title explained

Onward and upward! something that you say in order to encourage someone to forget an unpleasant experience or failure and to think about the future instead and move forward.

My e-mail: jjmiller6213@comcast.net

Saturday, October 20, 2018

Well, I've have another disaster on my hands!

Not of my own doing, but I don't quite know how I'm going to survive this one.

When I had my re-determination with DHS (Welfare) in early September, I was supposed to have a telephone conference with my Case Worker.  Because I am soooooo good about getting all the required forms and proofs organized and sent in, apparently she found no reason to call.  I waited all day for the call.  It is noted that if you miss the call, your benefits will be cancelled.

My only benefits are food assistance and the State pays my Medicare payment.  They don't take it out of my Social Security.

I got a paper in the mail from DHS stating that my Medicare would be paid and my food allowance went up from $23.00 to $41.00 a month.  YOWZA!!

Tuesday, I received another notice from DHS that they were going to stop paying for my Medicare and because it should have been activated in October, my November SS would have DOUBLE the payment taken out.  $238.00, taken out of my November 3rd SS deposit.  Then, from December on, $134.00 would be taken out each month.
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I called my Case Worker and for once, she answered the phone, instead of it going to voice mail.  I asked her why.  She said she didn't know and would have to check it out.  She put me on old.

While I was sitting there waiting, I could feel that cold sensation around my middle.  The one I get when I am told really bad news.

She came back on the line.  The cut-off on monthly income is $1,234.00.  My income showed, $1,238.00.  I had made $4.00 too much.

What to do!  I was shaking so hard.  Then I remembered that just last week, I got a notice that on a very small annuity I have, the State was going to start taking out 4.10% withholding.  It totaled $3.98 a month.

I told her about that and my income had dropped $3.98 a month since my re-determination.  

She told me to send in "proofs"--bank statements showing the deposit in September and the one in October showing the decrease.  I did that--scanned them and uploaded them to the DHS website, then called her back and left a voice mail so she would know and perhaps could get this whole thing fixed.

BUT--it won't be fixed, if it can be fixed, for two months. You know how tight my budget is now.  In November, I will be $261.00 short.  In December, $127.00.
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I don't know what to do.  Let my health insurance lapse?  My car insurance?  

I consulted with my blogging buddy Jean about selling stuff on EBay.  She told me I probably wouldn't make enough to go through all the hassle.  She was right.  I checked the price on a Japanese Wooden artifact I have from "Occupied Japan", made in 1948.  There was one just like it--sold for $6.99!

$6.99?

I had a place setting from my Mother's Sterling Silver ware.  My grandmother, my Dad and I got my Mother a service for 12 over the years.  We ended up with service for 13.  I had it and used it for family dinners in the 70's & 80's.  My kids loved to eat off Great Grandma's china and Grandma's "real" silverware.  Last year, I kept one place setting and gave the rest, in it's nice velvet lined box, to my sister.

I took that place setting into a jeweler's yesterday.  A reputable man.  He looked it all over, weighed it = $27.00.  When we bought in for Mother, back in the '60's, it was $50.00 a place setting.

I almost cried having to part with it, but sold it to him.  It will help pay for the last bill I have this month.
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What really annoys me; if my Case Worker had called me in September, like she was supposed too, as we went over the paperwork I had sent in, she would have noticed I was $4.00 over the limit and I would have known then, instead of being totally shocked!!!

Well, you know my theory.  God has always provided for me.  I can only be assured He will with this problem too.  I have to be strong and not let fear and panic get to me!

15 comments:

  1. Judy, you really need to tell your daughter/s what is going on with your finances. They care about you and a couple of them have the income to help if you'd just let go of your pride.

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    Replies
    1. Karen knows. She is bringing me some groceries from Costco today. She will inform the other kids.

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    2. That's good! It would be wonderful if they's just take over one or two of your repeating bills so you don't have to be constantly under this kind of stress.

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  2. It infuriates me to see this in print. If you took that $1,238 monthly number and factored it down per workable hour ... you are lower than minimum wage? I think I would begin a campaign and make a great big noise fuss. IN WRITING. On paper. Start with your DHS worker. Then the head of that office. Then City Council and the Mayor. Then your representatives. I just don't think $7/hour is a living wage!!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Social Security is not intended to be a person's sole income. Unfortunately, for a lot of people it is.
      Especially older women who stayed home and didn't work outside the home.

      Delete
  3. Judy, I'm sorry for your stress and worry. I'm glad Karen is aware of this. I know it's hard for you to accept, but I hope you let them help you.

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    Replies
    1. I would let them help me. BUT--
      Pammie had to move in with Jennifer because Pam can't work and has no money.
      Karen has two kids in college. They both work, but there are things she does for them.
      Jennifer is still basically supporting her husband/family, has two in highschool, currently building a home AND is supporting Pam.

      Delete
  4. I'm sorry, but praying things work out, Judy. :(

    xoxo

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  5. Wow...do you know the above co coya?? Not being nosy, but sounds suspicious..

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  6. your family should be helping you. we always help our family members that need help!!

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  7. I have no experience with all the ins and outs of this because (I say this with bottomless gratitude) so far, I haven't had to deal with it. Audrey has been obliged to go ten rounds with bureaucrats who refuse to answer their phone, though, AND DO THEIR JOB, over timely receipt of Dagny's child support payments that she is owed by Court order.

    I stopped at Dollar General week before last, to pick up a birthday card on the way home from the hairdresser. As I stepped up to the short line (of two registers) to pay for the card, the "worker" finished ringing up the person before me, then turned off her light and said (pointing) "She'll get you. I'm cashing out."

    I looked. There was one person being rung up on the remaining register, and someone was behind that customer with a cart full of groceries. I got in line behind that person. I wasn't fuming yet; I thought, okay, let's see if I can get out of here with this card in the next fifteen minutes. I had a tutoring session scheduled for two hours hence and I was a half hour from home. I still had some last-minute preparation to do.

    In due time the lady in front of me -- the one with the cart full of "groceries" (actually it was soda pop, chips, various other snacks, cold cereal, and white bread) -- hauled her stuff onto the tiny counter and the cashier rang it up. When it was time to pay, the lady said -- quietly -- "I'm using this EBT card."

    Oh, OK. So you're buying junk food and we're paying for it. I thought of my own husband, a small business owner, even at that moment working outside in hot weather. I thought of myself, trying to get home and make a few dollars helping a kid get ready for the SAT. Paying with money I'd earned -- much as you do, Judy, working tirelessly on your genealogies.

    Well, the scruffy customer couldn't get her card to work. It took at least ten minutes of her putting it in, pulling it out, swiping it, enlisting the help of another customer and then the cashier, before finally -- FINALLY -- the taxpayer paid for her haul of junk food and snacks.

    And then she got CASH BACK. Yep! Cash back from that transaction. I saw the cashier put at least twelve dollars into her hands. The lady already looked like a junkie; emaciated, unwashed, tattooed, and (this is just a guess) jobless. So I wonder what the cash went for? Beer? Smokes? We'll never know.

    What I do know is that when a senior citizen can legitimately claim eligibility for government assistance to buy FOOD, it ought not be cut off over four dollars, without her case worker getting in touch to let her know -- and YES, to work with her to prove that she's still eligible.

    Sorry to rant but I'm just so tired of this kind of thing. I do want to say, I thank God for President Trump, under whom far fewer people are receiving food stamps -- I don't say that because I like to think of people going without, but because it's a sign that more middle-aged, able-bodied folks are finding work so that they don't have to be on food stamps. I still believe that most people would rather work and take responsibility for feeding themselves and their children, than take welfare.

    I know all of this will work out for you. God bless. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I have no idea how she ended up getting cash back.
      My EBT card is only for food and if I don't use all of what's on my card, it stays there until next time or adds on to the next month. I took my card today and for the first time in very long time, got to buy some meat!! 1# grnd beef and stuff to make Chili. Plus water and milk, celery, grn pepper, onion, a can of chili beans and some canned fruit. It took every cent of my $41.00 food assistance. I will eat chili until it is gone. Please, keep praying for me.

      Delete
  8. Judy, Selling on Facebook is free and straightforward. If you’re on it there may be a local group you could join; they’re usually called “ Only in...( insert district name ) or something like that. I’m in one for my district and it mostly consists of people selling furniture, toys, goods. It was a child’s wardrobe this morning! Sums can be small but it all adds up. Hope that helps a little. But it’s all completely free. I don’t use eBay so I can’t compare.

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  9. That is so harsh to cut food benefits over four dollars. I hope you have good news soon about your finances and may God bless you.

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  10. I surely hope your case worker can straighten this out. Seems like there should be some provision to not withhold a double payment. Most people who are receiving assistance don’t and can’t have a reserve to meet their expenses when this is done to them.

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