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2nd Trimester
government assistance.. wtf... mini - vent.
I applied for government assistance a while back. I applied for medicaid, food stamps, WIC and cash assistance. I had a great job but my doctor didn't give me permission to work in my first trimester because i work around chemicals, therefore i had to leave my job behind. Ever since, i've been trying to find another but i've been moving around from city to city because shortly after losing my job, i lost my apartment. Well, now i'm STAYING, not living, STAYING with my mom and stepdad in the basement until i can find a job of any sort and get on my feet. The baby's father is somewhat in the picture, we're trying to work thru our issues. Well, yesterday was my appointment for government assistance, and they said i dont qualify for anything because of what my mother makes. I'M SO PISSED!!! I need that assistance so i can save MY money when i start making some and get out on my feet. Right now, my parents are technically supporting me, but i have to babysit or use loose change to get gas and such. I just can't believe that a pregnant girl who lost her job and her home and has to be out of her parents in 2 months didn't get assistance! Now i'm really stressing out and i dont even have my ex FI here to make it better. I'm so disgusted with my life.
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Re: government assistance.. wtf... mini - vent.
This exactly. My sister and her husband stay with his parents. His parents make a decent amount of money but do not help them out at all. My sister does not work right now, and her husband doesn't make very much. When they applied, they put on the app that they rent from the parents and did not include the parents in the household information. They also had a letter from parents stating that they pay them rent and utilities and how much they pay per month. The caseworker will ask you about it, and you can clarify the situation if you need to. You should be approved. Try doing an appeal, they should give you an address or fax number with your letter that stated you were not approved.
You are a teenager and living with your parents - think about how this looks on paper. I'm sure that the government doesn't get the subtle difference between "living" and "staying" with your parents at age 19.
Clearly what you need to do is get a job ASAP and get out on your own. Sorry you're in this stressful situation, but you're going to have to kick things into high gear to get out. Good luck.
ETA: To the posters who are suggesting she tells the government she pays rent: she doesn't. She admitted they are supporting her.
get a job as soon as you can. even in this economy there are jobs, maybe not things you would PREFER to do, but job=money and you can't really be picky at this point bc now you have a CHILD to provide for.
What is babydaddy doing to help provide a home for his child?
DO yourself a favor and DON'T lie to the government about them not paying for you. The people who commit welfare fraud always get caught. And in addition to felony larceny charges being pressed against you, you will also have to pay every single penny back.
You have a free place to live! Mom and Dad are footing the bill for you. This is enough help to allow you to save your money to get back on your feet.
As far as the babydaddy goes- if he drops the ball on this one (sounds like he already has)- get a good lawyer that will file paperwork for custody/child support.
I'm not sure about entitlement issues, but I agree with everything else you've said. Anyone who can actually accumulate "savings" doesn't truly need assistance at the level that she's asking for.
What world are you living in??? "get a job ASAP "....in this economy getting a job ASAP is nearly impossible; on top of the fact that she's pregnant. Yes we know employers aren't supposed to discriminate, but the fact is they do.
I say do what you have to do...you obviously paid your dues (previously working and paying taxes) and it's not like you want to stay on assistance and not go back to work. There are so many people who take advantage of the system and NEVER try to get on their own. Let the system work for you for a little while.
Wow! Grow up. Why should I have to pay for someone who was irresponsible and got KU to live so they can "save" their money.
DH and I are living paycheck to paycheck almost not making it yet we would never take advantage of the system.
And for those of you who are telling her to lie to the govt. shame on you. YOU are the problem with the economey!
This exactly!
WTF? So she should lie and we should pay for it because she got KU? How much money in taxes and soc security do you think a 19 yr old has put into the system?? Does it make it okay since there are so many other people out there taking advantage of assistance programs?
She can get a job at the mall or at a Taco Bell. That's what doing what you have to do means, not lying and cheating.
Just because YOU got knocked up and decided to have the kid, doesn't mean that *I* want to support you via my tax dollars when you are living with your parents and they are supporting you. Sorry, it doesn't work this way. You don't get to save your money while living off of the gov't just because you are an entitled pregnant teenager.
LMAO... yes, I am living in a world where people should try to get jobs to support themselves. It's a keeeerazy world!
Look, I know the economy is bad, but I said she should get a job as soon as possible. Then perhaps if she's still struggling she could apply for legit, legal financial assistance.
What I'm telling her NOT to do is lie and exploit the system. She is being fully supported by her parents and babysitting for gas money... kind of like what I did when I was a teenager. I would rather my tax dollars go to someone who actually needs assistance and isn't already living off her mommy. Make sense?
Hmmm, well I'm a lawyer and I can tell you that the scenario you've suggested above IS lying for government assistance. All you're doing is pointing out a way to do it without getting caught.
And to the PP who's up in arms about the difficulty of finding a job while pregnant. I'm going to go out on a limb and suggest that the difficulty if not that she's pregnant, but that she obviously has nothing more than a high school diploma. My advice would be to find something like Starbucks, Wally World, etc. Stay living with your parents and go get a degree. Oh, and of course take your ex to court for child support.
Yes, the economy sucks. But there ARE jobs out there. I was at the 7-11 not an hour ago and they have a hiring sign up. In fact, so does McDonald's and the jiffy lube down the street. I even saw a sign a week ago about Merry Maids hiring. Are these jobs that I would want to do? Nope. But if I had NO OTHER source of income? Damn straight I would be filing out an application. I am so sick of people using the economy as an excuse to obtain government assistance (or in the OP's case - LIE about obtaining government assistance) or as an excuse to not work at all. Would working at McDonald's be the same as the six figure job I have now? Nope but you know what? Its better than nothing at all. And its certainly better than living off of the government. And its obviously WAY better than LYING to obtain government assistance.
{Ava 5.16.06} {Ella 12.29.07} {Drew 2.9.10}
I am actually very much in favor of welfare assistance and WIC. I am more than happy to pay into a system that helps people get on their feet and support their children until they can build a better future for their family. What I can't get behind is welfare fraud. This is really a pretty simple concept. Lying = bad.
All I'm saying is sometimes you need a little help to get on your feet. If she can get a job and just isn't trying then I 100% agree with you. I do not believe in freeloading just because you can get away with it.
I do think she should pay her parents something....I don't think she should lie; just do the right thing. Pay them and re-file. The girl is obviously in need of some help...she's not saving her money and taking ours to go on vacation....she's doing it to get on her own, a deposit for a new place. We "pay" for so many peolple who are driving better cars, wearing more expensive clothes and blowing it on God knows what. I don't feel bad in helping someone who is actually looking for a way to make it on her own.
Shame on us? You want to be able to save money, then get a job. Government assistance is not a savings plan. I commend your parents for making you take responsibility for yourself. You were denied assistance because you don't qualify. So get over it and get a job so you can make and save your own money.
a temp agency will 100% likely take her on untill she finds something permanent. i used to work for a staffing agency (one of the largest in the country). i know for a fact that pregnant people are hired. i would even go so far to say that not only will they place her in a good job, they will make sure she has a job that she can do while pregnant. i staffed pregnant women all the time! and most times- it ended up being a permanent placement- vacation, benefits, the whole nine yards.
the whole "there are no jobs" thing doesn't fly with me because i know for a fact its false.
First: Where is the baby's father in all of this? What is he planning on doing to help support his child?
Second: get a job, retail (carter's or osh kosh have been hiring in my area, maybe they are hiring in yours--you can get discounts on clothes for your son), fast food, or some other industry. It doesn't have to be permanent, just something that a) will give you a steady stream of income coming in, b) give you the means of supporting yourself and the child that will be arriving in a few short months, and c) help show the gov't (and those around you) that you are not reliant upon your parents support.
Third: When you get back on your feet, look into getting a degree in something--that way you'll lower the risk of being placed in this position of relying on the kindness of others while wishing for gov't assistance again.
Been working for the last 5 years full time.
1. I started working when I was 14 also. There are VERY strict laws. Unless you were working illegally you couldn't have been working full time.
I'm not some teenager that just went and got KU. I was engaged to somebody that i was with quite a long time, and we were planning our wedding.
2. You ARE a teenager who got KU. Just b/c you are with someone for a few years as a teen doesn't mean your ready to be parents with them.
My mother was married and pregnant a year younger than me and was happily married with a family for 16 years.
3. Yup its a cycle.
I'm ashamed of some of the things some of you women said. If you were in my shoes, and had to stoop so low to get assistance to help support your baby, you would do it to.
4. I wouldn't be in your shoes. I use BC b/c I am not ready to be a mother.
Shame on you.
5. Shame on you for making bad choices and getting yourself in trouble. Since when does a nanny use dangerous chemicals.
I assume that the assistance that she really needs is Medicaid. The other stuff she can do with out. Now for those people who tell her to go get a job, yes she should be looking, but take it from me it is not that easy. My husband, who has a degree and was laid off because of economic cut backs, can't find a job. And trust me he has applied at gas stations etc. It is not that easy. Be thankful that both you and your DH do have jobs and aren't franticly trying to search for one. Lucky for us, I am able to work two jobs right now, so that helps us out.
Edit: I got KU before my husband lost his job
How are you supporting yourself?
If I were put in your situation, my first course of action would be to do my damndest to find a job--NOT run straight to the welfare line. A mother does everything she has to in order to support her baby, that includes working her arse off at one or two part-time, crappy jobs to keep a roof over her baby's head and food in her baby's belly.
NO, your parents are not just giving you a place to rest your head when you already admitted you pay them nothing and they support you. They put food in your belly and put a roof over your head. I'm not sure what kind of delusional world you are living in, but this means they ARE supporting you. Even if they have given you a time limit to get out, they are still supporting you. You should be ashamed of yourself, not the other way around. I know pregnant women who have worked two jobs, waitressing and paying their own bills in their own household who would have given anything to be able to live in somebody's house for a short time while they saved money from the JOBS they were working. You're right, some poeple do need help, people who live at home with their parents, don't pay rent and don't pay for the food they eat aren't one of them. Sorry if the truth hurts.
This exactly. I'm all for people who need assistance getting it, but there are reasons they have the rules they have.
Oh, sweet. So you're admitting to defrauding the state on a public message board? Good luck with that higher education.
Well, since you want me to picture being in your shoes, here you go: I'd make sure to use birth control. CONDOMS. And if one broke, I'd get Plan B as soon as f-ing possible. And after that, I'd keep my legs closed untill I was damn good and ready to take care of my child on my own.
It's because of people like you (who lie to get welfare) that cause people who really need help to not be able to get it. And no, you don't need it. Your mom and dad have given you two months. Which, IMO, is more than enough time to get money together so you can hit the ground running.
and you're 19? where the f do you live that you can work full time at the age of 14????
I think you need to take a closer look at what people are saying. You are just hearing what you want to hear. Nobody has said that welfare is bad or that they don't support it. They have said that poeple who don't deserve it should not get it. Bottom line.
Also, the house is really not set up for people to be renting from so us not going through the state to pay rent is not defrauding either since we are only here for a very short period.
Wow this is just getting better. Glad to see where our tax money is going.
I also want to add:
I'm going to be a young parent, too, but before we even decided to have a baby we made sure that we would be financially stable! I do not want to rely on other people's money, especially if my parents are supporting me. There are jobs out there, you just need to keep trying. I doubt your parents would kick you out the house if you have no way of supporting yourself. This post is making me so angry. Err!
Shame on you!
You just said yourself in the previous post that you 'put on the application that you rent but even though you don't'.
Nice cover up.
If you know you can afford not to be on WIC or foodstamps then why did you apply? I don't have a problem with helping people out but since you are being supported you should have no problem saving money, same with the baby's father.