Posted on 07/03/2011 6:40:43 PM PDT by cableguymn
Here I sit. I just lost my day job, down almost 800 dollars of income a week. They "forgot" to pay me Friday (the day they let me go) even though it was payday. It's been a rough week at my personal business. A trade deal went south between a sign maker and my landlord. I'm caught in the middle with the rent bill. Wife had a mini-stroke but thankfully is doing well and is back to work.
So I was looking forward to a halfway decent weekend enjoying the 4th.
Then the wife comes home. (no. it's not a joke about her)
She tells me the story about my MIL, SIL, her Boyfriend and their kid. All 4 of them live in a 1 br apartment (Knew this) paid for by section 8 (knew this to), with cable tv, cable internet and each one has a cell phone.
she took them shopping.
SIL/boyfriend buy 200 bucks worth of video games and other worthless electronics. Stock up on high end baby crap and other things my kids never had. Push 2 carts around filling them with brand name foods and spendy meat.
Come to find out between the 4 of them they get 3000 dollars in SSI/AFDC payments And close to 1000 in food stamps while basically living rent free. (even part of the electric bill is paid) They get all this stuff even while state government is shut done.
Here I sit, sweating my butt off because I can't afford to run the a/c, no cable tv (I do have a low cost internet connection, won't support online gaming or streaming) with a wife that just recovered from a mini stroke, has type 1 and fybro, 2 autistic kids with learning disabilities and I was working 90+ hours a week trying to support all this along with paying for medical.
I am so damn close to just joining them on the dole.
I was reminded. Wic pays for the kids formula and other food stuffs for them to. But they gave my wife the fruits and veggies they have to get because they won’t eat them.
Do it. You've been paying into the system you whole working life. Do you want to end up in the gutter, along with your sick wife?
Taking advantage of TEMPORARY safety net programs you spent YEARS of taxes to create and sustain is NOT “going on the Dole.” It was for people like you who hit a bad spot.
It is the massive number of people who make these a lifestyle, who have paid little or nothing into the system that are the problem.
Do what you gotta do to take care of your family, take a few days to catch your breath, then make a plan and get started righting your ship.
And do it with your head held high.
Just remember that this life is only temporary.
Your wife will be in my prayers. It may not amount to much, but I quit my job because I was pissed in 2009, drove around for 2 weeks looking for a new job, found one, had to sell my damn house where my family was (didnt see them for 4 months), and then ended up in an apartment that I’m finally getting out of. It took 2 years for us to get on our feet, but I worked 80 hrs (40 full + 40 part) and it’s what a man’s got to do.
Ouch.
It’s your ability to do so that is our downfall...not whether or not you choose to avail yourself of it. That is up to you.
Yup... it’s enough to make anybody say, WTF??
But, here’s the deal... the gravy train is running out of fuel. Before long, anyone dependent on a governmeng check is going to be roaming the streets looking to steal food.
Hang in there. Do the right thing. Take care of your own.
The government built a system which is predestined to blow up in their face. People will take only so much injustice.
I am almost tempted to do the same. The business here in Minnesota is not good, with clients asking for proposals on projects, yet projects seeming to be on infinite hold. The nanny staters are giving me the line about “having more realistic expectations in life”, and the business climate in Texas is very good, with some real inquiries. Good thing I have maintained my business contacts there.
Your story rips my heart out. I am very sorry. I was without work for a few months and now have a month to month contract job. The economy stinks and the left is draining all credit of the country by supplying those suckers like you mentioned.
The little solace is that it won’t last much longer and you will know how to live decently on little while they will have to learn.
We are headed for a massive correction that will harden us all.
Please hang in there.
FreeAtl
***Taking advantage of TEMPORARY safety net programs you spent YEARS of taxes to create and sustain is NOT “going on the Dole.” It was for people like you who hit a bad spot.***
Absolutely! And with your head held high!
We will for somethings. With the state shut down, we can’t do anything on the state level. My job was contract work so no unemployment there.
To get the kind of goodies they have I would have to quit working completely and sell off my business. While it does not make enough to support us (yet) it does pay it’s bills and puts some money in to the household budget every month.
Last time we looked at SSI for the kids (and the wife, she should qualifiy for disability) we where told it’d take years and a lawyer to get it all done.
Still, Tuesday we’ll look in to it again.
We own the house, the land it’s on is rented but cheap enough (mobile home. we’re trying to live with in our means). we won’t be out on our butts but it might be roman noodles for me for a while.
From time to time, almost everyone is tempted by the easy path. Just remember, the price you pay isn’t in gold, it is in self respect and dignity.
The devil comes in many forms, and personally, I wouldn’t trade him my own value of self worth, my own dignity, and my own ability to be my own man for any of the trinkets he offers.
That’s just me, and I’m pretty sure, if you are on this site, and if you are posting this, you are having a moment of weakness, of self doubt, nothing more. The greatest men in the world have moments of self doubt, but when all is said and done, they don’t sell out for a few pieces of gold, and I doubt you will either.
All those cart-loads of video games and nonsense just aren’t worth the price your in-laws will pay in the long term. Just think how their kids are going to grow up viewing their parents, I guarantee it won’t be through the lens of respect or admiration, and because of that, those kids will probably never half self respect either, and we all know where young people without self respect end up.
Keep your course and take the high road my friend. You’ll be glad you did.
Judging by your vanity, go for it. It’s not about you anymore but your wife too. Just remember to get off it once you land back on your feet, but it’s easier said than done.
If there is an issue with feeding your kids you should not hesitate to sign up for food stamps, with the sick wife and disabled kids and sudden loss of income.
You’re not looking at dependency and entitlement as a lifestyle choice, you’re getting over an acute hump until work picks up.
If we all join them.... who’s going to pay for all that stuff??
I’m in Minnesota too.. The company I was contracting with pulled out of Minnesota with out explanation. I am trying to find out who replaced them (the companies they service are all still in operation in MN) so I can try to contract with them.
Houston! Mr FRiend. Jobs galore.
There’s NOTHING wrong with a helping hand up when one is needed!
It’s those that require a hand out that really rubs folks the wrong way!
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