Okay, this might get a personal, but I don't care. I'm 19; I attend a hospital-based radiologic technology program (x-ray tech). My parents recently divulged that due to financial reasons (I guess) they want to move to Texas (they are paying for a house down there, as well as up here). That's all fine and dandy, but it kind of hangs me out to dry. Normally, I'd be able to get a 40 hour a week job or something, so that I could afford an apartment. The only problem is that I go to school 40 hours a week. I also work 24 hours a week to pay off my school loan (school is too small for financial aid) and my car loan. This, plus studying leads me to about 70-75 hours of work a week. Since I have no family in the area, and since my girlfriend's parents have done wayyy too much for me, and don't really have the room to house me, I was left up to my last option today. I went down to social services to try and get on welfare for housing assistance. Now, I thought that since I'm in the exact situation that this situation is set up for (19 year-old kid trying to get through school so that I can be a contributing member of society. ~4.00 GPA. Don't drink, smoke, do drugs. 1 year of school left. Working my ass off so that I can get by. No financial help, etc.), I'd be able to get at least a little bit of housing assistance for my last year of school. Well, after waiting in line for 2 hours, at the one of the crummiest places ever, the social worker takes me back and tells me that the 150 dollars I make a week (this pays off my food, gas, and loans) is too much money for support. This has me furious. So, let's get this straight. If I make too much money because I work 24 hours a week to pay off my loans, then won't anyone benefiting from the system, who is trying to better themselves make too much money. I mean, seemingly, if someone truly was trying to better themselves, they'd be able to find a job and 24 hours of work a week, right? Exactly. So, what does this tell me? That the system is flawed. I'M paying MY tax money into a program that I can't even tap into when I truly do need it. I'M paying MY tax money into a program that, when I'm the exemplary case for it, I can't access it. This tells me that the majority of people on this system are abusing it. Truly, if you're not looking for a job, I find it hard to find sympathy for you. If you're not looking to better yourself, and you're mooching off my hard-earned buck that I could use, then give it to me. I am so pissed off at this system that I could kill somebody. My biggest fear is that I'll end up having to get another job, and I'll burn myself out and not get to graduate. This system either needs to be tweaked or ended. And yes, I know some of you may have comments about my parents, and that's okay. They have some complicated situations going on themselves right now, too, and I don't blame them if they feel they need to move. This thread is more about how our tax dollars are getting wasted, and I'm getting screwed over by the government.
But you are getting student loans which are supported by taxpayers as well. With 1 year of school left, couldn't you apply for an additional loan? I understand your point- that if you start working you no longer are eligible for welfare. But there have also been reforms to the system where you cannot stay on welfare forever, you have to get a job at some point (I'm thinking the limit is 2 years).
Well, the point is that I have a 3300 dollar loan out for school, a 5000 dollar loan out for my car, and pretty soon, I'm going to have to take out another 2500 dollar loan for my second year of school. With working 24 hours right now, I can barely afford to pay for my loans right now as it is. I am on my way to a great credit score, and I don't want to overindulge in loans I can't pay because I don't want to ruin my credit.
I also should add: My loans aren't student loans. They are personal loans. This little program wasn't eligible for student loans because it's not based off of a college, just loosely affiliated with one. I'm paying for them right now, as I go to school.
I know exactly how you feel. I was in a similar situation a few semesters back. Whatever you do, graduate, burn out or no burn out.
I feel for you, I have massive student loans right now myself. After housing and utillities, my monthly allowable got to be around 150 buck per month while I was in college (I go at ~$580 per month off of my loans). My advice, find other college students for roomates that are willing to share rooms (really cuts down the rent portion when 4 people live in a 2/2, even though you sacrifise a ton of privacy, though still better than dorms). Learn to love cheap food: Hotdogs, rice (not Uncle Bens, the ten pound white ones in Chinese super markets), eggs, bread with packaged cold cuts, lettuce (salads are awesome), bread and peanut butter, and other stuff. I don't drink so I think that saved a quite a bit of money, but you can feed your self on $2 a day (also fastfoods 99 cent menus work too). Outside of that, I wish you best of luck.
What wizkid said. You're going to have to give up some freedoms. Such as eating really cheap food or living with someone, or something. I feel the same way you do though. The system is abused but when someone legit like you that needs it can't get it, that is ridiculous.
it only gets worse when you make $30,000 a year starting salary without any benefits, and find you can't afford the $5,000 annual premium that healthcare costs. You then cant egt healthcare form the gov't because your income is too high. Or when you make $60,000 a year and find that you're $5,000 over the max to be eligible for a housing grant.
I am pretty sure this is called living a normal life. You can't expect to be on easy street straight out of college.
sorry, my eyes glazed when I saw the part hwere he made too much money for gov't aid. was in the same situation for almost a year after being laid off halfway through 2002. lost my health benefits (problem with corbaserv), didn't get a job till mid 2003 (temp job, no health benefits). Couldn't afford healthcare in 2002 because of layoff and cobraserv problems, and couldn't get gov't healthcare in 2003 because my partial salary for 2002 made me ineligible. Was afraid to step outside for a year
Sounds like the SySTEm is limiting someone from doing better you do better. . . it screwes you If you don't . . . you get to be in the system not so much Abuse. . as it does not allow one to be upwardly mobile Rocket River
In a previous thread the point was made that people are poor because they are "lazy and stupid". But this is a case where someone from a wealthier family would have it easy finishing the schooling but someone without as many resources has alot more trouble making it balance (cycle of poverty). I'm actually an strong advocate of making people "work" for their benefits. Even if it's cleaning parks or sides of highways -- and letting those with children have there children watched by others on welfare (overseen of courese). At a minimum make them do so many hours of community service. The people on welfare because they need to be should be glad to contribute in some way the others would have some incentive to go back to work. I don't think we should be paying peoples bills because they choose to go to school. We should have the responsibility to make it work. I worked full time and went to college at night to get a degree. It sucked -- but I did it with no goverment handouts.
Not knowing basically anything about it, I would think the solution would be to find a different school to finish your degree at. It would be one that is eligible for student loans, is near your parents' new place, or both.
How much 'welfare' did you expect to receive??? If you're only one year out, on a tech program that gives you an in-demand job you shouldn't be afraid of a little more debt. Keep your costs low and buck up. Find cheap digs -- room with someone, eat cheaply etc. So you end up with $6,000 of credit card debt assuming $500/mo? You're still better off than many your age -- and you've got a decent paying vocation within a year. Congrats. Sounds like you've done a great job so far. Good luck.
JV, it sounds like Eddie is going to a "corporate school," one that is for profit, not one that most of us would be familiar with. That's a shame for Eddie, who's a nice guy that deserves better. Any kind of public community college, 2 year institution, or 4 year college or university would have a host of options available to pay for going there. An old friend of mine went to UT and Harvard on loans and credit cards. He was a working class guy who now earns in the high 6 figures every year, and paid off his loans very quickly after Harvard, although they were very large. He would charge things on his cards during the year, then pay the cards off with the loans, when they came in. By the time he finished school and had his MBA, he had awesome credit, with several cards with high limits... in large part because he used them and paid them all off regularly. Sounds like you need some good advice where you're at, Eddie. Have you done a search online for academic financial help in your area? D&D. What's Up?
Hey, get creative. Find a church or non-profit housing group that will sponsor you then go around to local businesses with the exact story you are telling and raise funds for the non-profit with the agreement that they will provide for your housing. When i was in college, I refused to get a "real job" paying me $5/hour. I went around to businesses, got them to put a discount on my discount card. The cards cost $.34/per and I sold them to students, who love discounts, for $10/per. The last year i did this I made $10,000.00 in three weeks going door to door around the campus. The thing to remember is that if you help enough people get what they want in life, you will get what you want.
By the way, If you can prove everything you have said on here, I will underwrite a housing loan for you.
Why dont you contact your personal loan financer and ask for a forebearance. You will accumulate interest, but who cares if your repayment will restart after your done with school. Then find a place to live with some roommates.
This should make you wonder what it really is like to be poor. You are not poor. The folks that do qualify for welfare would love to be in your shoes.
