Fall 2011 Low Income Support Thread

[Thystle]

Fall (Sept-Dec 2011) Low income support thread, for those living with a low income or struggling.

Support ONLY... no flaming!

Summer 2001 thread:

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1315568/summer-11-low-income-support-thread 

Fall starts tomorrow so I thought I would kick off the thread! May the rest of 2011 bring good news and joy for all of you!!!

[Thystle]

http://www.mothering.com/community/t/1330533/2011-frugal-xmas-and-other-holidays 

I started a new thread on frugal xmas/holidays like we used to have in F&F years ago. Hopefully some good ideas will get posted!

[SierraBella]

subbing :)

[zebra15]

Hi!

Subbed 3 days this week and have 4 scheduled for next week...

[maciascl]

DH may be getting a very part time job next week. It won't bring in much money but it is still in real estate and has good potential for increasing his contacts and getting him some listings. I am really trying to work on my attitude and be more positive. So I am going to meditate on this turning to something really great.

[Thystle]

Job vibes to you both!!!!

[zebra15]

I know Thystle started the other holiday thread but has anyone started planning for the fall/winter holidays.

It seems like everything hits at once.

Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  OMG I get overloaded with activities and so much FUN.  I shouldn't complain this is when there is a ton of FREE stuff to do around here but still... everything is jam packed into like 10 weeks.

[frugalmama]

has anyone here done in home daycare to make a little extra? I'm considering taking 2 or 3 kids in, ages 3 to 5 only. We're just coming up short every month, and I need to find something that is consistent and a decent amount for the work done. I planned on doing like a little preschool, since I already have everything for that as we home school and DD is in 1st. 

Also - I'm hoping someone here might be able to answer a question about defaulted federal student loans I have. I've heard they can go after your paycheck if you work a regular job - do they take all of it or is there a percentage they are allowed like 20% or something. I've debated getting a regular job at the grocery or such, but I have defaulted federal student loans, as well as a whole bunch of credit card and private student loans in collections. As long as I get a paper check and not direct deposit the collections can't take it right?

[phathui5]

I did childcare in our home for three years and it actually got us through a year of dh being unemployed.

We're getting ready here to go from decent, mid-sized income to low-income so that I can do an apprenticeship and finish midwifery school and I'm pretty nervous. Actually, I go back and forth between being confident about things working out and terrified that we'll end up homeless.

[SierraBella]

Originally Posted by zebra15 

Halloween, Thanksgiving and Christmas.  OMG I get overloaded with activities and so much FUN.  I shouldn't complain this is when there is a ton of FREE stuff to do around here but still... everything is jam packed into like 10 weeks.

Well, not sure about Halloween. What day of the week is it? We might go to our university Pagan club gathering that they do every year. We went last year and had a great time. Knowing my X-MIL, she'll buy my kiddos costumes and they'll be with their dad that night, I think.

Thanksgiving- Having it at my house.. me, kids, DF, sister and MAYBE BIL and his GF. I'm not going ANYWHERE.. I'll be 8 1/2 months pregnant.

Christmas- Also at my house with the same people as above. People might come see me, and I expect to have a newborn. I'm trying to get gifts now as I can before it becomes too crazy later.

Originally Posted by frugalmama 

has anyone here done in home daycare to make a little extra? I'm considering taking 2 or 3 kids in, ages 3 to 5 only. We're just coming up short every month, and I need to find something that is consistent and a decent amount for the work done. I planned on doing like a little preschool, since I already have everything for that as we home school and DD is in 1st. 

Also - I'm hoping someone here might be able to answer a question about defaulted federal student loans I have. I've heard they can go after your paycheck if you work a regular job - do they take all of it or is there a percentage they are allowed like 20% or something. I've debated getting a regular job at the grocery or such, but I have defaulted federal student loans, as well as a whole bunch of credit card and private student loans in collections. As long as I get a paper check and not direct deposit the collections can't take it right?

Can you get your loans deferred?

Originally Posted by phathui5 

We're getting ready here to go from decent, mid-sized income to low-income so that I can do an apprenticeship and finish midwifery school and I'm pretty nervous. Actually, I go back and forth between being confident about things working out and terrified that we'll end up homeless.

Good Luck! We are both full time students and are making it work. We live off student money, DF's G.I. Bill money, and he works PT. There are lots of resources out there to help you out. Maybe as a midwife student you could do PT work as a doula for some extra money?

[Momsteader]

Originally Posted by frugalmama

Also - I'm hoping someone here might be able to answer a question about defaulted federal student loans I have. I've heard they can go after your paycheck if you work a regular job - do they take all of it or is there a percentage they are allowed like 20% or something. I've debated getting a regular job at the grocery or such, but I have defaulted federal student loans, as well as a whole bunch of credit card and private student loans in collections. As long as I get a paper check and not direct deposit the collections can't take it right?

It just depends. If you work there long enough (and owe enough!) they can send an assignment/garnishment (legal document) to the place of business and make them take it out of your check and it to them regardless of if you get a paper or electronic check. I know there is a limit on what they can take for things like back child support and IRS...but not sure on student loan/cc debt.
 

[mar123]

They can garnish your check no matter how you receive it; if they garnish it through your work, they are not going through your bank.

For CCs, the limit is 25% of your before tax income, which is a lot, IMO. Not sure about student loans. I know if you have defaulted on a student loan they can take your tax refund (if you get one), and I think they can garnish your wages- not sure about the % though.

If I were you, I would try calling and working with them again. IME, they really are willing to work with you. Dh was out of a work for a year; had we gone into default, we would not be eligible for mortgage help at all (a government modification/loan program).

[maciascl]

It isn't even October yet and I have already realized that after all bills are paid and I budget for gasoline we have exactly 0 dollars left. I guess I should just be happy we can pay the bills, but actually that is not counting the electric bill because I am really hoping they apply our LIHEAP before the bill is due. 

The home auction job doesn't look like it is going to happen now. The investor is slightly worried that we are in such a bad financial situation that he doesn't want to hand DH a cashiers check to bid on houses for fear that DH will take the money and run. I can't blame him. He doesn't know DH. However, Tuesday DH went on an interview for a full time job that would put real estate on hold for now. I am so excited. It is for a leasing manager at an apartment complex. Which means we could end up moving to an area that I am not as happy about, but paying a lot less in rent in addition to an actual income!

[maciascl]

Originally Posted by mar123 

They can garnish your check no matter how you receive it; if they garnish it through your work, they are not going through your bank.

For CCs, the limit is 25% of your before tax income, which is a lot, IMO. Not sure about student loans. I know if you have defaulted on a student loan they can take your tax refund (if you get one), and I think they can garnish your wages- not sure about the % though.

If I were you, I would try calling and working with them again. IME, they really are willing to work with you. Dh was out of a work for a year; had we gone into default, we would not be eligible for mortgage help at all (a government modification/loan program).

CC are not likely to go through the hassel of garnishing your check unless it is a large amount $10k or so. They will just write the debt off and have collectors call you a lot. I used to work for a loan company and a credit counseling company. Calling the companies is a good place to start. You could also try calling a credit counseling company but they can only help with cc or loan debt of 10k total or more. 

[insidevoice]

Does anyone here have any experience with the weatherization program?  I know that the qualification here is through liheap, then the homes with highest energy consumption are prioritized.  Given that our electric/heat bills are $400-$500/month, we would be pretty much on top of the priority list (average here is about $100/month) because the insulation here is SO bad. 

I'm just torn about whether or not to apply.  We weren't planning to be here through this winter, but it looks like we probably will be, and I don't want to do another winter of  struggling just to keep the main part of the house warm.  I don't know though what the program does or provides. I suppose we could apply and see what they have to say.. 

[mar123]

I have had experience with garnishments below 10K, well below. It just depends on the company. One bill was 5K and one was 3K. If they garnish, they also add the cost of lawyer and legal fees, so it really ends up costing them little.

[gabbyraja]

Every question you've ever had about defaulted SLs can be found here, or you can ask it here. http://creditboards.com/forums/index.php?showforum=19 They are also full of info about collections, how to deal with collectors (STAY OFF THE PHONE!), and your credit reports. As I mentioned on the summer thread if I'd not found credit boards Dh would have a 500ish score, rather than a 700 score right now, and we would NOT be getting a house. I'm actually preparing my evidence to sue the robo dialers calling me for everyone under the sun, too. At $500 a pop I HOPE they just keep calling and calling...

Edited by gabbyraja - 9/30/11 at 11:36am

[Koalamom]

Subbing!
Hoping for a month of positivity!

[mylilmonkeys]

Ugh, this is looking like it is going to be a rough winter for us.  My dh's income is variable.  He makes a lot more in the summer than he does in the winter.  I'd set up my budget last spring with our lower income, but we're already hitting that low this month with potential to drop further in the future.  It usually drops until January when it stabilizes and then starts to come back up in April.  We are already $400 less this month than last and last was probably $100 less than the previous.  If we go much lower, we'll have to adjust our sinking funds and we really need to replace both our vehicles next year.  We had our alternator go this weekend.  Thank the Lord for a husband that at least knows how to replace an alternator.  And, that these things happen on days he is home, because we barely see him Monday-Friday.  He is working full time and school 3/4 time.  We have to renew our Foodshare and stuff next month.  Hopefully that'll go up a little bit or at least hold steady.  Almost time to file for heat assistance, too.  So far, I've managed to resist turning the furnace on even when it was 60 in the house.  We put a space heater in the main room to take the chill off in the AM, and I've used it for a couple hours on four days.  Hope that will save a little on the utility bills vs. heating the whole house.

[zebra15]

Does anyone know if Holiday Helper will reappear this year?