“And then I got sick and got hospitalized because I wasn’t taking care of myself.”

Nadeau spent a few weeks revolving in and out of the hospital and was finally able to find a place to rent with the help of the Plattsburgh Salvation Army.

“They helped me with the security deposit. And I couldn’t have done it without their help. It would have taken me months to save that much money.

“Do you know how hard it is to try to save money when you don’t have any?”

RISING COSTS

He said it’s always been tough to live on a fixed income, unable to qualify for welfare, but it’s increasingly difficult under the changing economy and constantly rising prices of necessities, like food and cab rides to his many medical appointments.

“Everything costs more now. I had to completely scratch Christmas off this year. I bought myself one present — a $2 set of lights to put on my (house) plant. I couldn’t even buy a tree.

“I get about $100 in food stamps, but that doesn’t go very far for a whole month, especially when I have to eat healthy because of my diabetes.

“And it costs about $5 for a cab ride in the city, and that adds up really quick. The (county) bus is cheaper, but (because of the schedule) it takes, like, two hours to get to a doctor’s appointment right on Cornelia Street.

“I can’t even afford a regular phone. I have a TracFone, but $30 worth of minutes goes quick when you’re making appointments and trying to find apartments.

“I have to be so careful about every dollar that I spend, even buying stamps to pay my bills.

“By the end of this month, the way I figure, I’ll have about $10 in my checking account. There’s just no way of getting ahead. I’m a penny pincher, but what choice do I have?

“It’s getting harder and harder, and I’m always so nervous at the end of the month. I don’t want to get arrested because I wrote a bad check.”