

But, I have enjoyed you guys thoughts in the matter. I don't have an answer, I know how far I have went.

The idea that Western families don't help, that's not an absolute. Both my Daughters and their husbands have lost their jobs over a year ago. They live with their in laws. I send them what I can an still meet my obligations here.

They could get a visa to study Thai, and the offers been made here I could help a lot more then I could there. They have opted to stay there and in the long run they will more then likely be better off for doing it.

So I have crossed some of those roads in my life. Honestly I didn't know anyone personally that would not help family if the need was real. But, I didn't know everybody in the states either.

Why didn't they move in with their mother who is there, her husband wouldn't allow it. That being said I think I misstated myself I do know one.

[cdnvic]

Really nothing to do with Thailand here.