A working life or SSI / disability support, what is it for you?

[Deafilmedia]

Hi all,

Since I finished education I had a choice ahead of me.

• A life of employment, little time for myself, always tired and always a challenge but with more financial freedom and ultimately CHOICES.

OR

• Resort to living off a very basic income provided by State/Government, be forced to live somewhere remote where the rent/housing is cheap and basically just get by to pay bills and food but not have many if any luxuries in life and limited choices in what you can do (can't afford to travel the world? start a company?), BUT are able to spend your days peacefully, maybe persuing art/hobbies and plenty of socialising/family time.

For me, at a younger age, I want to be somewhere where there is a creative atmosphere, lots of cutting edge art and technology, I was drawn to Brooklyn, NY for this reason but the prices for rent and living are through the roof so I was forced to find a job, Support like SSI simply couldn't cover the expense.
I feel fortunate that I was able to find work that doesn't involve face-to-face customer service relations, using the telephone or menial labor. I work for a relationship coach assisting him on the computer and maintaining his website. I also do video editing and graphic design. At $12 an hour I only need work 20 hours a week to pay the rent and bills, if there is an extra expense that I need (new laptop?) then I bump this up to 30-35 hours and can save for a couple months to afford one. Ultimately I still have quite a lot of free-time to myself and my own projects but I find myself getting so very tired that the quality of work I do can suffer.. It's a constant balancing act.

I think I have made a good choice for myself though, above all, I have freedom from the Government, if I want to pick up and leave, I can. If I want to change my circumstances, it's very easy, I'm not tied down to anything. So this is my situation.

I'd love to hear everyone else's perspective and what you do for a living, how you get by, are you happy?

Peace

I chose to live off SSI, food stamp, and medicaid and
live with my mother... so that I can do whatever I want.
Like using SSI for traveling around world...
And use free money to buy food, so I don't have to work
I like to leech off people...

What is wrong with that?

 

[Sugarpuff]

I recommend you to work in part time as long as you continue to go to school. I like to earn money from work that makes the green bucks more thicker in my pocket than SSI/SSDI.
Right now, I am stay-home mom with my children. I have infant that I can't afford daycare, so I get ssi/ssdi.
For instance, California pays you 233 dollars and around 700 dollars from SSDI.
I worked in a company for almost 4 years and I moved to different states in that time. I had to leave my job due to my infant, and I can't afford daycare that costs almost same as apartment rent.

 

[vrsterp]

Right now, I am stay-home mom with my children. I have infant that I can't afford daycare, so I get ssi/ssdi.
For instance, California pays you 233 dollars and around 700 dollars from SSDI.

I have a question. What about hearing people who have babies? Daycare is expensive for everyone. Why should you get special treatment?

SSDI is for disabled people. Do you think deafness makes you disabled? That means you don't support "Deaf people can do anything except hear" right?

 

[Phillips]

I cannot wait till finish College then find a permanent job at Paralegal lawyer Office !

 

[Dixie]

I chose to live off SSI, food stamp, and medicaid and
live with my mother... so that I can do whatever I want.
Like using SSI for traveling around world...
And use free money to buy food, so I don't have to work
I like to leech off people...

What is wrong with that?

Because you're sucking my retirement dry, thats why.....

*MOOCH*

 

[Sugarpuff]

I have a question. What about hearing people who have babies? Daycare is expensive for everyone. Why should you get special treatment?

SSDI is for disabled people. Do you think deafness makes you disabled? That means you don't support "Deaf people can do anything except hear" right?

I am deaf that is what I am quafiled for. But, in my opinion it is not about deaf, it is about motherhood to stay home with infant.
Pregnant mothers if they are hearings can get SSDI when they get on maternity leave. Only for 3 to 4 months depend what doctors obtain them.
I wish I still can get maternity leave benefit more longer than that like other countries. For instance, Canadian mothers get maternity pay for 14 months, and other country pay mothers for 2 years.
Father can get FMLA pay while he stays home to spend time with his baby for a week.
Actually, SSDI will help hearing people when they have disabled like they cannot work by doctor's order for temporary or cannot work anymore.

To be honest, I truly want to return to work that makes my life more easier than being stuck up with debts.

 

[Sugarpuff]

Here is a link about maternity leave:
Maternity leave: The basics

 

[dreama]

I have a question. What about hearing people who have babies? Daycare is expensive for everyone. Why should you get special treatment?

SSDI is for disabled people. Do you think deafness makes you disabled? That means you don't support "Deaf people can do anything except hear" right?

Not neccessarily. In England single parents are entitled to benifits and I am ok with that as it is BEST for the child if the parents can stay at home and take care of them. Has nothing to do with being deaf.

 

[myles]

I am on ODSP, which is the Canadian version of SSI, and I hate it!!! I prefer to work than to get disability money. I had often brought up the topic of getting off ODSP and getting a job and going to school. Just yesterday brought it up with my mum, but my mum said I shouldn't do that, cuz I am going to school this fall in Toronto, moving out on my own in July with two roommates in Mississauga which is near Toronto, and is very expensive around as well as other nearby cities and towns of Toronto. But I was determined to get a part time job and live in apt with my two friends as well as go to school. But my mum knows me too well, I will not be able to handle it. I am bipolar as alot of you may remember me mentioning this before, and already I had to withdraw college once last year because I was overwhelmed with school (as well as I drank and smoked up every day, and ended up in the mental ward twice in less than 3 weeks), and getting a part time job will not cover the cost of living in Toronto. But I seriously HATE living on ODSP.

My goal is to finish school then get a good job and cut ODSP out of my life for good. This can only happen if my fucking mental health permit me.

Congrats with the bold step of moving out, it'll be great in many ways, not easy but great. The bipolar is a big evil, I just hooked up with a type 2 bipolar girl and man will it be a rough ride!

80 a week in a signing environment really makes a difference as opposed to 35 hours in a non signing environment. I would be exhuasted working at a job where I have to lipread everyone too. Both of my jobs were in a signing environment so it was easy.

A signing job would be so awesome, however I only knew some BSL (British) and so I'm having to start again with learning ASL and it's going really slowly because I can't find any deaf friends in this area (Brooklyn/Manhattan) yet. I know they're out there so will keep searching.

 

[Rollover]

I'm all for working and receiving the benefit packages the companies
offer. Plus making new friends, daily challenges that come with the job
and having a reason to dress up each day. I like the idea of financial
freedom and not wait for a check in the mail.
Yes work now and play later. Aren't we rather young to retire?
Retirement is for the elder, sick and boring. Suzi

 

[SumoPope]

I like money, cars (for transportation only), and high-end camera equipment ($$$$$) so it's working all the way for me, baby!

I've gotten over working hard a long time ago, and I find I'm happyier with the fact that I've worked for my money than just getting it from uncle sam. To each his own, though.

 

[myles]

What cameras Sumo?

Digital SLR? Red 4k? :P

 

[ideafspy]

Wow, pretty harsh but never think of that sucking our retirement being dry. It is true because future that money will grow and grow and become silly cost.

For me, I do have SSI in past of time due college. I am lucky to have the job I am working without requirement college degree. I want to get college degree as my soft spot to fell.

Because you're sucking my retirement dry, thats why.....

*MOOCH*

 

[SumoPope]

What cameras Sumo?

Digital SLR? Red 4k? :P

I trust you are a photo fiend as well? What is a Red 4k, I've never heard of it!

D50, D200, a SB800 flash and a ton of lens (Tamaron 11-18 2.8, 17-50 2.8 and a Nikkor 80-200 2.8! And a few other primes!):rl:

Now I'm looking at a medium format of some sort, probably a Toya 4x5in. It's going to be a few months. . . . .but worth it!

 

[myles]

I trust you are a photo fiend as well? What is a Red 4k, I've never heard of it!

D50, D200, a SB800 flash and a ton of lens (Tamaron 11-18 2.8, 17-50 2.8 and a Nikkor 80-200 2.8! And a few other primes!):rl:

Now I'm looking at a medium format of some sort, probably a Toya 4x5in. It's going to be a few months. . . . .but worth it!

Nice kit!

I'm not an obsessive like some people I know
I do know my way around the gear though, regret selling my Canon 300d, looking forward to getting something like a 30d instead. Going to use it for stop motion animation.

Surprised you've not heard of Red, it's a ground breaking digital video camera, made by the guys at Oakley (of sunglasses fame), gonna take on the big boys of film! RED Digital Cinema
It'll take primes, go drool

 

[Dixie]

Wow, pretty harsh but never think of that sucking our retirement being dry. It is true because future that money will grow and grow and become silly cost.

For me, I do have SSI in past of time due college. I am lucky to have the job I am working without requirement college degree. I want to get college degree as my soft spot to fell.

What I meant are the people that KNOW full and well that they are capable of getting jobs but just simply refuse to.

There is a difference between someone needing the SSI *temporarily* to get through some hard times financially EX: partial disability insurance for a single mom who is deaf and needs the income to help make ends meet while she pursues a college degree. Once she has finished and landed a a job that pays the bills using her degree she comes off of it.

And there is someone that claims that there are many things wrong with them EX: 'bad backs' 'bad knees' severe hearing loss (note that these people never claim full deafness - and they make a mockery of the REAL deaf/Deaf/HOH community). And they say they absolutely cannot find a job or are unable to keep a job for whatever reason, then they sit at home all day watching the boob tube, then they use the disability money to buy fancy cars and what not because guess what they are living under a false address or each of the people in the household are claiming as head of household to get the maximum allowable amount. What these people dont see is that when they get to retirement age they will start receiving LESS THAN HALF of what they were previously receiving then they will be FORCED to find any menial job. These are the people that you will see who are 65-70 years old and flipping burgers at McDonald's and work as Wal-Mart Greeters.

SSI is drawn out of the SSI reserve with alot of the American population about to hit retirement and are eligilble for retirement benefits and many younger people claiming disabilities when they KNOW they can work and simply choose NOT to they also suck that reserve dry.

Not only that people that claim false disability take away from those that REALLY need it such as the deafblind, blind, mentality incapicitated, paraplegics, paralyzed, Muscular Dystrophy patients, etc. The list goes on and on.

Note I did not purposely omit Deafness to say that it is not a disability, I omitted because I firmly believe if given the opportunities the deaf can work. There is nothing there to physically, visually, or mentally keep them from holding a job.

Am I saying the Deaf are bums, absolutely not, but I find it disheartening when I see someone like *HER* come here and say it is perfectly OK for the deaf to mooch, lie, and whatnot to get supposedly 'easy' money. Money is never easy and it certaintly does not grow on trees like some people believe.

My post was not directed at you - my post was directed at -*HER* and those who think and act like HER. I hope I did not leave you offended, but I do want you to have some lingering thoughts.

 

[SumoPope]

Nice kit!

I'm not an obsessive like some people I know
I do know my way around the gear though, regret selling my Canon 300d, looking forward to getting something like a 30d instead. Going to use it for stop motion animation.

Surprised you've not heard of Red, it's a ground breaking digital video camera, made by the guys at Oakley (of sunglasses fame), gonna take on the big boys of film! RED Digital Cinema
It'll take primes, go drool

I think you are gonna love the 30d, I hear very good things about it!

I just looked at the specs for the Red 4k and quite frankly, my eyes popped out! Thats pretty insane stuff, really! Unfortantly, I don't really follow cinema technology and I prefer to hone myself in the fine art of single-frame photography.

I did a few short stop motion GIF's (15, 20 frames?) some time ago, what did you have in mind?

 

[Aleser]

I'm against deaf people getting SSI. Why? Because deafness changes your -methods- of interaction, not your ability to interact. There are many jobs deaf people will do just as good at if not better than hearing people. You -don't- deserve my tax money because you can't hear the birds chirp. SSI is there for good reasons. There are people with new impairments (recently aquired hearing, vision, mobility) ect that honestly could benefit from financial support while they adjust. There are people in which the nature of their disability is significant enough to limit their ability to work to next-to-nothing. Deafness is not one of them.

 

[Dixie]

I'm against deaf people getting SSI. Why? Because deafness changes your -methods- of interaction, not your ability to interact. There are many jobs deaf people will do just as good at if not better than hearing people. You -don't- deserve my tax money because you can't hear the birds chirp. SSI is there for good reasons. There are people with new impairments (recently aquired hearing, vision, mobility) ect that honestly could benefit from financial support while they adjust. There are people in which the nature of their disability is significant enough to limit their ability to work to next-to-nothing. Deafness is not one of them.

Very well said. But the kicker is that it should only be TEMPORARY until the person is able to support themselves again. The bad part is you have doctors writing off on disability claims to get patients to shut up or to get a portion of the state medicaid money.

I can see where a person is on permanent disability - they are paralyzed from the neck down, severe brain damage, mental ratardation (IE severe forms of Down Syndrome) the really nasty stuff that requires round the clock care and supervision of the person and the person is not capable of sustaining themselves with a full time job.

There are people out there that are choosing to work even though they could easily qualify for disability benefits. They simply chose not to be limited. There are people out there with Down's Syndrome that work full time jobs and live in apartments (although they tend to live close to their parents and there is usually Home health to come check on the person daily if the parents are unable to) There are blind people that work in offices, they lead full lives, albeit with a cane and/or guide dog. I know of one man that is legally blind and he still runs a farm riding his fourwheeler. He knows where everything is at there is usually someone out there with him and he has cattle dogs that follow his whistle commands to help round up the cows. He grows his own garden, and yes he does have a guide dog.

There are people with Cerebral Palsy that are physically handicapped in some form and they work in offices filling out paperwork and entering Data on the computer. There are people out there that could sit at home and be bored because they are 'disabled' but they dont. they choose to venture out beyond the stereotypes and grab the world by the horns.

 

[Kuifje75]

I work two jobs and go to school for about 7 to 11 credit hours per semester. The first job, I work 70 hours one week then off one week. So I work alternating weeks. The second job is a part time job, up to 20 hours. I still find the time to have some pleasure time doing stuff like hiking or travelling. It is only a "mind over matters" thing. I would rather work for my money than to leech it off from others.