OT: Can You Live On?

Atrocities · #1 September 29th, 2004, 05:28 AM

I am not joking. That is the going rate for many on Unemployment and or those who are disabled and on SSI or SSD.

In fact in many cases it is much less.

This is unfair to those who by no fault of their own are out of work or unable to work. I feel that laws should be placed into practice that would protect people from loosing what they have gained while being forced to live low income style.

It is a very hard living to say the least, and the cost of living keeps going up while the means to live goes down. This is a real problem for millions of people in the US and I am sure around the world.

Kamog · #2 September 29th, 2004, 06:29 AM

There's no way I could live on $1000 a month without making some major changes:
- find 2-3 other roommates and share a cheap apartment
- get rid of the car and take public transport
- most meals consisting of only water and bread
- stop going to movies, buying games, books etc.
- use the public library for internet access

Wait, is that $1000 US? I was thinking $1000 Canadian... well, $1000 US is better but still wouldn't be enough.

Atrocities · #3 September 29th, 2004, 07:12 AM

On average

$370.00 Rent (With Room Mates) Expenses included
$85.00 Phone and ISP
$110.00 Auto Insurance (Auto Paid Off)
$65.00 Suppalmental insurance for Auto (Required)
$110.00 Medical Insurance (Not counting prescriptions)
$80.00 Visa
$40.00 Renters Insurance

$860.00

Now Gas and food and you have nothing left. I don't see how any one can live on this. It is unlive able.

Minimum wage = $7.13 X 40 X 15% Tax = $242.42 weekly X 4 = $969.68 a month.

Live on that!

Kamog · #4 September 29th, 2004, 07:44 AM

Maybe I can live on $500 a month by buying an old van and parking it near the university. I won't actually park in the campus parking lot because that would cost money. Then I'll live in the van but won't actually drive it anywhere. I'll use the shower in the school gym every morning. I won't have to buy soap or toilet paper and there will be no electric bill. Sometimes I'll sleep on the sofas in the study areas like I used to do when I was a student. I'll use free phone in the student lounge to make calls and also use the microwave oven there to cook my food. I'll go to the public library for free internet, because you can't use the university computers unless you're a currently a student. I'll buy my clothes from garage sales and used-clothing stores like Value Village. My meals would consist of bread, water, bananas, and no-name brand cereals.

Then my monthly expenses would be:
$0 rent
$0 electricity, heating
$75 monthly bus pass
$200 food
$225 left for clothes, entertainment, and everything else

Atrocities · #5 September 29th, 2004, 07:48 AM

Yes, but living in your car is considered "non residence" status. You would most likely not be able to obtain a divers license or employment. At best you would most likely have to pop for P.O. box.

David E. Gervais · #6 September 29th, 2004, 08:25 AM

I currently get $536 cdn/month on the solidarity assistance program (fancy name for wellfare in Quebec) and I share the cost of living with two other people. My brother and Mom. The bills look like this..

$ 395 Rent
$ 112 Hydro
$ 60 Phone
$ 72 Cable
$ 40 ISP
$ 520 Food
-----------
$1199 (rounded to 1200 and divided by 3 = 400/month

I have no car, and the remaining 136 goes to clothes, computer needs, and the rare occasional outting with friends. Every once in awhile I go into debt when something big breaks. Like recently I had to buy a new matress $375 which I'll be paying off over the next 3-4 months. (of course I might have to skip a month to take care of some xmas shopping, but I should be paid by feburary at the latest. Oh, and come January the government has decided that we people on wellfare are getting too much money, so I'll be getting about $100 less/month. This 'cut' is supposed to 'encourage' us to go out and find jobs.

You might say "aren't you working on SE5? So why are you on wellfare?" Well, I'm under contract, but I'll get paid when Aaron gets paid, and that is only after SE5 is released. So I got to survive untill then.

On another note, I'm not looking for 'regular' type employment, my primary priority is taking care of my mother, I'm doing the work from home type thing right now. After she passes it will be another story.

anyway, to me $1000/month seems like a hefty 'raise' so Yes I could survive on that, and even square away a bunch of money for the lean times.

Nuf said, Cheers!

Atrocities · #7 September 29th, 2004, 08:33 AM

I live on 1,145 a month. Down 500 do to insurance company changing of policies concerning defination of Long Term Disability. Was until death, now 24 months. Go figure.

PvK · #8 September 29th, 2004, 04:37 PM

Wow - insurance is eating a huge amount of your expenses: $325 is 38% of the total!

I hate insurance. Especially "mandatory" insurance.

PvK

Quote:

Atrocities said:

On average

$370.00 Rent (With Room Mates) Expenses included
$85.00 Phone and ISP
$110.00 Auto Insurance (Auto Paid Off)
$65.00 Suppalmental insurance for Auto (Required)
$110.00 Medical Insurance (Not counting prescriptions)
$80.00 Visa
$40.00 Renters Insurance

$860.00

Now Gas and food and you have nothing left. I don't see how any one can live on this. It is unlive able.

Minimum wage = $7.13 X 40 X 15% Tax = $242.42 weekly X 4 = $969.68 a month.

Live on that!

gregebowman · #9 September 29th, 2004, 05:11 PM

With my 2 jobs and my wife's, we barely make double that $1000 a month. Well, maybe a little more than double, it just depends on my wife's income, which can fluctuate depending on how many hours she works a week. Fortunately, I don't have any car payments, or I'd really be screwed. But I do have a mortgage, with built-in insurance. But I don't have insurance on the contents of my home. I barely have enough to afford car insurance, which is mandatory in Florida. Then my electric bill, which runs around $125 (until winter, when it goes up). Then my phone and cell-phone bills, and my satellite bill is around $100. then a couple of credit card payments. And I took out a home equity loan on my house awhile back, and that's around $250 every 2 weeks. And besides all that, I still need money for food, gas, and whatnots. So we squeek by, but barely.

Gandalf Parker · #10 September 29th, 2004, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Atrocities said:
I am not joking. That is the going rate for many on Unemployment and or those who are disabled and on SSI or SSD.

For me, luckily I have military retirement. Not much of a check but the medical coverage and other benefits help out alot. Every once in awhile they try to mess with it so its abit of a worry whether it will be there when Im really REALLY old. One of my sons gets SSI and still lives with us. It does cover his needs as long as he stays with us (he is 27 now). But it really ties us to California since his benefits would be less elsewhere.

My primary "duty" now is caring for him but I can do spot jobs from home (thank you DSL). And my wife has to work 2 jobs. With the current economy we are squeeking by but every month is a balancing act. Luckily Bush has only messed with the disabled vets money and not mine. On the other hand Schwarzeneger is messing with my sons ssi.