August 2010 low-income support thread - Page 2

[surrogate]

Originally Posted by gabbyraja

We're luckily not counting on unemployment, but I got a letter from DHS today. I sent in a form on Monday asking for help with our shutoff notice on the electric bill. We were being shut off for $147. I had to send in pay stubs and so on, too, with the form. The letter today says not only did they pay our ENTIRE balance with the electric company ($302), but she also adjusted our income in the system because it's a little lower than our recert showed a couple of months ago. DH's copay on his medical went way down and our FS benefits went up like $10. I could NOT believe it! I called my worker (and she answered the phone! Again!) and asked her if there was anyone I could talk to to tell them what WONDERFUL job she is doing. I told her I'd write a letter to her supervisor if she wanted. She said it's just because she's new, so she doesn't have a huge case load (like I thought), but I made sure to thank her again and again. I hope I made her week.

WOW That is FANTASTIC! Where I live you don't get a grace period on your lights, if you dont pay on the due date they cut them off the NEXT day. It sucks, royally. If you know in advance you can't pay it you can go get an extension, but they wont grant it unless you can pay half the bill right then and they only give you ONE a year.

[maciascl]

Gabbyraja: That is wonderful!!! Yay for caseworkers that are able to actually do their job and do it right!!! I am still waiting to hear back from mine and recieve our FS for the month

[surrogate]

OMG

I just checked my mail from yesterday and got something from DFCS, i opened it figuring it was bad news....

THE UPPED MY FOODSTAMPS TO $678!!!!!!!

O.M.G. There are only 4 of us, and 2 are toddlers

[crazyeight]

Originally Posted by surrogate

So I registered for my classes last night, and found out that my books are going to cost $500 and they wont let you pay for them with financial aid! OMG I have NEVER had a school do that! I ended up renting them for $100 for 3 months...I had to put it on my credit card because I am broke...my ex was supposed to give me $200 today (he owes me $4k for a personal loan) and he informed me today he can't pay it...ugh...

ETA:
The website I rented my textbooks from was Chegg dot com. They rent books and they also buy textbooks. Use this code CC131862 for 5% off your order or if you sell books $5 added to your total. I am about to check my textbooks to see what they buy...(eta again I am making $36 off selling 2 books!!) I wonder if I could buy used textbooks on craigslist and sell them for extra $$$...hmmm

you aren't allowed to use your overage to buy textbooks?! i don't know much about all the finacial aid but thats screwy. i always buy my books of the internet (check out bigwords.com) and its always cheaper than the campus bookstore.

Originally Posted by surrogate

WOW That is FANTASTIC! Where I live you don't get a grace period on your lights, if you dont pay on the due date they cut them off the NEXT day. It sucks, royally. If you know in advance you can't pay it you can go get an extension, but they wont grant it unless you can pay half the bill right then and they only give you ONE a year.

so far i've not paid all the electric on any bill (thankfully got that letter of credit already sheesh) and haven't gotten a shut off notice just a little note on the new bill that x is delinquent and is due immediatly.

thats really good news on the food stamps surrogate!

another thing i wanted to mention about working for nothing. at this point i would qualify for child care subsidation but not sure if i made another $1000-$1500 a month HOWEVER if i did A.) they have a LONG waiting list and B.) with the extra income i would either have to pay for it all myself (which is how i did my calculations) or i would be in some of the top tiers so still paying a lot. the very fact that it would take 3+ months (i think i actually heard they are NOT taking more apps at this time so maybe it would be WAY longer) in order to get those benefits during which i would be SOOO screwed its not even funny. i have however thought about doing PT work at the college b/c they don't pay cash they pay tuition (which would get reimbursed but not a paycheck) and i'd have all the daycare i wanted without having any extra income but again i'm not sure if i could keep up.

[Pumpkin_Pie]

I don't keep up with this thread as much as I should but wanted to jump in to ask a couple of questions. I know it varies from state to state, but was wondering if anyone has any advice on how to proceed with this. On Friday I was falsely accused of theft at my employer. They do not have any proof other than "most of the staff" talking about how I am likely the theif because I am low income. I am absolutely stunned and feeling absolutely sick about it all. I know that for the most part you cannot collect unemployment benefits if you quit a job, and I have not been "officially accused", but have been informed that I am the "primary suspect". I was hauled into the office of our HR person on Friday and questioned a second time because of what all the other staff had said. It was a grilling that was EXTREMELY uncomfortable and went on for WAY too long. I am feeling like it was extremely unprofessional and am wondering if I have grounds to quit at this point and still collect unemployment? I also am wondering if I can collect state cash benefits? I live in Vermont and I know that state cash benefit laws vary even more from state to state, but I don't want to shoot myself in the foot by quitting. I also feel sort of like they are winning if I do quit. I am just feeling so sick about it all, but I only work 20 hours a week and an a single mama and have so little $$ anyway that missing a few days or a week of work could be pretty devastating to our budget. I really just want to walk away from the whole situation, but that is really what my employer wants. They actually stated in the meeting that they didn't want to fire me so that I couldn't collect unemployment. AAARRRRGGGHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[maciascl]

Pumpkinpie: If you are being accused simply because you are 'low-income' you might have a case for discrimination I would think. Also I would look into fair employment harassment laws after the interogation you were given. I hope it all works out!!

[Pumpkin_Pie]

Originally Posted by maciascl

Pumpkinpie: If you are being accused simply because you are 'low-income' you might have a case for discrimination I would think. Also I would look into fair employment harassment laws after the interogation you were given. I hope it all works out!!

Would you contact the local unemployment office for both of those things?

It actually looks from this page that you can't file a discrimination claim based on discrimination due to being low income. Maybe I am not reading it correctly?

[frugalmama]

I'm still plugging away, got our FS via emergency FS, gotta call tomorrow to see if DD and {hopefully} my medicaid is effective yet. Caseworker was pretty sure my medicaid would go through, and DD's was for sure. As soon as they go through I have to go get TEMP cards and start scheduling appointments for me and DD. DD needs to see a dentist, and I finally found one that will take her and work around her issues. I need to follow-up on tests that were done in January that I haven't been able to since I lost my medicaid.

Insurance came out and looked and the roof - it's bad. Turns out we have rot in a couple of the rafters {I think?} and so part of the damage isn't going to be covered. He's not sure if it will be over the deductible or not since our deductible is so high {$2600}. So we're still in limbo on fixing it and praying we don't get any rain. However if could have been much much worse - the first thing out of the insurance agents mouth when he pulled up was "Did you have a twister? It looks like it!" So we're pretty sure we had a tiny twister hit the tree, but not make ground contact about 8ft from the house. If it would have hit the house I don't even want to think of the damage it would have done since our home has a lot of windows.

I've been hitting the penny sales for DD's school things, we have just about everything we need. I'm going to take DD to a community festival that is supposed to be giving away free backpacks with school supplies next saturday. I'm hoping she gets one, but if not she'll still have fun with the activities and we'll make do.




Pumpkin_Pie - I think that if you can get them on tape admitting they won't fire you due to not wanting you to collect unemployment that it becomes a different thing within UE {Maybe Fraud?}. Not sure though - I'd call unemployment and ask them.

[zebra15]

Originally Posted by Pumpkin_Pie

Would you contact the local unemployment office for both of those things?

It actually looks from this page that you can't file a discrimination claim based on discrimination due to being low income. Maybe I am not reading it correctly?

I think discrimiation is EEOC, equal employment opportunity. I do not think financial status is a protect class.

[Jyotsna]

FS: will worker call landlord?

I have to give my worker some information about my rental, and I am wondering if she will call the landlord? I'd like to know today, as I need to send the info now, but want to wait to see what others will say. Did your worker call the landlord to verify?

[Attached2Elijah]

Can I join this group? I'm a SAHM (at first by choice but for the last year, I have been looking for a job but NO ONE wants to hire someone who has been out of work for over 7 years) and DH works 8-12 hours every day but Sunday to keep us afloat. He makes decent money but we pay child support for my 2 step-children which puts us bringing home ... very little. We unfortunately make about $30 too much to get food stamps and since we can't claim child support until AFTER meeting the gross income guidelines, there's not much we can do there. We do get medicaid for the kids but that's the only thing we qualify for (Oh and technically we do for WIC but only for one more year but I have never went in to get certified because the last time I did, I got screamed at because my son is technically overweight and my daughter, at the time, was underweight. My son is ANYTHING but fat just solid but the woman wouldn't even look at him, just continued belittling and making me feel like a terrible mother. Nevermind the fact that his doctor has never once been concerned) ... I wish there was a way we could claim the step-kids so we could get food stamps. We would get around $550 a month if we could but I don't see how we could since we pay child support. I'm just so tired of struggling every month just to buy groceries. We basically count down the days every year until we get our income tax refund just to be able to go to the doctor, dentist or get repairs on our car or anything else we need. I love being at home but just wish I could find something even part time but even McDonald's wouldn't give me a call back. *sigh* And only 4 years and 10 months until we're DONE paying child support! WOOOO!

[Pariah]

I haven't been on MDC too much lately...just so busy with life but wanted to say hi.

I applied for an IT job within my company and I'm supposed to hear about it today or tomorrow. It would be a higher position than what I have now, plus the experience will be great since I'm going back to school for computer science at the end of the month.

[gabbyraja]

Originally Posted by Jyotsna

I have to give my worker some information about my rental, and I am wondering if she will call the landlord? I'd like to know today, as I need to send the info now, but want to wait to see what others will say. Did your worker call the landlord to verify?

Don't know if she will, but ours never has.

[surrogate]

Originally Posted by Jyotsna

I have to give my worker some information about my rental, and I am wondering if she will call the landlord? I'd like to know today, as I need to send the info now, but want to wait to see what others will say. Did your worker call the landlord to verify?

never have here either. Only thing i think they verify is if you say you are unemployed they pull up that program in their system to see if you really are

[crazyeight]

Originally Posted by Attached2Elijah

Can I join this group? I'm a SAHM (at first by choice but for the last year, I have been looking for a job but NO ONE wants to hire someone who has been out of work for over 7 years) and DH works 8-12 hours every day but Sunday to keep us afloat. He makes decent money but we pay child support for my 2 step-children which puts us bringing home ... very little. We unfortunately make about $30 too much to get food stamps and since we can't claim child support until AFTER meeting the gross income guidelines, there's not much we can do there. We do get medicaid for the kids but that's the only thing we qualify for (Oh and technically we do for WIC but only for one more year but I have never went in to get certified because the last time I did, I got screamed at because my son is technically overweight and my daughter, at the time, was underweight. My son is ANYTHING but fat just solid but the woman wouldn't even look at him, just continued belittling and making me feel like a terrible mother. Nevermind the fact that his doctor has never once been concerned) ... I wish there was a way we could claim the step-kids so we could get food stamps. We would get around $550 a month if we could but I don't see how we could since we pay child support. I'm just so tired of struggling every month just to buy groceries. We basically count down the days every year until we get our income tax refund just to be able to go to the doctor, dentist or get repairs on our car or anything else we need. I love being at home but just wish I could find something even part time but even McDonald's wouldn't give me a call back. *sigh* And only 4 years and 10 months until we're DONE paying child support! WOOOO!

that doesn't sound right...i don't know about rules in other states of course and really the only reason it sounds weird is that in my state i was able to find an online calculator (i can put in ALL of our info, childs ages, adults ages, pregnancy, income via child support alimony or work, rent whether utilities are included and whether child support is paid etc etc etc) and it does have a place where it asks about if child support is PAID to someone outside the home and how much. maybe try googleing for your states DES/FAA or whatever its called website and see if they have something like that buried somewhere. you are supporting those 2 children whether or not its in your home or monitarily and even then those kids would also qualify for medicaid/state health insurance. good luck....

[Attached2Elijah]

Originally Posted by dhinderliter

that doesn't sound right...i don't know about rules in other states of course and really the only reason it sounds weird is that in AZ i was able to find an online calculator (i can put in ALL of our info, childs ages, adults ages, pregnancy, income via child support alimony or work, rent whether utilities are included and whether child support is paid etc etc etc) and it does have a place where it asks about if child support is PAID to someone outside the home and how much. maybe try googleing for your states DES/FAA or whatever its called website and see if they have something like that buried somewhere. you are supporting those 2 children whether or not its in your home or monitarily and even then those kids would also qualify for medicaid/state health insurance. good luck....

Unfortunately, it is right... What they do is, first you have to meet the gross income limits without the deduction of Child support. If you meet that, THEN they will use the amount you pay to figure out how much you get in food stamps. We miss the gross income limit by a measely $33. And even though we have joint custody, we can't claim them as long as we are paying child support for them because we don't have "residential" custody (even though she only has residential for the purposes of schooling) ... Ohio is so screwy when it comes to child support and custody. We have used the calculator every which way we can and the only way we could get FS is if we could claim them but I can't see a way to do so.

[confustication]

Originally Posted by Attached2Elijah

We miss the gross income limit by a measely $33.

Twisted as it may sound, is it worth looking at dropping a couple hours to see if you can meet the requirements? In your situation, the impact on the well being of your household may make it worthwhile- absolutely not something I would typically advocate, but... you are *so* close and the FS couple have such an impact while you work towards something with greater income- or even while you wait out the CS.

[Attached2Elijah]

Originally Posted by confustication

Twisted as it may sound, is it worth looking at dropping a couple hours to see if you can meet the requirements? In your situation, the impact on the well being of your household may make it worthwhile- absolutely not something I would typically advocate, but... you are *so* close and the FS couple have such an impact while you work towards something with greater income- or even while you wait out the CS.

He can't drop hours, unfortunatly as he is salary... However, I did ask him to take a TINY pay cut just so we could get it and that was probably one of the worst things I ever did in our marriage. His pride was so wounded that I even asked... I still think it's a little silly as it WOULD help us so much but he has been at this job for over 10 years now and he's worked so hard to get where he is that he just couldn't even think about asking for a pay cut. It made me mad at first but I do understand... It really makes it so much harder to know that we are SO close. I think I could deal with it if we were over by like $100 but to know that $33 is what keeps me from getting $550 to feed my children just boils my blood.

[happyhats]

pumpkin pie-I would call unemployment and get advice, but honestly, I'd make them fire you, and look for other employment meanwhile. It sounds like a crappy work environment to be sure, but you basically have a guaranteed job if they are so afraid/unwilling to pay unemployment. Unfortunately if they fire you on grounds of theft, in my state at least, they can hold your unemployment up to nine weeks. I don't know about cash aid at all. I was accused of theft and fired when I was very young but didn't know about fighting things and luckily didn't need to as I lived at home.

As for us, we're still plucking along. Our car is dying. Our rent has been increased. Hopefully hubby can get the spark plugs replaced this weekend and it will help the car. The car's a/c died, and it's so SOOOO HOOOT so it's hard getting around anywhere but we've managed. In good news,

We got a checking account!! We are on checksystems so we thought we were screwed until we could pay the crooked bank off and take a class, bla bla. We stumbled upon a second chance banking account at a local bank. We do have to pay a small monthly fee, but it's less than what we pay for check cashing. And we get a debit card so no more prepay cards for us.

My big monetary worry at the moment is getting fall/winter shoes for dd. She has wide feet so our options are limited. Payless has very few options right now, and places like stride rite are so pricey. Luckily we have a few months to save up some money.

[frugalmama]

Originally Posted by happyhats

My big monetary worry at the moment is getting fall/winter shoes for dd. She has wide feet so our options are limited. Payless has very few options right now, and places like stride rite are so pricey. Luckily we have a few months to save up some money.

I don't know if they have wides, but Jcpenny.com is doing a $10 off code and free shipping on shoes {look on slickdeals for the code}. I got DD a pair of sneakers for $8.64 shipped for PE.