History Main / PerpetualPoverty

* ''Manga/MajinTanteiNougamiNeuro'': Yako, to the point there are several chapters dedicated to her trying (and failing) to win some money to pay off some crippling debt. The work never clears up how much she and Neuro get paid for the cases they solve, specially the ones the duo happens to [[BusmansHoliday stumble across]] but it seems to imply it's a just a combination of [[{{Troll}} Neuro]] wasting all the money in some inconsequential stuff and then [[BadBoss footing the bill to Yako]] and [[BigEater Yako]] herself ordering the occasional 12 course banquet at some fancy restaurant what seems to deplete their funds.

* ''Manga/GreatTeacherOnizuka'': Onizuka may have a steady job, but he's still living paycheck to paycheck, and often tries a GetRichQuickScheme or two to get money fast. In ''Manga/ShonanJunaiGumi'', it was impossible for him to hold down a job because he kept beating up rude customers.

* Hunger becomes a key part of the plot in Episode 2 of ''VideoGame/TheWalkingDead'', but that episode is the only one where the characters get a decent amount of food, which they lose by the next episode. Despite hunger often being mentioned, the only food the characters ''ever'' find throughout the rest of the series are nothing more than snacks. One character in the whole game has starved to death, and he was a minor walker, who died offscreen.

* Marshall Law from ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' went from a successful businessman into someone so broke that his only chance to recover financially was to win the tournament, which canonically never happened (the most he received was some "financial assistance" from Yoshimitsu and the Manji Party after they looted Ganryu during the events of the first game), and [[PlayedForLaughs we're instead treated with hilarity with how he could never escape his poverty]]. Even in his non-canon endings where he does win the tournament, something happens that causes him to lose all his money. For example, in Tekken 4, he started a successful chain of Chinese restaurants, but then when a customer [[BerserkButton insulted his cooking]] he beat up everyone in the restaraunt in a blind rage and [[HilaritySues got hit with so many lawsuits]] he went bankrupt again.

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* Kenny [=McCormick=] of ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' is impoverished to the point of eating frozen waffles and bread sandwiches on a regular basis. Yet somehow, they are able to afford a halfway decent computer with a ''VideoGame/WorldOfWarcraft'' subscription, ''a brand new PSP'', and a ''freaking Xbox One'' during Black Friday.

* "Still Fly" by the Big Tymers is about a guy who can't even afford everyday stuff because he [[WhatAnIdiot wasted all his money on fancy cars, clothes, jewelry, and entertaining (married) women.]]

* The ''Anime/CowboyBebop'' crew spend every single episode complaining about their lack of food, fuel and money -- to the point where they end up eating dog food and ages-old rations. Despite usually failing to capture a bounty in almost every episode, they never actually starve -- although one episode does show them not only out of both money and food but out of fuel as well, a situation which gets remedied mostly by accident. And when they actually do get a bounty head, either [[YankTheDogsChain some circumstance will conspire to ensure that they don't get anything for it]], or [[DestructiveSaviour the repair, medical and other bills from the massive destruction they caused going after bounties will cancel out whatever money they made]]. And, on top of it all, [[MsFanservice Faye]] is shown to be a gambler and an occasional thief.

* In WebVideo/OutsideXbox's ''TabletopGame/DungeonsAndDragons'' campaign, the group never has any money because, for [[RuleOfFunny some godsforsaken reason]], they keep leaving it in the charge of Dob, the mildly unhinged half-orc bard, who does things like vastly overpay for goods services, donate large sums to random animals, and throw all his money in lakes as a tribute to nature. Corazón, the rogue, used to crash-tackle him on a regular basis to stop this, but at this point Andy seems to have just given up and tries to work around it.

** At one point in "Hanna Banana" when Chris is showing a video to try and prove the Evil Monkey's existence, among other things shown is Lois stealing from Chris' wallet, showing that the the Griffins might not be able to really financially support each other.

* ''Anime/VariableGeo'': Satomi's had to support herself and [[IllBoy her brother, Daisuke]], ever since their parents died in a car accident. But, because of [[SoapOperaDisease Daisuke's condition]] and the cost of his medical expenses, she's had to work two jobs and barely makes enough for them to live on. Which is how [[NebulousEvilOrganization The Jahana Group]] manipulates her into joining the VG tournament.

* [[ComicBook/DisneyDucksComicUniverse Donald Duck]] is an even older example than TheSimpsons. Somehow, circumstances always conspire to keep him from any riches he may find in the course of the stories.

* An especially JustForFun/{{egregious}} example of this trope is found in ''TabletopGame/WarhammerFantasyRoleplay'', seeing as the 2nd edition of the game, as it got more and more supplements, got exact prices on every damn expensive thing the creators could think of. The most expensive object in the game would be a best craftsmanship galleon, which following game rules costs a stunning 120 THOUSAND gold crowns in a game where players have much better odds scavenging their equipment than working to make enough money to actually afford pistols or plate armour - both of which at common craftsmanship cost almost 1/500 of the galleon. Yeah... it's basically just a {{Take That}} to players.
** Fourth edition [[EnforcedTrope enforces this trope]]: When characters return from an adventure, they're first allowed to sell off any loot they found and buy whatever items they can get with the money. Next, they can perform the 'banking' endeavour to stash away whatever is left (be it in an actual bank or by burying it, leaving it with a trusted friend, or similar). Any money not spent or banked is automatically lost before the start of the next adventure, with the players expected to come up with a roleplaying reason for how it was spent (paying down debts your debts to [[LoanShark Bruno Ballcrusher]], sent back to the family, wasted on wine, women and amateur theatre, etc). If given a week, characters are allowed to make skill rolls to earn money using their class skill, but for the most part it's little more than a cover for living expenses unless you're of a ''very'' high social status. This pretty much ensures that financial incentives will be able to drag the players back on the road.

* In the ''TabletopGame/NewWorldOfDarkness'', player characters are assumed to have the means to meet their basic needs. The "Resources" [[SkillScoresAndPerks Merit]] represents ''disposable'' income and assets, so a PC without any points in Resources isn't necessarily destitute, just unable to make any significant expenses in gameplay.

* Dr. Zoidberg on ''WesternAnimation/{{Futurama}}'' is always poor, hungry, and lonely. Something of a BelatedBackstory, as he was none of these things in the first season. When told most doctors are, in fact, rich, he refuses to believe it. His poverty is at least partly because he is very bad with money, and he doesn't have too much trouble with food as he can eat [[ExtremeOmnivore practically anything]]. That and he's a particularly bad doctor who doesn't know human biology despite them making up nearly all his patients. He's paid about as well as he performs.

* Deconstructed in ''Manga/RamenFighterMiki'': Miki has little money, no TV or video games... because she is TheSlacker sponging out his mother. Kayahara Sensei tries to be a SaveOurStudents teacher who is so depressed that only manages to be TheDreaded among her students... her room is completely empty except for a calendar and a TV she won at a contest. Maybe she has a LimitedWardrobe because her jumpsuit is her only clothes.

* Bob of ''WesternAnimation/BobsBurgers'' never seems to make any money off his business, and has stated that he's never actually paid his landlord rent on time. The fact that they continue to be forgiven on missing payments is odd considering their landlord is so greedy he tears nuts and bolts out of roller coasters while people are still on them. It was explained away in a season one episode: [[spoiler:Mister Fischeoder is [[EccentricMillionaire incredibly eccentric]], and he is much more lenient with Bob's rent because he reminds him of his father, and because he considers Bob more interested in creating food than making money; "A Beef-artist! A Befartist! You're like a greasy, heterosexual Walt Whitman!"]]

* Basically everyone in Series/TrailerParkBoys.

* Not quite as severe day to day (but with a worse overall situation given the population difference) was ''Series/{{Battlestar Galactica|2003}}'', which also included several episodes attempting to get enough food, water and fuel to keep surviving. The ships were constantly getting more damaged and even the clothes getting worn out, and even when they had enough supplies to get by it was still eking out a miserable existence in rooms the size of closets (if you were lucky enough to get a room -- very few did even among the senior crew, Admiral Adama being a notable exception) with nothing much to relieve the crushing monotony and basic nature of their lives, eating algae processed muck as a staple. It comes as no surprise they always made sure they had plenty of booze around. Much like the students' example in the trope explanation.

Despite always being desperate for cash, food or other supplies, some people never seem to actually run out: They might always be desperate for money, but somehow manage to live in the same house for the duration of their show, never getting kicked out once. Or they might always complain about being hungry but never starve. This is even common in works where the characters own a CoolStarship or HumongousMecha, and somewhat justifiable given that the maintenance, repair and fuel bills on those things have gotta be ''huge''.

* The crew of the Ghost in ''WesternAnimation/StarWarsRebels'' just barely manage to scrape by, often taking side jobs just to pay for fuel and parts.

* The main characters of ''Series/{{Scrubs}}'' often complain about being short on money. Despite being doctors. The only one who never seems to have any money trouble is the janitor.
** This is more an issue in the early seasons when they're interns and residents (a clear case of TruthInTelevision; any real-life doctor has spent their education and the early years of their careers as the hospital's ButtMonkey). When they finish their residencies, money doesn't seem to be an issue nearly as much.

** Penny is a waitress who is struggling to be an actress, but only getting in a few plays. She complains about being poor, yet somehow can afford living in a single bedroom apartment and keeping an impressive collection of clothes, given a new outfit of hers every episode. She also freeloads off her neighbors. However, it's strongly implied that she buys most of her clothes on credit, and that she's rarely up to date on her rent. Averted now that she's quit waitressing and started work as a pharmaceutical representative. She's stated that, in a good month, she can make more than Leonard.

* Marshall Law from ''VideoGame/{{Tekken}}'' went from a successful businessman into someone so broke that his only chance to recover financially was to win the tournament, which canonically never happened (the most he received was some "financial assistance" from Yoshimitsu and the Manji Party after they looted Ganryu during the events of the first game), and [[PlayedForLaughs we're instead treated with hilarity with how he could never escape his poverty]].

** In "Dues and Don'ts", it's revealed that the three had been unknowingly kicked out of Team Rocket at an unspecified point for [[RealityEnsues never paying their dues and constantly taking out loans]]. [[GeorgeJetsonJobSecurity They're allowed back in by the end of the episode]] due to labor shortages resulting from members getting arrested, but a Team Rocket Delibird chasing after them to collect their debt becomes a RunningGag for the remainder of the Johto saga.

** Stuart, a StarvingArtist who owns the [[LocalHangout comic book store the main male scientists frequent]]. How little profit the comic book store makes has become Stuart's RunningGag. Among other things, he's mentioned having to sleep in the store, going without meat, and having to shower at Leonard and Sheldon's apartment.

* Ragna from ''Franchise/BlazBlue'' tends to be this. So long as the meal is free, he won't refuse.
** [[JustifiedTrope He's a wanted man.]] His opportunities for making money are limited, establishments that would take it without calling authorities even more so, and people and places sympathetic enough to harbor him generally have the goodwill to feed him as well.