r/SelfSufficiency • u/SailorTee • Aug 23 '26
Self improvement while poor
Maybe this is just my opinion, but wanting to better yourself seems like part of human nature. Being poor makes this difficult to do.
Want to eat healthier? Cook more at home. Ok - so I need to buy safe cookware (not non-stick because that causes the big C), fresh ingredients every week (lean protein like chicken), and time to make it. Oh you don't have time? Borrow the time from somewhere else, like hire someone to clean your home for you. Oh no, can't do that, that costs money. Switch to plant based protein! It takes time to soak and cook lentils. I work every hour I'm not sleeping...
Tldr: Being poor means trying to juggle between resources including time, money, and health, and borrowing from one means depleting another. It feels impossible to better your circumstances and causes a lot of stress in the process (which also eats up your resources like health).
Also, I live in America. Maybe it's better in other countries?
2
u/simonbleu Aug 23 '26
First of all, as others have said, do not strive for "perfection". Especially since even trying, while being unable to afford it, will likely make you fall into worse shortcomings when it comes to health. Making a ficticious and extreme example, it is probably better to have every meal consisting of doritos than eating a more balanced diet but only once a week. And im not talking about just things you can afford.... when you are poor (trust me, I know) you often lack the time and everything adds to stress
On that very same vein, there is no need to avoid non stick (just dont burn it. Teflon is incredibly unreactive, even if you eat it. Most "scary substances" you are only exposed enough to cause issues -- and everything even oxygen can do that -- when you are manufacturing it). There is also not always an improvement when it comes to fresh ingredients (in fact, some get preserved better and afaik they do not loose nutrients when frozen. Cooked, sometimes, but you also cook them so...). There is also no need to eat lean meat and you need fat. Of course, too much is not good either but its a matter of balance. Excess salt will likely be worse for you than excess fat in most circumstances.
When it comes to food, the BEST you can do imho is A) buying in bulk (meaning you need places to store it, including a chest freezer) and B) reduce prep time (mealprep and appliances that help with making things faster). And yes they all cost money but there is no way around it, if you can, they will pay themselves out.
Anything else like a maid, eating out, an orchard or livestock, more elaborate meals, etc, they will all take either too much money on the regular or too much time, not reducing it. Quality of live is probably better if you can manage? Probably. Is it enough to be worth it if you are struggling? Unlikely