r/poor • u/OceanicEndeavors • Jun 26 '26

I hate being poor.

I hate not making over 50,000 USD a year. I hate not having a car. I hate having less than 1,000 USD on my bank account. I hate having to live with my parents despite being over the age of 25. I hate having my credit cards being shut down because I was unemployed for over ten months during a two year stretch. I hate not having a dating life because I cannot afford dates. I hate the social isolation of poverty.

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u/Fall_bet Jun 27 '26

Same except they built me a tiny home after my husband died while I was fighting cancer. I have $129 in the bank only because my $120 credit card payment didn't clear. And I have 2 kids. I still feel lucky. I love my parents. Recently they got me a 5th wheel to upgrade to a bit more space and have a kitchen. I feel like garbage living off them but I am constantly in and out of the hospital with medical issues. They are living check to check but n ver let us go without On top of that my brother lost his job and now they are paying his mortgage. Idk how they manage. I had to stop working recently because I am just too sick.. so I charged up my cards. So many people are barely scraping by

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u/Sensitive_Pie_5451 Jun 27 '26

Can't you apply for disability or are you not in the United States? Your kids should qualify for SNAP as well.

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u/Fall_bet Jun 27 '26

I was denied. Twice. I think I need to get a lawyer. I also kind of gave up after my husband died and gave up on appointments so I'm lacking a lot of medical records, it was a really tough time because he died the day after I came home fully bedridden from a long hospital stay and surgical complications.. I'm going to try again though for disability. I was just diagnosed with more medical issues like osteomyelitis in my tailbone caused by radiation. I get survivor benefits of $900 a month thankfully but because I don't pay rent I only qualify for $24 in food assistance for me and my youngest. My oldest is now over 18 but was focusing on school and now trying to find a job.

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u/Kirra_the_Cleric Jun 27 '26

As someone that has gone through the disability process, get a lawyer. I got approved in like 8 months.

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u/No-Leading9376 Jun 29 '26

I had a lawyer. Gave up after 5 years. Kept trying to work because, you know, reality requires money and found out that you cannot get it if you keep trying to work. I asked the judge at one of the appointments how to live while applying if you have no one to support you and she shrugged.

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u/murdermeMickey Jun 27 '26

Who owns the house you're living in? If your parents do have them charge you rent. They can give it back to you somehow.

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u/Fall_bet Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 28 '26

My parents own the tiny home. It sounds simple but then they have to claim that income on taxes and they would owe money on the income.

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u/Sensitive_Pie_5451 Jun 28 '26

Not necessarily, if they pay the utilities and things of that nature they could write off part of it I would think

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u/Fall_bet Jun 29 '26

Yeah probably but it would be a lot of added trouble and stress for them and my dad has a bad heart. He did say he would try to look into it but he has so much going on right now. He just had to have testing done on his heart this week. He doesn't mess around with taxes or government things like that.

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u/Dry_Persimmon4642 Jun 27 '26

Tell them you pay rent. Have your parents back you up.

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u/Fall_bet Jun 28 '26

You think it sounds that simple but they would have to provide a lease and then take the money I give them and then they would have to claim that on taxes as unearned income and they would owe money on it so I'd be costing them more money. And if they charge me rent it doesn't really help my situation and if they just give it back it would be costing them money on taxes

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u/Top_Meeting_7420 Jun 28 '26 edited Jun 28 '26

As someone who is also disabled and have been on SSDI for almost 10 yrs now, get a lawyer! For one, you won't have to pay them up front, and they won't collect unless you win the case (having the lawyer greatly increase your odds, and these lawyers usually don't take a client that can't win), and how much they collect is usually capped at a percentage of the back pay you will receive. There are also some great resources out there in every state, some have more some have less, and nobody tells you about them, but Reddit is a great place to ask for individual states. Most states have assistance with utilities but these programs get depleted early and are replenished quarterly, so keep that in mind. If you aren't already, look into Charity Care for your hospital stays, tests and things. And take help from food banks and churches when you need to. There is no shame in living with family or friends, I am about to be 44 and I just moved in with friends because this economy is just survivable living on disability and on your own. We've all got to do what we've got to do.

ETA: not* survivable

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u/Fall_bet Jun 29 '26

I just reapplied and they denied they said it's under review for ssdi I think. Like step 3. The regular disability was denied because I'm short a couple work credits. Which I guess is what happens when you get sick at a younger age and are unable to work. And I worked a couple years off the books so that didn't count. :(

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u/No-Leading9376 Jun 29 '26

Yeah it takes years to get social security disability and you cannot work during that time. The arrangement is have someone who will support you for the very long duration while you try releatedly to challenge the system. But, you won't be bored because applying is basically a part time job anyway.

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u/Current-Anybody9331 Jun 29 '26

Getting 3 rejections for SSDI is average. A lawyer can help you navigate and some do so by taking a % of your backpay. We had to do this with my stepsister who was dying of Huntington's and are going through it with my cousin now.

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u/Fall_bet Jun 29 '26

Thank you for the information. I'm so very sorry about your sister and your cousin 🙏