This is probably my year. I've NEVER been broke my whole entire life but this is the first time I've ever experience it. I've been working really hard to recover my account and so far it's recovery slowing and probably this year.. I won't be able to buy much present for my family for christmas. Has anyone ever experience this kind of situation before and turn to their parents for help? For example, what do you do when you don't have any money in your account= negative.? My parents don't help much.. since they say that I work.. I can still manage to do it on my own..

Awww
I am so sorry to hear that.
Usually, it's the other way around for me - my parents borrow money from me...
I really don't spend much of money because I am cheap like that
Recently, my mom borrowed money again...

friends, other family members, loan shark, bank robbery? j/k i know this is probably a more serious issue.

anyway, im usually pretty shameless and ask my parents when i need money. just explain your situation clearly. what are they going to do? not help you? then i'd start worrying...

hope it works out.

uhh...my mom has no money, so i give her money.
when i don't have money, my family doesn't have money. simple as that.

it sounds like you're worried about presents more than anything else.
if you don't have money, don't think about trying to get a bunch of presents for people.
there's nothing you or they can do. i mean, who says, "i don't care if you're broke, i wanted more presents!"?

It's okay I tend to be broke most of the time. U are much better than me, working to get money I on the other hand just spread my hands and ask my parents. I think everyone goes through this kind of thing at least once in their lifetime so u shouldn't feel down. About the presents this christmas, tat shouldn't be a thing u must do, if u don't have money just give everyone a card or something. I'm sure people are not going to fuss over not receiving a present. Just try to recover from ur situation since christmas is a every year holiday, you can buys gifts next yr.

Yes I have been, it happened to me last year, even though I worked two jobs, I had an unxpected medical emergency that caused me to go broke. I asked my parents for money and they told me no they wouldn't help me because I work and shouldn't need any money.

I've never ask my mom for money. It's always the other way around. I help her as much as i can, considering she give me life.
I'm not broke or rich, just comfortable. My husband on the other hand. Him being the only child...
His mom spoil his butt all the time. He gets what he wants lol. He makes middle class income..but his income keeps on growing,
because of his mom. It's ok though...we'll take care of her when she gets old

Im constanly broke and in debt and my mom gives me nothing. Shes just as broke.

this past year i started making my own money...when i turned 20 years old my parents stopped paying for my apt. and stopped giving me allowance.. the only money that my parents give me is for school~

but theres times when i just dont make enough money in the month, i ask my dad for money.. i always pay him back though... right now IM BROKE!!!! but its ok i still have a roof to live under!!

Yeah i'm in this sort of situation right now too...I only ask my parents for money if i really really need it...its sucks because the only reason i am broke right now is because one of my roommates owe me 5 months of rent..which is about $1000...

i`m sorry to hear about your situation.
feeling broke is prob one of the worst feelings ever.
i turn to my parents even tho i feel quilty.
luckily, they are very understanding & helpful.
i hope things work out well for you.

If they truly refuse to pay, then don't rule out taking this to a small claims court. $1000 is still a fair amount of money.

I'm usually broke because I'm always forking over money that I earn to my dad. My first job when I was in college, I made about $250 a week working part time; after paying my dad and giving the excess for "safe keeping" I only had 30 or 40....

I'm in college and it's a given that all my money will be gone, but I try my best to use my own money as much as possible because I don't like having my parents pay for my things even though they're always willing.
Now that I'm sooooo broke, I'm working my butt off this whole winter break to put some money into my bank.

There was one situation where my brother got his gf (now wife) pregnant at a really young age, so he moved into her family's house and he never ate anything because he felt sooo guilty and only ate cereal because that's all he could afford. There was also this one time when my brother came and asked my mom if he could borrow her van so he could recycle whatever cans and bottles we had collected in our backyard to buy diapers for the baby, and we didn't even have that many cans and bottles at the time. It was really really sad, but eventually they were able to pull it together and now they're doing great. You should be lucky you're not in that situation to have a baby to care for haha.

If you're not in school, you should look for a second part-time job, so you can get a little bit more cash.

omg i neva knew so many people actually GIVE money to their parents...

Well, I'm usually broken.
I'm studying still; as a matter of fact I just finished my master course. The school fees are a way too expensive, and I have to maintain my house and etc. It's like I pay USD 900 each month only as school fees... and other bills which ones we can't escape. And as my profession just started giving me a good money now... I work for my own, and it also means we have money one month, and we don't have another month.

Anyway, I have a good parents help when needed. But only because I don't spend my money with stupid things; it's because I'm going for a PhD now and they support me a lot. And because I studied this much, I finally got a job that pays a nice sallary... so I think 2008 will be my NO BANKRUPCY YEAR aha!!

But sweetie... I know it's late and Christmas finished but I'm sorry to read you are broken this time. I know how annoying it is, and I agree with other advices: forget this presents thing. When you don't have money, you don't have money and it's fact. So you won't buy anyone presents because you simply can. Explain people your situation and, even if they don't help you, they shall at least understand you.

Also don't be ashamed Being broken is something that happens! Praying for this moment go away soon!

OR! you can give them IOU's like how I do with my friends and families haha, they should understand.

yeah i was thinking about doing this...the bad thing is that the person is suppose to be one of friends...but i guess things change

being broke and having a job = you didn't save enough money to last you if case you overspend or anything.

ppl need to learn how to save money and not spend money.
ur parents are right... you do have a job and so you can make it.

INTRUDER ALERT!!!!!!!!!

Don't post here until you turn 20.

If I'm broke I try my best to manage even though my parents would be willing to help me out. I just feel sooo guilty asking them for money. That and I take ages paying them back so that makes me feel even worse. -__-

That must suck for you very much.
I always asked my dad for money. Never my mom, well when I was a little kid yeah. But not anymore.
My mom used to give me $100 when I was young! I always wondered what I USED with that kind of money!!

I know I always went to PCR at Alaska. It's like a recreational center. But.. what on earth did I USED WITH THAT MONEY o________________________O;;

It's hard to believe that I spend $100 on the vending machine... omg don't tell me I thought $100 was $1!!!! O_O;;

wow... >________________<;;

Oh yeah. I was a student working part time (10 years ago??). When taxes came along, I owed nearly $1000 and I had only about $100-200 in the bank. I didn't know what putting EXEMPT on your W-2 form meant. Well that explained the larger paychecks than my coworkers with the same pay rate lol.

I craawwwled to my mom and begged her for a loan. I was already making payments on the Honda Accord she handed down to me. It was a humbling experience to say the least.

i know how you feel. back than when i lived by my self I let a lot people borrow money that include family and friends. and when I'm broke no one was there for me. so now when they ask me i just say no money

I'm 20 and 18 days old.. and I not only turn to my mom and dad but my little brothers for 10 bucks.... :*(

I'm still in school and my parents pay for college and I'm always on thin ice... It doesn't help that I don't have a part time job too...

haha im broke right now! god damn college sucking out my job money...

I totally feel the same way. When I need money, I do ask my sister though, but only because we live together. But when I ask my parents they are mad at me, because I'm working and earn my own money, but after telling me I should be able to pay things on my own they will give me the money at the end. ^^;

I'd only ask my parents for money if I was in a situation where I didn't have enough in my bank account to have the basic necessities of life: pay rent/utilities or buy food. It's not like they really have much money for themselves (and my little brother) either. I'd feel horrible if the reason I had to ask my parents for money was because I blew off all my money on myself without forethought.

i've never been broke..and i don't ask anyone ever for money..i lend money to other people tho haha.
its good practice to be good with money..if ur not makin any money, don't spend it..live below ur means, always save up for a rainy day..

No, not yet. But some motivational books do say that if you are able to get up from where you fall, then you will become a greater man!

not yet...pretty good at balancing how much a spend a month but if I was broke my parents would help me

im broke now well i say broke not really but when i graduate in the summer i will deffo be, gotta pay off loans, find a place to live, find a decent job, buy a car go off travelling sooooooooo much stuff that needs paying off raa. i have a PT job now but its not that great plus they cut my hours down damn those *shakes fists* lol !!

fortunately, no. it's actually the other way around.
my dad's awful on handling his finances so i've always been conscientious when it comes to money.

HAHA plenty of times!

your parents are the best people you can go to.. at least for me..

christmas? that's a long way from now.. the beginning of the year just started and you're worrying about what to get them? if you wanna save up for a xmas present for them.. save 20 bucks from your paycheck and use what you come up with in the end.. if they don't like what you give them.. oh well.. then they don't.. who says that they shouldn't appreciate what you get them just cause you're broke? it's the thought that counts.. if they were expecting something big.. then tell them that you were low on money.. they should understand that.. it's not the price.. it's the thought of what you got them counts..

hey.. i'm broke and my parents are broke.. but i'm doing all i can to still stand up.. right now.. i'm trying to find a side job so i can earn extra income..

Story of my life this academic school year.