Post by funkykikuchiyo on Jan 28, 2024 12:53:35 GMT -5
I've whined about money before on here. The latest is that finances got worse before it got better because after a PET scan I found out I needed some radiation. As I prepare for tax time and deal with already high debts. I mentioned half joking to my brother and sister-in-law that my best option at this point is a GoFundMe, and I was open to the idea, so within a week they were signing up to get one going. They ran the text of the message by me a couple times, and after my saying some parts felt like it needed Sarah MacLachlan singing under it and my sister-in-law saying it sounded like a St. Jude's commercial, it was ready to put up, and it did really well. I was expecting it to do okay, but it was still FULL of surprises.
I expected a bunch of small donations ($25, $50, maybe the rare $100) like people might randomly toss in a donation bucket or a quick fundraiser at work, but the amounts were much higher than I would have guessed for 95% of the people who gave. As far as I can tell, no one is really asking questions or wondering why I can't pay for stuff myself (though I can't read anyone's minds), and I didn't need to be as sheepish as I thought. Most of the people giving are people I haven't seen in years. The weirdest one? High school girlfriend that parted on weird (to put it mildly) terms that I haven't spoken to in 20 years. She was especially generous, and gave anonymously with no information for me to even be able to send a thank you card.
It makes me frustrated that it came to this, because I see no reason it needed to be this bad. I'll leave off a chunk of that since it spirals into politics/social commentary, but it all feels preventable. I'm really glad I had that option. Lots of people won't. The sad truth is that I think a lot of people in the next five years or so are going to be putting lead in their heads because they feel they have zero options. The reality of what our neighbors go through isn't put on the news... I'll leave it at that.
The amount raised is massive (for me). I'm not out of the woods, but it gets me to a place where I needn't lose sleep about upcoming bills, and everything that is left can be done with sensible monthly payments. If more comes in then it'll help make those payments better, but I'm past the worst stuff. I've learned how to get my normal expenses pretty darn low in the past year or two, so if I keep myself honest for the next year or two, I can be out of it.
Thought I'd throw it out there in case anyone knows someone who needs similar help. Options like this are out there, and it can be amazing what happens.
I expected a bunch of small donations ($25, $50, maybe the rare $100) like people might randomly toss in a donation bucket or a quick fundraiser at work, but the amounts were much higher than I would have guessed for 95% of the people who gave. As far as I can tell, no one is really asking questions or wondering why I can't pay for stuff myself (though I can't read anyone's minds), and I didn't need to be as sheepish as I thought. Most of the people giving are people I haven't seen in years. The weirdest one? High school girlfriend that parted on weird (to put it mildly) terms that I haven't spoken to in 20 years. She was especially generous, and gave anonymously with no information for me to even be able to send a thank you card.
It makes me frustrated that it came to this, because I see no reason it needed to be this bad. I'll leave off a chunk of that since it spirals into politics/social commentary, but it all feels preventable. I'm really glad I had that option. Lots of people won't. The sad truth is that I think a lot of people in the next five years or so are going to be putting lead in their heads because they feel they have zero options. The reality of what our neighbors go through isn't put on the news... I'll leave it at that.
The amount raised is massive (for me). I'm not out of the woods, but it gets me to a place where I needn't lose sleep about upcoming bills, and everything that is left can be done with sensible monthly payments. If more comes in then it'll help make those payments better, but I'm past the worst stuff. I've learned how to get my normal expenses pretty darn low in the past year or two, so if I keep myself honest for the next year or two, I can be out of it.
Thought I'd throw it out there in case anyone knows someone who needs similar help. Options like this are out there, and it can be amazing what happens.
