Job Loss--What Should She Have Done?

[Patrick46]

It is hard to say what she should have done because we know so little about what happened. Life happens; it's the choices you make after the rug is pulled that defines us.

There are no bad jobs when you are hungry. McDonald's is always hiring. I have friends that started their own contract cleaning business with nothing. Most Bipolar people can function in jobs that require little public contact. There are options if one looks.

Excellent post!! ^^^

exactally what I was saying.

 

[morongobill]

Not everybody is as "street smart" as a lot of folks here. This lady is a perfect example of the "book learning" type.

Out of all the comments here I like Bob's the best, perhaps the writer of the piece should be clued in on this site as a resource for those down on their luck.

One more thing, sorry but not everybody is able to pull themselves up by the bootstraps. Not being judgmental, just pointing out a fact of life. Perhaps it might be good to keep that in mind when it's time for life to hand out another harsh lesson to someone, maybe to you or someone in your family or circle of friends.

 

[GotSmart]

I am sorry, but I think that is the wrong question.

The right one is What should she do now?

The first thing is to learn from what has not worked.

I will let the members here that have been living on the road fill in the rest of the answers. You seem to be much better at it than I am. I am still learning.

 

[compassrose]

I'm 53 yo. My 59 yo husband is unable to work due to the meds he is on for his heart condition. I work. I get paid a bit more than $10 per hour (but not as much as $11). I work part time (thank you Mr President) and my hours bounce between 20 up to 39 per week (I started out at 20 hours only and thru consistent hard work have gotten an "open ended" position, meaning that I can get more than 20 hours). I have no savings but got smart and have 10% taken out of my pay to acquire HD stock it should work out to better than savings account interest once I sell it.. I get paid every two weeks. I've tried having a 2nd job but it never seems to work out. We pay $425 per month for our site that includes utilities. We moved into the bus and moved to Roswell, NM in 2011. The bus had a gas range (because we never removed it from using the bus as a moving van), a cheap microwave and a cold water only vanity sink. We still sleep on an Ozark Trail air mattress with a 3" or 4" memory foam topper. we boosted our single electric space heater up to two space heaters during our first winter. We used the campground bathhouse for over a year. My 2013 was a couple hundred over $18,000. Previous year was between $16,000 and $17,000. We have managed to convert the bus from a metal tent to a livable home on the "excess" funds we have. My hard monthly bills (the ones I have no control over) add up to $478. Gas for the 1995 Jeep runs about $100. David's meds have been running us $19 per month because he simply doesn't take the expensive ones. He goes to a walk-in clinic every so often that costs $50 per visit. We have a Sam's Club membership and get the meds there and 90% of our food. To do what we do, we do without. To fix anything, we fix it ourselves. If we don't know how, we look online. We do not have credit cards. We do not have a bank. I use the Wal-Mart Moneycard and usually do not pay the $3 monthly fee as I have my paycheck direct deposited and if I have $1000 total per month deposited the monthly fee is waived for the next month. I lose hours big time during the slow winter. I'm sorry but these people will not get much sympathy from me. I think they are morons. I don't care if they have a degree. This idiot hasn't learned to apply for a lower job and dump most of her info? And the RV has wheels, move someplace where she can get a job as a cashier. Start low and work your way up. It would be nice if I got $12 per hour and worked part time. Why didn't they move someplace where she could get a job? Idiots. We have hit rock bottom so many times in our lives without "help" that I can't work up a whole lot of sympathy for someone who got help and didn't use that time to get off the help. If everything is broken, why can't hubby learn to fix it. Bi-Polar does not mean "idiot incapable of doing anything". The icebox I don't get. If the refrigerator doesn't work, why didn't they pull it and replace with a CHEAP $80 dorm fridge from Wal-Mart when they did have the money. I'm sorry, I just don't buy their story. Too much they could have fixed etc. They have the "I'm a victim" mentality. Is that a harsh attitude? Maybe, but since we have never been victims of our circumstances, no matter how bad (and it has gotten REALLY bad). They didn't know things were coming to an end? They were just cruising along on gov handouts waiting for things to magically get better? Can I get $300 in food stamps? (wait, I have to stop laughing first) What do these people need to do? Get a grip and open their eyes. Make changes. If family isn't supporting them, then they need to MOVE! They got a FREE RV for heavens sake. That they then apparently trashed. We lived in a 22 ft 1976 Class C. We lived in a 23 ft Apache popup (with kids and pets). THEY had savings to live on for a while. What did they do? Eat out? I haven't eaten out but one time in a year. And that was at a chinese buffet ($25 for the two of us... yep we splurged). Shoot, stick hubby out at a parking lot with a sign, get some cash and leave to warmer climate and get a retail drone job. Adjust & Deal or Curl Up & Die. Those are the choices.

 

[user 423]

If your husband has a heart condition and can't work, why does he not apply for disability? If he worked previously and paid into SS then it shouldn't be seen as a 'gov't handout'... although some would disagree.

 

[Lucky mike]

SSI/D is a hand out...state based comes with Medicaid enrollment

SSD/I ...is insurance you worked & paid for comes with Medicare that you worked & paid for.....The food stamps I get are just the bonus I get for all the money they took over the years.....for the house , car , family they destroyed while waiting on the benefits they promised for 2 1/2 years!

something happen to that couple to loose his SSI. but they knew it was coming 6 months before they got cut off.....I feel bad they lost everything , its not a pleasant feeling...but with a college degree you think she could have read the writing on the wall before it happened and done something.

 

[decodancer]

I just visited friends in the town where I used to work. They cannot believe I live such an "uncivilized" life. They cannot imagine cleaning bathrooms at a ski resort to be able to buy propane. That said, they are envious of my freedom. We deal with what we have to deal with. I can get handouts, I don't because I like knowing that I earned what I have. We've all made bad decisions and digging out of the hole is hard but saying I did it is worth it.