Small towns make for the best stories, don't they? The ability of a small group of people to close ranks and pretend nothing happened is mystifying. See, I grew up in Manhattan - where there was no way small town style secrets were happening. We may not snitch to any authorities, but we absolutely know and we absolutely talk about it while we're in line to get a slice. New Yorkers know, we just tend not to care. We don't have time to judge or keep secrets for generations - we're busy checking the MTA to see where the f*@! our train is at.
Small towns, though... that's where the secretive magic happens. One Reddit user asked:
Whats a small town dark secret you know?
Get your popcorn, folks. There's enough murder and mayhem in here for a Tarantino film; and Satan makes an appearance more than once! Here are some of the more popular responses.
Arson And The Town's Image
When I was a firefighter we had an arsonist in the city. They would walk around at night until they found a garage door that was left open, and then they'd start a fire in the garage. It did not matter if the residents were home or not.
We had no leads other than it was a college student, as there was a discernible pattern of the fires stopping during winter and summer breaks.
The police, fire department, and the highest levels of local government worked to keep the nature of fires a secret as they were worried about how it would impact the town's image. So, instead of telling people to close their garage doors at night, nearly 20 families lost their homes. The arsonist was never caught, and presumably is still lighting fires in some other town.
Satanic Lesbians?Â
The "Devil House."
Now, it had been around my hometown for decades. Enough different generations of kids had their own mythos. I had an English teacher that went to the same school in the late 80s. By then it was vacant but someone had painted a pentagram on the wall. You had to know where it was. Pull over on the old highway coming in to town at a certain point. There was no driveway or anything, but you could see a gate if you knew where to look. Then you go into the woods a bit and BAM, it almost appears out of nowhere on you. That's how well it was hidden. For the most part, every high school class would have a couple of people venture out to see it and leave their own small mark. Everyone was just sure Satanists or witches were meeting there occasionally.
But later, I found out the real story from my Dad. I'd asked him, but he didn't make the connection between that house's original purpose and the later myths until I showed him. The reason that hidden house was built was for a former wealthy farmer's lesbian daughter. Didn't have the heart to disown her, so he hid her away there in the late 60s. Because 60s, there were some wild parties out there and girls were "converted" to lesbianism (read, already knew damn well they were gay) so of course that small southern town assumed the devil was behind it.
The Makeout Mines
There are these old abandoned mines (as in mineral mines- think man-made caves in the side of a mountain) near my hometown town where kids used to go to smoke weed and make out before they put metal gates over them.
When I was in high school there was this huge thing where a cop went missing, car and all, while he was on-duty. He just didn't show up at shift change. (This was before gps and smart phones etc.) People thought he'd been killed by gang members or something (there were no gangs in the town but everyone was convinced that they came down from the nearest big city to do crimes).
Eventually they announced, they found him, accidental death, very sad. Wife & young kids etc.
What wasn't in the news, but everyone knew through word-of-mouth: he and another cop's wife were having an affair and they were found in his patrol car in one of the makeout mines, dead of carbon monoxide poisoning.
The Famous Addict
My hometown has a "famous" drug addict - i.e. everyone knows who he is, he's lived there for ~70 years and his crimes are town gossip. Most of the time it's small stuff: Stolen bikes (and once a canoe) that he just leaves somewhere, living in a park when he doesn't feel like going home for a few days, shit like that. He's mostly seen as a harmless, funny character. His brain is seriously damaged after hard drug use since his early teens.
What is rarely mentioned is that when he still had a house he used to steal dogs and beat them to death in his basement.
- DaJoW
"Accidental Shooting"Â
This was in a small town, generally run by a half dozen big family names that almost act like redneck mafia families / cartels. If you're related to one of those families, you can figuratively get away with murder... and sometimes quite literally.
Years back, one of the locals "R", was supposedly out deer hunting & drinking, and noticed a "not from around here" guy out horse riding in the woods. R just shot him and left him out in the woods to die... either for shits and giggles, or because the guy was "from California", as R likes to claim. He tends to gets drunk and brags about it frequently, so it's more common knowledge than a secret... nothing has ever been done though, since he's from one of the "big families" in the area, and is related to several officers, a former judge, and a decent chunk of the town. The cops never bothered investigating - just said it was an accidental shooting, and there was no evidence or suspects.
Same story they gave when some kids found a couple dead migrant workers in a drainage ditch behind the high school my senior year - cops just said "we'll never know" and that was it.
God, I hate that town.
Attacking A Pony
A few months ago there was a brief media kerfuffle in the local papers about someone breaking into a barn and "attacking" a pony.
- JakeGrey
Sh*t In The Sink
I live in a super small town (see all the same people constantly). And back in the 80s there was a group of guys my mom went to high school with who were rumored to have killed this poor old man in town and rob his house blind of drugs and nice belongings. They got away clean except for one of the idiots decided to shit in the sink. The police collected the sample but at the time there wasn't the technology to find out who the shit belonged to. Well around 10-15 years later they finally had the technology and they tested that sample. They found out who it belonged to and the guy ended up in prison after getting away with it for so long.
Swinging Satanists
Back in the 80s they'd closed down the old middle school in my town and built a new one fairly close to it. Because the building wasn't that run down, they'd let the little league (grades 2-6) teams practice in the old school and leave big kids alone at the new school. I'm not really sure how, but a rumor started that there was a satanist club underneath the gym. People claimed they could hear chanting and loud banging noises from under the floor and it freaked everyone tf out so the school mostly stopped using it.
I found out the truth recently from my friend's mom. Apparently some locals ran a swingers club down there and she knew because went once just to see what it was like.
"I Heard The Gunshot."Â
At my high school, years ago, we had a kid commit suicide with a gun in the annex bathroom during school. It was awful and everybody was distraught that something like this would happen.
What they didn't tell people, which I know now because my parents were administrators at the time, is that the suicide was an accident. He hid a shotgun in the ceiling over a toilet and the investigators determined that the gun shot would was not that of someone who was intentionally trying to kill themselves. He also had more ammo and homemade explosive devices in his locker.
Basically, he was about to go ape shit on my school but shot himself trying to retrieve his weapon from the bathroom ceiling.
All of the news reports and letters sent home said that he was disturbed and sadly killed himself at school. My parents waited a few years to tell me but it gives me goosebumps to this day. I was in gym class, which was the closest room with people in it. I heard the gunshot.
- Pruzzy24
Technically Legal, Still Super Creepy
One of our high-school gym teachers does this thing where he sleeps with girls at their graduation parties (if they're of age).
A lot of people know about it. He's done nothing illegal that we know of, but it's super creepy considering he's their teacher from ~13-18.
The Cattle Fortune
In my small town, three men stole an incredibly large amount of cattle and sold them off, making a small fortune.
They bought some land and built three houses for their families on it. After the construction of the homes and a few months had gone by somehow the police got wind that they were the perpetrators of the crime.
When they got wind of the investigation one of them went to the police to take the fall for all of them. He went to jail for over a decade and when he got out, his family and friends were waiting for him. His other two partners had ensured that everything with his estate was taking care of, that his kids and wife had everything they needed, and that his home always stayed in perfect condition. He took care of them, so they took care of him and his.
Now that he has done the time for the crime, they all live out on the same property together, each guy raising his own family and with a common large swimming pool for all of their kids.
The Pastor And The Grieving Mother
Married man has affair, rumor mill starts churning, both cheaters leave their spouses and run off together, leaving young children behind. Not terribly uncommon, I know. Slightly more unusual was the cheating woman was a grieving mother in our church whose son had recently died and the philandering man in question was our pastor.
Kidnapping Grown Men
In the last few years grown men have been disappearing off the street where I live. They vanish at very odd times of night, usually bar hours. People always excuse their disappearances as them getting drunk and trying to stumble home, falling in the lake/river or snowbank and just never getting found.
There was one man that they did find though - 3 months after his disappearance, in a lake town 45 minutes away from where he was last spotted walking on foot looking really drunk. They found him face down in a lake in an area where supposedly he had no relatives or friends.
Recently, a 20-something-year-old came out with a post on Facebook about how he was roofied at a bar in town. He's a big guy who was hanging out with all of his friends. His friends were getting ready to leave and they noticed him acting weird so they called an ambulance for him.
Some motherf*cker is out there kidnapping grown ass men in my area.
The Right Supplier
Knew a small town that was ruled by a cop whose son dealt drugs. People who were found in possession were punished hard, but if they managed to identify the supplier with a certain truck and a certain description they got let off and told forcefully to shut the fuck up. Was a country town. Lots of open space...
- [deleted]
Small Town Church
Used to go to a church in a small town. The pastor's son was a pedophile, there's no other way to say it. He was close to 30, and started dating a girl in the church when she was 13. They kept the relationship under wraps until she was about 17. They had sex in the church basement.
He got involved with the youth choir as a way to get friendly with the other underage girls. His parents knew about it the entire time. Pastor's son finally messed with the wrong girl and she got the law involved. When it got out, the pastor swept it under the rug and said that his son was very sorry and God had now made him a changed man, and begged the other churchgoers to forgive him.
He got caught two more times, each time the pastor insisting that he'd really changed this time. His son would put on this big show, crocodile tears at the alter, thanking everyone profusely for giving him another chance. Needless to say, our family hightailed it out of there quick.
I just caught word that he's in jail now for a probation violation. I'm sure he violated more than his probation.
No Electricity, Yes Chocolate
An autistic man in his 70s lives in the centre of the village with no electricity or running water. He lives off ice cream and chocolate, and spends his days collecting wood to burn in his fireplace. He has no caretaker. Nobody does anything to help him all that often. Although it's not really a secret, because everybody knows...
Scared For Him
One of the ladies in a neighboring town has had 3 husbands die... All under "mysterious" circumstances. She comes from a very... Italian family. She's collected multiple multi-million insurance payouts, as well as inheriting multiple millions.
She recently started dating a friend of mine, who is just getting separated from his wife.
I'm scared for him. (Yes, I've mentioned it to him - he knew already)
Richie's Statue
There's a statue in my town that made for a man named Richie when he died, who was well known in our town.
The sort of "unspoken secret" is that in life, everyone knew him, and tried to avoid him because he wouldn't leave anyone alone. People let him do whatever he wanted since he was a bit challenged. He didn't understand boundaries or social conventions very well. As an example, he would walk behind bank counters when transactions were being processed, and people wouldn't say anything to him. He just kept talking to everyone. People avoided him, and talked how annoying he was, but in death, they dedicated a statue to him because they felt bad.
A Foreign Minor
The year before I moved here a man, who lived in one of the nicest houses in town, was discovered to have kidnapped and kept a foreign (I can't remember where she was from) minor captive.
She was able to escape and knock on doors to save herself.
I was told this by multiple people but have not been able to find any media coverage which isn't unusual. It's a very conservative area and there are reporting laws that protect children in media coverage as well.
Arnold Rothstein wasn't kidding when he recommended we should "look out for number one." Because if we don't, "no one else will."
Insurance And Large Corporations
<p>These Redditors were almost taken for a ride by greedy companies but were wise to their ways </p>Really Bad Connection
<p>"My utility company overcharged me $266.00 for random 'connection fees' when I'd already been a customer for a dozen years. It took weeks of arguing with them, speaking to various customer service reps (who each provided slightly different answers) for them to finally agree that they made an error and would refund the money."</p><p>"'Ok sir, our apologies for the error. You'll receive the funds via cheque in 6 - 8 weeks.'"</p><p>"Uhhhh, what the ever loving kind of bullsh*t is this? I have direct deposit set up with you, you withdrew the incorrect funds instantaneously. Just put the money back. Or e-transfer it to me. If I took 8 weeks to send you funds when I made an error you'd cut me off or send me to collections."</p><p>– <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lngrsb/what_is_your_biggest_oh_thats_bullsht_moment/go0ka48?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">kor_hookmaster</a><br></p>Change Of Tune
<p>"Got called into a meeting with a former boss. Turns out some product I'd shipped went to the buyer's house instead of the shop's address. My boss, someone from HR, and the sales person were in the meeting. Boss went up one side of me and down the other, telling me I'm an idiot for making the mistake, he thought I was smarter than that, blah blah blah. The customer canceled the huge order so we had to pay to get the product back. It was going to cost thousands of dollars."</p><p>"Then the salesperson gave me a copy of the order to look at. Yup, looks like I'd shipped it to the wrong place. So I grabbed my copy of the order, with my initials on it to say I'd picked and shipped it...and the addresses were reversed. The salesperson swapped them. I had no idea, I'm just in shipping. I ship to the 'Ship To' address. I point this out to my boss, HR, and the salesperson.</p>Shady Insurance Company
<p>"I looked at my health insurance statement/bill after an ACL surgery. The statement had a section that said 'here's what you would have paid without insurance: $101,895' but because I had insurance the 'negotiated rate' was like $6,000. So by paying for insurance I was saving something like $95k! Well, I started doing some research and discovered that the initial number over $100k is just a made up figure. The insurance company didn't pay $95k, they just 'negotiated' the cost down and claimed that means they covered that $95k cost that never really existed. I then did some more math and realized that I paid more out of pocket for my surgery between my deductible, copay, and coinsurance than my insurance actually paid. And those rat f'ks still take a piece of every paycheck. That was when I leaned just how f'king useless the private healthcare system in the US is."</p><p>– <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lngrsb/what_is_your_biggest_oh_thats_bullsht_moment/go1t8ii?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">backcountry8591</a><br></p>Being Served
<p>We live in one of the most litigious countries in the world. These Redditors were furious over how much people took advantage of the system in the hopes of getting an exorbitant amount of money from them.</p>Exploitation Of Preexisting Injuries
<p>"Came home to a summons last Friday. It was from a guy I got into a fender bender with (less than 10 mph, I was backing out of a parking spot onto the road) in 2018. He is trying to get $70k from me because of medical bills and lost wages. My insurance agency has been telling him to pound sand for the last 2 years (he was trying to pass off pre-existing injuries as a result from the accident). He was initially trying to get $30k from them. His 'last option' after getting nothing from my insurance is to sue me directly. My insurance is now hiring a lawyer on my behalf to fight him for me."</p><p>– <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lngrsb/what_is_your_biggest_oh_thats_bullsht_moment/go0d44p?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Sirhc978</a><br></p>Ignoring Dog Warning Signs
<p>"Welp... A state Marshall came to serve me papers. I was in my back yard after work with my dogs running around playing. I was expecting a friend so i thought nothing of it when they ran down the driveway (out of my site). Instead of trying to go to my front door this a**hole walks past the white flags indicating an electric dog fence, and the beware of dogs sign. My female dog jumped on him. He then punched her in the head. At which point she NIPPED him. One tiny little puncture. He called the cops, and an ambulance... He asked the emt how many stitches hed need and they sort of scoffed and said u just need a band-aid. So he subsequently sued me for 15k citing that he can no longer live his life to it's fullest and lost partial use of his arm."<br></p><p>– <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lngrsb/what_is_your_biggest_oh_thats_bullsht_moment/go14cqd?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">MattyRixz</a><br></p>Challenging Institutions
<p>When grade school teachers feel like they are being challenged by a young student, their instinct is to punish them.</p><p>As kids, these Redditors were pushed into various zones of "punishment" by their teachers for doing nothing wrong.</p><p>Things were not any better at a youth group for one Redditor who was genuinely a very curious person. <br></p>Stuck In The Red Zone
<p>"When I was in primary school, one of my teachers was, for some reason, telling us about bees. She said the normal stuff like the social hierarchy, different roles in a hive, ect. But then she gets into the differences of different types of bees' bodies, and tells us that bees <em data-redactor-tag="em">sting with their feet</em>. Obviously I raised my hand to dispute this, and explained that bees actually do not sting with their feet, and she tells me of for 'talking back' for a few minutes, and makes me move my name into the 'red zone' (it seemed like a big deal at the time, ok?). After the lesson, I go up to her and ask if she can look it up, and the says no, I ask why, and she yells at me again, leaving 7 year old me almost in tears. For the rest of my time there I had no respect for her, and she was one of the most hated teachers in school."</p><p>– <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lngrsb/what_is_your_biggest_oh_thats_bullsht_moment/go0qmmm?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Interesting-Health36</a><br></p>In The Yellow Zone
<p>"Aw man, when I was 5, my tutor told everybody to go to the front to sit on the rug. The person who sat beside me left their seat out, so I was unable to get past. So naturally, I push the seat in, as well as my own. Took barely any time, and although I was one of the last to get to the rug, nobody was waiting for me (others were slower). I was one of the furthest away from the front, so obviously it would take me longer to get there, and I knew this so went fast."</p><p>"The tutor told me off for 'dilly dallying' and 'wasting time'. She moved my name into the yellow zone. This was the first time I had ever had my name in the yellow zone (and the next time was 5 YEARS after that - I was a good kid). I was determined not to get upset as she'd told a kid off for that a few days prior. So she left me, a tiny 5 year old goody-two-shoes, desperately fighting tears for PUSHING IN TWO SEATS while on the way to do as she'd asked. Go to hell, Ms S."</p><p>– <a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lngrsb/what_is_your_biggest_oh_thats_bullsht_moment/go13pjq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">IHateTheLetter-C-</a><br></p>Consequences Of Being Inquisitive
<p>"First time I went to a youth group at my local Christian church, and I got kicked out by the pastors son, for simply asking questions. I wasn't trying to show anyone up or prove a point...I wasn't raised in a traditionally religious home, I really knew nothing at that time."</p><p>– <a href="https://www.reddit.com/user/yellowgrizzlyfucker/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">yellowgrizzlyfucker</a><br></p>People Break Down Their Craziest 'It's Expensive To Be Poor' Experiences
I have to admit. I was not fond of being poor. I was ten when I realized my family had some financial issues. My mother sat me down to explain that she needed to go to the food drive to get somethings. It had been a hard year and she wanted me to be prepared in case someone we knew saw us. It was heartbreaking.
My mother has always been a hard worker and she hates asking for help. So that's why it infuriates me when people try to say that being poor is just a mentality and the poor should just try not to be poor. My mother did make it out of several financial holes but it was always an uphill battle, because the truth is... being poor only makes you more poor. The system is designed that way.
Redditor u/26point2PipeDream wanted everyone to start realizing that the game is rigged, often by the system keeping the poor, poor. They asked everyone to explain by inquiring... In what way is it expensive to be poor?
Clothing Transport
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY4NzMzNy9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MDIyMDUwNn0.j63U464ubynPTeBBGmquoDCOBDROWZH0IDLupYTEwG0/img.gif?width=980" id="16ca5" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="3c22aa4a88fcffa6777e51a3242be577" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="250" data-height="270" />cats laundry GIFGiphy<p>I saw a lady coming out of a laundromat, loading her baskets of clothes into a taxi (there is zero other public transport where I saw this happen and only a few taxis).</p>Don't Accept
<p>If you're ever desperate enough to take out a title/payday loan you'll discover you just stepped in financial quicksand. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/gogvg87?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">New_Game_P1us</a></p><p>About a year and a half ago I forgot to leave enough money in my bank account for a payment that needed to be done. It wasn't much, around $500 maybe, but didn't want the late payment and fees that come with it, so I decided to look into the payday loans. I needed $500 to last until Friday (when I would be paid)... I checked on it on Monday.</p>Fees, fees and fees...
<p>There are late fees for everything. Overdraft fees at the bank. Sh!tty jobs usually don't have good healthcare plans. If you're poor, you need credit cards just to survive, but interest rates are higher for those with low credit scores (see late fees above). Crappy cars are always breaking down, and that's expensive. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/gogsay7?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Turd_Ferguson009</a></p>Death is Easier
<p>Healthcare. That's the big one. If you don't have a healthcare plan, or have a crappy one you don't go to the doctor unless it's life or death. That means small problems that could have been caught in the beginning become hugely expensive problems later on. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/gohjrfg?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">kissme_kate</a></p>Just Walk
<p>Like parking tickets. I couldn't afford the £2 to pay to park my car so I get a £30 fine, after 2 weeks it goes up to £60 and so on. If I didn't have £2 to park in the first place I don't know how they think I can pay more. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/gohsy0e?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">butterthenugget</a></p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/gohsy0e?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a>Have you ever watched "killed by my debt"? That was about how a parking fine spiralled into severe debt and worse. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/goikcac?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">cb9504</a></p>Renting is like Credit
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY4NzM5Ny9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY0NjQ3MzM0MH0.G3_YXxcCFsQcZaytZ8Odq-C1eTTu-vD8mBkWwhEQpUc/img.gif?width=980" id="caabc" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="68ecd1b6219fd256fbd4bc5b82fe4d1e" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="480" data-height="240" />Credit Card Money GIF by HustlersGiphy<p>Renting to own anything is really bad. You pay 4X the value of whatever it is you're renting to own. And if you miss a payment they repossess it and someone else might start at the beginning of attempting to pay for it again. Not only that you very well might be paying 4X the new value for a used item. <span></span></p>Skyrocketing rates
<p>Being stuck with higher interest rates because you don't have enough credit to get low rates. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/gogrwtk?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">notjustanytwig</a></p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/gogrwtk?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"></a>The fact that rent payments aren't added into the credit score equation is bull. Or even just into mortgage lending.</p><p>How a lender can ignore me paying upwards of $1500 a month in rent while contemplating a mortgage loan that is equivalent to $850 a month. You'd think that would be a pretty safe bet right there. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/goho4ah?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">Cpu46</a></p>The Pre-Pay Options
<p>You can seldom buy in bulk, so you end up paying more for thing. For example, our local butchery sells ground beef cheap if you buy 2 kg or more at a time. If you're paid weekly and can afford only 500 g per week, you end up paying more. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/gogvssu?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">doodlebagsmother</a></p><p>Buying in bulk is a huge money saver.</p>Luxuries
<p>I'll add that when you have less money the power relationship is flipped in nearly every financial interaction you have.</p><p>When you have money, banks and companies compete to get access to your reliable spending, be it with low interest rates on borrowing or better deals for early payment. They have to compete because you have the option to go to someone else who will gladly take your payment history and stable income.</p><p>You're a safe bet, so you have the luxury of choice.<span></span></p>Time for Restructure
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY4NzM4Ny9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYzMDUzOTAwMX0.m2Kt38K1NvNTiJewoF9V85-vxQ_-5s1BF3iAg4d-tpU/img.gif?width=980" id="4b7cd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="f8689fb399a6ade3cb58549e07cb223a" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="480" data-height="462" />story justice GIF by PrimerGiphy<p>The justice system. If you can't pay a fine, the state will make things more expensive by adding fees on top of fees on top of fees, then they will incarcerate you for not paying the inflated fees. Then you have to pay the parole officer who is keeping an eye on you while you care unable to get a job that pays enough to pay him. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lqk9gy/in_what_way_is_it_expensive_to_be_poor/gohb8yk?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">MasterAqua2</a></p>People Battling Depression Break Down How They Actually Motivate Themselves
Trauma. Such a simple word. A simple word shrouded in so much difficulty and pain. When trauma goes ignored and untreated, it festers and grows into many manifestations. One dark manifestation is depression. Everyone, and I do mean everyone at one time or another has suffered from depression. It's unfortunate that there is still such stigma attached to it. Right now the world is in a collective depression and often it's impossible to finds ways to cope.
Redditor u/Lainnnn wanted to see who would be willing to share with the world some ways to stay motivated, in the darkness by asking... Depressed people, how do you motivate yourself to do things, even small tasks? [Serious]Bot Movement
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY4NDkwOC9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY2MzQ1NTIzOX0.E_FVZQnE0lx0WwD-8cMb3h4545TqmCyGrKnUoZyKfas/img.gif?width=980" id="8f77e" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="209e43667c214354667bf407cde8603d" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="320" data-height="180" />maywa denki robot GIFGiphy<p>I pretend that I'm a robot to do very small singular tasks at a time. I really get myself into the mindset that my own motivation doesn't matter at all. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lpuh8m/depressed_people_how_do_you_motivate_yourself_to/god0xp5?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">pls_send_serotonin</a></p>Trickster
<p>I have found a way to trick me into doing stuff: If I'm lying on the couch, basically feeling like complete crap but I know I should rather go buy groceries and cook a meal I tell myself: I'm going to feel like crap no matter what. If I continue lying here, I'll feel like crap, if I go buy groceries and cook, I'll feel like crap. The only difference is that doing stuff and being active will probably help me long term. <span></span></p>Slowly
<p>Today I skipped class and just stayed in the shower. And since I was in there anyway I slowly picked up shampoo, slowly washed my hair, etc and just kept moving through my regular wash day routine as if I didn't have somewhere to be. It needed to be done and I knew I'd feel a little better and like I accomplished something. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lpuh8m/depressed_people_how_do_you_motivate_yourself_to/goegvms?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">bucket_o_reddit</a></p>Simple First
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY4NDk3OS9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1OTEzNDUxMn0.8oJl2y64ihJJzMUCKAozGCcnOVDTDW8o9ndY3bAB_E0/img.gif?width=980" id="e70bd" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="7d839c26623dde5628b1718df24f6841" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="480" data-height="270" />Chill Yoga GIF by MOST EXPENSIVESTGiphy<p>If something is worth doing, it's worth doing poorly.</p><p>A perfect example is brushing your teeth: Haven't brushed your teeth in months? Just go to the sink, stick the toothbrush in your mouth, and scrub for a few seconds. Don't aim for perfection, just give it a half-assed attempt for 5 seconds.</p><p>You'll start to build a habit of brushing, and you'll start to brush better every time.</p><p>And also, do things one step at a time. Getting out of bed does not equal you needing to clean the entire house, but maybe that coffee table needs to be tidied up a bit? Maybe toss the dirty dishes in the dishwasher, but it doesn't need to be run today.<span></span></p>Minimal Ways
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY4NDk3OC9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTY1NTEyOTY5NX0.aHKE7WWpdDcrLmP5Z9Zpexv3yBpMeGgfLZQ1BFP_r7Y/img.gif?width=980" id="6ca64" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="2d1ea07cadc3f7d6a5a04371d446818b" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="480" data-height="360" />trying to calm down season 1 GIF by Gilmore Girls Giphy<p>Another thing for me - is minimize things you are responsible for. If you have a hard time keeping things clean - it is easier with less things.</p><p>I just had to do a huge skincare/makeup purge and I had been holding onto expired things and feeling guilty about the money I spent. I forgave myself and threw it all out and then treated myself to the replacements. I'd rather spend more on things I care for and enjoy than have lots of mediocre stuff. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lpuh8m/depressed_people_how_do_you_motivate_yourself_to/goew1he?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">icepacket</a></p>Fives
<p>Celebrating the little things. I'm currently trying to do "five a day", and to nondepressives, they probably seem tiny but to me they are huge.</p><p>Like today I got showered, got dressed, made a lunch from scratch, went for a walk and put some laundry in the washer (bonus point, its hung up too!). Whoo, successful day! </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lpuh8m/depressed_people_how_do_you_motivate_yourself_to/god5iie?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">colliewob</a></p>Do the Dishes
<p>I honestly just try to make the next hour, next few minutes, whatever amount of time, better for my future self. Lots of "I'll be glad I did this" even simple things like cleaning ONE mug at night so I don't have to clean it for coffee & don't feel SUPER pressured to just do all the dishes right when I wake up. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lpuh8m/depressed_people_how_do_you_motivate_yourself_to/god1adq?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">DeathsSpit</a></p>Peasant Plan
<p>I play 'medieval peasant' so I have to physically react like a medieval peasant to everything in my house that I use.</p><p>Use an electric toothbrush? I have to wonder at the magic. Clean running water? I have to shriek in joy, now I won't get the plague! Food in the fridge? Oh my life is bountiful! Automatic lights in the building? Ah! <span></span></p>Pay Up
<p>I have a little mason jar, everytime I do something, exp; eat breakfast, take a walk. I add a dinosaur to a jar, I also use this for self harm as well, if I haven't hurt myself in a week, I get to add in some dinosaurs. It makes me super happy when I drop in a dinosaur and hear it * clunk * together with the other ones. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lpuh8m/depressed_people_how_do_you_motivate_yourself_to/god8t70?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">rcsepetalz</a></p>Faith and...
<img lazy-loadable="true" data-runner-src="https://assets.rebelmouse.io/eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJpbWFnZSI6Imh0dHBzOi8vYXNzZXRzLnJibC5tcy8yNTY4NDkzMS9vcmlnaW4uZ2lmIiwiZXhwaXJlc19hdCI6MTYyNjQ3MzMwNH0.yPP2X6_8t6o1pZd3qp5vOhKOWBllJcBGCgb2Cg9HPKA/img.gif?width=980" id="1cf4f" class="rm-shortcode" data-rm-shortcode-id="48c042565e5274c08f8914e62c9e3e44" data-rm-shortcode-name="rebelmouse-image" data-width="500" data-height="500" />scared season 1 GIF by The White PrincessGiphy<p>Hope. That some day it's all gonna be worth it and you might thank yourself for not giving up today. </p><p><a href="https://www.reddit.com/r/AskReddit/comments/lpuh8m/depressed_people_how_do_you_motivate_yourself_to/god3f1j?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web2x&context=3" target="_blank">sathvikrao99</a></p>Well that was a close call. That is everyone's main life mantra. If you really think about it, you'll know it to be true. Everyday we live, is another day we've survived, and death isn't the only thing we frequently sidestep. I have lost track of the amount of times my heart has almost gotten me into trouble. If I had been able to be with the people I thought I wanted in the past, I'd be in a mental ward right about now. Dodging a bullet doesn't even begin to cover it.
Redditor u/Not-an-Ocelot wanted to hear about the times that have made people give some extra thanks by asking... What's the biggest bullet you've ever dodged?