Stimulus arriving this wk, who will need yom tov Tzedaka

amother

Aquamarine

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 11:14 am

amother [ Firebrick ] wrote:

Maybe the lesson here is that it's expensive to live in New York.

Or maybe it’s expensive to work.
I got a bonus that pushed us over the threshold. I had to pay 40% taxes. The amount I ended up getting was a joke for the work and time put in extra for it.
We too are questioning why put in effort. If I would be a SAHM my life would be so much simpler. We would lose health insurance but everyone around me seems fine on their govt health insurance. We pay 20k+ alone on health insurance. That itself is a huge chunk of my paycheck.
I don’t live in NY. But am also wondering why am I working.

amother

Burgundy

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 11:19 am

amother [ Jetblack ] wrote:

We work hard to support ourselves and we’re eligible for some programs.
The two are not mutually exclusive.
If you’re not eligible for programs you’re in a better financial position than me.
If you’re a middle class earner, you would be eligible for free/subsidized health insurance.
Why don’t you give up your job if you think living a poor life is so great.

BTW I don’t receive coupons or free clothing before YT.
Not sure why you think the grass over here is so green.
You’re better off working on your middah of gratitude.
Many people including my husband are currently unemployed or underemployed, and it’s no picnic.

I didn't mean to personally attack you. Apologies if I was to harsh.

Personally, I do agree that my family was better off financially when I was a SAHM.

The system is screwed up and my family is receiving the raw end of the deal. Its a struggle now, but we do see the light at the end. Once my kids are out of school we will iyh have the financial means to hopefully dig ourselves our of debt.

(I dont want to go off topic, but my kitchen is falling apart. Somehow all my kollel neighbors had the means to put in brand new kitchen and bathrooms when they purchased their house. They are all on government insurance, I cant ask them for personal medical referalls. This is when I realized that my family must be doing something wrong)

amother

Lime

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 11:29 am

amother [ Jetblack ] wrote:

Have you ever been in a position where you were not eligible for government programs? Because if you haven't then you dont know what it's really like and you cant say that those who are not eligible for programs are better off financially than you. The only way you can say that is if you have lived both ways and you were better off when you not eligible for programs.

I have lived both ways and believe me free health insurance and food is worth alot and leaves you with more spare cash for clothing, simchas etc. than someone who is paying for those things

amother

Aquamarine

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 12:05 pm

amother [ Jetblack ] wrote:

My neighbor who stays home on programs get:
Rental assistance:18k
Health insurance: 20k (what I pay)
Food stamps: 7k

Plus a lot more

You don’t see how that could easily put them ahead of someone earning 60k. Paying taxes on it (take home pay closer to 45k). Sending babies to daycare ($$$)
The problem is me neighbors don’t seem so poor when I live in a 2 bedroom small old home and they are in a 5 bedroom new home cost free. It’s hard to see them as poor and me not.

amother

Burlywood

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 1:15 pm

amother [ Aquamarine ] wrote:

It’s more complex than that because not everyone can get all forms of assistance. Rental assistance for instance has a very long wait list. But overall yes, life is a lot easier when you can manage being low income and living on the programs. And not everyone can afford to increase their wages and lose the benefits that come with it.

amother

Goldenrod

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 2:11 pm

amother [ Aquamarine ] wrote:

These numbers make no sense!

How many kids does she have? 7k for food stamps??? I’m guessing she’s on Medicaid, how did you get the number 20k?

amother

Jetblack

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 2:53 pm

amother [ Aquamarine ] wrote:

I don’t have time to read & respond to all posts.
I just want to reply to this one.
Your neighbor’s benefits are not proof that poor people are financially ahead than others.
If you’re arguing that people who commit fraud & steal are better off than people who work, I can’t dispute that.
Of course you can be on welfare, cheat on tax returns, default on your rent/mortgage, and live like the rich until you get caught.
I’m arguing about those asserting that people who are so poor as to be legitimately eligible for substantial programs - and you have to be very poor to qualify for food stamps - can cover their expenses and live the equivalent/similar lifestyle to those not.
Again, you cannot pay tuition, simchas, and basic living expenses other than food on a few hundred dollars a month of food stamps.
(Section 8 is a helpful program but virtually non-existent these days).

ETA - I’m not saying your neighbor is committing fraud but all the people I personally know who live off hefty programs like vouchers and housing assistance do, or they earn some income off the books.

Last edited by amother on Mon, Mar 15 2021, 3:51 pm; edited 1 time in total

naturalmom5

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 3:12 pm

amother [ Navy ] wrote:

I guess we should consider giving more to people in Isreal this year. They are always living on a lower standard and this year was especially hard because they had more lockdowns. I just came across an Isreali begging for money in the grocery. He took out a few coins to pay for the one thing he bought while asking the price while all the others where just merrily swiping their food stamps cards for arms full of stuff. My heart!

I hope you were able to give him something

amother

Cerulean

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 4:39 pm

amother [ Aquamarine ] wrote:

To add:

Heap and USF - 2 to 3 thousand dollars a year.

WIC - depending on amount of kids, between 1500 and 4000 dollars a year.

EIC - approximately 15,000 a year.

Vouchers in New York, CHS in Lakewood...

Not to mention that they don't have working expenses, don't need a car.... lots of savings right there.

It really adds up to a pretty penny.

amother

Ginger

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 4:42 pm

amother [ Navy ] wrote:

I live in Brooklyn new York and don't happily swipe food stamps card . We swipe a debit card of my husband hard earned money

amother

Goldenrod

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 4:53 pm

amother [ Cerulean ] wrote:

Where are you getting these numbers from?

when I lived in US, we got WIC. We were able to get a few things, nothing close to $1500

We never got vouchers or EIC (what's that) or Heap.

tree of life

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 5:00 pm

FranticFrummie wrote:

I know I could certainly use some extra. I'm just barely OK right now, and if I eat really simple meals I can get through Pesach.

My big worry is that my water and electricity bills are coming soon, and I'm afraid that they will wipe out my Pesach budget.

Please ask your local rabbi for food for Pesach yomim sure they will happy to give you so you can pay your heating bill

amother

Vermilion

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 5:07 pm

amother [ Cerulean ] wrote:

Heap is $400 a year
Wic is some milk and juice and formula if u need not even close to $1500 a year it’s around $75 a month without formula
Eic what is that???
Vouchers are only available in nyc and the program barely has taken in new people in the past few years.

amother

Jetblack

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 5:17 pm

amother [ Goldenrod ] wrote:

Where are you getting these numbers from?

when I lived in US, we got WIC. We were able to get a few things, nothing close to $1500

We never got vouchers or EIC (what's that) or Heap.

I would love to know as well.
Sign me up.
A google search on the IRS website indicates the max EITC (earned income tax credit) is $6660 for a family with 3 or more children.
Heap is a few hundred dollars a year, depending on income and amount of young children in the household.
Vouchers are very difficult to qualify for and attain.
A SAHM cannot qualify for vouchers.
Both parents need to be working and there are other criteria as well.

amother

Cerulean

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 5:20 pm

amother [ Vermilion ] wrote:

Heap AND USF. USF can be almost $100 a month depending. And Heap is often more, depending on many factors.

WIC is very much a few hundred dollars a month if you have a few children, I added it up. I suggest you take out a calculator and add up your WIC checks. (And I didn't even get formula, if you add formula in it's quite a bit more). If you've gotten WIC many years ago, it may have been different as the program has expanded since then.

EIC (Earned Income Credit) is what people generally call "I got my tax return". No, it's not a tax RETURN if you didn't pay anything, it's another program like Section 8 and Food Stamps and it's only available to low income earners.

For people who have vouchers - it's great. True, not everyone can get on it now, but lots of people are already on it. Those people would lose money if they go off programs.

amother

Cerulean

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 5:22 pm

amother [ Jetblack ] wrote:

It's a combination of EITC and REFUNDABLE child tax credit, which used to be $1400 a child per year (and is now $3000 or $3600 a year). A refundable child tax credit is money you're getting that you never paid. In other words, a federal program just like section 8 and food stamps. If you have a few children, it's easily $15,000 a year. (Ask your low income neighbors if they get $15,000 a year back from their tax "return".)

Heap is a few hundred dollars a year, but USF is a lot more. I know, I used to be on it and I know how much I got.

amother

Salmon

Mon, Mar 15 2021, 5:33 pm

So do people who have government benefits shop in Jewish clothing stores and what strollers do they push?

I work 2 jobs, plan my menu around what is on sale, shop at Marshall’s when I shop which is very rare-still wearing sweaters to work from high school, for my children I shop at the Children’s Place Outlet,-they do not match as hand me downs are the best, and my stroller was a Graco.