I do not have money to eat with my SSDI dispersal

Money Management
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I was recently deducted over ~$120 a month from me SS for Medicare. It was tight before they deducted that from my already meager $1200 a month allowance. When I receive my disbursement of a little over $1000, my complete finances are gone. I pay for rent $450 and utilities that have been $500 a month. I have had charity last month through my father last month, but that is it. My car recently broke down and that cost me over $300. I am having panic attacks and my blood pressure is sky high from the stress.

My partner has been in and out of the hospital since last December and is applying for disability herself. I really need to help our hopeless situation. I am really starving.

TicsIMG_0773

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I am so sorry you are struggling so badly. First, we need to look at your utilities. Those are super high. Are you in your own home or a rental? If a rental, maybe the landlord could look at what’s causing the huge utilities like drafty windows, inadequate cooling/heat systems. If you are in your own home, space heaters are notorious for driving up the bill. Cover windows with blankets. Make sure doors are sealed. Clean all filters. Also, check out LIHEAP in your area. They help with heat assistance for the winter.

Are you on SNAP right now? If not, apply for SNAP immediately. Also immediately google food banks/pantries in your area. Do NOT be ashamed to go to one of those. That is what they are there for. Depending on your age, you or your partner might qualify for Meals on Wheels as well. Look into that. And of course, once her disability goes through, hopefully, there will be some relief.

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Call 211. They can typically get you hooked up with resources in your community.

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LeighofMar posted:

I am so sorry you are struggling so badly. First, we need to look at your utilities. Those are super high. Are you in your own home or a rental? If a rental, maybe the landlord could look at what’s causing the huge utilities like drafty windows, inadequate cooling/heat systems. If you are in your own home, space heaters are notorious for driving up the bill. Cover windows with blankets. Make sure doors are sealed. Clean all filters. Also, check out LIHEAP in your area. They help with heat assistance for the winter.

Are you on SNAP right now? If not, apply for SNAP immediately. Also immediately google food banks/pantries in your area. Do NOT be ashamed to go to one of those. That is what they are there for. Depending on your age, you or your partner might qualify for Meals on Wheels as well. Look into that. And of course, once her disability goes through, hopefully, there will be some relief.

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There are some good ideas here. However, if you are on SSDI the most you can get in food stamps is around fourteen dollars per month. It is ridiculous. If you pay your own utilities independent from your landlord call and ask about budget billing. It really helps. I use to pay around $550.00 per month in the summer for electricity. On budget billing, it went down to $285 per month. It stays that price all year. Most power companies have this and even gas companies.

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I forgot one thing. Most states have a program where if your monthly income is lowe enough and it sounds like yours it Medicaid will pay your Medicare premium for you each month. That will save you that premium they are taking now. Even if you do not qualify for Medicaid they will still pay your Medicare premium. Here is the link with more information. https://www.medicare.gov/your-…are-savings-programs

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How do you not qualify for subsidized housing on top of the welfare you are already receiving? By the sound of it, you should qualify for at least partial assistance.

Are you able to work at all? Even work from home jobs? You may need to at least try to work until your finances are more settled. Even selling your car if necessary, though that’s not always easy to do in places without superior public transportation.

Churches will often help with utilities and providing food, as well as food pantries… in this day and age, no one should go hungry. Start making phone calls if you already haven’t.

Best to you.

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Side hustles are how most of us survive. There are a number of those that can be done from home throughout this forum.

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@TOURETTE TIC, Wow!! I have been where you are, alone. I have no partner nor anyone else to help me. It is quite debilitating and frustrating. Thank God for my children. I don’t believe they really understand fully what it is that I am experiencing but they do help out. I have also signed up for churches, but since I don’t have a car that’s almost out of the question. I have received Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners from the Salvation Army. There are many services out there, but you just must find them. I am a senior and I live in DC, so a lot of things are here and readily available, just for the asking. Since I paid taxes for over 40 years, and I’ve contributed to organizations in the past, I don’t mind asking for help… when I need it!! I joined a local senior network that provided Mom’s Meals, a free ($6.99/meal) service to me. I was ecstatic, and received a large box every other week. Fresh fruit, milk, the full nine yards. BUT, it was very difficult to eat the food, even when I seasoned it. I tried to give it away; I fed it to my rather large, pre-teen-aged grandson. All of a sudden, no one was eating and I was stockpiling meals in the freezer, so I did the next best thing, I called the agency, thanked them and requested they stop sending them. I don’t want to waste anybody’s money.

As a senior who wanted to stay in her home, I applied for and received a reverse mortgage. Had I not done so, I would not have been able to stay in my home though the note with a home equity loan was only $670/month!! I also bought my house with no money down. I am blessed. Thinking about applying for a grant to install a chair lift I have three floors, and my body is wracked by osteoarthritis (one knee replacement already). I don’t mind living alone, and I’ve done everything I can to make it comfortable, including installing solar panels. My middle daughter sees everything as a waste of money because the house is not mine anymore, but the bank’s. But, as long as they say I can stay here, according to the contract, I will be here. In fact, I am working towards one day, paying off the reverse mortgage and moving even though I am 73!! I am going to continue to live my best life!! Yesterday, was the 16th anniversary of my successful breast cancer surgery!! Praise God!!

Now, if I could just figure out how to get that new car. Actually, I have a plan, just got to give away a few free websites and voila!! A new car!!

So, seek out any and all services located in your municipality. Apply for them. Nothing beats a failure but a try. I am here pulling for you. If you need me I am as close as your email. Who knows!?

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Your partner needs to treat their half of the rent and utilities as their own responsibility and get on the hustle to find programs that will help her support herself. You are saying that you are supporting 2 adults off of disability for 1 person. Because I know that my mom barely gets $800 in SSI and she is amazing about budgeting and always seems to have money as needed. Now that she is supporting herself and not with her ex-husband that did not contribute his share of any expenses. I recently went thru something similar when I had to get a partner on their own plan. List them as homeless or as a roommate while requesting their own funding to live off of. They should be able to get Food Stamps if everything for disability is filed and legit. You list their debt as a solid weekly number for rent and utilities. Then DHS can help with rent payments. Make it a constant number. If they fall behind then they need to file for an SER with DHS to pay their rent or receive eviction notices. Everyone wants to help others in a bad spot but in reality, you cannot afford to be paying their bills too or all the living expenses. They can go to pantries and sign up for programs for soaps-deodorants-household items. Sign up for food stamps. Register for low-income housing. Each of you do it separately.

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Go to your local /state welfare office. Apply for SNAP benefits. Apply for utilities help through the state or your county. Call your electric company and explain your situation. Look into subsidized housing. Section 8 is out there for folks who are low income. Ask about Meals on Wheels. Find your local food bank. Find local meals at the Salvation Army or local churches or charities. There are options out there. Free phones through SafeLink or some other program offered from the government. You are considered living under the poverty line and should be able to get help. It will take some work and time to do but the help is out there for people in your situation.

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