A man has revealed that he has been forced to shoplift because he can't afford groceries, despite working overtime. The man, who will be referred to as the pseudonym Paul throughout the story as he asked to keep his identity private, explained to DailyMail.com that he works tirelessly to make ends meet but still doesn't have enough money to cover essential food items.
![[The man said he takes home $3,070.56 a month but estimated that his monthly expenses come to $3,100 (stock image)]](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2025/02/21/17/95453099-14422139-image-a-3_1740158767044.jpg)
He confessed that he has now resorted to stealing from his local grocery store because he has no other options. 'I work as an admin for a data hosting company in a small town with less than 15,000 people in it,' Paul shared. 'I make around $46,000 a year including overtime, which is good for the area I'm in. After taxes, I take home $3,070.56 a month.'.
But Paul estimated that his monthly expenses come to $3,100 - a little more than he brings homes - between his medical bills, student loans, and basic necessities. He explained that he was diagnosed with ulcerative colitis - a chronic inflammatory bowel disease - and carpal tunnel syndrome, which causes weakness in the hands, around two years ago.
And between 'multiple colonoscopies, CT scans, ER visits, and other operations and medications he needed to diagnose and control his condition,' he wracked up more than $52,000 in debt, which eats up most of his earnings. A man has revealed that he has been forced to shoplift because he can't afford groceries, despite working overtime (stock image).
'People tell me to just not pay my medical bills... but the hospital sends their bills to a third-party billing agency and if I don't meet the minimum payment, then I get a late fee,' he explained. 'I do not have the option to just pay $5 a month.'. Paul said he started shoplifting in December and has now done it five times in the last three months.
'I first shoplifted because even after shopping around for items on sale and saving as much as I could, I still didn't have enough food to last until my next grocery trip,' he shared. 'I never take more than two items. I usually take butter and another item that I need.
'Last trip it was butter and milk. Before that, it was beans and milk, as I didn't need the butter.'. Paul explained that while he feels 'guilty' about it and is 'terrified of getting caught,' but he has no other options. 'I am not living lavishly at all. I have not gone out to a bar and shot the breeze with my friends in months,' he continued.
'I haven't spent any money on my hobbies, I don't drive unless I absolutely have to, my diet is rather bland, if I do not need to spend money I do not.'. The man said he takes home $3,070.56 a month but estimated that his monthly expenses come to $3,100 (stock image).
He said he feels like the 'system has failed him,' adding, 'It is very frustrating to know that I have to work this much to be able to survive a disease that I did not give to myself. 'I feel that the system has failed. There is no reason for health care to be this expensive.'.
As for those who may judge him for his decision to steal, he urged them to try to put themselves 'in his shoes.'. 'To the people who judge me, you are not in my shoes, you don't know my story or my struggles,' he stated. 'If you think people like me taking two cheap items every few weeks is going to raise the price then you haven't been paying attention to the price of anything since 2019.'.
