I need a vent! I hope no-one minds!
I've just been at our benefit office to review my entitlements of assistance from the government due to only being able to work part-time and havign extra costs associated with having Crohn's (meds and supplements etc) and basically they expect you to not eat!!!
What they are expecting me to survive on is $166.00 per week (that's about $80-something US) after my 'disability' expenses and mortgage payments.
To give you an idea as things cost different amounts in different countries:
My weekly food budget is $80.00. Remember I am a tiny/skinny Crohnie and so don't even eat very much!
My bills (power, phone, car insurance, internet - though they probably see that as unneccessary) come to around $70 a week.
That leaves me with $16.00 a week to cover petrol (I use around $25 a week), any car costs like registration ($250 a year), warrants ($90 a year plus any car repairs) - (Dad just paid a car bill of $220 for me as Xmas pressie), clothing, dentist, vet bill (I think Muppet is sick), and any other life costs like maybe a haircut, things around the home like my microwave just died and had to get another one, lawnmower needs fixed....
The govt would say a car is not a necessity. But when you are sick and exhausted it becomes quite important. I dont have the energy to walk everywhere (not least because I live on a BIG hill). our public transport here is a joke. Am I supposed to just sit at home and fester away on my own for the rest of my life!
The list goes on.
I don't need much. I don't expect to go on spending sprees. But I do like the occasional movie (Dad always pays) and was wanting to start yoga classes for health reasons (cheapest is $6.00). I am supposed to be getting some exercise and Dad had to get me some new walking shoes as my old/ancient ones were hurting my feet (they are about 7 years old!)
So, you can see there is quite a deficit there! How the hell do people cope! I mean I DO work but it almost seesm like I may as well not bother because then I'd get more on a benefit and be in about the same position. If I increase my hours to try and get ahead, they take it all off the benefit.
Perhaps I am ungrateful. I just can't gte used to the idea of not being able to support myself financially and having to get help from my 70 year old Dad when I am nearly 40!
The thing is, unless I get full-time work with much better pay than I am on now, I feel completely STUCK! But I know I cannot manage that right now and worry that I never will.
We don't choose to get sick and even when we try to help ourselves by working as much as we can we are still on the poverty line. There is no incentive to work here if you can only do part-time.
Any suggestions on spreading my meagre income further besides not eating and getting the power cut off!!!??????
I already do the odd 'illegal' income with some photo jobs and a wee cleaning job, but even that is having me barely scraping by.
AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!
Vent over, that feels better
I've just been at our benefit office to review my entitlements of assistance from the government due to only being able to work part-time and havign extra costs associated with having Crohn's (meds and supplements etc) and basically they expect you to not eat!!!
What they are expecting me to survive on is $166.00 per week (that's about $80-something US) after my 'disability' expenses and mortgage payments.
To give you an idea as things cost different amounts in different countries:
My weekly food budget is $80.00. Remember I am a tiny/skinny Crohnie and so don't even eat very much!
My bills (power, phone, car insurance, internet - though they probably see that as unneccessary) come to around $70 a week.
That leaves me with $16.00 a week to cover petrol (I use around $25 a week), any car costs like registration ($250 a year), warrants ($90 a year plus any car repairs) - (Dad just paid a car bill of $220 for me as Xmas pressie), clothing, dentist, vet bill (I think Muppet is sick), and any other life costs like maybe a haircut, things around the home like my microwave just died and had to get another one, lawnmower needs fixed....
The govt would say a car is not a necessity. But when you are sick and exhausted it becomes quite important. I dont have the energy to walk everywhere (not least because I live on a BIG hill). our public transport here is a joke. Am I supposed to just sit at home and fester away on my own for the rest of my life!
The list goes on.
I don't need much. I don't expect to go on spending sprees. But I do like the occasional movie (Dad always pays) and was wanting to start yoga classes for health reasons (cheapest is $6.00). I am supposed to be getting some exercise and Dad had to get me some new walking shoes as my old/ancient ones were hurting my feet (they are about 7 years old!)
So, you can see there is quite a deficit there! How the hell do people cope! I mean I DO work but it almost seesm like I may as well not bother because then I'd get more on a benefit and be in about the same position. If I increase my hours to try and get ahead, they take it all off the benefit.
Perhaps I am ungrateful. I just can't gte used to the idea of not being able to support myself financially and having to get help from my 70 year old Dad when I am nearly 40!
The thing is, unless I get full-time work with much better pay than I am on now, I feel completely STUCK! But I know I cannot manage that right now and worry that I never will.
We don't choose to get sick and even when we try to help ourselves by working as much as we can we are still on the poverty line. There is no incentive to work here if you can only do part-time.
Any suggestions on spreading my meagre income further besides not eating and getting the power cut off!!!??????
I already do the odd 'illegal' income with some photo jobs and a wee cleaning job, but even that is having me barely scraping by.
AAAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH!
Vent over, that feels better