Please note: I looked for the pictures of my prized possessions that I sold off such as my college ring, ipod, tv,etc. but I had already deleted them from my computer.I do not do any type of drug nor do I drink for purposes of this story.

This is my story: In December  I lost my job due to the poor economy. I had seen this as a possibility in October so I stopped going out to eat and started eating peanut butter and jelly regularly.

I started selling things in mid December a little at a time. I used ebay and craigslist. The fees on ebay are too much, to be honest in some cases I was paying people to take stuff off my hands!!! So I exclusively started using craigslist.

As I wasn't getting anywhere with getting a job I was selling more and more things. I started dropping prices really low just to get some cash for my bills, to eat, etc. Anyone that has used CL before knows it can be a hit or miss thing. The last item I sold was my UCF 2004 class ring. I ended up getting $160 for it even though I paid about $600 for it. A Cuban man who collects gold things and let's them sit around bought it from me. He did say if things turn around for me that he would sell it back to me at the same price.

Well, March 1st came and I had no money. So I had no rent. The person I am renting from told me it was nothing personal just business.  While that doesn't help me much I didn't try and ask for any favors. So now here I am, a US Army vet with a college degree finds himself with nowhere to go and no job to go to.

The tricky part is finding somewhere to sleep at night. The part of Miami I live in called Doral, has no trespassing signs all over the place. Obviously, I am not trying to get into trouble but I do need somewhere to lay my head. In the morning I head out to public storage to where the things I can't carry and I haven't sold yet are stored. Then I grab that day's clothes and head to the gym. Yes, I am still a member of a gym paying $50 a month that is automatically taken out of my account because I didn't expect things to get this far. I work out and then I grab a hot shower. Then I look for work in any area. I even applied for a $7 per hour warehouse job(FL minimum wage is $7.21 btw).

I never expected after spending 4 years defending my country and getting a higher educaction that I would be on the streets. With no drug problem or drinking problem it doesn't seem possible. I am not feeling sorry for myself or asking people for special favors. That just isn't my style. If it were perhaps I  would still be living where I was prior to March 1. The only things I have left are some clothes, my laptop which I may sell in the next few days(I have an Ad on CL) and my cell phone.

Hopefully, if anyone reads this they will know that they are not the only people going through difficult times. I am hopeful that something positive will happen soon because at 30 years old I feel like I am washed up.