# "crust fund kids"



## mymotherisafish (Nov 24, 2014)

Over the years, ive met many a traveler who have the whole attitude of "fuck kids who have parents who give them money" attitude. That's fine, but most of these same travelers have no problem begging on street corners taking money from complete strangers. Seems like a double standard to me . I personally like to be self-supportive and work for my cash, plus my parents have never had enough money to even give me an allowance as a kid, let alone now. My only thing is if you have family who is rich enough to support you on the road, help out other travelers. Buy me an eighth of bud or something. What do y'all think?


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## Johnny P (Nov 24, 2014)

Why do you feel entitled to ANYTHING that anybody else has? If somebody wants to share regardless of how they got their money, they will. 

So, Because you like to be self-supportive and work for your cash, if I get my money by begging or if a friend or family member helps me out I have to share with YOU, who are self sufficient. If you're so self-sufficient then buy your own damn weed.


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## mymotherisafish (Nov 24, 2014)

Johnny P said:


> Why do you feel entitled to ANYTHING that anybody else has? If somebody wants to share regardless of how they got their money, they will.
> 
> So, Because you like to be self-supportive and work for your cash, if I get my money by begging or if a friend or family member helps me out I have to share with YOU, who are self sufficient. If you're so self-sufficient then buy your own damn weed.


No, of course you dont HAVE to give me jack shit. What im saying is those that are fortunate enough to have family to help them out should be willing to help out those that aren't as fortunate. I dont care if someone panhandles or works for their money, no one owes anything to anyone else, but they should at least be willing to help out others. I think you are missing the point of my post.


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## Tude (Nov 24, 2014)

Huh, of the couch surfers I've had here and the travelers I've met on the street - as well as the home bums - have not met anyone with the golden spoon from the family actually. I've met people who are traveling and making a living on the street or living in the wilderness or traveling though but I have not met anyone yet with that golden spoon. Just people trying to make a go at what they enjoy doing, or have to do because they have too. And hey a hand out and help by a family member is always welcomed - I help out people too.

Not sure where your anger is pointed at here - do you see this here? From what I understand bunch of people here kick down to others in need - seen it myself several times and it's a good thing (to quote Martha Stewart).

OK, I have read some crappy articles where some jackasseses who are off spanging or flying a sign and getting some decent money and then getting in their car and leaving making believe they are "homeless" and are just getting some free money - yeah they are asses. But here I highly doubt you will see that here. It's survival mode here and making forward and/or doing how they really want and have to live.


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## deleted user (Nov 24, 2014)

money comes and gos, i agree its better to share with others, better memories. I would say keep it refined to those who will pool their own, pay it forward, or it as a one time thing. build bonds don't bond to bills. it only matters in a friendship/acquaintanceship, if you put something forward with it understood they would do the same and they don't, fuck them. nobody needs to do it but they should if they can.


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## deleted user (Nov 24, 2014)

in short who cares if someone has something, when their dead they will be surrounded by what they did not what they held on for themselves


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## Tude (Nov 24, 2014)

^^^ you sound like a wise ole sage there sir


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## Odin (Nov 25, 2014)

.... As usual Im a bit lush... but I think it should come down to this... 
BE both... BE generous... and BE a beggar. 
If you can kick down.... do so... if not... if you are lacking...don' be ashamed to ask for help... 

And for the scamsters... well... your lack of integrity does not reflect on your benefactors... and perhaps... somehow on your journey your ways will teach you a lesson...


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## Matt Derrick (Nov 25, 2014)

mymotherisafish said:


> Over the years, ive met many a traveler who have the whole attitude of "fuck kids who have parents who give them money" attitude. That's fine, but most of these same travelers have no problem begging on street corners taking money from complete strangers. Seems like a double standard to me . I personally like to be self-supportive and work for my cash, plus my parents have never had enough money to even give me an allowance as a kid, let alone now. My only thing is if you have family who is rich enough to support you on the road, help out other travelers. Buy me an eighth of bud or something. What do y'all think?



i understand what you're saying, and i do think a few people are misinterpreting what you're saying, since it probably could have been phrased a bit better, but i get your gist.

first off, it seems like every traveler kid and their mom has a story about some kid that was pretending to be poor and wasn't; like they caught them going to the atm or some such story... personally, i've never met such an individual, and frankly i think the whole 'crust fund kid' thing is mostly a myth.

that doesn't mean it's never happened, or will never happen, but the point is that it's never going to happen enough that it's going to be more of an impact on our lives that some 3rd or 4th person over heard rumor. and that kinda stuff to me might as well not even exist (hence, my declaration of it being a myth).

just like people that love to regurgitate the story of the guy that flies a sign all day then gets into his mercedes benz to drive home; but they'll never bother to see if it's true, or call out the person telling the story. so we get this endless mythological game of telephone where no one verifies the facts (that probably weren't there in the first place) to the point where it becomes a legend.

and like most legends, maybe, if you're lucky, about 1% of it is true.

now, @mymotherisafish , if you're asking whether it's better to be a 'crust fund kid' or a spanger perfectly capable of working, it depends on your intention. ive seen people that need the money; i've seen people that don't, but do it anyways cause they like free money and don't mind bumming from people that work for it. personally, i don't think the latter are much better than the 'crust fund kid' but they'll sure as hell be the first people to tell you about that time they caught someone at the atm with their mommy's bank card.

the hypocrisy of the travel scene can kinda suck sometimes.


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## mymotherisafish (Nov 25, 2014)

Matt Derrick said:


> i understand what you're saying, and i do think a few people are misinterpreting what you're saying, since it probably could have been phrased a bit better, but i get your gist.
> 
> first off, it seems like every traveler kid and their mom has a story about some kid that was pretending to be poor and wasn't; like they caught them going to the atm or some such story... personally, i've never met such an individual, and frankly i think the whole 'crust fund kid' thing is mostly a myth.
> 
> ...


Yep, I think you got what I was trying to say. Definitely could have phrased it better looking back. Basically, if you're spanging for your money dont hate on those so called "crust fund" kids cause you're in the same boat! And again, I dont care about either one, people can get their money however they like


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## deleted user (Nov 25, 2014)

Beauty pageants and prison are billion dollar industries, its a free for all.


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## Kim Chee (Nov 25, 2014)

I usually don't give too much thought about how somebody gets their cash. I do take notice when I see somebody who could be a bum (spanging, flying a sign) instead chooses to actually work when it is available and provide some entertainment or a service like pulling weeds or digging in the trash for recyclables.

As for people who are fortunate enough to get a handout from family? I'm sure it has been the cause of a few fights no matter how small the amount. There are all kinds of other places in the world to be if you feel that what another person owns is yours.


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## Johnny P (Nov 25, 2014)

I've never met anybody with the "golden spoon" either. I had a girlfriend once that had the "golden spoon" but that was years ago and she was still in college. I HAVE met travelers with Bank Accounts, but they are usually pretty empty. A lot of travelers work seasonally and don't want to carry around the entire pay from a harvest i their shoe. Doesn't mean they are well off. I have also met some travelers who will occasionally get a "westie" (Western Union) from Mom or an Aunt or a friend, but it doesn't seem to happen all the time. 

I'm a generous one. If I somehow end up with a decent chunk of change in my pocket that I made either from begging, or a gift from someone, etc. I generally will kickdown. I'll give dollars to homebums, fivers to buskers, and I will drink up, smoke up, and feed any traveler kid (that I like) who is around. But I usually don't hang out in places where there are tons of kids, bums, and buskers around so I get to spend all my money on me, my cur, and my road dog (if I have one at the time!) 

It's funny, whenever I pass through a town where there is a larger Bum population, I always get spanged. I will be dirty just off a train carrying my pack and have my dog with me, all lookin broke and dirty as all hell and I will still get spanged! If I have a little scratch or some change, I'll give it away. Karma I guess. What goes around comes around. 

When I was still a greenhorn I met these tramps in Cheyenne who were super cool. They could tell I was fresh but accepted me non the less. One of them said something to me that has always resonated with me when I am traveleing. He said, "I don't care if you hitchhike, ride freights everywhere, or if your Mom buys you Amtrak and Greyhound tickets all across the country, If you're cool and respectful, you are cool and respectful and I will hang out with you and share some booze, food and company. We're all still gettin around" 

What about the tramps & travelers that are Veterans and collect a monthly check from the VA? DO you expect them to break you off a chunk of what they have too?


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## deleted user (Nov 25, 2014)

Well put


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## sucuri (Nov 25, 2014)

@Johnnyp said it right. You aren't entitled to anything of mine and I'm not entitled to anything of yours. However somebody gets their money on the road is entirely irrelevant. If you're cool and we get along, I'll be happy to share whatever I've got with you, as I generally have at least enough for some wine and a few salgados at the end of the day. Hell, I've had road dogs that travel with me for weeks and don't make hardly anything, or really try, but I split everything I got with them because they're my road dog and I like them. But if you're an asshole I'm not giving you shit even if I've got a thousand bucks in my shoe.

What does annoy me is the occasional "gap year" backpacker who I will sometimes hitchhike with that dosen't want to kick down for whatever we have to buy. Like I said I make anough on the road to feed two easily, but these kids come down here for six months and have got five thousand euros in their bank account. And they don't wanna go halfsies on a bottle of booze or a dime bag. I mean if they won't be partaking, fine, but they almost always are partaking. I work hard to rustle up my money and the fact that I'm a continent away from home and don't even have a bank account means yeah, if you're one of those hostel hoppers and you wanna travel with me, you're gonna be expected to help out sometimes.


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## Kal (Nov 25, 2014)

I have never flown a sign but I have no problems with those who do and have given them money or food when I had it.
I am a firm believer that what goes around comes around so lets try to get along with each other. The world would be a better place if we would just share with each other.


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## RnJ (Nov 25, 2014)

"crust fund" is really just a way that some poor kids make grasps as their own self-righteousness by talking like every traveler has to spend their last nickles on booze and drugs and a marker for writing on cardboard. Mostly, that's what it means.


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## Odin (Nov 25, 2014)

money don't have no value... 

what you do with it 

thats where you find real value...

you can use a knife to chop a salad... fillet a fish and feed somebody... 

or you can use it for violence

same thing applies to money

if I've got scratch... lets eat and smoke up.

Peace.


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## Matt Derrick (Nov 26, 2014)

sucuri said:


> @Johnnyp said it right. You aren't entitled to anything of mine and I'm not entitled to anything of yours. However somebody gets their money on the road is entirely irrelevant. If you're cool and we get along, I'll be happy to share whatever I've got with you, as I generally have at least enough for some wine and a few salgados at the end of the day. Hell, I've had road dogs that travel with me for weeks and don't make hardly anything, or really try, but I split everything I got with them because they're my road dog and I like them.



i totally agree with you on this, and that's pretty much how i roll, which can get expensive sometimes, but i don't mind. it's definitely good road karma.


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## pigpen (Nov 26, 2014)

I've seen a couple people say "I've never met anyone who had the silver spoon" and I'd like to point out that most people who come from money don't bring it up or will even sometimes straight up try to deny that shit. What pisses me off is people flying signs with "broke and hungry" or some shit when they could just as easily hit up their family for money. It's one thing if your family disowned you or some shit but if they're willing to help support you but you'd rather spange and take money from people who literally can't do anything else, that's some oogle shit. If you're 22 and in good health, find a hustle or get a job for a couple weeks, it's not that fucking hard.


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## sucuri (Nov 26, 2014)

pigpen said:


> I've seen a couple people say "I've never met anyone who had the silver spoon" and I'd like to point out that most people who come from money don't bring it up or will even sometimes straight up try to deny that shit. What pisses me off is people flying signs with "broke and hungry" or some shit when they could just as easily hit up their family for money. It's one thing if your family disowned you or some shit but if they're willing to help support you but you'd rather spange and take money from people who literally can't do anything else, that's some oogle shit. If you're 22 and in good health, find a hustle or get a job for a couple weeks, it's not that fucking hard.



OK, I disagree with you here. Just because someone's family has money doesn't mean that they feel comfortable hitting them up for it. Maybe they're not disowned but it's one thing to live off Mommy and Daddy's cash, another to be spanging and if someone wants to give than they give, if not than OK. And come on, taking money from those that can literally do nothing else? Are there cats flying signs outside every Wal-Mart in America? And just because you're 32 and in good health dosen't mean YOU can't find a hustle or get a job for a few weeks -- after all it's not that fucking hard is it :/ Or are you just referring to homebums in a wheelchair who can't even remember breakfast? Are they the only ones allowed to spange or fly a sign?

I come from a middle class family and if they really wanted to they could give me some money now and then. But they don't. Why? Because a) I don't ask b) I don't need it and c) they understand that. I'm not a big spanger in fact I almost never do it. I sell keychains I make and other things out of wire, and I busk. With that I make more than enough to live. But this classist bullshit of "you can't spange because your parents are rich" is not cool man. Maybe we want nothing to do with our parent's money -- and I think that in itself has some merit. There's plenty of corners to spange and plenty of places to fly a sign. Nobody's "taking money" from anybody. I've seen plenty of spots where someone could be spanging, but instead those kids that have "no other option" are wasted on the sidewalk. OK then, my turn...


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## Johnny P (Nov 27, 2014)

This always turns back to the Travelers who beg vs. Travelers who don't beg and seem to be hostile towards those that do.


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## pigpen (Nov 27, 2014)

sucuri said:


> I've seen plenty of spots where someone could be spanging, but instead those kids that have "no other option" are wasted on the sidewalk. OK then, my turn...


When I said people who have no other option, I meant more along the lines of elderly people who've been foreclosed on, people with severe PTSD, combat vet's who cant get into a VA clinic or get a check because they went awol or were dishonorably discharged. I wasn't talking about schwilly kids...

"But this classist bullshit of "you can't spange because your parents are rich" is not cool man. Maybe we want nothing to do with our parent's money -- and I think that in itself has some merit."

If you want to feel good about yourself for begging strangers instead of begging your parents, go for it, but how the fuck is there any merit in that? Also I never said people from privileged backgrounds couldn't spange. I don't really give a shit what you do. It is awfully kind of you to want to stick up for the willfully destitute twenty somethings from middle classed backgrounds though, they get a bad rep.


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## pigpen (Nov 27, 2014)

sucuri said:


> And just because you're 32 and in good health dosen't mean YOU can't find a hustle or get a job for a few weeks -- after all it's not that fucking hard is it :/



Are you implying that I don't work for my money? I can't imagine how you would have any idea where I get mine, but it's not from spanging or a trust fund. I have made thousands of dollars flying signs and I've worked my ass off for shitty pay, personally I'd rather work than spange at this point in my life.


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## wolf angel (Nov 27, 2014)

My mom helps me with money from time to time. I'm honest about what I'm going to spend it on. Lots went intogreyhound but some went into booze and ciggs, the rest all food but with ebt and cheep food all over the place, loads of money is uaully.just convenience. I'm not against that.

The only thing that bugs me, is when people play a game about it and act like they are homeless and poor and NEED to do certain things for money, then soon off with some cat who takes care of them (I've had that happen twice with two different girls) all the while with a fully funded credit card and more then one home.

Granted I've been in a house for a couples weeks with a friend but even then I work off my stay here with physical labor, most of the time. No ones taking care of me on the regular and when they do I'm not ashamed to admit it.

If you're going to do anything in life do it without being ashamed of it. I don't feel like anyone needs to impress anyone else.


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## Beegod Santana (Nov 27, 2014)

Amongst the deadhead/phish/burningman/EDM/festy scenes trust-a-farians are pretty common. I've met more than a few over the years. As far as the crusty/dirty/traincore/whatever kid going around hopping trains and spanging people when they really have a huge bank account goes, I can't say I've ever actually encountered one. A friend once told me her ex was a dirty rainbow kid with a huge trust fund that he didn't spend for some reason and instead went around hopping trains and flying signs, but I never met the guy.

Personally I feel that whenever you're blessed with an abundance that came to you with little effort it's ultimately in your best interest to share that abundance with those who are in need. Suffering is caused by desire, full fill the basic desires of those immediately around you and your gonna see a lot less suffering. Do you owe it them? No, but your day might just go a little better if you help em out.

Is begging for money all day and then being pissed off at someone with a trust fund a double standard? Not really, it's just being envious. Is that person with the trust fund required to share with you? No, but they might still do it, and being a dick to them probably ain't gonna help your cause.


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## SnakeOilWilly (Nov 28, 2014)

The way I see it you don't need a whole lot of money to hitch/hop trains so really having a "crust fund" doesn't seem to realistic. Maybe with deadheads/phish-fans/groupies-of-whatever-band-is-touring-right-now, but not train hoppers. you get the occasional rich kid trying to hitch a ride while lugging a $300 Gregory pack and $1000 in gear but other than that the "crust fund" thing is a myth. that's just my $.02.


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## Mankini (Dec 8, 2014)

I'm a broke ass but I carry top quality gear. I got a used Arcteryx pack in Aspen for $60, which sells new for over $300. Now people see my pack and other stuff and think I'm well off. LOL It's just that I've had so much experimentation with gear. -Right gear, wrong gear, what survives the kind of abuse I throw at it and what doesn't. Over the years I've collected some good shit that has not failed me. I was living around a lot of homeless people in the past year who carry practical stuff-but usually a tarp, blankets, or a cheap sleeping bag. I spent most of what I earned doing temp construction on good shit. I guess most people would who live the lifestyle.


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## Deleted member 2626 (Dec 8, 2014)

I live and travel out of a car on and off and work for my money and never ask family for a dollar or anything really but I'm sure there will be Christmas money when I get home before then. I like to do whatever I can for my family especially the older ones and they know I need dough to get by a bit so there's that. I share when I can and help out people too. I stay in motels sometimes and sleep in my car sure I could ask for money from mommy so I don't HAVE to sleep outside but there's a difference like said getting money handed to you which is alrite, in correct context too ,then spanging with a fat bank and not needed to do that


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## kidbob (Dec 8, 2014)

So the closest ive been to "crustfund kid" was my self 2 yrs ago.
I decided to quit my job and take the couple grand i had saved up and go on a vagrant vacation to p-cola.
I brought my funds not so i could live high on the hog..but to bring some happiness to ppl who needed it more than i do and help a few wary travelers out along the way
Maybe that was my mistake.wanting to help ppl who are under a bridge cause its"the crusty thing to do" 
i met many a homebum and traveler alike.as well as many a "scene kid"(lookin the part and actin like it.but been there forever and aint goin nowhere)(future homebums i guess)
let me explain i also think i suffer from "palamino syndrome"
im not from upper class or middle,
govmnt assistance and low income housing has always been a part of my life! well that was untill i learned a trade.developed a viable skill set that makes serius money(it grows on trees man! cut one down and watch $$$ pop out)and found a way to become productive in my life.
Any way i saved up alot of money and felt like shit.felt worthless.more destitute than my last night in nola the night of hurricane katrina. Cause here i was buyin a shit ton of non important items(video games,drugs,payin for friends way on outings and just in general ballin like a boss) and it wasnt that long ago i had nothing and was scum of my family for traveling.so here i am feeling like shit because ive come so far but still aint DONE nothing really.i had a truck and paid my bills and took care of me and i dunno.i just didnt feel gratefull for my own accompishments(reason i say i think i got palamino)
so i set out on a mission to make myself feel better.i sold my truck and updated my gear(because of ten yrs on and off the road id learned by my self what was good and bad and worth carrying) and set out on a mission to "help the homeless" 
so hitch from my small town of fayetteville to decatur and then ride train from decatur to p-cola.
Along the way i met a couple ppl that really needed help with sleeping bags and tents and one guy who genuinly needed a casket(he had a brain disease(five-points b-ham) 
So i helped a few ppl out along my way. But really what i did was help enable a bunch more than i helped out.
I only spent 300 on actual "come up supllies" the rest went to beer and weed (600 worth) and i was broke by the time i got to mobile.
I was ok with that because my intentions was full on vagrant vacation in p-cola and i knew how to survive on the beach.its easy.too easy.

But i have never come across anybody who had a credit card that wasnt made out of cardboard.i met a couple traveling kids who been fucked up hitchiking and run over and now they get ssi disability but its no trust fund.

Ive hurd tell of a couple travelers gettin fat ass kickdowns of a hundred or more.i my self got dragged to a tittie bar by the devil and he spent 80 on lapdances just for me.

And ive seen travelers with a phone good for a yr or the bill is paid by a family member or they got a friend who really cares about them and sends em 20 on the regular.and i even met MOSES whos a train rider who had a entire fortune willed to him from an uncle.hes got a six bedroom house in florida and was one of the first riders to carry a laptop and gps in his bag,but he still flys signs and lives life on the road(he flops the bedrooms out to travelers) this is not hear say...dude was on a talkshow one day about it.and like i said..I HAVE MET HIM.SHOOK HANDS WITH HIM.SHArED BLISS.REPAIRED HIS OL LADYS JEWELERY.
He doesnt know any other life tho.30+ yrs on the road and never had or wanted anything more than that.
Another dude named "cotton" in p-cola has a massive nest egg from his daughter...but once again..40+ yrs of life flyin a sign for beer money amd he doesnt know anything else.
I met a dude in arizona one day who told me imma be the next tommy hillfigure or someshit.gonna own a strip mall with designer cloths and he gonna see me and remember me and imma hook him up with new shoes that change his life....ok wtf dude!!? 

I dont think "if u got it u should share it" i think that if u see somebody who needs genuine help.and its in yer means to make a differance,big or small,in somebodys life,that u should do that. 

But dont enable ppl
And i feel i did alot of that after birmingham.got so caught up in "helpin ppl" i lost sight of what real help was.
Gettin drunk and gettin high isnt help.. Helping forget why or what got u in ur situation doesnt make things better.when u wake up,ur still where u were when u went to sleep.
I got this thing where if ur out there for more than a few mnths ur just really not trying to do anything with ur life.im not speakin about travelers really just bums(home,transient alike)

dont feed me a sob story of how u been here 6mnths cant find a job and smell like piss and booze and throwup is in ur beard


So with all that said
I think i agree with the crust fund theory being a myth

Now as far as that motherfucker gettin in her van and driving back to her 4 bedroom house and kids and husband all the while pretending to be sick with mulitple scillorsis or some shit...find her...break her legs..send incriminating pictures to her husband and the police and shit on her porch.many times!!! runny whisky shits! wanna play homeless...here you go!


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## Odin (Dec 8, 2014)

kidbob said:


> "palamino syndrome"



whats that? I tried looking it up but couldn't find it specifically.


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## kidbob (Dec 8, 2014)

Odin said:


> whats that? I tried looking it up but couldn't find it specifically.




TBH 
I cant remember where i read it.either here or @the oogle farm of [email protected]

Basicly from what i got of it was 
There was a rash of kids from like palomino california or some shit
(the supposed crust fund kids i guess)
Who come from money 
and had the easy posh life
And ended up crustin up and travelin 
So that they could give their life meanin and substance and value and character
Apperantly some of these kids fucked it up real bad for the avg travel kid and i dunno..did more harm to the wanderlust lifestyle then good.
I dunno i read it somewhere...and i was like...thats me...with out the bein rich and fuckin it up part lol 
It was originaly said in a negative demeanor towards these kids..i dont think it was supposed to be a good thing : (


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## Odin (Dec 8, 2014)

kidbob said:


> TBH
> I cant remember where i read it.either here or @the oogle farm of [email protected]



Awww... I see. My lack of ooglish knowledge was showing... haha. Well I have never claimed to be one... but one can only hope some day. ::eyepatch::
Thanks for s'plaining.


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## Mankini (Nov 29, 2015)

Many people can use survival equipment. Give stuff away, upgrade your own stuff, work some more, repeat cycle!


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## landpirate (Jan 30, 2016)

moved to people and cultures


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## chet (Jun 21, 2016)

Other people's' money is none of your business. Period. If you get upset over someone's financial situation, whatever it may be, then you're just proof of the corruptive potential of money.


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## Kim Chee (Jun 21, 2016)

chet said:


> Other people's' money is none of your business. Period. If you get upset over someone's financial situation, whatever it may be, then you're just proof of the corruptive potential of money.



I'm going to assume that since you did not quote anybody that you are referring to the op's post.

Do you really think it is ok for somebody who gets enough money from their parents to get by to busk or spange (do your hustle) next to you and cut your income in half?


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## autumn (Jul 6, 2016)

In my experience, the people who are concerned about this are the people you should stay away from. They usually don't understand how the world works. Did you know, if you actually work for your money, you might not want to carry $500 in your pocket? Did you know you don't need a million dollars to open a bank account?  I have a bank account and it has exactly $0.04 in it, and yet I've been accused of being wealthy by crustlords based on the fact that I own a debit card. In actuality, I've rarely had more than a few hundred dollars to my name, ended up traveling to escape from my abusive home, and have very rarely gotten money from anyone I pesonally know. Now, I don't have any family, everyone that is blood related to me is dead, with the exception of my mother who is on medicare in an alzheimers ward and thinks I'm someone named Thomas. And I'm sure those two tardnuggets continue to tell stories about my riches.

It's true that these discussions usually devolve into people who spange vs people who don't. Here's a different perspective though:

I don't think there's anything wrong with spanging. I don't think there's anything wrong with working. I don't think there would be anything wrong with the mythical "crust fund kid." I would have a problem with said mythical person spanging, but that person doesn't exist, has never existed, and will never exist.

The real issue here, I think, is that people who only spange feel entitled to other peoples money, specifically travelers. I work when I can and I spange when I have to. I save my money and I have nice things because I don't spend $1,000 a month on beer. Right now I spend most of my time ripping off large corporations. I have a literal pile of expensive electronics sitting in the corner of my living space that I still need to sell on eBay. And soon enough I'll be back on the road.

I like travelers who are respectful of others. Those are the people I help out. I'm fortunate enough to have a skillset that I can utilize to get money pretty easily. Others aren't as fortunate, but they're respectful and don't feel that I owe them anything. I'm happy to give kickdowns to those people. I don't give anything to entitled crustlords and that probably further entrenches them in their entitlement complex.

I think there's always an underlying theme of "woe is me" in these stories, and that's a pretty damning indication of the truth. If you only spange to buy beer, cigarettes, and drugs, haven't worked a job in your life, and surround yourself with people who have a similar mindset, it's probably pretty easy to get high on self-pity and invent colorful ways that others have wronged you. When in reality, they just saved some money, bought a nice backpack, and now people are assuming they're rich.

I've run into a handful of people with these assumptions, mentality and stories. They have all been the stereotype. No respect for themselves or other people, shout shit at people for no reason, say things like "I'm gonna smoke till I die cause I don't care about my life" (literal quote from someone), etc. They were also wannabe traincore, when they weren't yelling dumb shit at yuppies or sexually harassing women, they were bragging about how fast trains were going when they got on/off, dumb train stunts that could've very easily gotten them killed, etc. I don't think it's a coincidence.

Can anyone honestly say they've met someone who told high tales of trustafarians, who wasn't the perfect stereotype of what "oogle" used to mean?


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## autumn (Jul 8, 2016)

SnakeOilWilly said:


> The way I see it you don't need a whole lot of money to hitch/hop trains so really having a "crust fund" doesn't seem to realistic. Maybe with deadheads/phish-fans/groupies-of-whatever-band-is-touring-right-now, but not train hoppers. you get the occasional rich kid trying to hitch a ride while lugging a $300 Gregory pack and $1000 in gear but other than that the "crust fund" thing is a myth. that's just my $.02.



You want $1,300 in gear? Hold a minimum wage job for a month. Is that the new crust punk standard for 'rich'? I guess I'm a member of the ruling class now.

I don't pay rent, I have no expenses except food... if you can work a job for two weeks, or find some way to make money, you can pull together the cash for nice gear. I value my health and comfort more than punk points, and you should do the same.

I've heard people bragging about trench foot before... but that goes back to my previous post. Wearing milsurp boots is the 'cool' and 'punk rock' thing to do, right? If you care about your feet at all, you're going to have nice boots. I've run into plenty of travelers who have Red Wings. Are they rich too? Afterall, they have $300 boots, and that means at some point, they decided to invest in their health instead of inebriation... heretical rich kids.

At what point does someone become rich? They held a job for 80 working hours, and didn't blow it all on booze and heroin?

You're silly.


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## iflewoverthecuckoosnest (Jul 15, 2016)

It's not that hard to have a chunk of cash on the road. Work for one or two months. 800+ bucks, easily. We don't pay rent out here, so that money can go a long way. You also don't need much to have a debit card, and considering how often things get lost or stolen on the road, I prefer to entrust 4 months of hard earned money to a bank rather than my left sock.
I think that the trustafarian myth is born out of jealousy, which is really silly when you consider that many of the original hobos were migrant workers who probably had chunks of money from time to time.
Now, I'm not waging war on spanging. There are times when I am out of money and in between gigs. No shame in asking for help when you really need it. I also travel with folks who need to spange, and I'm more than happy to help 'em fly or ask places for extra rice/beans. I'm also more than happy to pool my cash with them and buy us hot meals, beer, and the occasional hotel room, so long as they share their kick downs


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## travmhid (Aug 12, 2016)

I'm one of those hobos with a $300 Gregory backpack... and you know what? It's fucking awesome. It's far better than the 30+ year old external frame it replaced. But news flash, I'm not rich. As the last few posters have said, it really doesn't take long to get up the money for decent gear--a fact which should be obvious given how much money some travelers spend on alcohol and smokes each week. With a decent spange game you can make far more money than I will doing odd jobs.

With this in mind, walking around in crusty clothes and patches _is a choice._ Sleeping under a tarp with nothing but cardboard to protect you _is a choice._ And if that's what you want to do, sweet, I can respect it. But I never looked good in patches, so I've got some farm job money saved up and I'm compiling a list of gear I want to buy. Proper boots to replace the 2-sizes-too-large freebie shoes I've got now; hiking/climbing pants to replace the muggy/water-absorbing jeans I've got on; a wool base layer; a sleeping bag that'll actually keep me warm when temperatures drop below 60F; a rain jacket that will protect me from wind, rain, and snow without drowning me in sweat; an insulated jacket so warm and cozy you'd shit yourself.

Afterwards, no doubt some crust punk will think I'm just some rich kid slummin' it up for thrills. Oh well. I'll know better. And as for actual rich kids posing as poverty-stricken travelers, I can't say I've ever knowingly run into one.


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