Broke-Ass of the Week – Deven Harrison

Every week we feature a different person from the community shedding a little light on their life of brokeitude.  Who knows, maybe you’ll learn something about the human spirit'probably not.

Wanna be a Broke-Ass of the Week?  Holler at us here and we’ll send you the questionnaire.

I feel like a total dick.  Deven has been queued up to be Broke-Ass of the Week since fucking August!  But it’s hard considering we only have one per week and they alternate between cities.  So sorry for taking so long Deven!

Besides having the best photo yet, our current Broke-Ass of the Week has some good insight into the live a brokeitude.  Case in point: his advice to make friends with restaurant and bar workers.  I couldn’t agree with it more!  It’s a great way to eat and drink better than you expected.  Read below for more insights and tips for brokeness.

Name: Deven Harrison

Age: 31

Occupation: Restaurant host

What neighborhood do you live in?: Hayes Valley

Best money saving tip: Make friends with bartenders and restaurant workers

What do you refuse to spend money on?: Cabs, mostly. That’s why we have Fast Passes; it’s like a 24 hour cab service. After midnight, you’re usually too wasted to give a shit if you have to walk a few extra blocks. And with the magical 311 operators, you always know how and when you’re getting home. Besides, have you ever ridden the N-Owl? It’s like a party on wheels between after 1:30 in the morning.

Most expensive thing you’ve ever bought: A pair of Marc Jacobs sunglasses three years ago. I had been unemployed for nearly four months at the time, and because of my own error, I hadn’t received any unemployment benefits. I had to go through this drawn out appeal process, and lo and behold, one day, a check arrived in the mail from the state for just over $4000. After paying back friends who loaned me money, I went on a bit of a shopping spree. I spent the afternoon at Union Square, hitting up Neiman and Louis Vuitton, Gucci and Dior, trying to find the perfect big ticket item. Alas, nothing bit me. I ended up at the Marc by Marc store out on Fillmore, where I found the most perfect frameless aviators that had just been returned that day. I didn’t hesitate to whip out my debit card and plunk down nearly $300 for them. They lasted for the summer, but in a freak fall from a coffee table, they broke. I took them back, and they offered me a replacement pair. The replacement pair, a more rectangular aviator style, were even more perfect than the first!

How’d that feel?: Fan-fucking-tastic! I have always treated them with the utmost care and respect and always get compliments on them. Unfortunately, I rented a car recently to head up to the river for Some Are Camp (a weekend of drunken tranny realness), and left them in the console of the car when I returned it last Monday. My fingers are crossed that the people who rented the car after me don’t realize they are there or are honest enough to return them. I’m suppressing my devastation until they call me today about the fate of my MJs.

Favorite cheap eat: Sample hour at Costco, followed up with a slice of pizza at their food court, soup and hot food sampling at Whole Foods (you can’t do it in SF anymore, but I work in Oakland, and am a regular there), Saigon Sandwich over on Larkin, Tu Lan on 6th (tofu salad, please!), and Casa Mexicana on 24th in Noe Valley (super veggie burrito for only 5 bucks!).

Favorite dive bar: It used to be The Transfer, but now it’s a different kind of dive. Underground SF for Mall Madness, The Stud for Tiara Sensation, Truck for their late night food menu (although, I guess Truck isn’t really a dive, per se, it just looks like it), and of course, Aunt Charlie’s. Tenderloin realness with some of the stiffest drinks ever keep me coming back to this little gem amidst the crackiness that is Turk and Taylor.

Best deal you’ve ever gotten: Two years of junior college that I didn’t have to pay for because I qualified for a fee waiver. Getting a job working the door for a weekly party (Chili Dog at Triple Crown): I get paid AND I get to drink for free.

Favorite free thing to do: Dolores Park on any given day where the ground is reasonably dry and the temperature isn’t terribly low. Signing up for research studies.

If you woke up a millionaire, what’s the first thing you’d buy?: Probably some groceries. My shelf in the fridge is pretty barren these days. I wouldn’t use any coupons though.

Despite not having money, do you still love your life?: More or less. In SF, even when you’ve got nothing, you just have to remember, at least I’m not broke in Iowa.

Do you own my book?: Ya. It’s the only new book I’ve purchased in the past couple of years. I find all my other books on the streets.

Best hangover cure: Pick up where you left off.

Are you a hipster?: I hope not.