I owrk about 50-60 hours a week, full time. I live paycheck to paycheck, because of how expensive things are. I hardly spend extra money, or go out. All my bill are always paid on time, but i still barely make it by, because of the cost of gas, car payments, insurance, rent, food, etc.\n\nBut, there are people out there who DONT work, and sit around popping out kids, and they get free money, some of their bills paid, and free food!?!\n\nI dont think its fair that there are families out their working their butts off to make a living only to barely make it buy. But then you have others who live off the governement. Anyne else think this isnt fair?
136511
It is not fair.  There are alot of people who are able to work, but chooses not to, because it will cut into their free stuff.  They live better than we do.  My boyfriend HAD this friend, who came over to our house(I totally despised him)and wanted us to go to the store with him and us his link card to get groceries and give him cash, because he had no money to buy beer or cigarettes.  I went off on him and told him "You make me sick". Here we go off to work everyday and he could too, but he would rather drive around and get drunk everyday and we are paying him to do that.  I can not stand people like that.\n\nI would like to add:  I do not have a problem with some people who are on food stamps that are really trying to make ends meet.  I understand there are dead beat dads or moms that don't want to help with the expenses.  There are people that do need the help.  I just don't think its right when people are not even making an effort and have no plans to do so.
300728
I am poor and worked hard all my life.  Now retired, can't get Medicaid or Medicare because I retired at 62 (after working for 46 years), adopted my grandson because his Mom is ill and Dad deserted them, can't get dental care for him because Medicaid won't pay dentists enough in this great state of Missouri, have $787 a month to live on.  Yet illegals can come in and get all kinds of help. Boy, does the gov't have their priorities screwed up.\n\nMa_isa, what makes you think anyone is joking? And I hardly think spending $10 or $15 a month for the internet is  living large. I personally bought my computer out of my tax refund four years ago while I was still working, before I adopted my grandson. Illegals get all kinds of stuff just handed to them without having to earn any of it. So, my dear, go suck a lemon.\n\nDe_rak, the reason you don't get it is because the illegals do. lol. (Yes, I knew what you meant.  Just couldn't resist the play on words there.)
647667
Honey, I feel you. I am from New Orleans and I know a lot of those people did not use their money properly and now they want to come back to live for free. I know there are people out there who did and are still doing what they need to be doing, I don't forget about them. I came back home and have been working my butt off to get my life back to normal, and people like the ones you talk about want it all just given to them.  Unfortunately a lot of New Orleans has worked like this for a long time and it's pretty sad, if this kind of thing happens again, my husband and I are outta here!!!!  I love New Orleans, I grew up here, I know when I have to draw the line.
234893
Some are unable to work.  How is a woman with 3 kids supposed to go out and volunteer when she can't afford daycare?  its a good idea but would run into too many pitfalls.  And "welfare" has checks and balances to make sure you are looking for work.  Have you ever been on "welfare?" its not a happy place.  And not all "welfare" people are lazy either that is a bigotistical remark\n\nGood for you for working 3 jobs to keep your family off of welfare, however if you were to lose your wife and have to take care of your children by yourself 3 jobs would not be possible.  Not everyone has family and if they do often they are in the same boat. childcare assistance is only available for the dirt poor, once you think you are almost looking at getting somewhere, they cut you off and you can no longer afford daycare which means you can no longer work.  not everyone who is on welfare doesn't work.  the majority of people on welfare are working but unfortunately don't get paid enough.  People would rather work than not.  it is very hard to not work and not feed your family you feel horrible and useless and like scum.\nAnd daycare assistance is not available for people who are "volunteering".  i'd like to know why everyone thinks people on "welfare" (by the way its not even called welfare anymore, atleast not in wisconsin) are lazy.  its very stereotypical and definately not the truth\n\nand here in wisconsin we have mandatory work placement/jobsearch programs in place.  why don't you people take a look into the system instead of assuming and believing stereotypes?
153795
I am currently able to pay my bills, however I lived many years under the poverty level while both myself and my husband worked fulltime jobs. I understand completely the horrid feeling of not having enough money to put food on the table of make a rent payment some months. Most months I would have to "borrow" from my father. I did not have the ability to pay my father back, so I now have been "gifted" those amounts. I was lucky to have a father who could help out in such desperate times of need. However, we also did not have health insurance, and my husband became disabled. We racked up lots of medical bills we just could not pay at that time. \n\nThe bill collectors began calling at all hours of the day and night. They would leave harrassing phone calls on the anwering system. This was before there was law stopping such behaviors. They would say such horridly hurtfull and plain mean statements, calling us deadbeats, irresponsible, theives, corrupt people who did not think we had the same responsibility to pay our debts others in soceity did. That we were bad people and lazy, to get jobs and be responsible adults who did not take advantage of others and deprive them of their rightfull payments. That saying we need to feed and house our children was not an excuse as those we were not paying had families too, and by not paying we were taking the food and housing away from their families. (which was not true as these folks make massive amount of money, but that is not a reason to not pay, they still deserve payment for services rendered like anyone else). Basically these phone calls became so harrassing I had to unplug my phone.\n\nI think you should not answer these calls. You already know your financial condition far better than those bill collectors. They do not care about you or your family, they do not give a darn about whether or not your children will still be able to eat if you bow to their rediculous demands. So, stop answering the phone and trying to explain your situation. They do not care and will only argue with you and basically make your life much more stressfull than it is now. \n\nThere are thirty million families in America currently living under the poverty level. The vast majority of these families have two working parents who are both receiving minimum wage for their labor. Most of these families do not have health insurance and are an illness or injury away from losing everything. \n\nThere is such a misconception of our working poor. Many think it is a simple matter of going out and finding a better paying job, or obtaining more education and them obtaining a higher paying job with benifits. Many think these people are willing to stay in the state they are currently in due to lack of drive to acheive more. \n\nThe truth of the matter is this: Currently a family of two fulltime employed parents working minimum wage jobs spend one fith of their income on just the gas they need in their car each month. A study which was aired recently on an Operah show demonstrated that out of a weeks pay it takes working one full day to pay for the weekly gas for the one car owned. If they are lucky enough to own a car. That is one fith of earnings. \n\nCurrently, we are not suppose to pay more than one third of our monthly income on the major expense of rent and utilities, yet it requires one fith of income to put gas in the family car! \n\nFederal minimum wage is currently $5.15. With both parents working 40 hour weeks that is a gross income of $1,468.00 monthly! Currently rent alone in my area is an average $900.00. That is 61% of the family monthly income. This figuare does not include utilities, food, clothing or medical expreses, or the gas and maintanence for the car! \n\nMany families are forced into sharing living quarters. They have to either move in with family or share the rent with another family just to make it. In a society which prizes self suffencency, we do not have a system in place whic
638254
i'm a student... well tht's not a job is it?? u don't get paid for being a student!\nwell if u insist... \ni like it... 'coz u r so free and u can have the time of ur life.. friends, hanging around .. etc\n\ni hate it 'coz i am financially dependent
280927
why would they care they get everything else free! havent Americans sat down and did a little look at ur own pay checks here. ex. a person making 15.00 buck a hr. at 40 hrs a week. equals $600 gross. u would bring home about low 400's to mid 400's if ur lucky depending on what u have to take out. that means really u only make about a little over 10 bucks a hr. if that and some pay checks are less then 400 after everything is taking out. so illegal making 5 bucks hr equals 200. and nothing comes out so that there whole check. so think about this here. they really have more money then Americans do so why would they care if they get paid low wages. there making a kill-in. they get everything else handed to them by us wonderful tax payers.
46907
The cost of living has gone up tremendously. The living wage has not. So, overall, I would say most are really struggling to afford to live A very elite few are getting by, actually paying their way without using credit. Very few!
502335
I AGREE WITH YOU WHOLEHEARTIDLY.  I see all these people flipping out their credit cards when it comes to pay.  They go to bed worrying, they are thousands of dollars in debt, they probably have all kinds of high blood pressure, ulcers. etc.   If I can't pay for it cash, I don't get it.  I learned  my lesson by putting myself in major debt with credit cards.  I have paid them off and now I live a simple life.  I have taught my children to appreciate things.  Don't get me wrong. I give them what they need, but they are not spoiled little brats. They have learned to appreciate the value of things and money.  Excellent question and though provoking.
172666
Yes, it annoys me, too. I grew up around people like that. This is partly why I'm against welfare-because I know that it gets abused. The major reason I'm against it though, is because I believe in people just being responsible for themselves. Unemployment for people who have actually LOST their jobs is about the only social welfare I believe in-aside from financial aid, which helps kids get out of an unfortunate situation that they were put in by their parents.\n\npseudo_obscure, I skimmed through the other posts, and I see no mention of race/color. Why would you call someone a racist for commenting on welfare? It seems like you are the racist for associating welfare with a specific race.\n\npinky, and anyone else who does not believe that people on welfare actually pay for nothing in life, I grew up with people like this. First off, there's something called Section 8, in which the govt will pay part or ALL of your rent. Add food stamps to that, and what's left for these people to worry about in life??? A few years ago, I worked with someone who was about to move into another home, and she was hesitant because she didn't "want to lose [her] housing" and that she "waited 3 years to get free housing". SHE ACTUALLY SAID THAT!!! Can you imagine hearing crap like that from one of your COWORKERS? Knowing that part of the deductions from your pay check is going to pay her rent?
340219
considering you are not at home asking this question and at work...take this time to look for part time jobs in the evening.  If you are cleaning an apartment every few weeks, why not try to do your own little side gig and do more houses or apartments.  If you have family that is willing to help watch the children while you earn extra $$ that is your answer.  If you are unable to pay your bills off you can consider filing for bankruptcy - it screws your credit for 7 years, but if you're not getting anywhere on the bills, then it's an option.  My mom raised 3 children, went without eating and things for herself so that we could have clothes and such.  We shopped at good will and i didn't know any better, i thought it was the greatest thing goin.  As much hoopla as people put on presents, it's about being with your family and making the most of the time together.  I would consider asking family to help watch the kids while you work a second part time job to earn more money, when you work hard for your family and prove that, people are more willing to help out.  Good luck and god bless!
610452
Money  for nothing and the drinks are free.  Lazy and stupid.  And liberals fight laws limiting welfare.  \n\nKeep working, millions on welfare are dependant on you!  \n\nSilly liberal, paychecks are for those who WORK!
337100
yes, i am making that now and trying to support my famly with it. i am 16 and some teens like me need the money for college, helping the famly, and other things. my dad is a teacher and he is not paid very much, it takes his, mom's, mine, and my older brothers pay checks to pay our bills and put food on the table.
408680
Hit it right on the head. I was in England a while back and there was an issue where people were pissed because a stripper had her breast enlargement paid for via the health care system. Her claim was that it helped her earn more money. People here (in the US) need to stop trying to get the government to pay for everything. If a person will just get a job they can take care of their needs. People who can not work for legit reasons I have no problem with helping but the idea that everything should be taken care of by the gov is a socialist view. I do not want to live in that type of world. Survival of the fittest or at lest the hardest working works for me.
424780
I think this country has gone over the edge as far as helping others.  My tax dollars go to pay for other peoples education and when I need money there is none for me.  I knew someone who got flown in from a different country to have heart surgery completely free of charge.  Would anyone in this country who works and pays takes get that for free ?? Hell no.  My own grandmother got money from the govt for being old.  She had never worked a day in this country.  I think those things are wrong.  The people who live here and pay taxes dont get as much as people from other countries do.
140051
They get paid under the table and tell the welfare office they aren't working. Or they're involved in some other illegal act to make money. Those are the people who will always want somethin for nothin. These are the same people who will go to a restaraunt and throw a fit about something with intentions of getting a free meal. I understand that some people work really hard and still don't have much. It's possible to be down on your luck but not for your whole life. It sucks that the tax payers have to suffer for all the people who take advantage of the system.
611723
agree with you. It's something I think about quite a lot. Where I come from to work is kind of a privledge and a pain in the ass at the same time, but taxes do take a sizeable chunk out of anyone's income. People on a benefit admittedly do not receive a large income, but it's a pain in the ass when they say that they should be on one because "boo hoo" they are a single parent or whatever. And when the people who are working and basically, apart from all the rest of it, paying for them through their taxes, quite possibly have things which they could choose to say "boo hoo" about also. Anyway - that is just regarding your basic everyday run of the mill single parent family, which honestly probably does need quite a lot of help. If someone is together with someone else and passing themselves off as single so they can claim more benefits, then that is shitty yes. If they have plenty of money coming from someone else I don't think they should be chasing welfare stamps as a lifestyle option.