July 2010 Low Income Support Thread

[maciascl]

I figured it was the 10th already we deserve a new thread by now!

I am hoping this is a wonderful month for us all!! I know several people are desperately waiting for the US Senate to come back from vacation to vote on the unemployment extension this week. I will be focusing all the positive energy I can for us all, that they pass this quickly and easily.

[CherryBomb]

Count us in on the UI extension. Dh's UI benefits ran out literally the week they voted not to extend! He had an interview at Kroger last week and they want to hire him, but they're STILL waiting on drug test results (normally it takes 2-3 days, it's been over a week! And they have 8 other people waiting to get hired). So we've got $40 to last for God only knows how long. Obviously I'm really stressed. I'll file a claim for him on Sunday, anyway, and hope they vote for an extension on Monday to hold us over till he starts working. He's going to go to Man Power Monday too to see about getting a few days of temp work to help out until this crap with Kroger's gets resolved.

[Fruitful4Him]

Thank you for starting a July thread.

WARNING; this is LONG ...grab a drink and small snack...

We have been struggling bad here. We had our yearly FS recert. in early May. Every. year. They screw it up. We have a small ebay/internet mail order business that always fudges things up b/c most of the people working with the recerts have a hard time knowing what numbers to use correctly, etc. Sometimes we get held up for months...meanwhile money we use to pay other (read: ESSENTIAL untilities, other bills) gets diverted to pay for food, etc. and it is not pretty. So .... I had a bad feeling but dh told me to "relax". Our FS were stalled.... (waiting in an electronic "queue" for a supervisor to push a button approving the numbers) and then once it was approved... we saw that our FS had been slashed from nearly 800 to 367, (for a family of 7, soon to be 8). I collected paperwork, made phone calls...went down to the office, filed an appeal, etc. and I *knew* something was not right. When my dh went to the appeal they told him that there was no appeal... (but we had the letter!) I was beginning to feel hopeless as we had exausted our FS for the months and the demand at food pantries around here is increasing but the supply is lower...many of the food pantries need a referral from the local trustee and you can only choose ONE every 30 days. I could give birth at any time and still needed to get baby boy clothes, etc. Not in a good place. The day of the screwed up appeal we went to a local food pantry and I discovered that they also had a clothing bank. I found newborn and 3-6 month summer boy clothes..just what I was looking for. I was able to buy an entire paper grocery bag FULL of outfits in really good condition for only a few dollars. I wanted to cry I was so happy and thankfull! I had not been finding anything at the few yard sales I had been able to get to this summer. As we were leaving an older gentleman who had been helping at the pantry pulled me aside and gave me a few dollars "to get the kids an ice cream or treat" and I started bawling right there. I usually don't wear my heart on my sleeve but it had been an emotional day.

Then we were off to the FS office to file another attempt at an appeal, (we had 30 days and since the other appeal had not been done correctly we were now down to the wire on day 28 or 29! ) So we get there...kids in tow and wait for over an hour. I thought we were waiting for someone to schedule an appointment but was really suprised to get called back to speak to a caseworker. They had eliminated caseworkers over a year ago but that failed dismally and so they have started a new hybrid system of phasing them back in. It was a MIRACLE that the caseworker was one who had worked on our case before and REMEMBERED US! She took time to LISTEN and looked up our case and showed us the numbers, etc. It turns out some MAJOR glitches had happened... They had not deducted "cost of goods sold" from the business total (even though it was on the tax forms prepared by our accountant!) and had us making a HUGE PROFIT that was no where near what we had been making. They also had scheduled the appeal...in an entirely differently COUNTY...yet somehow mailed the letter to the correct address...don't ask me how that happened. Basically she said that the reason this keeps happening is that most of the caseworkers just don't know how to read the tax forms to enter the data properly...and there was so many "hands in the pot" with no accountability...even thought this was passed from caseworker to supervisors, etc. over the past few months while our bills have piled up and disconnnect notices have rolled in. I just bawled. I was just so thankful that SOMEONE was finally listening and going to HELP US. She fixed it. She punched in the right numbers and the NEXT day we had the adjusted amount of food stamps for this month and the difference from last month. I just felt a HUGE weight lifted from my chest. I don't want more than what we qualify for ...I just want to make sure my kids are fed. I am so thankful there has been resolution to this. Next recert isn't until May.

We still have to dig ourselves out of the financial hole we have fallen into with the bills that have piled up, etc. but at least I know my kids are going to be fed and dh and I will have much less stress knowing that.

I have bartered and collected pretty much all of the supplies I need for our birth now...so I feel a lot more relaxed about baby coming.

[Ianthe]

subbing

[maciascl]

Originally Posted by Fruitful4Him

Basically she said that the reason this keeps happening is that most of the caseworkers just don't know how to read the tax forms to enter the data properly...and there was so many "hands in the pot" with no accountability...even thought this was passed from caseworker to supervisors, etc. over the past few months while our bills have piled up and disconnnect notices have rolled in. I just bawled. I was just so thankful that SOMEONE was finally listening and going to HELP US. She fixed it. She punched in the right numbers and the NEXT day we had the adjusted amount of food stamps for this month and the difference from last month. I just felt a HUGE weight lifted from my chest. I don't want more than what we qualify for ...I just want to make sure my kids are fed. I am so thankful there has been resolution to this. Next recert isn't until May.

Holy Moly! I am so glad someone got it figured out for you. I was just ranting about this this a week or so ago. The case workers are so over loaded that no one knows what they are doing or has time to give anything a second look. It is maddening!!

[Fruitful4Him]

Yeah...I know. I had several different people (case workers and supervisors supposedly) who WERE giving it second looks...and third looks..and kept on giving us the same answer, (which was...sorry, we can't help you; the "numbers" were entered...here ya go...) But the problem was, they WERE NOT entering numbers that were even close to correct. Good luck trying to get someone to break it down for you. They act like you are trying to scam the system just by wanting to know that the RIGHT info is placed in sometimes. It is degrading ... if I didn't love my kids I wouldnt fight so hard. But honestly, I was at the point where I just didn't know WHAT to do. I felt like we had exausted all of our options. It just felt like nothing was going to help this time. I am SO THANKFUL someone was able and willing to fix this.

Edited to add... it is situations such as this over the years that has shown me... that doing things right/trying to better youreself and get ahead by working hard/ doing everything you are supposed to..that "they" tell you to do/ keeping copies and faxing in addition to mailing forms /submitting the right paperwork asap without delay/having good intentions ...does NOT always mean things will turn out peachy keen. I used to think that...I know better now. I feel like it adds to this ever present sense of dread and anxiety about the future sometimes.

[crazyeight]

fruit~ that sounds really really horrible. and i am in awe that you are still standing. i just can't even fathom the stress of waiting at one of those offices with 5 kids! i'm glad you have food now though although it doesn't help to still look at all the bills needing to be paid and knowing the food stamps don't turn into "real" money!

I am very stressed about everything. My exh is only paying the min amount he has to that is being garnished from his BASE pay (which is not quite half of his ACTUAL check and i am so pissed that he gets to keep all his BAH even though he's getting dependent BAH cause HELLO he is supposed to be PAYING support! ggrrrrr) so he falls short $100 every month plus the back pay he owes me and also he is not technically paying support for ds1 cause we are battleing over whether he's responsible or not so he could also owe me more support that i won't see for a while. ds2's dad isn't paying support until he gets it to go through the des offices so that's going to be a long time since i am STIll waiting on his birth cert so that i can prove paternity then waiting for it to all go through....

at the moment we are a family of 7 but bf's boys go back to their moms in a month however bf is very behind on HIS support b/c he has supported me when he shouldn't have had to.

i knew that we weren't going to make it on our pay (my cs/alimony and his job) but i figured we had some floating room however with both my ex's being difficult and having to use my EF to pay bills i am now up the creek. i felt so great cause i HAD an EF even though we are sooooo poor but it's all gone. at the same time my van has a coniption fit and decides to just fall apart (to be fair though it hit that magic 100k mi mark too). we need about $700 in parts to get it fixed but there is no way that we'll have that money until maybe october and by then my tires will once again be shredded from not being aligned so that would be $400. i just can't wait around anymore for exh to pay me the back support ($1700 so far). i've decided to borrow some money from my mom and i just hope that i can pay it back asap (she said one year).

we have school starting next month and i need to get ds1 registered, get dd's preschool info switched and figure out my own college plan. i have no child care for ds2 but NEED to go to school so that we can get some extra money! however i really want to keep my 4.0 gpa and i haven't seen a basket weaving class we just moved to a new house last month (ahhhhh theres space now! we had 5 of us in 355 s.f.) so that means all the new fees/deposits from turning on utilities which has SLAMMED us. also this house uses A LOT of electricity (about 2400 kwh a month! holy moly) yes a lot of that is a/c which since we don't own nor do we have the money to fix or make it more efficient.

so we're drowning, borrowed money from mom to keep us back up and hopefully the ex's will do what they are supposed to, i can sell a vehicle and get us back on our feet until we can get the heck out of dodge.

[Fruitful4Him]

i'm glad you have food now though although it doesn't help to still look at all the bills needing to be paid and knowing the food stamps don't turn into "real" money!

Heh..wouldn't that be nice, lol. I try to take a very simple approach in life...food/clothes/shelter = content. I need to work on having a peacefull state of mind even when the basics seem a little shakey.

I am very stressed about everything. My exh is only paying the min amount he has to that is being garnished from his BASE pay (which is not quite half of his ACTUAL check BAH cause HELLO he is supposed to be PAYING support! ggrrrrr)

Okay. Trying to decipher...what is BAH? Why does he feel he is not responsible? Can you have support figured based on his past W2 forms rather than his base pay? (would that matter?)

ds2's dad isn't paying support until he gets it to go through the des offices so that's going to be a long time since i am STIll waiting on his birth cert so that i can prove paternity then waiting for it to all go through....

Why can't men be men and realize that they are only hurting their children when they stall and stall and refuse to help suppor their children??? Ugh. It makes me want to say things that are against the User Agreement.

at the moment we are a family of 7 but bf's boys go back to their moms in a month however bf is very behind on HIS support b/c he has supported me when he shouldn't have had to.

I am thankful your BF is willing to help but sorry it is such a rough situation.

i knew that we weren't going to make it on our pay (my cs/alimony and his job) but i figured we had some floating room however with both my ex's being difficult and having to use my EF to pay bills i am now up the creek. i felt so great cause i HAD an EF even though we are sooooo poor but it's all gone.

What is EF?

at the same time my van has a coniption fit and decides to just fall apart (to be fair though it hit that magic 100k mi mark too). we need about $700 in parts to get it fixed but there is no way that we'll have that money until maybe october and by then my tires will once again be shredded from not being aligned so that would be $400. i just can't wait around anymore for exh to pay me the back support ($1700 so far). i've decided to borrow some money from my mom and i just hope that i can pay it back asap (she said one year).

WHY does it seem like all these things happen at once??? That is rough. I am sorry. We have been there...thankfully our vehicle is holding at the moment...save a check engine light and a door handle that came off. But it is RUNNING, (the vehicle was a gift from my Dad when they got a new vehicle...sometimes I don't know where I would be without my parent's or dh's parents bailing us out...as much as I want to be independant..) How does your mom act/feel about helping? I hate/hate/hate asking or mentioning that we need help EVER b/c of our large family and homeschooling, etc.

we have school starting next month and i need to get ds1 registered, get dd's preschool info switched and figure out my own college plan. i have no child care for ds2 but NEED to go to school so that we can get some extra money! however i really want to keep my 4.0 gpa and i haven't seen a basket weaving class

I am approved for FA/Pell for Fall semester...but with baby #6 arriving dh doesn't want me going back this semester. He said Spring would be soon enough. I know he worries about me getting so overwhelmed and getting PPD, etc. and I know he is right but like you...it is such a hard choice when you know it could bring in even a bit of extra money to help with expenses. I hope you can find some classes that arent too bad to help ease things.

we just moved to a new house last month (ahhhhh theres space now! we had 5 of us in 355 s.f.) so that means all the new fees/deposits from turning on utilities which has SLAMMED us. also

Oh man. Yeah...moving is a real money drain. It sounds like you REALLY needed a bit of extra space though. I hope that the Fall is kinder financially and that you can recoop a bit and get some relief from that drowning feeling.((hugs)) I feel like there really isn't anyone IRL I can talk to about this stuff. Hang in there; at least we have MDC for support.

[frugalmama]

Just checking in - still broke here.

Having a yard sale this weekend to try to replace our dishwasher that just died - I don't have time in my busy schedule as a self employed single mom to hand wash dishes. Thankfully I'd stockpiled clearance paper plates for emergencies.

Still running 30 days behind on the mortgage - have been for a year now. My student loans are in default, and I've quit paying on the credit cards as I just can't right now. At least I'm in Texas so they can't take my house {except for the mortgage}, and since I'm self-employed all my income is in cash direct to me so no taking it from my check to worry about.

No food stamps this month - we got cut off at the end of last month and can't apply again until the end of this month thanks to a rebate check from the Motrin recall that I cashed which would screw up the paperwork since I'm hoping to get back on adult needy medical. We're great on food though - I'm such a frugal shopper that we could easy go a couple months with what's in the house and our WIC.


Is it bad that I'm relaxed at being behind at bills? It just doesn't bother me anymore, especially the credit cards and student loans.

[bandgeek]

I'm not a regular on these threads, but I do read a lot. I got a job! We'd been living on DD's SSI check and FS for almost the last 2 years. I'll be getting about 20-22 hours a week and bringing home around $600 a month, which isn't enough to decrease the SSI or FS I think. We'll be doing well for a while so hopefully I can go back to school or something and eventually not need assistance anymore.

I'm going over in my head all the things we need when the paychecks start rolling in. Can opener, vegetable peeler, 2 new pillows....all very small things, but stuff we've been needing *badly*. I'm so used to having nothing that it's going to be weird not going without all the time. I know we'll still struggle, but it won't be so bad now.

[Fruitful4Him]

Originally Posted by bandgeek

I'm not a regular on these threads, but I do read a lot. I got a job! We'd been living on DD's SSI check and FS for almost the last 2 years. I'll be getting about 20-22 hours a week and bringing home around $600 a month, which isn't enough to decrease the SSI or FS I think. We'll be doing well for a while so hopefully I can go back to school or something and eventually not need assistance anymore.

I'm going over in my head all the things we need when the paychecks start rolling in. Can opener, vegetable peeler, 2 new pillows....all very small things, but stuff we've been needing *badly*. I'm so used to having nothing that it's going to be weird not going without all the time. I know we'll still struggle, but it won't be so bad now.

Congratulations

[Fruitful4Him]

Originally Posted by frugalmama

Just checking in - still broke here.

Having a yard sale this weekend to try to replace our dishwasher that just died - I don't have time in my busy schedule as a self employed single mom to hand wash dishes. Thankfully I'd stockpiled clearance paper plates for emergencies.

Still running 30 days behind on the mortgage - have been for a year now. My student loans are in default, and I've quit paying on the credit cards as I just can't right now. At least I'm in Texas so they can't take my house {except for the mortgage}, and since I'm self-employed all my income is in cash direct to me so no taking it from my check to worry about.

No food stamps this month - we got cut off at the end of last month and can't apply again until the end of this month thanks to a rebate check from the Motrin recall that I cashed which would screw up the paperwork since I'm hoping to get back on adult needy medical. We're great on food though - I'm such a frugal shopper that we could easy go a couple months with what's in the house and our WIC.


Is it bad that I'm relaxed at being behind at bills? It just doesn't bother me anymore, especially the credit cards and student loans.

((hugs)) I think you cope how you can the best... sometimes I wish I could be more relaxed rather than a stress case. It is good that you have food covered though The art of frugality is a wonderful asset that can't be taken away

[Pariah]

Fruitful, I'm glad your FS got sorted out! I so badly wish that would happen for us here. It is just awful how screwed up the process/system is.

[confustication]

I found a great new job a couple months ago, enjoyed the paychecks for a few weeks, then developed MRSA related cellulitis as I am immunocompromised and work in health care, and have been not working for a month now. *sigh* I am hoping to get a clearance to return to work late this week, but I am not holding my breath.

Much as I hate the work environment (lots of really negative and toxic people) it was nice to have a really nice income for a while!

The upside, however, is that this cemented our decision to relocate sooner rather than later, and for my dh to take on the income-earner role, which means that I will be a SAHM soon enough as he has a lot more earning potential where we are going than I do (yay for the complexities of international marriages?) In a couple years, I'll return to school (yet again!) and hopefully, in that time, I'll decide what direction I want to go with a career.

In the meantime, I have enough gas in the car to get from point a to point be, and we have a negligible enough income that I qualified for foodstamps which takes a TON of pressure off the tiny savings I do have to get by until i am medically cleared.

Also, I am totally kicking myself for paying debt down aggressively with my checks instead of adding to a substantial EF. That money would be a lot more useful in our account right now than the low balance I see on statements is. (It isn't credit card debt- I was getting ahead on medical debt and college loans.)

[crazyeight]

(bolds are my replies)

Originally Posted by Fruitful4Him

Okay. Trying to decipher...what is BAH? Why does he feel he is not responsible? Can you have support figured based on his past W2 forms rather than his base pay? (would that matter?)
BAH= basic allowance for housing. it's extra military pay if you live off base (or have a base with public housing) since on base you get free housing the BAH is not considered pay nor can it be taxed. ds1 is not biologically exh but he signed the birth cert so i have to wait on a judge to make the call even though we've been married and together since ds1 was 2 weeks old. i talked to the finacial office for the whole AF and they say they can't take anything but his base pay and i am not entitled to the BAH or food pay. i may be able to talk to commanding officers but i am not sure if they can actually take his pay but they could give him more....incentive maybe.
Why can't men be men and realize that they are only hurting their children when they stall and stall and refuse to help suppor their children??? Ugh. It makes me want to say things that are against the User Agreement.
i get why my ex is with holding until it goes through the right channels but i'm not talking big amounts. $100 would be a godsend at this point. actually getting the things i need right now would be great. i've given a list (links and all to pictures even!) to him weeks ago but he still hasn't bought anything and now it's "if you buy and give me a reciept i'll give you the cash" but HELLO i have no extra money. by the time my c/s for my OTHER 2 KIDS (i.e. not his baby!) gets to me i'm already behind on bills. grrrr

I am thankful your BF is willing to help but sorry it is such a rough situation.

What is EF?
Emergency Fund. or rather a baby emergency fund which is $1000. part of the ramsey way out of debt

WHY does it seem like all these things happen at once??? That is rough. I am sorry. We have been there...thankfully our vehicle is holding at the moment...save a check engine light and a door handle that came off. But it is RUNNING, (the vehicle was a gift from my Dad when they got a new vehicle...sometimes I don't know where I would be without my parent's or dh's parents bailing us out...as much as I want to be independant..) How does your mom act/feel about helping? I hate/hate/hate asking or mentioning that we need help EVER b/c of our large family and homeschooling, etc.
i think my mom is ok. she did tell me that "borrowing money can break up relationships even mother/daughters so lets just have a payback time of one year and of course no interest. is that doable?" type thing.

I am approved for FA/Pell for Fall semester...but with baby #6 arriving dh doesn't want me going back this semester. He said Spring would be soon enough. I know he worries about me getting so overwhelmed and getting PPD, etc. and I know he is right but like you...it is such a hard choice when you know it could bring in even a bit of extra money to help with expenses. I hope you can find some classes that arent too bad to help ease things.
ds2 was born 4/10 just a few short weeks before finals. i had one class end mid march and one class for the reg. semester. i missed from the wed. before he was born until the very last class which was when we took our final and i STILL got a 99% in that class! thankfully though half of daily quizzes were thrown out, the prof didn't dock me for lots of abcenses, and also allowed me to completely skip the 2nd test since the final was the next day so it didn't count against me. (it was a math class) i am actually really happy i kept at it! course i just had the 2 kids at that time.

Oh man. Yeah...moving is a real money drain. It sounds like you REALLY needed a bit of extra space though. I hope that the Fall is kinder financially and that you can recoop a bit and get some relief from that drowning feeling.((hugs)) I feel like there really isn't anyone IRL I can talk to about this stuff. Hang in there; at least we have MDC for support.

Originally Posted by frugalmama

Just checking in - still broke here.

Having a yard sale this weekend to try to replace our dishwasher that just died - I don't have time in my busy schedule as a self employed single mom to hand wash dishes. Thankfully I'd stockpiled clearance paper plates for emergencies.

Still running 30 days behind on the mortgage - have been for a year now. My student loans are in default, and I've quit paying on the credit cards as I just can't right now. At least I'm in Texas so they can't take my house {except for the mortgage}, and since I'm self-employed all my income is in cash direct to me so no taking it from my check to worry about.

No food stamps this month - we got cut off at the end of last month and can't apply again until the end of this month thanks to a rebate check from the Motrin recall that I cashed which would screw up the paperwork since I'm hoping to get back on adult needy medical. We're great on food though - I'm such a frugal shopper that we could easy go a couple months with what's in the house and our WIC.


Is it bad that I'm relaxed at being behind at bills? It just doesn't bother me anymore, especially the credit cards and student loans.

how are you relaxed??!!! glad that you are though. i think i read that stress is actually worse for you than junk food....however when i'm really really stressed i loose weight and that's kinda nice cause when i eat it's healthy i just way less of it.
i need to join the eat from your pantry thread for a bit. we have SO MUCH FOOD it's not even funny. although i may toot a different horn in a week with 4 monster eating kids and a ravenous bf. its just some of the same stuff we need and the rest gets forgotten about.

Originally Posted by bandgeek

I'm not a regular on these threads, but I do read a lot. I got a job! We'd been living on DD's SSI check and FS for almost the last 2 years. I'll be getting about 20-22 hours a week and bringing home around $600 a month, which isn't enough to decrease the SSI or FS I think. We'll be doing well for a while so hopefully I can go back to school or something and eventually not need assistance anymore.

I'm going over in my head all the things we need when the paychecks start rolling in. Can opener, vegetable peeler, 2 new pillows....all very small things, but stuff we've been needing *badly*. I'm so used to having nothing that it's going to be weird not going without all the time. I know we'll still struggle, but it won't be so bad now.

wow....you are both frugal and get a lot more in ssi than i would ever think possible! cheers to new pillows!

[rlandnl]

things are status quo here. I haven't been paying bills like I should, but thankfully dh gets paid on friday so I can catch up on a couple that are behind. I really need to pay the mortgage this week but I have been "borrowing" from the mortgage money for gas and stuff, so I am a bit short. hopefully his check will be enough to cover what I borrowed and then the bills we still need to pay.

I hate living like this. hate it.

[Fruitful4Him]

Originally Posted by Pariah

Fruitful, I'm glad your FS got sorted out! I so badly wish that would happen for us here. It is just awful how screwed up the process/system is.

I hope that your situation will work out soon ... it is incredibly frustrating and desperate feeling when these things happen, ((hugs))

[MangoMommy]

dhinderliter,
I'm just lurking on this thread (we aren't low-income as much as we are high bills with 2 mortgages ) but wanted to add that BAS (the food money) is for the active duty member only, it's since he has no access to a galley for free (like on a ship.) So don't count on seeing any part of that. I'm not sure how BAH plays into it, since you are probably right, he's getting paid for having that dependent...does he get any other pays? Are you guys legally divorced? And if he claimed your child as his, I don't see how he can get out of that now. I hope it all works out for you!

[Jyotsna]

My fs recert was a couple of days ago and the worker didn't call me. What can I do?

[Fruitful4Him]

Originally Posted by Jyotsna

My fs recert was a couple of days ago and the worker didn't call me. What can I do?

Was it for a phone appointment or down at the FS office? There should be a number you can call; do you know anything about that? It may be on the letter you were sent that had your appointment day/time. They may be running behind but I would call asap tomorrow to make sure you aren't cut off.

If you can't reach any (or maybe do this anyway?), go down to the local FS office and ask them there ...maybe ask them to make note of it?