“But I, being poor, have only my dreams. I have spread my dreams under your feet; tread softly, because you tread on my dreams.” William Butler Yeats

I try to spend a lot of my time volunteering to help those that are less fortunate than I am. For example, I work in soup kitchens or visit nursing homes. So lately I have been doing a study on Poverty. In reading the research on poverty I ran across this quiz. I know I have a lot of bloggy buddies that follow. I would be interested in hearing some of your thoughts on this quiz by Dr. Payne. Call it my academic mind or whatever you like...

Please take the “quiz” in Dr. Payne’s book, Could you survive a day in poverty? by reading and thinking about the following:

• I know which churches and sections of town have the best rummage sales.
• I know which rummage sales have "bag sales" and when.
• I know which grocery stores' garbage bins can be accessed for thrown-away food.
• I know how to get someone out of jail.
• I know how to physically fight and defend myself physically.
• I know how to get a gun even if I have a police record.
• I know how to keep my clothes from being stolen at the Laundromat.
• I know what problems to look for in a used car.
• I know how to live without a checking account.
• I know how to live without electricity and without a phone.
• I know how to use a knife as scissors.
• I can entertain a group of friends with just my personality and my stories.
• I know what to do when I don't have money to pay the bills.
• I know how to move in half a day.
• I know how to get and use food stamps or a government debit card for benefits.
• I know where the free medical clinics are.
• I am very good at trading and bartering.
• I can get by without a car.

How did you do?

I did miserably by the way. I would be hard pressed to survive a day of poverty apparently.