Vent! We just lost food stamps

amother

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 9:59 am

We just lost food stamps, I am trying so hard to make more money so we could be independent. I went into the Chessed center for our monthly “shopping” and I was informed that the Chessed center is income based and we no longer can get the free food unless we reapply and get special permission. It’s not enough that we lost the $500 a month, now we make too much for a food pantry?! We also no longer qualify for free school lunches and my kids will no longer get the free hot meal. How much macaroni can we eat?
We made $50,000 for a family of 4. Yes this is our first year making too much for medicaid and food stamps so it’s new to me.
We just started the journey and I am so close to giving up. We already borrowed $10,000 to pay for health insurance for this year.
Tell me there is light at the end of the tunnel even if it will take another 2-3 years till we see a significant increase in money.
Otherwise, I don’t see how there is a value to living like paupers and being treated like we are now rich.

amother

Olive

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:07 am

amother OP wrote:

I totally get you, it's extremely hard to make the transition. Can I gently point out though that it's not like you're being treated as rich. You're being treated as an average adult who's expected to stand on their own two feet.

The fact that many of us (me included) started off marriage relying on these subsidies is what is a huge hindrance in moving ahead. Instead of having to struggle to set the foundation when we were young and expenses were less, we are forced to make the transition later on in much tougher situations. If you do have a sensible plan though as to how you can increase your income over the next 2-3 years, then try your best to stick it out. Coming out on the other side is well worth it.

amother

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:10 am

amother Lightcyan wrote:

It's hard. It's a big adjustment. You need to sit down and figure out an entire new budget & lower your living standards if at all possible. It's called poor middle class for a reason.
Good luck!

We drive 15 year old cars, we buy generic brands for everything, my kids and myself wear handmedowns, we never lived richly even with free medical care and food stamps.
I haven’t bought a sheital since my chasunah (12 years ago).
My kids wear clothes from good will or their cousins.
We already have a huge mortgage, but in theory we could sell our house and move to an apartment.
Their is almost nothing to cut back on except protein which we have been.
We are both in chinuch. I thought we would just manage with the extra $20,000 but I see that doesn’t do it. I really don’t know if we can live like this.
How long to try it before we reach the breaking point , I don’t know.
We can stop getting health insurance but with 2 of us immunocompromised I am not sure thats a good idea.

amother

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:13 am

amother Olive wrote:

We do have a plan to make more, I am slowly leaving chinuch and expanding my “hobby” into a full time business which has much greater earning potential- that’s how I earned the extra $20,000 on Sundays and in the summer . I earn close to 3x per hour what I get for teaching but I am also losing all the benefits from being in chinuch now that I cut my hours at school.It might take a few years till it’s significant. The big question is how or if we will manage the few years to get there.

amother

Olive

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:22 am

amother OP wrote:

It's hard to comment without knowing your unique situation. Questions that come to mind are - if your dh is in chinuch, why can't you still get those benefits through him? Did you have a plan how you can make up for the additional money lost by dropping the benefits during these transitional years? Was it the best idea to drop those benefits now, before you were on more steady ground? Do you have the extra time and resources to put more into your hobby so you can earn a bit more now?

You really need to sit down with dh and figure out a plan forward. If you have a plan and goals to meet, it will be a huge help during these years - both physically and mentally. Even if means going a bit into debt (I stress only 'a bit'), and you have a subsequent plan to pay it off, it's worth to come out on the other side. But again, you really need to think this through and plan carefully with prudence.

amother

Diamond

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 10:55 am

OP, you are both in chinuch and you are making a combined income of $50,000 WITH your extra income?

It sounds like your husband is not getting paid much, and if there are no plans for him to make more - a lot more - at some future point in time, I dont think your plan is feasible. I'm sorry.

You can't rely on yourself to bring in real income consistently, basically forever, and enough to pay for all frum living expenses (which grow exponentially as your children get older and as your family will iyh expand), even if your business has great potential.

I really think you need to work this through IRL with someone who is financially savvy, and figure out a realistic plan going forward. This does not seem to be it, from what I'm reading (there may be details here you haven't shared, which may change the outcome, which is why I suggest you speak to someone IRL).

amother

Pink

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 11:13 am

Op, if your not going to make big money, go back to being poor. It’s not worth it. If your dh is in chinuch ask your accountant about parsonage because that’s not counted towards income for medicaid. Try to get back onto Medicaid. That doesn’t make sense to borrow money for insurance. Good luck!

amother

Whitewash

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 11:21 am

You're in a tough spot, OP. We made the jump (or were kicked off, however you look at it) 12 years ago and I still don't feel like we came out "on the other side" yet. It's a never-ending uphill battle and it doesn't help to watch our friends on programs come out with more net spending money every month than we do.

Unless you know for a fact you'll have a combined income of at least $80-100K (you said 2 kids, correct?) then I wouldn't suggest taking the leap. We have 4 kids, a combined income of $180K and are not making it month-to-month. And we don't even own a house.

If I could turn back the clock I'd seriously consider the career change I made 12 years ago.

amother

Tan

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 11:31 am

I lost benefits a few years back. Paying for food and healthcare is very hard. It hasn't gotten easier. I do have potential to make more in a few years but right now I'm focusing on my kids and can't move up at work. I'm sticking it out knowing that I'll make more in the future.

I have a high deductible and medical expenses for basic visits are on my credit card which I'm trying to pay off.

amother

Feverfew

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 11:40 am

Hugs OP. That is beyond stressful—infuriatingly so. To get kicked off eligibility for food from a food pantry when you are struggling already? I would suggest you and DH call the head of the Chessed Center and explain your situation. Do they know you had to borrow $10k (!) for health insurance expenses?

If you post a way to send you some funds to help tide you over I would be happy to try to help.

Hatzlocha rabbah.

amother

Diamond

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 12:00 pm

amother Feverfew wrote:

OP I don’t know what state you’re in but these are the guidelines I found for my state (Ohio), for a family of 4 the yearly income limit is $59k, not $50k.

That's weird, because I just checked NY medicaid limits and the yearly income limit for a family of four is $38,295. In NY state.

amother

Obsidian

Sun, Jan 22 2023, 12:39 pm

I know you said you cut back on your chinuch hours already.

But crazy thought that you should definitely mull over with your spouse.

If losing your chinuch job would allow you to qualify for medicaid, maybe it would be worth it to stop working your chinuch job completely. Take the pay cut, get the benefits, and throw your work completely into your side hobby.

Would those numbers work out?