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Home > Personal Finance > Topics:  Curbing Expenses
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10 Ways to Improve Your Financial Position in Life

Submitted by: Grandma Gogo  07/03/2009 8:49 PM
 
Editor's Note: This tip was originally submitted as a comment in response to a post on Reader's Digest's "16 Ways to Save $100".

Moonshadow - my heart goes out to you. I have been in your shoes as a child. I also have a daughter with mental health issues. As well as physical disabilities of my own.

Some practical ideas for you:

1. Contact the United Way - they are a clearing house for many charities and can put you in touch with organizations that can help.

2. Locate your community action group - they receive government block grants for energy assistance (they can pay your electric and gas bills) and administer other assistance programs including food programs.

3. Post on Craigslist.org or Freecycle.org - people who have things to give away will sometimes deliver (perhaps some new cloths or a free rug!).

4. Look for free community counseling - both for your son and yourself - usually graduate students at a university. Or counseling paid by Medicaid. Your son needs counseling to learn that he needs to take medication for his health. Mental health clinics have case managers that help with many community services.

5. Homeless shelters, the Salvation Army, food banks, churches all have outreach people who can offer help to your family including free food, free health clinics, free medications, free counseling, day labor jobs, etc. You don't have to be a member of the church, but they can pick you up to take you to church services.

6. Transportation - contact your state Senior Citizens office. They may also help the disabled and may have transportation available for grocery shopping or doctor visits.

7. Contact your local state Vocational Rehab office - there is money available for education. Yes, SSI limits the amount of money you can earn but it won't limit the amount of knowledge you can gain. Also, straight Social Security Disability lets you earn up to $940 per month and keep your benefits.

8. Find a volunteer position. You will feel less helpless when you are helping others. Someone in the organization will need to help you with transportation, but you may find good and kind friends there.

9. You are in need and Americans are good, generous people. Please reach out and find these resources - they exist to help you. People do care, but they need to know you are out here - so put yourself in touch.

10. Never give up. Life is change. Sometimes we don't see it coming and we just have to ride it out. But often we can make change happen through the choices we make for the better.

I know it is hard to face any task when you are depressed and feel helpless and hopeless. Pick one thing and do it today. Pick one thing and do it tomorrow. Make a list and take baby steps. You will be amazed at what you can accomplish!

Please post back here and let us know what positive steps you have taken.
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As regards the amount earned with SSI--

The amount given is correct BUT this is for WAGES paid to you!!

If you can earn a few dollars by selling on Ebay, at a Flea Market or garage sales you don't have to report it and it doesn't count against you.

They are only interested in deductions taken out of a "real" paycheck, not other monies you might earn.
 
Posted by anonymous on July 31, 2009 4:36 PM
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I read the post from moonshadow this afternoon. It took me this long to decide whether I should comment or not.

I've lived alone on SSI for almost 10 years. I wish I could work, but I cannot. I too have had to deal with the guilt of not being able to help loved ones in trouble since I am on SSI, but we lose eligibility for so many things if we live with others, that it puts us in the same or worse situation as the person we are trying to help. In the end, that helps no one.

If you are an unmarried adult with no minor children, living on a full SSI check (about $100 a month below federal poverty level), you must live alone. If you live with anyone else, your check gets cut to around $450 per month. And food stamp amounts are based on the income of the entire household, so, even if her son doesn’t help the household with his check, it still counts as household income.

SSI is a last ditch effort to keep you from being homeless and starving. It is not the same as Social Security Disability (SSD), even though it’s administered by the Social Security Administration. You get SSI when you are not eligible for SSD.
The government assumes that any adults you are living with are helping you financially, not the other way around. No one is allowed to pay for, share, or help you with rent, utilities, or food on full SSI. Those are what the check is for. If someone else is paying for those things for you, SSI won't pay them. Your SSI check is not meant to support “sweetie“. I’m sorry, especially with the way the economy is right now, but he needs to seek other means to support himself. Those are the rules.

Moonshadow, I feel for you because I know it would be hard to throw your son out.
I wish you luck.
 
Posted by anonymous on September 19, 2009 2:50 AM
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