Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
I wouldn't necessarily say that people are unreasonable or have an ax to grind, they just fall into the category of the haves (usually have a lots) and don't completely understand the struggle of the barely squeaking by and the have some but not a lots.
They are generally the same people that speak about, "I did this all on my own" not recognizing some of the innate privileges associated most frequently with race and/or gender.
We do recognize that there are those who don't have, won't have and may never have. We do recognize that life has not been fair to everyone. We do understand the hardship of barely squeaking by. And we absolutely understand that there are discrimination factors at work. But, that is not the issue. The issue is renting to some of us is a business, not a social services venture.
Do people blame Bentley or Rolls Royce for the inability of the poor to buy a cheap car? Do you begrudge Sansanian for their price per ounce that could otherwise feed a family for a month? Why is it that people have no issue paying $150+ a month just to watch sports on cable? We are a business like any other business. I charge what the market will allow that produces the greatest profit. If people can't afford the rents where they are, maybe they should start realizing that their lot in life is the tenement by the tracks.
I wouldn't necessarily say that people are unreasonable or have an ax to grind, they just fall into the category of the haves (usually have a lots) and don't completely understand the struggle of the barely squeaking by and the have some but not a lots.
They are generally the same people that speak about, "I did this all on my own" not recognizing some of the innate privileges associated most frequently with race and/or gender.
I think a lot of people realised a very long time ago that there are some things that every human being is entitled to have by virtue of being part of a society. One of those things is a place to live, another is medical care, and a third is a decent education.
Why should some people have several homes, and even use real property as a "business" whilst others struggle to find any place to live or pay up to 50% of their income toward putting a roof over their heads? Other countries do not have these sorts of inequalities and do quite well. The Scandinavian countries for example have quite high taxes, but everyone has the basics in life, and those countries do not have the myriad social ills we have in this country. Merit has to be recognised and rewarded, but the imbalance here is pathological and thus dangerous.
......... So, what would you now suggest?...........
Roommates. Housing voucher. Rooming house. Room rental in a private home. Food stamps. The kindness of relatives. Live in a place with lower cost of living. Food banks.
Best would have been to put some money aside and to figure out how to work a better paying job so the SS check would be higher, instead of coasting along and not giving any thought to the future. But I suppose that once you are living on social security it is a bit too late to be working on securing a decent pension.
But I suppose that once you are living on social security it is a bit too late to be working on securing a decent pension.
So few companies offer pensions now. Neither my husband or I have one. My sister has a tiny - $1,000 a month pension. Pensions seem to be only for federal or state workers nowadays. It's sad.
Years ago, my daughter was offered a job. It was an important career move that just didn't pay well. More than minimum wage, but not a whole lot more. When she thought about moving, she realized apartments in this new area were expensive. Once she paid rent, she had hardly enough money to eat. We decided to help pay her rent so she could eat, buy toilet paper, aspirin and all the other necessities of life. We did this for a 18 months before she was promoted and earned enough money to be independent.
A family is the most basic security net. Unfortunately, many of my kids' friends come from divorced families. These families have less ability to help so kids are falling between the cracks. It's why, IMHO, homelessness is increasing.
Roommates. Housing voucher. Rooming house. Room rental in a private home. Food stamps. The kindness of relatives. Live in a place with lower cost of living. Food banks.
Best would have been to put some money aside and to figure out how to work a better paying job so the SS check would be higher, instead of coasting along and not giving any thought to the future. But I suppose that once you are living on social security it is a bit too late to be working on securing a decent pension.
- Roommates: a possibility
- Housing vouchers: long, long wait lists (in many locales years out) with stringent financial parameters. some people with SSI or SSDI would exceed the income threshold for many federally funded programs.
- Food stamps: income-driven and again some folks on SSI or SSDI would exceed the threshold. It's also meant to be supplemental not the totality of one's food budget. For example, in PA a single person that meets the parameters for food stamps would receive a max of $205 per month. Sorry, but that's not enough to fully feed a grown person for 30 days and if you can, you're eating junk or going hungry.
- Relatives: not all folks have a family. Many family members cannot/will not have another in their home, even for money
- Lower cost of living place: see examples I posted above. 2/3 of people on SSDI receive far less than the max and even the max, rent in the lowest rental state of West Virginia ($750) is still more than half.
- Food banks: guess you don't keep current with the news, food banks are struggling to meet needs and some have closed their doors altogether.
Re: SS and SSDI...I have AT LEAST 18 years before I hit my minimum retirement age to collect SS, my pension, and my 403B. At today's dollars, before I factor in costs I don't currently have - like health insurance premiums- I cannot afford to retire, I'll take home less than I do now. I'm hoping by 70 it's doable but like many others, I'll probably never fully retire. I do have a pension, a 403B and SS but as of right now, it will not be enough.
And for those that did work and suffered a catastrophic illness/accident that places them on SSDI- what do you tell them?
I know someone diagnosed with MS at 43 with 2 youngish children and a NYC union job. They're barely getting by now cause that $2500 or so in SSDI isn't enough in the "lower-cost" area they moved to try and ease the financial strain they're under. His wife cut her salary by nearly 35% moving to a rural area (Elementary SPED teacher) and added bills they didn't previously have- costs of a car for example.
So few companies offer pensions now. Neither my husband or I have one. My sister has a tiny - $1,000 a month pension. Pensions seem to be only for federal or state workers nowadays. It's sad.
And many more recent civilian pensions aren't nearly as generous as outdated stories suggest. Old myths die hard. I know mine isn't. Sure, there are some retired fat cats rolling around in theirs, but they aren't the majority. No way could I live on mine alone!
I could see myself homeless one day. I am older (50's) and low-income, single, and not close to family. I have a degree, but few skills. I struggle with severe social anxiety and meds make me foggy and it becomes hard to do my job.
Moving to a lower COL is not really a solution for people. Low COL cities also have lower wages.
Low COL cities are a good option for retirees.
Exactly. The experts say most Americans are only 2 paycheques away from homelessness should a disaster strike, and there are so many possible disasters out there.
You're just repeating a lie that too many believe is true.
Foreclosure or eviction take much longer than 2 pay periods. Most Americans can go a year without pay and still not be homeless. They may be hurting but won't be homeless.
You're just repeating a lie that too many believe is true.
Foreclosure or eviction take much longer than 2 pay periods. Most Americans can go a year without pay and still not be homeless. They may be hurting but won't be homeless.
Miss two mortgage payments and they foreclose on you. Miss rental payments, and a landlord will file a FED against you. I do not know where you are from, but no one I know can live a year without a regular pay cheque unless they have one heck a huge savings account.
Last edited by PhinneyWalker; 06-28-2022 at 10:02 PM..
A landlord buddy in Alabama was just on a forum today happily sharing that for the very first time ever he had rented a house for 4 digit rent. A 3 bedroom 2 bath 2 car garage , newly renovated, for $1,000 a month. Most of his rentals are bringing $600.
A different landlord acquaintance in Texas is getting $500-$600 a month for her houses.
There are still places where the rent hasn't gone insane. Low income people don't have to live in expensive areas that they can't afford. Donate all of your stuff to good will and get on a bus and move to a cheaper area. Especially of you are living on a government issued paycheck. That disability check might not cover rent in Miami, but it will in Indiana or Alabama, or Missouri.
I'll admit that I, myself, don't want to live in Missouri, but I would choose that over a blue tarp wedged between a meth head and a schizophrenic on a sidewalk in Seattle. Sometimes you just can't have the very best of everything if you can't afford the price of the best.
What city in Texas? Is this a one bedroom house?
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
