I am assessing the risk (to medicaid and my wellbeing) of getting a job. Does getting a job bring me out of the misery of poverty?
I conclude that it is too risky to get a regular on the books job. I could lose my health insurance and risk falling deeper into poverty; even though I will be having more income, my expenses will increase even more.
The income limit for qualifying for Medicaid is $15,800. Divided that by 12 months and that is $1,316.66 per month. Is it possible to live healthy life on less than 13 hundred dollars per month? Getting a reliable healthy stable housing will cost around 600-1,000 dollars per month. Most likely I will need to spend about 1,000$ a month on housing. This leaves around 300 dollars for all other expenses. Owning a car will be 80-100 dollars per month just for insurance, maintenance and fuel will be another 100$ per month, if I have car payments that could be another 100$. Food will cost around 200-300 dollars per month for healthy diet.
Living on government benefits might be better. SSI benefits and food benefits provides about 883 dollars per month. 733+150=883. Medicaid covers health care expenses, averaging around at least 1,000 dollars per month, including medications and psychotherapy, and general health care.
I get about 10,600 dollars per year in benefits to cover basic needs, plus another 10 thousand in health care benefits. (883*12=10,596)
Well lets see you said that you get about 883 dollar per month plus the 1000 dollars from medicaid covering stuff. That comes out to 1883 dollars per month. By your own estimate you can get up to 1,316.66 per month from a job. So that comes out to 3199.66 per month if you had a job that gave you the maximum. Let just say around 3100 per month to be safe from going over. So if you got a job that earned about that much then it would be worth taking.
Of course you have to deduct additional expenses. Let’s say that you aren’t paying for your healthcare now you would have to off disability. So if that is around 400 dollars a month you would need a job that gives you 3500 per month. I don’t know if you have a car but you might need one to travel to your job. Lets say that the car is about 100 per month and the gas comes out to about 150 a month. That is 3750 a month. My expenses are different in that I would have to pay about 100 per month for a psychiatrist and 100 for meds. So you must have really expensive medicine.
So I guess you are looking for a job that pays around 3750 a month or more or less than 1,316 per month.
Psychotherapy and medication management would cost at least 500 dollars a month, probably 800, Latuda costs another grand per month, so i would have to switch to something less expensive that has more side effects, such as weight gain, and I developed a fatty liver, the fat was killing my liver. I might try experimenting with herbal medications such as Reishi mushroom spore oil and Ashwanda. And any money I make is then deducted from SSI payment. My choice it seems is to either work for off the record cash like an illegal immigrant, or make about 4 grand per month to cover all expenses.
You need $2850 a month to cover basic expenses. At least. And that’s living in a studio apartment and taking the bus everywhere. And, assuming that you are covered with Medicaid or Medicare, and you don’t smoke or vape. Because I know a woman in Nebraska who is doing it with this amount, and she is saving money.
About $3K a month minimum. Thus seek employment if you feel that you have a skill set that can land you employment quickly with a starting salary of at least $36K annually. If not, stay on the benefits.
I was young and in school for most of the time that I was earning my benefits, so I am nowhere near the amounts I see a lot of people getting from SSI/SSDI. I also have student loans and credit card debt. I have to graduate and work. I have no choice. I want to do it though which helps.
I get 1200 month from SSDI and go to school. My money goes to tuition but even if I lived on my own I would be living in utter poverty. In the US, where I live, I would be looking at renting a room somewhere. By the time I am done with food, car insurance and gas, I’d be tapped
I don’t think I could make it if I didn’t live with my Dad. He took me in. I agree with the idea that you need about $3K month to survive or $25.00 hour FT before taxes. I am in the hopes that I can make $30 or $35 an hour after I graduate. Being BROKE sucks!!! I use to make $100K a year but I can’t do agressive sales anymore. I am too timid and ill. Back to the drawing board. I miss the money tho