10 Things You Shouldn’t Do When You’re Broke

10 Things You Shouldn’t Do When You’re Broke Whether being broke is a permanent state for you, or you’re just passing through a bit of hardship, there are a few lifestyle adjustments it would be prudent for you to make in order to not end up in a mountain of debt. Being broke is also incredibly stressful- you’re constantly worried about your bank balance and how you’ll afford necessary purchases. Why add to the stress?Here is a list of good things to avoid doing if you’re having trouble making ends meet.1. SmokeSeriously. Apart from the fact that it will eventually give you cancer (aka huge medical bills), it’s incredibly expensive to keep up. You’ll live longer and find you have a lot more spending money week to week.2. DrugsDon’t smoke anything else either. People can tell and won’t hire you. You’ll have to constantly worry about passing random or job-related drug tests, and you’ll be spending a lot of money you just don’t have.3. Join a GymFitness i s a great thing, but can be achieved much more cheaply than by getting a monthly (spendy) gym membership. Go running. Do push-ups and crunches. Try the Scientific 7-Minute Workout. Find yoga videos for free on YouTube. Figure out how to exercise for free- it’s super simple these days.4. Look Down on WorkAs long as someone’s job is legal and ethical, it’s no business of yours to look down on it. Maybe you should even consider the service industry. Answer phones, wait tables, clean houses. Just get yourself back on your feet.5. Make ExcusesChances are it’s your responsibility. Unless you’re caring for a sick loved one or facing enormous medical bills yourself, you probably were just living beyond your means. Own the position you’re in and take action to dig yourself out of your financial hole.6. Take Unnecessary VacationsIf you can’t keep up with your rent or car payments, then whatever extra cash you think you have for trips or weekend s away should probably be put to more constructive use. Don’t be flagrant when you can’t afford to be.7.  Go Out to EatAvoid restaurants. You can’t afford them. Seriously. Cook for yourself and bring your lunch- leftovers are your friend. That goes for buying coffee as well; get to know your Mr. Coffee- your new regular coffee shop! If you must go to a movie, smuggle cheaper snacks in in your handbag instead of shelling out for concession prices.8. Upgrade Your StuffNow isn’t the time to get a nicer car or move to a nicer neighborhood. You can’t afford the extra cash you’d need to get this done- or the loan payments. Stick with your station for a while longer until you can afford to move up.9. Ignore the BillsYou may cringe whenever a new pile shows up in the mail, and want to hide under the covers and hope that all your bills just go away. But they won’t. Open them. Call the companies. Set up payment plans. Be proactive. It’ s much better than blissful ignorance- which can still eat you alive with stress.10. Create WasteDon’t drive anywhere further than you have to. Consolidate errands to consolidate gas. Don’t go on lavish dates- simple ones will do and are often more romantic anyway. Don’t waste water or gas or electricity in your home. Don’t pay to do anything you could do yourself (car washes, house cleanings, lawn mowing). And don’t take on any extra expenses that aren’t absolutely necessary. Actually reading that magazine? Probably not. Cancel cancel cancel.

Guy de Maupassant, Father of the Short Story

Guy de Maupassant, Father of the Short Story French writer Guy de Maupassant (August 5, 1850–July 6, 1893) wrote short stories such as The Necklace and Bel-Ami as well as poetry, novels, and newspaper articles. He was an author of the naturalist and realist schools of writing and is best known for his short stories, which are considered highly influential on much of modern literature. Fast Facts: Guy de Maupassant Known For: French author of short stories, novels, and poetryAlso Known As: Henri Renà © Albert Guy de Maupassant, Guy de Valmont, Joseph Prunier, MaufrigneuseBorn: August 5, 1850 in Tourville-sur-Arques,  FranceParents: Laure Le Poittevin, Gustave de MaupassantDied: July 6, 1893 in Passy,  Paris,  FranceEducation: Institution Leroy-Petit, in Rouen,  Lycà ©e Pierre-Corneille  in RouenPublished Works:  Boule de Suif, La Maison Tellier, The Necklace, A Piece of String,  Mademoiselle Fifi,  Miss Harriet,  My Uncle Jules,  Found on a Drowned Man, The Wreck, Une Vie, Bel-Ami, Pierre et JeanNotable Quote: If I could, I would stop the passage of time. But hour follows on hour, minute on minute, each second robbing me of a morsel of myself for the nothing of tomorrow. I shall never experience this moment again. Early Life Its believed de Maupassant was born at the Chà ¢teau de Miromesniel, Dieppe on Aug. 5, 1850. His paternal ancestors were noble, and his maternal grandfather Paul Le Poittevin was the artist Gustave Flauberts godfather. His parents separated when he was 11 years old after his mother, Laure Le Poittevin, left his father Gustave de Maupassant. She took custody of Guy and his younger brother, and it was her influence that led her sons to develop an appreciation for literature. But it was her friend Flaubert who opened doors for the budding young writer. Flaubert and de Maupassant Flaubert would prove to be a major influence on de Maupassants life and career.  Much like Flauberts paintings, de Maupassants stories told the plight of the lower classes. Flaubert took young Guy as a kind of protege, introducing him to significant writers of the day such as Emile Zola and Ivan Turgenev. It was through Flaubert that de Maupassant became familiar with (and part of) the naturalist school of writers, a style that would permeate nearly all of his stories. De Maupassant Writing Career From 1870-71, Guy de Maupassant served in the French Army. He then became a government clerk. He moved from Normandy to Paris after the war, and after leaving his clerkship in the French Navy he worked for several prominent French newspapers. In 1880, Flaubert published one of his most famous short stories Boule du Suif, about a prostitute pressured to provide her services to a Prussian officer. Perhaps his best-known work, The Necklace, tells the story of Mathilde, a working-class girl who borrows a necklace from a wealthy friend when she attends a high society party. Mathilde loses the necklace and works the rest of her life to pay for it, only discovering years later that it was a worthless piece of costume jewelry. Her sacrifices had been for nothing. This theme of a working-class person unsuccessfully trying to rise above their station was common in de Maupassants stories. Even though his writing career spanned barely a decade, Flaubert was prolific, writing some 300 short stories, three plays, six novels, and hundreds of newspaper articles. The commercial success of his writing made Flaubert famous and independently wealthy. De Maupassant Mental Illness At some point in his 20s, de Maupassant contracted syphilis, a sexually transmitted disease that, if left untreated, leads to mental impairment. This is unfortunately what happened to de Maupassant. By 1890, the disease had started to cause increasingly strange behavior. Some critics have charted his developing mental illness through the subject matter of his stories. But de Maupassants horror fiction is only a small portion of his work, some 39 stories or so. But even these works had significance; Stephen Kings famous novel The Shining has been compared to Maupassants The Inn. Death After a gruesome suicide attempt in 1891 (he tried to cut his throat),  de Maupassant spent the last 18 months of his life in a Paris mental home, the celebrated private asylum of Dr. Espirit Blanche. The suicide attempt was believed to be a result of his impaired mental state. Legacy Maupassant is often described as the father of the modern short story- a literary form thats more condensed and immediate than the novel. His work was admired by his contemporaries and imitated by those who came after him. Some of the best-known authors for whom Maupassant was an inspiration include W. Somerset Maugham, O. Henry, and Henry James. Sources Dumesnil, Renà ©, and Martin Turnell. â€Å"Guy De Maupassant.†Ã‚  Encyclopà ¦dia Britannica, 1 Aug. 2018.â€Å"Guy De Maupassant.†Ã‚  Short Stories and Classic Literature.Guy De Maupassant.†Ã‚  Guy De Maupassant - New World Encyclopedia.