Fall 2011 Low Income Support Thread - Page 2

[frugalmama]

Originally Posted by zebra15 

Does anyone know if Holiday Helper will reappear this year?

I think it will - saw a post in the section for it saying it would open Nov 1st I think. 

[Fruitful4Him]

subbing

[inkedmamajama]

Bank fees are killing me. 

[Paigekitten]

Originally Posted by inkedmamajama 

Bank fees are killing me. 

Yup. 

We just opened an account with a credit union and I'm in the middle of trying to switch our money and bills over, but it's nerve wracking.  I can't afford checks for the new account yet, but I certainly don't have enough money to cover both accounts without overdrafting.....its a delicate process.....

I just hope the switch is worth it, we have wells fargo and won't qualify for free checking as of next month, we used to have bank of america, but it sounds like they are charging more fees as well.

[frugalmama]

broke as heck here - just found out that it's likely we won't be getting a check for $255 that we were expecting. I'm posting everything I can on craigslist to sell, and trying to find more. Waiting on rebates too that were just sent out, and selling books online. 

Any other ideas? We need $1000 total to get us over the next 3 months. 

[Surfacing]

subbing

[zebra15]

Subbing is making me crazy.  I need a real job.  I need benefits.

[insidevoice]

Originally Posted by zebra15 

Subbing is making me crazy.  I need a real job.  I need benefits.

One of my best friends is in the same boat.  She can't find a teaching position but is subbing a lot.  To maintain benefits she's working for a big bookseller- but needs to maintain 30+ hours there for benefits.  She can't stop subbing because she NEEDS a teaching job, and that's how she's keeping the door open (she's been looking for a couple years now). 

It's a really hard time to be in that position.  

[zebra15]

I just want to pull my hair out.  And subbing is totally killing my passion for teaching and all things traditional education.  Ugh...

Originally Posted by insidevoice 

One of my best friends is in the same boat.  She can't find a teaching position but is subbing a lot.  To maintain benefits she's working for a big bookseller- but needs to maintain 30+ hours there for benefits.  She can't stop subbing because she NEEDS a teaching job, and that's how she's keeping the door open (she's been looking for a couple years now). 

It's a really hard time to be in that position.  

[maciascl]

Panicking here...as usual. I just sent in the Medi-Cal and FS renewal papers after cashing out part of DH's IRA. I am praying we don't get dropped. Also in looking at the paperwork on the account I've realized that what is left in the IRA has lost 15% of it's value in the last 2 months!!! WTH?? If it was going to sit there I'd say that is just how the market goes, but when you are faced with living on that money in the near future I can't help but think how a months rent just vanished. 

Hope everyone else is having a better start to their month! Hopefully this will work out to be a great month for us all! 

[Thystle]

Welfare mom creates million dollar biz: how she did it    http://shine.yahoo.com/event/poweryourfuture/welfare-mom-creates-million-dollar-biz-how-she-did-it-2573956/

A little bright light. Sorta. Gotta try to keep positive!   {{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

[Paigekitten]

DH's paycheck was $300 too short to pay the house payment.  We have until the 15th, so he is hoping some of his baseball cards sell on ebay between now and then.

[gabbyraja]

A little while back dh got a promotion and a raise, to about $400-600 more per month. I was dreading what that would do to our FS. Finally got the determination and only $60 less. YAY! Plus, all my credit repair has apparently worked out, dh's scores are high enough to buy a house. Fingers crossed and please send good luck vibes our way, ladies? And, of course, GL vibes back your ways, too!

[mylilmonkeys]

Originally Posted by gabbyraja 

A little while back dh got a promotion and a raise, to about $400-600 more per month. I was dreading what that would do to our FS. Finally got the determination and only $60 less. YAY! Plus, all my credit repair has apparently worked out, dh's scores are high enough to buy a house. Fingers crossed and please send good luck vibes our way, ladies? And, of course, GL vibes back your ways, too!

I'm so glad to hear it!  

[zersha]

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?

I did in home childcare for several years.  It's really hard work (I was licensed for up to 9 at one point), but keeping it smaller could make it more manageable.  There are some start up costs that can really add up, and sometimes the parents are not that reliable with payments.  And getting ages 3-5 is really hard, that's the age all the daycares want.  Sorry if I'm making it sound all bad - there were some good things too. :)

If you have a defaulted student loan I believe they will only take 10% of your check, but that may have changed. A long time ago I had a defaulted SL and worked for a temp company.  I don't believe the amount withheld was very significant.  The collections can't get your check unless they have a judgement with a wage garnishment.  There is a huge process for that and each states laws dictate how much they can take, but again, it's not the whole thing.

Good luck :)

[Amylcd]

Originally Posted by inkedmamajama 

Bank fees are killing me. 

Me too :(

[averysmomma05]

applied for FS was approved for $19 a month sigh. Suppose to hear about my DD's ssdi praying she wasn't denied. Student loans and FA should be deposited to account in the next few weeks and I can finally catch my bills up I hope. Sigh.

[Amylcd]

Originally Posted by averysmomma05 

applied for FS was approved for $19 a month sigh. Suppose to hear about my DD's ssdi praying she wasn't denied. Student loans and FA should be deposited to account in the next few weeks and I can finally catch my bills up I hope. Sigh.

Sorry to hear about the $19 :(   I can imagine how disappointing that would be.    I'm still waiting to hear back about my application. Hoping for something... we desperately need it!

[averysmomma05]

It didn't suck to bad because she had told me I was denied but then I got a approved for $19.00 letter in the mail. I hope you guys hear something soon. I cut my hrs at work from 40 to 15 a week because of my daughters issues and drs appts, etc so they told me to have my job fill out some paperwork and send it back to maybe up my amount. I haven't done so yet because I really hate to ask my work to do that :(.
 

Originally Posted by Amylcd 

Sorry to hear about the $19 :(   I can imagine how disappointing that would be.    I'm still waiting to hear back about my application. Hoping for something... we desperately need it!

[Momsteader]

Originally Posted by averysmomma05 

 

It didn't suck to bad because she had told me I was denied but then I got a approved for $19.00 letter in the mail. I hope you guys hear something soon. I cut my hrs at work from 40 to 15 a week because of my daughters issues and drs appts, etc so they told me to have my job fill out some paperwork and send it back to maybe up my amount. I haven't done so yet because I really hate to ask my work to do that :(. 

Is your 5 yo in kindy? If so, the fs would automatically qualify her for free school lunch (which you were probably already getting...but it makes the paperwork easy from what I hear--FS sends you a letter that you take in vs having to do paperwork).