A Little Bit Panic, A Little Bit Calm: What Are the Warning Signs of Being Broke?

Lately, things have been tight. I’ve been feeling the pinch a bit. But as I handed over £44 for 48 cans of seltzer, I realized something: I’ve never actually been poor. Because I’ve never had to worry about food.

That, I think, is my personal line. If I were worried about how I was going to feed myself, that would be “broke.”

Sure, I’ve made some budget-conscious choices at the grocery store. But for the most part, I walk in, grab what I need, and walk out. I pay attention to deals, like knowing the two best ways to get seltzer in the UK—bulk-buying Aqua Libre (cheaper, limited flavours) or DASH (more expensive, more variety). I make these choices because they’re practical, not because I have to.

And that’s the thing. Being able to bulk-buy is, itself, a sign of not being poor. You need enough money up front to take advantage of the savings. It’s like a little snowball of thrift that can only start rolling if you’ve already got a bit of cash.

Terry Pratchett captured this perfectly in Men at Arms, with what’s become known as the “Boots Theory”:

“The reason that the rich were so rich, Vimes reasoned, was because they managed to spend less money…
A really good pair of leather boots cost fifty dollars. But an affordable pair… cost about ten dollars… The poor man who could only afford cheap boots would have spent a hundred dollars on boots in the same time and would still have wet feet.”

This resonates with me. It makes me think a lot about the concept of enough. Why does it still feel like a financial pinch when I can still walk into a grocery store and buy what I want—no coupon-clipping, no strict list?

I think it’s because this isn’t what things used to be. Before grad school, even in the early days of my degree, my income was steady. My savings were healthy. I had just started this academic journey and still had a full-time job. My time and sanity were a bit worse off, but money wasn’t a problem.

Then Plan A for funding fell through. My savings are seriously depleted. My steady remote job has all but dried up, and even the blog income has dipped this year.

When it rains, it pours. And while I should be used to this, freelancing always ebbs and flows, it’s still a punch. (I originally wrote “punch” instead of “pinch,” and honestly, it fits.)

Even though I can see a light at the end of the tunnel, regular work is coming, I’m still navigating:

The reality that UK income is generally lower An influx of low-paid academic gigs I don’t want (but must decline gracefully) The ever-present freelancer fear: Is this the end? Am I done?

And that fear makes me feel broke. But not broke enough to stop buying seltzer. Or to turn down dinner with visiting friends. Or to stop planning a trip to see the pyramids.

So maybe I’m both things: a little bit panicked and a little bit calm. Despite the emotional turbulence, I logically know I’m still far from poor—even if most of my net worth is locked in retirement accounts I can’t touch for 15 more years (which, weirdly, doesn’t feel that far off).

What feels like the line between “fine” and “broke” for you?

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